Opinions on internships for companies like Toptal?

If I'm understanding internships correctly it's working under someone for experience and no payment, I'm a slave anyways?

Accenture, Toptal, there's a few to name but they're companies that farm freelancers in a way.

How do you like them apples?

CPANathan said:

If I'm understanding internships correctly it's working under someone for experience and no payment, I'm a slave anyways?

Accenture, Toptal, there's a few to name but they're companies that farm freelancers in a way.

How do you like them apples?

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I'm not a fan of free internships either, as I consider them exploiting.

However, if someone is from eastern Europe like me, doing a 6 months internship for a U.S. company, even free, will go A LONG way for your resume / linked in profile.

I shit you not, after I've added 8 months of experience with a U.S. based LLC, recruiters started flooding me with messages.

I'm 34 and don't have the patience to do free labor just to have a portfolio. But given my experience over time, I really encourage youngsters who are starting out to have a part in these experiences.

You have no idea what kind of people you will meet, or what doors might open.

I still work for a company that pays me $60,000 per year I got acquainted with it from an $80 scraping job offer on Upwork.

You'll have the possibility to understand what an Agile workflow means, how to do a scrum sprint, etc, things that will help you in future interviews.
It's basically corporate education which you pay for with your time.

Alexion said:

You'll have the possibility to understand what an Agile workflow means, how to do a scrum sprint, etc, things that will help you in future interviews.
It's basically corporate education which you pay for with your time.

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I really left out the whole being more interested in study and experience than cash side of this thread, but your post, as usual hits the nail on the head for information needed...

CPANathan said:

If I'm understanding internships correctly it's working under someone for experience and no payment, I'm a slave anyways?

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Where did you get that? Internships are paid. If you aren't being paid for your work, that's called being a volunteer. And you aren't a slave when you work as a volunteer, you work at your own accord.

If someone's offering you an "unpaid" internship. They are usually exploiting you for "exposure". And that's done by shitty companies you don't want to work for.

Most good internships will have some payment. It can be a very low stipend, but it won't be free.

Companies like Accenture or Toptal will prolly pay for the internship period too. Never worked for them tho so not sure.

Ashk881 said:

Internships are paid. If you aren't being paid for your work, that's called being a volunteer. And you aren't a slave when you work as a volunteer, you work at your own accord.

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I've got it in my head that the information and the start provided by an internship was invaluable, rookie here starting his work life at 23.

Thanks for that, to be honest volunteering would still be something I'd be interested in.