This is my second internship, which doesn't really make me an expert, but it does mean I have a better idea of what to expect from an internship than someone who's never done one before.

First of all, there are two kinds of internships. Those in which you work for a regular company (think Siemens or GM, as examples) essentially as a coffe-runner for the paid employees, and those in which you work alongside other interns for a company geared towards providing internships. I've done both. Again, I'm not a huge expert, but based on my experiences (and a bit of what I've heard from other people) both have pros and cons.

With an internship of the first kind, you can expect to do a lot of crappy jobs that no one else wants to do - which sucks - but the plus is that you have a mentor to give you constant feedback. With an internship of the second kind, you sacrifice the one-on-one mentor, but gain the opportunity to prove yourself capable of more than just fetching coffee.

Again, this may just be my opinion, but I think the latter is the better of the two. Although working for a larger (and likely, more known) company might seem like a great way to kick start your CV, at the end of the day you won't have anything to put down except a big name as a lot of your work experience is likely to be petty tasks that anyone can do, really.

Of course the exact opposite goes for an internship of the second kind. It's likely to be with an unheard of company geared specifically toward interns, you're mentorship will come directly from management and your peers, and (for those that choose to) you will have a lot more latitude to prove you are capable of really doing something. You may not have an impressive corporate name to put on your resume, but employers don't care about that - they want to see what you can do!

The irony is that many students and recent graduates look for an internship of the first kind, then are disappointed when their supervisor doesn't want to let someone half their age do their job and risk f*cking it up. Whereas with an internship in a company that is run primarily by interns, you are given the flexibility to take on and learn from greater challenges, which ultimately means having more to put on your CV.

So, what are some things you should look for from an internship?

On the top of every undergraduate or graduate's mind is whether or not it is paid. I'm sure paid internships are out there, but take it from me - don't hold your breath. Invest in yourself. I've never been paid for an internship, if you have, good on you. For the rest of us, here are some things to look for.

What do they offer?

The greatest expense of an unpaid internship is yourself - accommodation, food, transportation, etc. So what do they offer. It isn't unusual for an internship to cover your daily travel costs. It is also a huge benefit if the company provides you with some sort of living arrangements. Have you ever tried finding reasonably priced accommodation in a foreign city? I haven't, and I don't want to. It's stressful enough moving someplace where you don't know anyone, why make it harder on yourself by having to find a place to live? Keep in mind, too, that a company that has accommodation arrangements for you is likely to set you up with other young, like-minded people, giving you an instant social network. Not bad.

Another thing to consider is food costs. Both of the internships I have done have provided on-site catering. Free food will save you a lot of money!

Let's recap!

- If you want an internship that will give you the skills future employers are looking for, do an internship with a company whose goal is to provide internships.

- If you don't find a paid internship (it isn't likely), find out if they offer to find you someplace to live and/or provide food - it's very nice to have!

Happy hunting.