Interns should be paid — There’s no other right answer.

I keep on seeing these ‘Internships should be paid/unpaid” polls in my LinkedIn timeline. It’s blatant engagement bait and these post honestly tire me a little bit.

There’s one correct answer: Interns should be compensated for their work. ‘Experience’ isn’t a compensation.

Interns contribute to the functioning of a company. With the knowledge, experience and efforts they bring to the table, they can help you just as much as you can help them.

Doing work for free is called voluntary work. Most students HAVE to follow internships to obtain their Degree. Essentially, they’re paying their university money in order to follow a full-time internship at a company.

So please stop these polls, arguing about whether internships should be paid or not. Instead, start thinking about how you can deliver the most valuable experience to your interns.