You’re reading the “Spark” edition of Abundance Mindset.

On the second week of each month, I share a personal reflection, story, or mental model to help you think differently, stay inspired, and take meaningful action in your career & life. For more on-demand insights, career thinking, and career coaching, follow my YouTube Channel.

This is the career strategy that most new grads aren’t told about.

Heads Up: If your daughter, son, niece, nephew, best friend, family friend, etc is a recent college grad (undergrad or graduate) or their graduation date is quickly approaching, you’re going to want to forward this email to them!

This “hot take” got me torn to shreds on LinkedIn when I first shared it.

A young professional commented:

And me, a seasoned professional said…

While I get it, I disagree that a “traditional job” is the only path or option to get all those things as a young professional.

So I said, “well… I disagree, all of that can happen with internships too, and rotational programs, trainee roles, etc.”

People went wild! LOL

I got questions and comments like…

“aren’t those unpaid too”
“but what about health benefits”
“that doesn’t exist in my field”
“just because you experienced those programs and you’re privileged doesn’t mean this path works for everyone” (OUCH! This one was a bit extreme if you ask me!)

And this is what I shared to shine a light on these alternative career paths for young professionals:

Post-grad internships, rotational programs, and trainee roles aren’t “less than” jobs. Many are full-time, 40-hour/week roles & the same perks permanent full-time employees receive. You’re expected to perform, and you don’t get a free pass because you’re labeled an intern, trainee, or temporary employee.

What you do get is exposure, across teams, projects, and even industries, before locking yourself into a permanent role. Some of these programs also pay competitively and offer benefits (that was true in my case), which is why research matters more than titles or opinions.

When I graduated, I didn’t know what direction I wanted to commit to. I was torn between tech and entertainment, and I hadn’t stacked my resume with industry internships in college. I was also a first gen college graduate, who was navigating this part of my journey for the first time. I didn’t want to lock myself into the wrong path just to say I had a job. A low-paying job at that.

That’s when I discovered post-grad internships and rotational programs, and everything changed. These weren’t part-time or filler roles. I worked full-time hours. I was paid well (~$30+/hour), received housing stipends, Uber credits, meals, a company laptop, and I even had an option to receive a company phone. I could afford new glasses. I could pay my bills, start paying off my student loans, and I could explore an industry before committing long-term.

Not every program is that stacked, but many offer real pay, real responsibility, and real opportunity. So when my opinion about post-grad internships went viral (and people were not happy), I stood by it, and I still do.

Below, I’m sharing a mega-list of post-grad internships, rotational programs, apprenticeships, trainee programs, and early-career development programs, because these options aren’t talked about nearly enough. And the best part, these programs are available in most industries! Dig in.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of programs that could be an alternative to a traditional entry-level job:


Communication Entertainment & Media

Consumer Products

Tech

You can find even more programs below…

Here are some things to consider before diving into these programs:

🤔 QTNA #1: What’s your spicy hot take on post-grad internships or other programs designed for early career professionals? Do you think they’re a waste of time, or valuable opportunities?

🤔 QTNA #2: Commit to sending this email to one person who really needs it. Then let me know: who did you send it to?

Hit reply and tell me your answers! 🙂

Until next time,
DEJA WHITE | BREAKROOM BUDDHA