Does one apply to both an intern and entry level job at the same company for the same kind of work?

Question

I'm attending a career fair with several dozen employers. Many of the companies offer entry level jobs and also internships. The description of both of these and their requirements are very similar (sometimes exactly the same, except append "intern" to the position). The biggest difference is that the entry level jobs invariantly require a college degree, while the internships generally do not.

My question is, do I inquire about both opportunities when talking with the employer or do I go for the low or high hanging fruit? As a graduate I probably should be seeking an entry level job and not an internship, so would it make an employer think less of me for being interested in the internship opportunity: "Oh, she's interested in the internship because she's not skilled enough for the entry-level job."

Here is a very similar question, except in my case these aren't really 2 completely different jobs, but rather a different level of "seniority" so-to-speak (if one considers "entry-level" more senior than "intern"). So perhaps my question could be generalized to how to decide what level of seniority job to apply to if there are multiple openings with various seniority levels.

(1) Applying for 2 jobs with the same employer

Answer 1

If you're qualified for the entry-level job, just apply for it.

What are you worried about? Salary too high? Not enough time to learn? During the interview you could just ask for probation or the internship job.

Personally, I would just call them and ask them which job I should apply for. If they don't answer or don't know, they likely won't notice you applying for both. In my country, it's normal for many fresh graduate jobs to get 300+ applicants per position.

Also a surprising number of companies don't even read most of the resumes they get. They'll just dump half of it. So maybe applying to both positions improves your odds. Your best bet is in standing out, not by being timid. Proving that you really want the job doesn't hurt your odds.

Answer 2

A note: In my experience, the difference between an internship and an entry-level job is a piece of paper(the degree) and compensation.

If you want the entry-level job, and are even remotely qualified, you should apply. The value in employment is that helps you generate career momentum. An internship will get you in the door for you field, but getting a job in that field gets you valuable experience.

Now, regarding applying to both, I'd avoid it if you can. A company that will hire an intern over a qualified entry-level employee is either being cheap or can't afford the employee. This happens often. Remember, the goal for every job is to find an employer that values you and your work more than you do.

Answer 3

You could consider asking the employer if one makes more sense than the other. Depending on the company, there may be different interpretations of who qualifies for an "internship" as some places may require the applicant be a student while others may want recent graduates to do a different kind of internship as medical doctors can have roles as an intern in some situations for another use of the term where you aren't saying where this is geographically, what level of academic qualification you'd have, e.g. is it Associate's degree, Bachelor's, Master's, Ph.D, or something else? There are some details left out of the question but I'd be tempted to go straight to the horse's mouth to seek clarification and discuss what positions would be a good fit with your background so that you apply where you have a better chance of having a fit.

Answer 4

The other major difference between an internship and an entry level position is that internships are typically temporary, whereas entry level positions are meant to be permanent positions.

The question then becomes, what are you looking for? You say you are a graduate and you should probably be looking for an entry level position - then go for it! The only reason I would apply to the internship in your position is if you were only looking for a temporary position before you began graduate school.