As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, more college students are willing to take unpaid internships for occupational experience.

According to Princeton Review's "Internship Bible" there were 100,000 unpaid internship positions in 2005. The value of an internship isn't always measured in money but in experience, some advisers said.

"It is really the type of supervision and responsibilities given in the internship that make it a valuable experience," said Jason Eckert, associate director of Marquette's Career Services Center.

While students generally prefer getting paid for their work, this factor does not determine the quality of the internship, Eckert said.

"Some unpaid internships are better because the organization wants to keep the intern, and the thing they have to offer is close direction and attention," said Sheena Carey, internship director for the College of Communication.

Communications is one field that has become increasingly competitive, and for that reason unpaid internships have become more prominent, she said.

"Many nonprofit organizations are choosing unpaid interns, because they don't have the means to pay them," Carey said. "However, they pay very close attention to their interns, and in many cases the interns become employed for the organization full-time after the internship."

The compensation from a paid internship may be equivalent to the supervision an unpaid intern may receive. Also, no matter what kind of internship a person holds it looks exactly the same on a resume.

"It is impossible to distinguish between an unpaid and paid internship on a resume, and employers generally will not ask," Eckert said.

Some students experience hidden benefits to unpaid internships.

Brennan Feldhausen, a senior in the College of Business Administration, was a corporate marketing intern for the Milwaukee Brewers.

"Because the internship was unpaid I didn't feel like I had to put in 40-hour weeks, or do the menial tasks such as envelope stuffing," Feldhausen said.

He said that as an unpaid intern the ball club paid closer attention to him, because attention is what they had to offer.

"An unpaid internship looks admirable," Feldhausen said.

He said an unpaid internship is almost like "community service"— any employer that inquires about his internship would be impressed at his sacrifice, and understand how enthusiastic he is about the occupation.

Feldhausen also said that the Brewers choose unpaid interns simply because they can.

His particular field of marketing is so competitive that even without pay the corporation can still attract outstanding candidates.

While this may seem unfair, Feldhausen said that the experience he receives as an intern is irreplaceable.