DS Internship Dilemma

[Theworried2]

DS is second year uni. He was worried that he wouldn’t get an internship offer so he reached out to a firm he did an internship at a few years ago asking for another internship. They gave him an offer which he accepted over email but hasn’t signed a contract.

Meantime he applied and got another internship- same industry but a career he’d prefer. He wants to accept this internship for a new experience (different company, preferred role) but is worried about how it’ll look telling the other firm. Especially as DS reached out to them initially.

Any advice on what he should say/do?

Whilst not very professional, it is what it is, and if the other opportunity is better for him and at the same time, he will.need to pull out of the first with a professional and polite letter.

He needs to do what's best for his own career whilst minimising the burning of bridges as the first company clearly like him and one never knows if you'll end up, or want to end up, working there one day!

@Feelingstrange2 thanks, I suppose that’s all DS can really do. It’s an industry where ppl know each other but he wants a different company on his CV and the potential career appeals to him more.

One of mine did similar. Turned out the one she took rarely recruited undergraduates so might have been better with the 1st. However she really enjoyed her 12 weeks and used the experience in responding to interview questions for grad jobs so no regrets. Didnt apply to 1st company in final year so don't know if they would have binned her for binning them.

This really - a polite letter ‘thanking them for being so generous with their time and for offering him a place, but he’s been offered another apprenticeship which uni thinks will be more relevant to his final year project (or something similar) and he’s been encouraged to accept it. He hopes that they understand blah blah.’