How To Apply Honeywell Internship?

Turned down a summer internship in favor of another. Did I go about it the right way?

• First off, let me just say I am in my first year of graduate school and was offered two wonderful internships for this summer. Both are great, but in their own ways. I live in Long Island, NY and the first was a city internship at a city agency (I will refer to it as NYC for privacy reasons), and the other is within the HR Department on my college campus. Both are unpaid. Most of you are probably thinking that it would be better to take the job that is with the city, because it could lead to a full time job with city benefits, etc. That's what I thought too, before I found out about the opportunity on my college campus. I had a great interview with the NYC, and a week and a half later I was offered the internship. At the time, I wanted to take it (even though I despise commuting to the city, but I would have sucked it up) and told them I'd need a week to think it over. They said sure. While I was thinking it over, one of my professors (who works in the college's HR department) recommended me for a student internship. I love and respect this professor, as I am going for my MBA in HR, and also asked for a week to think it over. He agreed. When my week with the NYC was up, I sent an email where I thanked them for the internship offer and told them I regretted that I have to decline their offer. I did not mention the other internship (I figured it'd be in poor form to do so) and instead said that I did not feel this internship would be right for me right now due to my summer schedule. I made sure to stress that at the time of the interview I had every intention of taking the job but that in the weeks following, new circumstances arose that prevented me from now doing so. I made sure to say thank you, apologized for not being able to accommodate them, and made sure to say that I hoped we could work together at some point in the future. After that, I called my professor and accepted his internship. My question is, did I go about declining the NYC internship the right way? I really do feel I made the better choice, as I live way out in Long Island and I go to college in Nassau, which is a much easier commute for me rather than going to Manhattan (and I'd be driving too, btw) Also, I am going for an MBA in HR as I mentioned, and this internship is more relevant to what I'd hopefully be doing for my career. The NYC internship really had nothing to do with what I'd do, it'd probably just be something that would look good on my resume. I also just didn't want to burn my bridges. Also wanted to add that the NYC internship was scheduled to start in mid June, and I turned them down mid April. I think that is enough notice, rather than turning them down at the last minute. Also, I never formally accepted their position, just said I was still interested in taking it but I had to think about it. So I never made a commitment. But after I sent the declining email, I never heard anything back from the internship. I'm not sure if I was supposed to.

• Answer:

  You know the answer! If you felt that you are doing the right thing, then you did the right thing. Both are unpaid, so you'd better spend less time commuting... It sounds that NYC internship is not that exciting, too... Plus, your chances to land a full-time position with them after unpaid internship are minimal. So don't worry about anything. The most important thing is that you have an internship that is relevant to your future career. I also think that you have better chances to get some paid position at school once you set your foot there. Good luck! Hopefully, it will help you to find a job when you'll start looking for it!