I’m not going to be so hard on Megan about this particular recommendation she is giving. The reason is that in life I’ve discovered the maxim that it is who you know that matters, and especially in your career, is true. Volunteering or doing an unpaid internship has long been a way for people to get to meet people in a field and learn about what an organization really wants, while not having a long term commitment - remember, the volunteer intern can leave any time they want.