Thinking about an internship? Good, because they do pay off. According to Mental Floss, these 10 people were once interns and are now considered among the most successful in their respective fields.

1. Steve Jobs

Interned for: Hewlett-Packard

Went on to: Co-found Apple with Steve Wozniack, another HP intern.

Most significant contribution to society: Take your pick, the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, so on.

2. Tom Ford

Interned for: Chloé

Went on to: Become a major fashion designer and title of a Jay Z song.

Most significant contribution to society: Clothes

3. Steven Spielberg

Interned for: Universal Studios, unofficially. The man who helped bring us "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones," "Jurassic Park," and "E.T." actually snuck in and rubbed elbows with producers and he made connections that way.

Went on to: Direct and produce several classic American films.

Most significant contribution to society: Aforementioned films.

4. Oprah Winfrey

Interned for: WLAC-TV

Went on to: Dominate the media industry, build a fortune, become a major philanthropist and be an overall influence for thousands of young people who come from poverty, like she did.

Most significant contribution to society: Her talk show, magazine and TV network.

5. Roger Goodell

Interned for: the NFL

Went on to: run the NFL.

Most significant contribution to society: Making the game of football safer every year (for everyone), no matter how much flack he takes for it.

6. Conan O'Brien

Interned for: Barney Frank

Went on to: Write for "Saturday Night Live," "the Simpsons" and then to get his own talk show as one of America's most recognizable comedians.

Most significant contribution to society: That unforgettable orange mop.

7. John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper and Mike Birbiglia

Interned for: Conan O'Brien

Went on to: Krasinski, Kaling and Kemper got their big break on NBC's "the Office," starring alongside Steve Carrell. Birbiglia is a well-known comic and since the end of "the Office," the others have been on several other shows and films.

Most significant contribution to society: How great was "the Office?" Pretty great.

8. Sean Combs

Interned for: Uptown Records

Went on to: Become the richest man in hip-hop, according to Forbes.

Most significant contribution to society: Becoming the living example of a self-made businessman hip-hop artist.

9. Tom Hanks

Interned for: Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival

Went on to: Become a hugely successful and beloved movie star for roles in "Forrest Gump," "Castaway" and many more.

Most significant contribution to society: "I'm sorry, Wilson! Wilson, I'm sorry."

10. Anderson Cooper

Interned for: the Central Intelligence Agency, which he found boring.

Went on to: Become one of America's most successful and recognizable TV journalists.

Most significant contribution to society: Award-winning reporting, LGBTQ equality activism.