We Don’t Work For Free, A New Anthem for Interns
Sometimes college seems like a nonstop cycle of stress. The beginning of a semester is usually laid-back, with two major points of discussion. The first revolves around classes: do you know what you’re taking yet? The second revolves around the summer: if it’s fall semester — what did you do this summer? — if it’s spring semester — do you know what you’re doing this summer? I am now entering my junior year at Yale University, and suffice it to say, what you do during the summer and whether or not it was or could be successful and productive is a year-round topic. And by successful and productive, I do not mean whether or not you finally learned how to swim at your local YMCA (good for you if you did!), but whether or not you landed an internship, preferably at a big-name company for ultimate ooh ahh appeal.
Internships are a huge deal. They offer invaluable exposure, experience, and connections in the field of a student’s choice. At least, that’s what the postings on my school’s career services website promised. The site did not mention the difficulty in obtaining one (no problem, everything is a competition at this level anyway), and didn’t advise what to do if there are no paid internships in the industry of a student’s choice.
Unpaid internships are not the exception; it appears they are quickly becoming the rule. And this rule is throwing the playing field off-kilter, heavily in favor of the wealthier candidates. This opinion is not exclusive to me; it was actually first brought to my attention by my equally well-read Yale classmates (both those on some sort of financial aid and those who pay the full $60K a year).
Wealthy students can afford the best schools, the extra tutoring, the service trips to needy areas, and . . . the internships. America is the land of equal opportunity, not equal result, so naturally some people are better off than others. Nevertheless, unpaid internships cannot and should not fit within this rationale. Many large corporations, historically exclusive industries (i.e. fashion), and government offices offer unpaid internships, all but eliminating those who cannot afford to pay to work from the hiring pool.
When someone accepts an unpaid internship, unless she lives where she plans to work, she has to pay for her housing and living expenses. Not to mention that the time she spends at the internship could be spent making money to help either her family or herself (hellooo student loans). But capitalists disagree; they see it as a necessary sacrifice, as a way of paying dues. Well, last I checked with my fellow millenials, no one minds starting at the bottom. But if we don’t even have a chance to do the grunt work, then we won’t have the chance to contribute to that company or influence public policy. Worst of all, we will not be offered a job, because we will not have the necessary experience.
The problem I have outlined is not exclusive to undergrads trying to hustle during their summers; graduate students and even graduates are still participating in unpaid internships. My friend Imogen recently told me about two friends of hers, both of whom just graduated from Yale. They have nice apartments in enviable neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., and they are doing what they have always wanted to do, with internships in their desired fields. These internships are unpaid, but thanks to Mom and Pops, they can pursue their career goals.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not blaming the parents. If I were a parent in the same position, and an unpaid internship was what my child wanted and needed to advance in her career, then I would gladly fork over the cash for an apartment in a reputable neighborhood. I would throw in a little spending money every month too, because it’s a hard knock world out there when kids who think they can make the world a better place are hindered by something as inconsequential as money.
There is more and more evidence of internships replacing former entry-level jobs in the guise of equal benefits: the intern gets experience and the employer reduces costs. We are told that if we tough it out at our internship, we may get a job offer. Well, that is not necessarily true, especially for those unpaid internships where experience may amount to knowing which HP scanner is easiest to use and who’s the friendliest barista at the local Starbucks. According to a survey of graduating seniors over three years by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, having no internship experience does not put a job applicant at much of a disadvantage compared to someone who was able to wrangle an unpaid internship, and saves the applicant money.
Who am I blaming? It’s always the same old culprit. So yes, I am pointing the finger at the Man, the government, the system, but I am also looking at all of us, because this is a self-perpetuating problem. We, the interns, are stuck in this situation, but there is something we can do besides never taking an unpaid internship (since we know there will always be someone who doesn’t stick to the plan). Internships are a valuable experience, because they are a test to see not only what the intern likes to do, but also what she doesn’t like to do. The only way for that to happen is if the internship is actually a valuable experience, which means less photocopying and fewer coffee orders.
An ideal internship should be closer to what apprenticeships used to be like. Yes, you work really really hard, but you also learn the ins, outs, and tricks of the trade. You may get a small stipend, but your housing and food is covered. Now, blacksmiths may not abound anymore, but such a system can and does work today. Many successful companies already implement a similar system. Google, for example, has an extensive intern selection process. It’s hard to get in, but once you’re in, you’ve got it real good. My friend Imogen, whom I mentioned earlier, is also a junior at Yale. This past summer, she interned in Google’s Public Policy and Government Relations Team in D.C, and had an amazing experience. She prepared for her interviews like she would for an exam, and it paid off. “The point of a good internship is to train people who will and can work for you in the future,” she said.
If we think of internships as apprenticeships, then our scope explodes. Obviously today there are more and more ways of interacting with people. If you cannot find an affordable internship, another option would be a remote internship. You work from wherever you are, and you can do everything aside from face-to-face interaction, which sadly happens less and less. Your duties could include phone calls, research, blogging, writing, compiling inspiration sheets — anything. To use another word, you are someone’s protégé. You help each other, but if your boss cannot afford to pay you, which many creative companies cannot, you don’t have to break the bank to pursue your dreams and goals.
Although my interests lie in areas where unpaid internships abound, I will not let that stop me from gaining experience. I am one of the many who cannot afford unpaid internships, and as a rising junior, this past summer was difficult, to say the least. I had no experience, only an idea of what I liked and did not like.
As the summer ends, I can say with confidence that it was both extremely productive and successful. You see, I utilized my resources (my mom and the Internet) and ended up doing a remote internship. To be more specific, my mom, knowing I would be interested and inspired, passed along an Elle article she had read featuring Felicia Gordon. I filled out the “Contact Us” form via her arts collective’s website, and she trusted me enough to email me back using her personal email. The conversation began, and after one visit to NYC and a few phone calls, I was lucky enough to learn from her this summer as she launched a variety of new projects, and gave me various opportunities to help and participate. Yes, some tasks were more interesting than others, but the little stuff adds up. If it were easy, everyone would do it, right?
I was looking for someone I could learn from all along, a mentor, and I found her. I think that is the best type of internship, and I hope more people my age find that type of success.
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