Chat With Nat - Internships: Time-suck or stepping stone?
Dear Nat,
Internship season is rolling around and I'm dreading it. I'm not only nervous about not getting hired anywhere, but I'm also worried about not getting paid for at least seven weeks. I think it's so unfair that students are hired to work, but aren't paid. Isn't that illegal? I'm already financially strapped and drowning in student loans just so I could get a paying job in the first place! And even after my freebee period with my internship “employer,” I'm still not guaranteed a job, so who knows how long this vicious cycle will last? It's maddening.
Frustrated
Dear Frustrated,
Been there, done that and I'm pretty sure 95 per cent of the population has too. But instead of letting it get you down, remember that an internship is at least a step closer to a potential job. Sure it might be unpaid, but being hired for one is a sign that an employer sees potential in you and is willing to give you a trial run before making anything permanent.
On the other hand, without a cheque rolling in every two weeks, feeling financially strapped can definitely be an understatement. If you're worried about this, there are two ways to possibly conquer an empty pocket.
Firstly, get the idea of an unpaid internship out of your head and look for a job instead! Sometimes small start-up companies are willing to pay someone minimum wage in an effort to get their businesses off the ground. Although you might not be making coffee for the big-wigs every day, there's a good chance you'll be getting lots of hands-on experience and making some decent bucks while you're at it. In the long-run, startups also have more potential of hiring you as a full-time worker once your internship with them is over. It might not be that executive position you're looking for right off the bat, but beggars can't be choosers! Consider it a steppingstone to your dream job. And better yet, who knows? It might just turn into the next big thing!
A second suggestion is to take an unpaid internship during the week and think about getting a paid part-time job over the weekend. Yes, it'll be a lot of work and yes, there's potential of “burning out” — not to mention your social calendar might go out the window — but if you're hungry enough for it, you'll pull through. Like a lot of great things, getting what you want out of life often takes a ton of dedication and sacrifice. So get ready for it...
It's true that the idea of unpaid internships suck, but many of them offer priceless experiences that under-qualified students (like many of us) would not otherwise receive. If you let yourself believe that you're getting the shorter end of the stick, you're going to have a bad time. So until these internships are put under a magnifying glass for further investigation (which they are!), go with the flow, get the experience you need and do your ultimate best. Someone will notice!
If you've got a query for Quinlan, shoot her an email at chatwithnat.fsu@gmail.com. All published questions will be entered into monthly random draws to win a $10 FSU coupon for Oasis and Out Back Shack.
Internship season is rolling around and I'm dreading it. I'm not only nervous about not getting hired anywhere, but I'm also worried about not getting paid for at least seven weeks. I think it's so unfair that students are hired to work, but aren't paid. Isn't that illegal? I'm already financially strapped and drowning in student loans just so I could get a paying job in the first place! And even after my freebee period with my internship “employer,” I'm still not guaranteed a job, so who knows how long this vicious cycle will last? It's maddening.
Frustrated
Dear Frustrated,
Been there, done that and I'm pretty sure 95 per cent of the population has too. But instead of letting it get you down, remember that an internship is at least a step closer to a potential job. Sure it might be unpaid, but being hired for one is a sign that an employer sees potential in you and is willing to give you a trial run before making anything permanent.
On the other hand, without a cheque rolling in every two weeks, feeling financially strapped can definitely be an understatement. If you're worried about this, there are two ways to possibly conquer an empty pocket.
Firstly, get the idea of an unpaid internship out of your head and look for a job instead! Sometimes small start-up companies are willing to pay someone minimum wage in an effort to get their businesses off the ground. Although you might not be making coffee for the big-wigs every day, there's a good chance you'll be getting lots of hands-on experience and making some decent bucks while you're at it. In the long-run, startups also have more potential of hiring you as a full-time worker once your internship with them is over. It might not be that executive position you're looking for right off the bat, but beggars can't be choosers! Consider it a steppingstone to your dream job. And better yet, who knows? It might just turn into the next big thing!
A second suggestion is to take an unpaid internship during the week and think about getting a paid part-time job over the weekend. Yes, it'll be a lot of work and yes, there's potential of “burning out” — not to mention your social calendar might go out the window — but if you're hungry enough for it, you'll pull through. Like a lot of great things, getting what you want out of life often takes a ton of dedication and sacrifice. So get ready for it...
It's true that the idea of unpaid internships suck, but many of them offer priceless experiences that under-qualified students (like many of us) would not otherwise receive. If you let yourself believe that you're getting the shorter end of the stick, you're going to have a bad time. So until these internships are put under a magnifying glass for further investigation (which they are!), go with the flow, get the experience you need and do your ultimate best. Someone will notice!
If you've got a query for Quinlan, shoot her an email at chatwithnat.fsu@gmail.com. All published questions will be entered into monthly random draws to win a $10 FSU coupon for Oasis and Out Back Shack.
