Let’s face it—challenged with a brutally competitive job market, our generation has become a bountiful supply of free labor, in the form of unpaid internships. We need experience to get the job we really want in life, and we’re not getting paid to earn that experience. According to Internjustice.com, 90% of employers hire interns, but less than half of those later offer the same interns full-time jobs. It’s a cold fact, but for most of us in desperate need of a future career, we’re willing to take the risk. So when do you draw the line during an unpaid internship?
The most critical factor to consider in taking an unpaid internship is your overall interest in the company and the work. Is this your lifelong passion? Can you actually take these skills and apply them in the future, while having fun doing it? Next, it’s important to consider whether this job will actually open doors for you, or simply have you stuck somewhere wasting your time.
So, if you’re applying for a spot you really enjoy and it shows promise for the future, there’s several tips and pointers that can help you survive this potentially long period of investing your time and energy for $0.
First, unless you’ve got a nice trust fund and/or generous parents, it’s important to secure a part time job somewhere, preferably one that requires little mental effort. Try to work somewhere with enough hours to live on but in more mundane, routine-like work, like data entry or food service. This way, you can concentrate the rest of your energy and ingenuity into the work you really love.
Next, make sure you’re really getting something out of your internship; sometimes you may enter an internship expecting to be involved in graphic design or social media, but then spend the next few months simply copying and filing papers. Of course there will always be papers to file, but try to let it known that you would like to do more engaging work to help build you a portfolio, like an ongoing project or research into the industry while you’re there. Constantly ask questions. Sometimes, you may find that the industry isn’t for you. Otherwise, if you make it known that you would like to take away more beneficial real-world experience from this opportunity, your employer should be able to accommodate you and find work that will make more of an impact on your resume.
Following that tip, don’t be afraid to suck up to your boss, but at the same time, don’t become their pet. It really makes a difference to go above and beyond in the tasks you are given rather than the bare minimum, and employers remember that. A constant smile, politeness and kindness always help as well. However, take it too far and you could face two consequences: one, your boss could take advantage of your willingness to do anything, and overload you with mundane errands and tasks. Or, they will simply sense you are trying too hard to win their attention and judge your lack of backbone. In the workplace, you should appear ambitious, organized, kind, and professional; this includes your behavior and your attire.
If you do end up warming up to an employer, get a letter of recommendation while you’re there. From a professional manager, this gesture speaks volumes and will go a long way during your search for an actual job.
If working an unpaid internship plus a regular job or classes (or both!) seems like a bit much for you, don’t give up! If it’s something you enjoy doing, stick with it; the outcome will pay off your hard work. Instead, to manage the stress, make time to relax. Whether that means coffee with an old friend, a TV marathon, or simply lying out in the grass with a magazine and a good drink, making time for yourself to just mentally and physically disengage from the week’s hard work makes a world of difference. No matter what the internship, it’s easy to find ways to make it apply to your resume and overall experience, and will definitely help open doors more than just staying in class alone. Good luck collegiettes™!