Saw something the other day that said 95% of the people in Congress who voted for increasing the minimum wage have unpaid interns? Anyone else heard this?

I think internships are great. Got a lot of valuable experience from mine.

 

Here's something that I haven't seen mentioned. I've known plenty of people, myself included, who have done long hours and very tedious unpaid internship work and there has always been the sort of hints of and expectations of, a job at the end. However, there are numerous places that never turn into a job. If you're doing the work, I feel you should get paid. Too many companies will just refuse to hire someone and then keep getting interns.

 

I wouldn't relocate unless there were plenty of money making options on the side. Too many don't turn into jobs to waste the debt on a chance of a job.

 

But that's just my take. I've had paid internships and they were awesome. Loved every day of them. Had unpaid internships that were terrible and I ended up just being free labor who they suddenly didn't have a need for my position after the intern period ended. But needed the position again next semester.

 

Internships are a crapshoot. You get awesome ones, you get bad ones. It's life.

One of my long term jobs is at a radio group that is among the most successful in the country.

 

For 12 of the first 15 years we took unpaid interns and the best of the bunch resulted in long term jobs and numerous advancement opportunities in the business.

 

Now we have to pay interns, and there has been the worst possible staffing situations possible. It is a grind to wait out hires that would have been abundantly clear if the same people had to do a semester of unpaid internship in a group of potential hires.

 

We are no longer forcing those that have the desire to make it to compete with the lazy sloths that round out the potential field of applicants.

 

Have a splashy resume on paper with a parent that knows a few people and you are in. It is going to take a few years for them to fire you and not offend anyone in the process.

 

In the meantime everyone else suffers and has to hope the next forced hire without a test run is the right fit.

 

I've seen many unpaid interns make the most of their situation and be set for life. The ones that had no desire to make anything of it failed and were pushed aside.

 

I worked mostly for free for 3 years back in my early 20s and once I got to the point I had people willing to pay for my talents I cut off the free portion of my career.

 

Some were willing to pay and some weren't. Figure it our or give up on the "dream" and enter the work forc e you didn't plan on being your path...

How weird this discussion is posted! Yesterday in our Exec Mtg, we decided to expand our internship program. It has always been a paid internship program, but only offered during the summer. We are expanding it to year round and beefing up the experience for the interns. Our biggest hurdle right now is acquiring additional housing. The discussion was very exciting, and I'm looking foward to watching it grow.

Would be a mistake to do away with them. Not everyone can take advantage of them but those who can often benefit greatly from them.

...

 

GT's post on the topic is well done and spot on.

 

The rules against unpaid interns have become ridiculous, to the point that they "can't do any work function that is normally done by a paid employee". Guess what...that is every work function. As such, we no longer offer any unpaid intern positions. We don't offer any paid ones either, preferring to go with part-timers in those roles whose schedules are more flexible. You know who loses in this deal? Young people coming out of college who want, need, and badly desire experience to jump-start their career. I can't tell you how many of our employees started as unpaid interns, but I'd bet it is probably close to a 1/3rd, and well over half in a particular department. Now, due to the mountains of regulations, and because a few unpaid interns nationally have successfully sued for back-pay for work they did, that program has gone the way of the Dodo.

 

A shame.

My company routinely does internships.

 

Some have done more than one internship at different locations. My company does provide housing for those who have to go to a different location. Usually some sort of extended stay hotel.

 

Of all of the interns we have had. Most are encouraged to apply for open positions in the company.

 

About 1/3 we end up hiring, about a 1/3 we don't want to hire, and about 1/3 don't apply because they're looking for something else.

So a college kid racks up $50 k or more in student debt, works for a year or so in an unpaid intern job, then finally gets a low wage job. 6 months later, the kid gets a better offer and jumps ship while the previous employer grumbles that the kid was not committed to the job!

 

College students and young professionals are so exploited, its unreal. College debt drives all your decision making.

Gotta say, as someone who did an internship as part of college credit (a paid one, but a very low paying one) unpaid internships are stupid and a huge dinosaur of the past.

 

Someone mentioned doing an unpaid one at a "prestigious" company. Well if they are THAT prestigious they can darn well afford to pay a college kid to come work for a summer/semester.

 

Unpaid interns are something akin to when Dr's do their interns they may work 24-36 straight hours. Everyone knows it's stupid and dangerous...but hey, it's how I did it and how it's been done forever, so you are going to do it too.

 

If I had to take an unpaid internship I don't know how I would have done it, and that was just me moving to Frankfort. I couldn't imagine moving to NY city or somewhere similar and doing some sort of unpaid internship for a law firm or something. Just finding a place to live on the cheap would still cost several thousands of dollars. I guess if mommy and daddy have unlimited purse strings it's doable...that wasn't me though and isn't the majority of folks.

And, ironically enough, we just "fired" an intern here last week after only 3 days on the job. Dude was a flake beyond comparison and had already made trouble with some senior staff when accompanying them in the field.

So a college kid racks up $50 k or more in student debt, works for a year or so in an unpaid intern job, then finally gets a low wage job. 6 months later, the kid gets a better offer and jumps ship while the previous employer grumbles that the kid was not committed to the job!

 

College students and young professionals are so exploited, its unreal. College debt drives all your decision making.

 

What about those who work six months at an unpaid intern job, then get job paying much more than their peers? That just occurred with one of my son's best friends. The kid is making close to what I make, good for him.

 

No one is forcing them to do it. The student has to be smart about what internships to take.

You do not need the government intervening , just let those who may take these positions to decide for theirselves. No need for a law to make this decision. If no one takes the unpaid position the companies will have to start paying. Market forces will dictate which way to go.

You do not need the government intervening , just let those who may take these positions to decide for theirselves. No need for a law to make this decision. If no one takes the unpaid position the companies will have to start paying. Market forces will dictate which way to go.

 

100% agree. No need for a law.

What about those who work six months at an unpaid intern job, then get job paying much more than their peers? That just occurred with one of my son's best friends. The kid is making close to what I make, good for him.

 

No one is forcing them to do it. The student has to be smart about what internships to take.

 

If they perform on the job, then they should be paid more than their peers!

If they perform on the job, then they should be paid more than their peers!

 

Performance has nothing to do with it, they're hired in at a much higher rate because of the internship and the valuable experience they've received. Once they're hired performance plays a part in their compensation.