There has been a lot of buzz recently about unpaid internships. On one hand, internships are the opportunity for students to learn more about their field of interest, or figure out what they want their field to be. On the other hand, internships often require important work, sometimes tidious work, sometimes challenging work, and companies can potentially abuse this free labor. Below are excerpts from Steve Cohen's piece in Wall Street Journal, Minimum Wage for Interns? It misses the point:
"Charlie Rose, the TV interview-show host, last month settled a class-action lawsuit against his production company for failing to pay college interns a minimum wage...
Companies will now be less likely to bring on interns. That isn't because of the incremental cost, but because it opens the door to increased regulation and meddling from labor activists. College students will lose out on important benefits, from seeing how companies really work to building important skills and gaining exposure to people who might hire them.
The plaintiffs (and their "labor advocates") in the Rose case—and in two similar suits pending against Hearst and Fox Entertainment (whose parent, News Corp NWSA -0.28% ., owns this newspaper)—allege that interns are really doing the jobs of displaced low-wage workers. That may be partly true. Unskilled workers could clean up a TV-studio green room or escort guests to the elevator or assemble press packets—all tasks mentioned in the complaint against Mr. Rose's company.
But the suit also argues that such chores don't fulfill the educational purpose of an internship. On the contrary, such duties may in the long run be as beneficial to the career of a college graduate as anything learned in a classroom.
During my recent law-school studies, I took advantage of four near-full-time internships. My perspective, however, was quite different from that of my classmates and fellow interns. That is because I had 35 years of business experience—and adjunct teaching in graduate business programs—before going to law school, and my college-student son was simultaneously interning at a national magazine.
Both of us had enormously valuable internships, and we got far more from them than our organizations got from our free labor...
The most valuable purpose is exposure. Interns get to see the real work that real people do, and to see how disparate pieces come together to make an organization function.
Internships are about self-discipline, showing up on time, dressing and comporting oneself properly—conforming to the norms of the organization, not merely to the fashion of the classroom. They are about learning how to listen and observe, to be responsive and responsible.
The bosses, meanwhile, get to observe the interns and learn who volunteers, who complains, who is efficient and who is helpful to others. And those in charge—who have the power not only to hire but also to recommend graduates to other companies—see who among the interns takes advantage of being on the inside. An internship isn't a substitute for minimum-wage work. It is an audition.
Changing internships from the exposure-audition model to a minimum-wage model may serve labor activists, but it won't serve ambitious college students or the companies seeking them."
There are other sides to this story however, and we will follow up with some of those other sides in upcoming blog posts, so do check back! In the mean-while, check out either the paid or unpaid internships that are currently available on Chamber Intern Connect:
Check out this Boston spring/summer, part-time internship opportunity offered by Avenue Brand!
Job Title:
Account Service Internship
Description:
Avenue Brand is a full-service advertising agency located in Boston’s South End, that handles the short and long term strategic, creative and executional needs of our clients.
The Account Service team manages all facets of the client relationship, and is looking for an intern to help manage daily responsibilities as well as work on long-term projects. Interns at Avenue Brand get a high exposure to a variety of projects including radio and TV production, print and outdoor creative development, guerilla marketing programs and overall project management skills. Some responsibilities are as follows:
Brand Management:
v Upkeep + organization of client status documents
v Development of project schedules
v Conduct brand research
- Research client brands and competitive brands for relevant news stories, issuing them to the internal Avenue team on a weekly basis
- Compile client facing competitive reports on a monthly basis
v Compose conference reports, job status updates, and manage project schedules with internal team members
v Manage client binders with previously completed work
v Monitor competitive and industry social media channels
v Assist in management of Avenue Brand’s Twitter handle and Facebook accounts
Project/Client Billing Preparation:
v Invoice processing
v Preparing client facing excel + word documents
v Organization of media flowcharts
New Business:
v Monitor and compose reports for new business prospects including industry trends
v Research relevant articles based on new business targets, and update the Avenue Brand Twitter Account as needed
Administrative Duties:
v Answering phones
v Handling fax + scans
Required time commitment: 21-35 hours/week
Preferred dates: January 21st – May 10th
This internship is unpaid and for credit only.
To apply to or inquire about this internship please contact Rebecca Saldarini at 'rsaldarini@avenue-brand.com' or click the link below.
To apply to this internship, please use the link below!
Below are some of the internships still looking to be filled on Chamber Intern Connect:
Employer: Cleary Consultants, Inc.Position: College Intern/SalesJob Function: Consulting, Marketing, Sales Employer: Conover Tuttle PacePositions: Copywriting Internship, Video Production Internship, Public Relations Internship, Account Management Internship Employer: Executive Office of EducationPositions: Policy Intern, Communication Intern Employer: Northwestern Mutual Financial NetworkPosition: Financial RepresentativeJob Function: Financial planning Employer: Cradles to CrayonsPositions: Community Outreach Intern, Distribution Intern, Service Leadership Intern, Communications Intern, Graphic Design Intern
And there are many more! To apply to these or other internships today, please click the link below!
The Huffington Post recently posted an article from Her Campus.com, which described 5 valuable things to do haflway through your internship. To read the full article, click here. Below is a summarized list of the advice given in the article:
1. Ask your supervisor for an evaluation
Sure, you're set in a pretty good routine now, but you want to make sure it's the right routine. Now that you've got the hang of things, ask your boss to give you a mid-internship evaluation to make sure you're still holding up to their expectations. Shoot her an e-mail to see if she has a couple minutes to meet up after work or during your lunch break to discuss how you're doing.
Getting a critique from your boss can be intimidating, so keep an open mind and remember that her comments are for your own benefit. Nobody likes a defensive know-it-all; listen respectfully and take notes on how you can improve your work. Your supervisor knows what she's talking about, and you're there to learn, after all!
2. Ask for more responsibility and pitch new ideas
Don't be that "ghost intern" who never, ever approaches their boss. Now that you have a handle on the job you're currently doing, it's time to make it harder by asking for more responsibility.
You've (hopefully) proven by now that you can do your work -- and do it well -- so think of three to five new ideas or projects and pitch them to your supervisor, Miller suggests. Your boss wants to hear that you're creative, invested in the company, and forward-thinking, so don't be afraid to suggest new things!
3. Start networking with other departments
Now that you're comfortable with your own job, why not learn about some of the other roles in the office? "If you haven't been meeting people within the organization but outside of your current role, it may be time to start asking people out to coffee," says Miller. "Try to connect with at least one new person each week, if not more. Ask them about their jobs and for their advice on your career." Shoot your coworkers an email introducing yourself and asking if they'd be free to grab a coffee sometime this week. Who knows, a meeting with someone in a different department could even open you up to a career path you hadn't previously considered.
4. Hang out with your fellow interns
You don’t just have to network with other employees—why not network with the other interns, too? They may seem like competition at times, but your fellow interns could be just as useful to your future job search as other employees.
5. Think to the future
The best way to stay on track is to create a list of goals for your internship and your future career. What do you still want to do in the time you have left in your internship? Whether it’s a contact you wanted to make or a project you wanted to work on, write it down to make sure it doesn’t slip your mind before you’re done; two to three months can go by pretty fast.
Best Colleges Online.com's recent article "10 of the Most Coveted College Internships" includes internships at some of the Chamber's member companies! The memeber companies included on this list are all of the big four public accounting firms:
For more information on these Big Four firms, click the links above or view this website: http://financecareers.about.com/od/publicaccountingfirms/a/BigFour.htm
For the full list of the 10 Most Coveted College Internships, click here!
To get your own internship, please click the link below and get started today!
In a recent article on Boston.com, Boston-area students and professionals offer their advice to students who are still seeking summer internships. To read the full article please see this link: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs/thenextgreatgeneration/2012/04/still_need_a_summer_internship.html
Some of the great advice included in the article is as follows:
Show your dedication to your internship search. “If you are stuck and applying late in the game, it’s important that you’re proving to these companies that you’re still passionate about working with them, not merely scrambling to find something at the last second," Barton said. "Find what is most relevant for you -- having patience is key late in the game!
Concentrate on your application. “Despite feeling pressured to get applications in quickly, still make sure you are thorough in your application," Barton said. "Make sure that you’re still doing your research and applying with a purpose.”
Keep your resume and cover letter strong. “Whether your cover letter is sent the day of the deadline or two months prior, it should still have the same level of priority," Barton said. "Do not merely mass submit your resume in order to land something.”
Reach out directly to employers. “Pick up the phone! Call HR and relevant departments of companies of interest and ask them if they are hiring interns for the summer," Hammond said. "You’ll get an immediate answer, as well as find out how to apply straight from the source.”"
Some more great advice: use Chamber Intern Connect to connect directly with some of Boston's best internship programs!
In an article by Darren Garnick in the Boston Herald yesterday, the truth about timelines for getting the best starting positions and internships comes out.
“Twenty years ago, graduating seniors were making decisions post-Christmas and even interviewing in the spring. These days it’s typical for students to be signing on with employers before Thanksgiving,” said Cathy Baker, senior vice president of marketing for Applied Predictive Technologies, a strategic business consulting firm that heavily recruits at the two campuses.
“The race to get the best talent is now starting earlier and earlier, even when it comes to attracting the best interns,” she added.
So if you're a student, hurry and get connected to your internship opportunities today, before the best are gone! Find Boston internships below!
And if you're an employer, don't miss out on the best and brightest talent the Boston area has to offer, start posting internships here!
Or, to see the full article in the Herald, click here!
In an article in the Boston Herald today, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren spoke about the current unemployment rate and its disparities within educational attainment and race. As stated in the article, Rosengren dispelled the argument that students aren’t learning the right skills to succeed in the workforce. He also stated, “Those with no high school diploma have less than half the median income, and those with just a high school diploma (no college experience) have about three-quarters of the median income. And those with professional degrees have more than twice the median income.”
As such, Rosengren encouraged the use of Chamber Intern Connect as a means to improve the work environment of the greater Boston area, and keep the talent pool growing and developing. Chamber Intern Connect, which you are exploring now, is a program that came out of the partnership between the Fed and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce which connects college students to Boston-area employers.
Read more at: BostonHerald.com
Internships not only help students and employers, but they also help the local and national economy. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, statistics about internships indicate a valid truth in our Chamber’s Leadership Initiative- the more internships being given, the more full time jobs being offered, and as such, the fewer students being left unemployed upon graduation from college. As quoted from collegeplus.org, “In 2008, employers extended job offers to nearly 70 percent of their interns.”
Companies are finding that interns are a great asset to their teams. Interns can often help develop new ideas for their teams, and come up with new ways of thinking about stale problems. They can see the company from an outside perspective for a while, and use that as a way to benefit the company. Interns also can be trained in the business of that company- they are still students, ready to learn and develop the skills that their company is looking for in their full-time staff. This eagerness to learn and gain experience not only helps interns gain valuable skills and knowledge, but helps their companies gain valuable team players and contributors. In turn, internships allow graduating students to become hirable, and as such, help the state keep them out of the unemployed population.
...or you are welcome to request a free internship consultation!
In a Boston University article by Amy Laskowski, the question is asked, “Are Unpaid Internships Worth the Price?” And the resounding answer is: it totally depends. It depends on your needs as a student both financially and experientially, your needs for your future, your interests, and your goals. As a student myself, I have faced this question from advisors, parents, and peers, several times- as I’m sure many of you have.
In her article, Laskowski speaks with intern Micah Steiger of the Charles River Watershed Association, who talks about her decision to take an unpaid internship. Steiger tells us, “You do an unpaid internship for the experience… it’s up to the intern to work [at a company] for a little while and start taking on more tasks.” With this in mind, the question we must ask ourselves is- will this internship opportunity be worth the experience?
As indicated in the article, The National Association of Colleges and Employers (2009) Student Survey reports that 23 percent of graduates who had interned during their college years received a job post-graduation, whereas only 14 percent of the students who had not interned found the same available opportunities. This survey went on to say that fewer than 20 percent of the students that graduated with the class of 2009 and applied for jobs had received one by the end of April 2010. This information is starting to make even unpaid internships look very worthwhile in the long run!
Laskowski then goes on to quote a recent article in the New York Times, explaining that:
“There are, in fact, several federal legal criteria that must be met if an internship is unpaid. They include requirements that training should be similar to ‘academic education instruction,’ [and that the internship] should be for the benefit of the trainee, and should not displace regular employees.”
This information is very important to keep in mind when looking into internship opportunities that will be unpaid, internships are meant to be both a resume booster and an actual learning experience! That is not to say, however, that internships that require some tedious work, or some perhaps less glamorous work, are not worth looking into- all of this type of work is a learning experience as well. Learning to manage tasks, do effective and quick work, and learn the inner workings of your industry, are all very important, and can sometimes be learned through these less-lovely tasks. As Kimberly DelGizzo, the Career Services director at BU, tells Laskowski: it is very important to find out up-front what your role as an intern will be, what will be asked of you, and what your responsibilities will be. She goes on to advise, “When there is an offer on the table, students should ask for it in writing.” The inevitable question to ask ourselves after learning the responsibilities of the internship is, is the job “resume-worthy,” is the job worth my valuable time and energy, is the job better than working at a restaurant or clothing store in getting me to the future I am hoping for? If it is an internship where the responsibilities consist solely of coffee-making, perhaps being paid at Starbucks would be a better bet, but if it is coffee-making plus, it might be very worth it.
But keep in mind, some of the best internships will be paid, and some of the best internships will be unpaid. Many big Boston companies want to pay their interns well, treat them right, and give them valuable experience, so that they can find the best and the brightest, the people best suited to their type of work, and utilize their skills and talents to benefit their companies, and potentially hire them after graduation. Other big Boston companies know that they have what students want, great experience, great names, and utilize that to draw in students, knowing that they may not need to pay to get the good interns they need. Other companies, espcially in the arts or non-profit industries, just don't have the funds to be paying interns very much. In all of these cases, the experience of the internship can often outweigh the fact that it may be an unpaid position.
I hope this is helpful in making your decisions!
To find both paid and unpaid available internships in various fields in the greater Boston area, you are welcome to start below: