Advice from a Professional Intern
Staying safe from COVID means remote learning. And remote internships.
Everything is virtual. Well, almost.
One of those things that have gone online is internships. While continuing my seventh internship in the spring (yes, I know), everything shifted online; their formatting changed, guests couldn’t come in the studio, overall, things had to be adjusted. The stress from the sudden change quietly ended that internship for myself and others at that time.
Linkedin, my professional website and my resume displays my run-ins with seedy start-up’s, bands and independent media.
Why so many? Many saw me as a late-bloomer which led deposits of negative comments about my lack of “real-world” work. Even now in my final year of working towards my master’s in journalism, I’m fishing for another catch; much bigger than anything I’ve done prior. To do that, I would traditionally have to move out of state for a few months, leave my steady job during a pandemic, find housing, figure out transportation and figure out how to survive (on my own) off of a limited income.
I’m not alone in this.
When everything migrated online, new possibilities emerged.
I’ve always been skeptical about online classes, online college, even working remotely always seems completely foreign to me; a distraction, removal from others to isolate within my home. Yeah, I’m fairly melodramatic at times. Haven’t you figured that out already from the last few newsletters you’ve gotten? A desire to add a eighth internship to the growing studded belt I involuntarily hold burns internally.
Across social media, individuals in industries like media, publishing, government and so on, are excited at the possibility to apply to work at places like HarperCollins, CNN (wink, wink), NPR, SiriusXM, et al. That they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do due to finances, family responsibilities, disabilities, work; anything which doesn’t enable you to just leave willingly for three months, get a sublease, find another gig to help support yourself (if it’s unpaid, which is more common than you’d like to think) to do an internship.
It isn’t accessible.
“First, unpaid internships are barriers to opportunity. Unpaid internships prevent incredible individuals — many first-generation college students, minority students, and any students who don’t come from wealth — from accessing valuable work experience.” Liz Wessel, the CEO and Co-Founder of WayUp said.
A 2018 study conducted by The Hill.com found that 69% of 700 undergraduate students claimed that they couldn’t afford an unpaid internship.
Sure, anybody can get an unpaid internship, within reason. But can they always maintain it, plus their bills, school, lifestyle and so on? Probably not. With remote options though, it’s conceivable.
NPR’s coveted internships are based out of their D.C. headquarters. Better known as the fifth most expensive city in the U.S. Even NPR spokesperson Isabel Lar said, “applicants don't need to move to expensive cities,” thanks to the fully remote model.
The public radio station giant does pay their interns. Although, it is nowhere near the median income needed to comfortably live within the city center of D.C.
Some summer and fall sessions for internships didn’t fare as well; discontinued programs because of COVID-19 impacted many students. If you’re wondering what companies are hiring, doing remote, or are on a hiring freeze, some Arizona State University students created a crowdsourced site to give that info.
As a seasoned professional intern, I’ve lucked out with working with great independent businesses, bands that never made me get coffee, podcasts, and marketing companies. At times, they brought us food or had mini gstherings for on staff interns to celebrate our efforts.
These scenario’s I’ve found myself in, accidentally at times, are different because it isn’t some Fortune 500 company which rotates through new hires just as easily as a kid gets bored of a new toy. Brand names on your resume give you credentials, even if you only were the coffee runner, sadly. But, I implore students and those who simply want to learn more skills alike, to look into local options; not only do you get hands-on experience, you can sometimes luck out with paid gigs or even a job.
Realistically: they aren’t always going to be paid. “Paid in experience,” is the big red button to never press when discussing compensation although, certain internships may have benefits like going to concerts, free events, freebies to name a few to offset being paid. Does it outright excuse it? No. Looking at the other perspective of a smaller business or local band, it may be the best they can offer.
If they are genuine, kind, open, want to help you succeed along with them, there are overt productive outcomes from that internship. My first internship with White Mystery assisted in my development of social media management, guriella marketing, music promotion in a business savvy DIY style. It was an amazing environment to grow in; aiding in establishing my career path and outlook on what I personally look for in a workplace.
Frequently, unpaid internships will be part-time. Despite the above favorable reactions to this type of work, we have to be transparent about the distinct inequality of unpaid internships, too. Initiatives like Pay Our Interns work to champion paid wages instead of free work and spread awareness.
Will whatever internship you get to be the best? Not always. One of the first few I completed wanted for a full 40 hours, no pay, 9-5. Eventually, we negotiated that they would pay me my $8.75 minimum wage from my on-campus job that I couldn’t work anymore because of the internship guidelines.
Others gave me a place in the Chicago community, friends; along with the cheesy, “knowledge that I never would have gotten anywhere else!” cliche.
White Mystery intern squad. A.K.A. my first internship. 2016.
If you can, try that remote internship. Paid or not. There isn’t that face-to-face interaction, which may be a positive for some, nor is there extra expense for commuting/moving. It is a great stepping stone to wet your feet, that you don't post online for free. Doing one now is low-risk, high reward, in business terminology.
Regardless, you'll not only build skills for your next endeavor but perhaps find friends, connections and comfort at your internship.
Or notice what you don’t want in a work environment when you start your job search.