Of unpaid internships and making it in this world

They are deemed as the necessary evil for the majority of post-secondary students or recent post-grads. They are where you’re supposed to be given opportunity to work in your industry and gain experience (as well as network) all whilst balancing mountains of student debt and the sad realization that this internship is costing you money.

I came across this article in the Toronto star that really highlights the flaws in unpaid internships, so I’m not going to regurgitate that information back to you – you can just read the article. Highlighting the most important bits, David Doorey – a professor at York University explains how employers are really using the word “intern” to avoid basic employment laws. Summing up his argument – you can have unpaid interns and that’s fine, however they can’t be doing work that you would otherwise pay an employee to do or create positive gain for your company.

I mean from a business standpoint it makes sense to have interns replace entry-level workers. Instead of paying out a boatload of money to someone who is just starting, you can take on that person as an intern and get them to do the same work – for free.

However being a starving student I see the other end of that. I’m  one of the lucky few out there to secure a paid internship/employment  but it was so difficult applying to places knowing if I did get accepted there would be no way to afford working for this place. I adored my internship and still really enjoy the work that I do – but there were definitely opportunities that were completely off the table because I couldn’t afford them. Life, especially in Toronto, costs money – money that I don’t happen to have large quantities of. I’m wrestling between that stage of adult independence that is running my own life and the need to call my dad to find out what in sam hell a T4 slip actually means.

I think there’s something to be said about the culture of interns as well. It’s socially acceptable to be treated like gum on someone’s shoe because that’s what interns are. Movies show interns and internships as being back-breaking work where you spend the majority of your time running to get coffee and cleaning only to never be told you’re doing a good job. There’s this glorification of being treated poorly at your internship like it’s a rite of passage into being a successful working adult. Why? I feel like for the most part that just ends up making people feel jaded about a career path they’ve decided will be their focus until they’re almost 70. No wonder so many young people are hopping careers like the Easter bunny! The first job experience in a field you get is your impression of how that field works. If everyone spits on everyone else why in the world would you want to do that for the next 60 odd years?

I’m not saying that internships are useless – far from it. Internships are really important, and yes sometimes you won’t enjoy them – but you shouldn’t have to hate them. Internships shouldn’t leave you under a mountain of student debt or working 18 hour days to afford your apartment, life and student expenses. Without a doubt, the culture of gogogogogo without a moment to just breathe or some kind of income from it just leads to high levels of burnout from people who are supposed to be the bright-eyed bushy-tailed newcomers to the field.

I don’t know the age demographic for sure for those reading this – but for anyone in the position to be able to hire interns – please realize that interns aren’t just anonymous cyborgs that do exactly what they are told – they’re actual people. The impression that you give them sets up their impression for the way that your entire sector is supposed to work. Role model good morals, good work habits and above all respect!