Alex Try, co-founder of Interns Anonymous, gives his four tips to vox-popPRcareers for interns to make the most of of their unpaid placements:
- “Think about what you want to get out of it, write a list of all the skills you want to develop and any particular tasks that you want to do.”
- “Once you have got all you want from the experience, leave. You have no obligation to stay. Don’t become a slave.”
- “If you are just looking for administrative experience then you are probably better off temping- your bank balance and your self esteem will suffer less.”
- “Consider alternatives such as volunteering, which is more flexible and allows you to do paid work as well. And consider setting something up on your own: a blog, a clubnight, a temporary art gallery and be creative!”
#1 by Cassandra on 28/08/2010 - 11:23 AM
‘Don’t become a slave’ is such an important point, because internships are not obligations.
#2 by Kagem Tibaijuka on 03/09/2010 - 6:57 PM
@Cassandra, I agree, it’s important not to give too much of yourself to something unpaid for weeks and weeks.