Art by Brooke Muschott
During college, most students begin to think about where they picture themselves working post-graduation. Securing a job opportunity always seems to be possible, especially for those students with the experience of an internship under their belts.
Academics can teach you a lot, but as my favorite saying goes, “Never let school get in the way of your education.” Often, we advance the most in life through following our passions and learning through action. Hence, the internship experience can prepare you very well for a desired career choice.
However, new internship regulations may challenge the likelihood of ever holding a position as an intern at your dream company.
“Wait, did you hear that Vogue cut its internship programs?” Junior Lauren Mock asked. “It totally sucks, I was planning to apply.”
Vogue, arguably the most prestigious magazine in the world, has been thought of as the ultimate internship opportunity by all fashion journalists.
Internship programs have become a touchy subject for Vogue’s magazine publishing giant Conde Nast. The Conde Nast building, which is recognized as one of the nation’s largest magazine publishers, announced that it is stripping all internship programs beginning in spring 2014. It has only been four months since two former interns sued Conde Nast. The interns claimed they had been paid less than minimum wage for the summer internships at W Magazine and The New Yorker, according to The New York Times. Due to the lawsuits, the doors have been closed for all those opportunities.
Some people may argue that the point of an internship is not the pay, but for the life-altering experience. Business empires like Vogue, and other magazines within the Conde Nast building, would probably agree. For many journalists, this cut is detrimental to the hope of ever working for a well-known magazine company out of college.
Some students who are lucky enough to attain an internship in the future may view the enforcement of compensation as a positive, even if they are only paid in lunch. Perhaps new regulations are needed to urge interns to be held accountable for their tasks at work.
“I think that unpaid internships, even if a company allows school credit, but doesn’t offer to pay the students, is a scam,” junior Ginger Jacobsen said. “Students who aren’t offered pay for their time will not work as hard. I know if I had an unpaid internship, it would be hard to motivate myself. I know the learning experience may be beneficial, but if you’re working an unpaid internship, the company doesn’t respect you enough.”
Newly enforced regulations state that under federal law, every employee in America is entitled to a minimum wage. This now includes interns, unless university credit is being offered as compensation for time and work effort, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
“There are some circumstances under which individuals who participate in (for-profit) private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation,” The U.S. Department of Labor’s website said. “The Supreme Court has held that the term ‘suffer or permit to work’ cannot be interpreted so as to make a person whose work serves only his or her own interest an employee of another who provides aid or instruction. This may apply to interns who receive training for their own educational benefit.”
The organization Intern Justice advocates payment for college students. “If you have been victimized by an unpaid or underpaid internship, contact us to discuss your case with an experienced Wage and Hour Lawyer lawyer today,” the Intern Justice website states. (Email info@internjustice.com for more information if you are a current intern not being paid, because you now deserve some form of compensation.)
However, not all companies provide only minimum wage to interns. Some high-profile internships with NASA and other government-run opportunities are still listed as paying very well.
“I make about eight dollars an hour. It’s minimum wage, but honestly, the experience is worth way more,” said senior Conrad Nichols, who interns for Fox News LA.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate is especially high among college students and recent graduates. Maybe a lack of internship experience plays a part in this. Don’t wait until your last semester of college to search for an opportunity to work in the real world. Start applying now, knowing that your dream opportunity is becoming more and more challenging to attain.
Any interview process is a great learning moment, and depending on what you apply for, you may even be lucky and be offered generous pay. Cuts are on a company-to-company basis, so do your research now, since most applications are closing for spring 2014 positions.
Contact the Career Center if you have resume questions. Their help can spruce up your resume and present your cover letter in a more competitively dynamic manner.
The opportunities are still out there, but the problem just seems to be that the openings are much more selective due to cuts. This goes to emphasize the whole idea that sometimes “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” in securing a competitive position. It’s not always fair, but it’s important to learn how to become well-connected.
Regardless of pay or no pay, an internship is a valuable opportunity that can advance students within any career path. Make yourself knowledgeable about opportunities available within your field of work and remember, be diligent.
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Follow Molly Argue on Twitter: @MissMollyArgue
As published in the Nov. 14 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
