Comments on: Recollections of an Unpaid Intern http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Mon, 20 May 2013 15:21:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DarlingMagpie http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-29036 DarlingMagpie Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:32:28 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-29036 Oh my god, I'm in Toronto and your full disclosure made me want to cry. You were receiving approximately $1925 a month from your mother as an "unpaid intern" to another company. That is just about $200 less than what I make (net income) at my full time job. Privilege. Oh my god, I’m in Toronto and your full disclosure made me want to cry. You were receiving approximately $1925 a month from your mother as an “unpaid intern” to another company. That is just about $200 less than what I make (net income) at my full time job. Privilege.

]]> By: Megano! http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-5137 Megano! Sat, 02 Jun 2012 19:25:47 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-5137 I just got out of a media internship with only a $300 honorarium for 6 weeks, plus um, a ton of free stuff), and it was awesome? I actually got to do thing of substance. I don't understand why your byofriend was afraid to give her anything important to work on, the whole purpose of her being there is to learn? I understand he might feel like he's exploiting her, but if she's any good, maybe she will get hired? And she knows what she signed up for. So he's kind of doing her a disservice by not giving her anything to do. I just got out of a media internship with only a $300 honorarium for 6 weeks, plus um, a ton of free stuff), and it was awesome? I actually got to do thing of substance. I don’t understand why your byofriend was afraid to give her anything important to work on, the whole purpose of her being there is to learn? I understand he might feel like he’s exploiting her, but if she’s any good, maybe she will get hired? And she knows what she signed up for. So he’s kind of doing her a disservice by not giving her anything to do.

]]> By: notaquarterback http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-5122 notaquarterback Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:43:56 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-5122 Hell, both of my internships were paid. There was absolutely no way I could afford to do it otherwise and even then, it was difficult to justify to my parents (or anyone) the merit of what it was I was doing. In retrospect, one of them was a real step up if I'd realized how great the opportunity was if I actually wanted to do that job (Copy editing, I didn't...) where at major newspapers people hated their jobs but loved the money. The other one was one of those "looks good on paper, but probably a bad idea" type deals. But I learned a lot, except being a few years older than a traditional college student I tended to be a bit jaded. I think if you can afford to do this, so be it. But I'd never let a kid do it if we could help it. I think there are so many other valuable experiences you can get other than working for free. Hell, both of my internships were paid. There was absolutely no way I could afford to do it otherwise and even then, it was difficult to justify to my parents (or anyone) the merit of what it was I was doing. In retrospect, one of them was a real step up if I’d realized how great the opportunity was if I actually wanted to do that job (Copy editing, I didn’t…) where at major newspapers people hated their jobs but loved the money.

The other one was one of those “looks good on paper, but probably a bad idea” type deals. But I learned a lot, except being a few years older than a traditional college student I tended to be a bit jaded.

I think if you can afford to do this, so be it. But I’d never let a kid do it if we could help it. I think there are so many other valuable experiences you can get other than working for free.

]]> By: Odm http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-5029 Odm Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:28:24 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-5029 Living comfortably from a financial perspective. (No comment editing? Geez.) Living comfortably from a financial perspective. (No comment editing? Geez.)

]]> By: Odm http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-5028 Odm Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:27:24 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-5028 It's about $600 more than the author was receiving at the time, and the author was living fairly comfortably. It’s about $600 more than the author was receiving at the time, and the author was living fairly comfortably.

]]> By: mishaps http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-5017 mishaps Fri, 01 Jun 2012 21:53:29 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-5017 @Leon Tchotchke Yes. I was in a position where I really, really needed one, and I really, really couldn't afford one. Enjoy your privilege! @Leon Tchotchke Yes. I was in a position where I really, really needed one, and I really, really couldn’t afford one. Enjoy your privilege!

]]> By: Alexa Villaume@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-4985 Alexa Villaume@facebook Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:14:35 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-4985 @melis I was confused about that too. @melis

I was confused about that too.

]]> By: Jeni Vidi Vici http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-4981 Jeni Vidi Vici Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:49:48 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-4981 @dotcommie That combination was really unpalatable for me, too. The ex-interns bringing lawsuits had signed on for unpaid internships, and generally speaking it sounds like what they got did not meet the definition of that kind of arrangement under federal law. Actual interns complaining about exploitative arrangements is about the only way the Dept. of Labor can really do anything about them. I don't think they need the author's pity. @dotcommie That combination was really unpalatable for me, too. The ex-interns bringing lawsuits had signed on for unpaid internships, and generally speaking it sounds like what they got did not meet the definition of that kind of arrangement under federal law.
Actual interns complaining about exploitative arrangements is about the only way the Dept. of Labor can really do anything about them. I don’t think they need the author’s pity.

]]> By: melis http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-4979 melis Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:47:46 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-4979 Wait, $160/hr at about four hours a week only nets about $2500 a month. That is not that much for a sugar mama - in New York, anyhow. Wait, $160/hr at about four hours a week only nets about $2500 a month. That is not that much for a sugar mama – in New York, anyhow.

]]> By: dotcommie http://thebillfold.com/2012/06/recollections-of-an-unpaid-intern/#comment-4977 dotcommie Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:35:47 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=5325#comment-4977 Sensing a bit of cognitive dissonance between sections 5 and 6...the lack of pity couldn't have anything to do with privilege, no??? Sensing a bit of cognitive dissonance between sections 5 and 6…the lack of pity couldn’t have anything to do with privilege, no???

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