Step Right Up, Unpaid Internship for Sale - CHEAP, or not so CHEAP
The Set Up
What if I told you that there was a way you could guarantee your child an internship? You want to help your kid right? The job market is not looking good – and that’s quite the understatement. So, you have the power to get your child an internship. How? You’re dying to know right? Well, it’s very simple; all you have to do is PAY FOR IT. Yes, that’s right! There are companies out there that will guarantee your child an internship. However, there’s a catch – you will need to fork over a sum ranging from possibly $2,000 to $9,000 for your child to work for eight weeks during the summer FOR FREE!
Sounds crazy to you? Definitely you think! Certainly sounds crazy to me. I initially read the article in the Personal Finance section of the WSJ and I was incredulous. Pay for my child to work for free?? How insane is that? What happened to pounding the pavement, contacting companies, reaching out to potential employers through a career services office? I did that; and I am sure that a lot of you did too.
From what I read from the article though, the shrinking job market is also negatively affecting the internship pool. Students are applying (highly qualified students) and not getting any responses – instead spending their time working in retail outlets, part-time jobs that have nothing to do with their intended careers.
The Payoff, Literally
So, on to the solution. A new crop of companies has spawned over the past few years, for-profit internship companies offering assistance with résumé writing and tailored guidance to obtaining hard to come by internships.
My Thoughts
What’s my position on this you ask? After all, I have to have a position right? Originally I thought with haughty indignation, No Way! That is ridiculous. Paying for an internship? Crazy talk. After thinking about it though, I began to consider it; I too want to help my children. In fact, I would do anything for them – even paying $8,000 or some other sum to put them on a path to success.
My Second Thoughts
After further consideration though, I decided that my desire to help my children notwithstanding, looking for work is a skill too. I cannot support them for their entire lives and I need to instill in them a sense of self-confidence and drive that my paying for an internship would not do. I firmly believe that my children need to learn to fend for themselves in some things, and this is definitely one of them.
What’s next from here? You can purchase a full-time job? You’re gonna pay a company to hire you? Or even better, you can purchase a senate seat. Ah right, that’s been tried already – my bad.
Focus, plan, and conduct your own campaign. You can get the internship and save the $8K for something useful!
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
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