“Unpaid internship” is a dirty word in any world, especially the writing world, at least the writing world comprised of the Chicago lit scene and the students of the Columbia College Fiction Writing Department. It means doing a lot of work without pay, or doing the same amount of work as paid employees and still not getting paid. Because I am a college student in her early 20s who has managed to balance school, living at home (parents, man), and jobs along with a social life, I have seen many of my friends navigate the treacherous waters of unpaid internships and have navigated some myself.
My gig at Chicago Innerview Magazine at one point was considered an “internship” I think, an unpaid one at that, but while I’d normally be questioning my status as an unpaid writer for the website, I’m not. Money is nice and all, but really, all I do there is have a 10-15 minute phone interview with a musician once a month and write 100-word summaries about bands and artists. When you factor in the time I take listening to their music, writing the previews, and the back-and-forth emails with PR agents and reps, it comes out to maybe 10 hours of “work” per month. I can’t even use the word “work” without quotations because it doesn’t even feel like work, it’s so natural at this point. I’m not going to complain about not getting paid for 10 lousy hours (and even that number is generous).
My other friends haven’t been so lucky. They’ve basically done a regular employee’s job for no pay at all. One friend of mine actually reads full manuscripts, edits them, and has sit down interviews with legitimate authors. He doesn’t get any kind of payment except “experience.” What employers fail to mention is “experience” doesn’t fill a damn bank account.
Lawsuits have been popping up incessantly from Gawker to Charlie Rose. They’re even having the same issues across the pond. Interns have been working full-time hours, doing full-time work, but not getting full-time pay.
So why in the ever shitting hell do college students such as myself feel the need to flock toward unpaid internships? It’s not like there are jobs waiting for us.
an old .gif, I know, but a good .gif
#2 is we’re promised things like experience and possible employment and because we’re young, desperate, and horny for jobs to the point where even the highly evasive almost-promise of a job is enough to make us shoot torpedoes out of our asses. Or do this with our eyes.
Plus whenever we apply to jobs we’re actually halfway qualified for, we’re told we need a college degree (ew). Then, the ones who have the stupid piece of paper are looked upon with “aw-look-at-you!” eyes and asked, “Do you have experience?” by employers who think, “Get yourself out of that one, dickhead.” And in the end we’re on the verge tears and multiple nervous breakdowns. And we’re looked at as dickheads.
So how do we get ourselves out of that one? We don’t. So we just have to suck it up as best as we can and make the most out of what little we’re given. Of course, there are those who are loud and will demand more, and some of the might even get it. Not all of us can be that lucky though, because some problems don’t have clear solutions.
Well, clear and easy solutions, because when in doubt, sue the bastards.
