Insight on Internships from Lauren Berger, the Intern Queen

It seems that the current economic climate is such that only extreme measures from government have the potential to see it improve.  For new grads learning the harsh realities of an economic low point early in their career this is also proving the case. The extreme being considered more and more readily by the recent graduate is to work for no pay!  Yes, no pay!  Because more and more new grads are realizing that the value of experience gained, even if un-paid, is worth accumulating versus the prospect of failing to develop skills that will be considered necessary when the job market returns.  We know that many companies actually seek unpaid (and sometimes paid) workers as Interns through their college years and participation in such programs is increasingly mandatory before graduation.  However, at a time in the economic cycle where all organizations are squeezed to run with minimum staffing, recent graduates seeking additional Internships for experience are finding themselves well positioned to land targeted roles they might otherwise have had no opportunity to apply for.  And for those capable of excelling, the opportunity to demonstrate their skills means they use their experiences as long term interviews always aiming to land their positions of choice permanently when the green shoots of recovery finally blossom.

In the world of Interns, when it comes to experience in finding and exploiting opportunities, the recognized expert is Lauren Berger, aka the Intern Queen.  A 15 time Intern and the founder of Intern Queen, Inc, Berger offers free Intern listings and Internship advice through her multiple media commitments and her website Internqueen.com.  On the subject of gaining valuable experience as an Intern, Berger says,

“it’s a great insight into the workplace.  You gain real, hands on experience.  And best of all, you’re networking with professionals who pass you invaluable advice and information”.

And when talking of work for no pay, she says

“you can spend 8 to 10 weeks gaining a real understanding of the profession you think might be for you.  You’ll go where nobody from outside the industry has been to see what it’s really all about.  And at the end, you can say, yes, this is for me or no, I won’t waste any more of my time here.  Learning this can be much more valuable than money.”

Based upon Berger’s own experiences, her opinion should be counted.  Since its launch in 2006, Intern Queen, Inc has grown from a part-time start up to be the most recognized brand in the growing Internship Industry.  After attracting significant investment from Hollywood, Berger now attracts over 20,000 unique visitors per month to Interqueen.com and is responsible for placing a significant number of Interns into their dream Internships.  According to Berger, none of this would have been possible without her own Intern experiences.  Of these Berger says,

“I wouldn’t be the Intern Queen if I’d not done 15 of them!  They taught me what I wanted to do, helped me develop an expertise and gave me the opportunity to find my passion in life.  Now I make a career out of what I found”.

There are Internships available in almost all disciplines although Berger believes that Public Relations, Marketing and the Entertainment Industries currently offer the greatest number of openings.  That said, for a new grad willing to work purely for experience, the opportunities for application are limitless.  For those wishing to propose roles for which they’d be willing to Intern, Berger suggests the following,

“First, be sure no Internship positions already exist.  Most industries are now stepping up to the plate and offering them.  But if you’re sure there are none, then just call your targeted company and be honest.  Tell them what you’d like to do and ask how you might submit your application for consideration.  Be prepared for rejection but don’t give up!”.

The likelihood is that many companies who may have previously not engaged Interns will consider them given today’s economic climate.  New grads with specific skills in technology may be able to offer companies the prospect of automation or reporting that they would otherwise have forgone while budgets are so frugal.  Social Media skills are also likely to be welcomed from Companies trying to progress their brands through this growing medium.  The opportunity to benefit from the skills that many new grads will offer for free is extremely appealing to managers facing unrelenting targets and a customer base as demanding as ever before.

It is rare that I would advocate volunteering labor when income might be gained from your utility elsewhere.  However, in the exceptional circumstances that the current economic environment presents us with, the biggest losers from the downturn will be those who do not exploit what it offers to prepare themselves for the challenges that a brighter economy will bring.  Central to the value proposition recent graduates will bring to future employers is their work experience and whether gained for pay or through an experience only Internship, being able to demonstrate workplace skills will be pivotal in achieving success in the coming years.  As the Intern Queen can attest, work in lieu of wealth may not be appealing in the short term.  However over time, the knowledge that it brings and experiences that it offers will provide beneficiaries with invaluable insight into the workplace and a head-start in their careers.  Something that in the long term may well be more valuable than a paycheck today.