Ask Heather: Inquiring about internship compensation and internship alternatives

May 15, 9:11 AMEntry Level Careers ExaminerHeather Huhman

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Have a question about finding, landing or succeeding at internships or entry-level jobs? E-mail them to entrylevelexaminer@gmail.com to be included in an upcoming “Ask Heather.”

Q: I’ve already been through a phone interview for an internship and have been invited for an in-person interview. But, I’m not sure whether or not the position is paid. The job ad didn’t specify either way. Should I ask? And if so, how?

A: First, congratulations on the interviews!

I equate this situation to the article I just wrote, “Talking salary with potential employers”—you shouldn’t be the first one to bring up money. A few suggestions: Have you tried Googling the organization to check for old internship postings to see if they were paid? Or looked at services like InternshipRatings.com?

Also, organizations are supposed to notify you upfront if an internship isn’t paid, so this one likely is. If you receive an offer, they should explicitly tell you those details, at which point you can politely decline if you desire a paid position. If they don’t tell you during the offer process for whatever reason, that is a better time to ask. You won’t have wasted your time interviewing with the organization, trust me. Interviewing skills are learned by practicing. 

As always, I also want to throw in my two cents about unpaid internships: Don’t immediately shy away from them unless the organization is requesting 40 hours a week of your time with no promise of a full-time position at the end. If you work only 15 to 20 hours per week at the internship, that frees up the other time (plus weekends) to go to your paying gig.

Q: What do you think about the Huffington Post auctioning off an internship? Is the internship market really so bad that people have to pay for internships?

A: As a fan of the Huffington Post, I am extremely disappointed in this effort, even if it is for charity. Based on the description, the highest bidder will receive the position, not the most qualified individual. It is one thing to take an unpaid internship, or even to receive course credits (for which you have to pay tuition and fees) as “compensation.” But to charge candidates thousands of dollars just for the privilege of working at an organization, in my opinion, is just wrong.

A little secret: The Huffington Post is actually seeking a public relations intern right now—with what looks like no “click here to pay” button attached. 

Q: What can I do if I don’t have a summer internship? How do I gain experience and not fall behind my peers?

A: Great question! There are actually quite a few things you can do outside of a formal summer internship. But, before you give up, try reading “Creating your dream internship from scratch.”

Other options are actually quite plentiful, and I describe them in detail in “How to gain relevant experience…fast” and my interview on The Savvy Jobseeker podcast show (included in the article).