"Take This Internship and Shove It"??

           After reading “Take This Internship and Shove It,” by Anya Kamenetz, for one I thought the title was very sarcastic; the reading as a whole provided content that was relevant to undergraduates of accredited universities, who are embarking upon internships. Anya Kamenetz provided vital information that would make a college student think twice about an internship. Although this title articulates six simple words, it is packing a punch and signals a negative alarm in college students minds per se. So, should college students adhere to the opportunity of being an intern and then shove it? I would think not! No way!

            College students ought to be leaping for joy when positioned as an intern. As an intern, one should value their position and comply with the required standards, whether or not they are being paid; for this may be their opportunity to be validated for their dream job or rather career endeavors. When allotted the opportunity to be an intern, one should consider this opportunity as a part of the process that launches them into their future and career endeavors. Internships ought to be valued by all college students—it is a competitive world we are living in; hence, college students should not view or think of internships as a waste of time. Yes we all have bills to pay, but we have to start somewhere, correct?

            Therefore, internships should be executed to the best of ones’ ability and one should be happy at this time to display their highest potential. As stated in Anya Kamenetz write-up entitled “Take This Internship and Shove It,” “84 percent of college students in April planned to complete at least one internship before graduating”(Kamenetz 191). It is further implied that “according to Vault, about half of all internships are unpaid” (Kamenetz 191). The latter I find to be very desponding. It is also misguiding and thought provoking for college students. However, there is hope. Internships, from my narrow perspective, are an opening door for better sectors in the job market arena.  As Anya Kamenetz states “working without pay was the best possible preparation for success;” I totally agree with her notion (Kamenetz 191).

            Critics may disapprove Kamenetz notions and disregard my opinion, but that is alright; such is bound to happen. Critics may even go as far to state that internships are fake jobs, worthless, mindless simulations, and not the best preparation for real jobs; nevertheless, a wise person will adhere to the opportunity, value their given responsibilities and position, while realizing that there are endless possibilities and opportunities allotted to being an intern. Internships are vital to the development of college students’ because such will set the standard for their perspective on life and future career goals. After all, if college students are not exposed to career sectors beforehand, they will be clueless to the demands of the job market and career obligations thereafter. I comply with the action of internships all the way.

~ Lady Kimberly G

      Internships are a commonplace in today’s labor market, largely due to the almost nonexistent paid opportunities available for recent college graduates. Although there are degrees that do require an internship in order to graduate, there are no rules stating that it has to be an unpaid internship. But in a “down economy”, plagued by high unemployment statistics, students are willing to accept any position that can help keep the dust from settling on their resumes. Anya Kamenetz’s essay, “Take This Internship and Shove It”, sums up my theory on the concept of unpaid internships: You would be much better off waiting tables than taking a position at your “dream job” that you are not compensated for.

     Working for free should be a crime and any employer found guilty of not paying their intern should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Perhaps that view is a bit extreme given the fact that the student voluntarily solicits the employer for these honorary openings. However, recent news tells of civil cases that have traveled the ranks of the American justice system in order to determine if unpaid internships are in fact equitable for the intern. Two interns who worked on the production team for the Oscar- winning movie “Black Swan” was successful at proving that Fox Searchlight violated New York and Federal labor laws by not compensating them during their term with the production company.

Interns often contribute more to an organization than is deemed acceptable per the federal government’s classification of an internship. Federal guidelines state that internships should take place in an educational environment and benefit the intern, among other rules. In the landmark “Black Swan” case, the judge decided that if it had not been for the interns retrieving coffee and sweeping the floors, the defendants Fox Searchlight would’ve been obligated to hire someone to complete those tasks and thereby violated minimum wage laws by not paying the interns at all. Transportation costs, meals, and valuable time spent are all sacrifices that will ultimately become the intern’s family’s responsibility in most cases, while the employer reaps the benefits of free labor. In my opinion, a person should not have to put themselves in debt to gain experience. An employer should at least cover the costs of traveling to their office, if not minimum wage compensation, when taking advantage of the intern role.

Anya Kamenetz cites the obvious results of a 1998 Columbia University survey by which it was determined that “paid placements are strongest on all measures of internship quality” (Kamenetz 191) in her essay. Though volunteering for a good cause is typically viewed as rewarding, generally no one wants to work for free. One might raise that point that internships do aid in obtaining future paid employment opportunities, regardless it is unconscionable for an employer to ask someone to take money out of their pocket to support their organization. Interns should be paid for their contributions.

~ Lady C. Morton