Let’s talk unpaid internships…
In the last year of my internship search journey as a Public Health major, I’ve come across countless unpaid internship opportunities. Whether that be at smaller non-profits and organizations or larger institutions and state-affiliated departments. Based on my observations, the discussion surrounding unpaid internships has two main sides — (1) Never accept an unpaid internship, for [insert reason here] or (2) All experience is valuable, [insert reason here]. Of course, as with everything, we can always explore the gray areas, but I’m curious as to what others’ opinions generally are regarding the opposite sides of the spectrum?
Entering college, I remember being told by the leadership program I am part of at Rutgers University to NEVER choose an unpaid internship because, “If a company can’t afford to pay you, they don’t deserve your time” and, “There is always a paid opportunity out there for you, you just need to know where to look or whom to contact.” I agreed with this side of the debate for quite some time. Then, in August 2020, I accepted my first unpaid internship at Columbia University. In my role, I was doing work I genuinely wholeheartedly cared about, and that excited me. Additionally, I recognized the value of having an Ivy-league institution on my resume (although others may argue differently). In deciding whether or not to accept, the preceding seemed worth the sacrifice of not being compensated for a semester.
Having had an unpaid internship experience, I am somewhat on the fence about the debate. Though my sacrifice did impact my personal financial circumstances negatively, the experience was one where I learned a tremendous amount. Personally, as a first-generation student coming from a low-income background, the answer to this scenario moving forward might seem clear to me at first. Go where the money is (assuming I also enjoy the work the role entails), right? Well, not quite. In applying for different roles, I have found that sometimes the work that most excites me and aligns most with my passions is unpaid. Of course, I understand that many of the positions that do this work are part of organizations or institutions that lack funding, hence their reason for not paying interns. This is unfortunate and not unique to the public health/healthcare industry. However, this does not change the fact that I must also make money to sustain my mother, myself, and my lifestyle, which puts me in a place where I feel as though I must choose the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately, with the circumstances I face today and the economic environment I am entering, I know must and absolutely cannot afford to pursue to accept an unpaid position. My heart aches when I come across an opportunity that makes my heart feel whole but then I see the dreaded *Please note; our internships are unpaid*. I know I am not alone in this experience, especially my first-generation/low-income non-corporate industry students. What are your thoughts? What have you done in situations similar to mine? If you are a professional in any industry, what would you like young folks to know? What recommendations do you have for others like myself?
I look forward to hearing from everyone and anyone; my direct messages are always open!
Wishing you happiness & wellness, Jorge L. Alvarez
