Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: Introduction

Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle

Copyright © 2011 Heather R. Huhman

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Published by Happy About®
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First Printing: June 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60005-203-3 (1-60005-203-7)
Place of Publication: Silicon Valley, California, USA
Cover Art: Ranilo Cabo (ranilocabo@yahoo.com)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword ................................................................................................................................. 6
Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 8
What is an Internship? ....................................................................................................... 8
Why This Book? Why Now? .......................................................................................... 12
Why Me? ............................................................................................................................ 14
Laws Surrounding Internships ....................................................................................... 14
What You Can Expect .................................................................................................... 15
Chapter 1: Recent Controversies Surrounding Internships ........................................... 16
Unpaid & For-Credit-Only Internships ........................................................................ 16
Pay-to-Play Internships ................................................................................................... 25
Interns as Employee Replacements............................................................................... 27
Hypocrisy & the Fair Labor Standards Act.................................................................. 29
Ross Perlin’s Intern Nation ............................................................................................... 29
Chapter 2: The Importance of Internships ...................................................................... 32
Chapter 3: Characteristics of a Good Internship Program ............................................ 38
Chapter 4: How to Create an Internship Program .......................................................... 43
Step 1: Things to Consider ............................................................................................. 43
Step 2: Setting Goals........................................................................................................ 45
Step 3: Writing a Plan & Program Design .................................................................... 46
Step 4: Recruitment.......................................................................................................... 47
Step 5: Management......................................................................................................... 49
Step 6: Providing Feedback & Evaluating Your Intern ............................................. 50
Step 7: Evaluating Your Program & Making Necessary Changes ............................ 52

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Chapter 5: Current Problems & Possible Solutions ........................................................ 54
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) & Compensation .................................................. 54
Protection for Interns ...................................................................................................... 56
Regulation of Good versus Bad Internship Programs ............................................... 56
Interns Replacing Regular Employees .......................................................................... 57
Chapter 6: When Internships Go Bad .............................................................................. 60
Chapter 7: Interns: How to Turn Your Internship into a Full-Time Position ............ 69
Chapter 8: Employers: How to Turn Your Interns into Full-Time Employees ......... 74
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 77
About the Author ................................................................................................................. 80

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FOREWORD
What happened to internships, in their purest form, representing the opportunity for
experiential education?

When did we begin openly debating unpaid versus paid internships – caring only
about the “paid” issue, with hardly a mention of the quality of the experience?

How did we let the poor economy dictate – even dilute – our expectations of the
internship as a whole?

In the old days of labor unions and skilled craftsmanship, there was a clear ascension
through the ranks of the employable: emerging talent would serve as an apprentice
under a master-craftsman turned mentor, thoroughly developing a specific trade or
skill. Today, that process is completed – for many – through internships.

Instead of fostering a positive entrance into the workforce, we have allowed a sixty-
five-year-old policy, 1 a labor law that doesn’t even mention the word “intern,” and
results of unfortunate choices made by interns themselves to create a firestorm of
controversy, false prophets, and used-car-salesman techniques surrounding
internships.

Our government (“see no evil”), our higher education system (“hear no evil”), and
the worst of them all to some, corporate America (the antithesis of “do no evil”) are
the proverbial Three Wise Monkeys. They simply deal with impropriety and inequity
by feigning ignorance and refusing to acknowledge the issue in a meaningful way.

This “blind eye” policy allows less ethical people to expect interns to work forty,
fifty, sixty hours a week with no pay. Others are emboldened to speak of “intern
profits” in a get-rich-quick mentality with zero fear of consequence. Still more, in an
attempt to fix a system that is clearly broken, turn to the written word; in the past
year alone, entire novels, dozens of op-eds, and thousands of blog posts have
appeared – all on the subject of “fair” internships and the “exploitation” of interns.

1"elaws - Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor," United States Department of Labor, accessed May 21, 2011,
http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/docs/trainees.asp.

-6-


At first glance Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: The Truth about Getting from Classroom to
Cubicle appears to be yet another entry into the written word category, but it seeks to
calm the controversy surrounding internships. Heather Huhman – a genuine and
well-respected professional firmly entrenched in the internship and entry-level job
industry – emphasizes real suggestions to improve the situation. Most importantly,
her solutions – aimed at intern candidates, mentors, employers, nonprofits, career
centers, higher education, and our government (specifically, The Department of
Labor) – are relatively simple to implement and would make all parties involved
accountable for their actions and decisions.

If nothing else, this work – regardless of the lack of effort by the Three Wise
Monkeys – will make you think. How important are high-quality, mentor-based
internships to education and our economy? As an intern, should you really allow a
company to use you as free labor? As an employer, is it right to exploit young talent
to save a few dollars? What can you do personally to provide mentorship to a young
professional instead of contributing to even the perception of exploitation?

I encourage you to think creatively as you read, then to offer and implement your
own solutions. Resolve to make the internship experience a positive introduction to
the workforce for our future workers, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

Mark Babbitt, CEO of YouTern

A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, YouTern CEO Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur
and mentor. Mark has been quoted in Forbes, Mashable, ReadWriteWeb, and
Under30CEO.com regarding internships, emerging talent and the current job market. He was
recently honored as one of GenJuice’s “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors” 2 list.

2 "The Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors List," GenJuice, accessed June 1, 2011,
http://tinyurl.com/3oen7jk , www.genjuice.com/community/the-top-100-most-desirable-mentors-list/page/6/.

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INTRODUCTION
Spoiler alert: I’m an internship advocate. Perhaps more importantly, I’m an intern
advocate.

I’ve dedicated my life (and in some ways, my career) to helping young professionals
find, land, and succeed in their first jobs out of college – and internships play a big
role in this process.

Now, just because I’m an advocate doesn’t mean I don’t see problems with the
system. Plenty of important issues exist and will be discussed in depth in this book.
It’s safe to say there’s no such thing as “perfect”; our current internship process is
far from ideal – and we need to work together to do better for our future leaders.

What is an Internship?
One common complaint is the lack of an official definition of “internship,” and thus
participants receive extremely varied experiences. Let’s change that, shall we?

The following blog post, “Empower Yourself! Write Your Own Definition of
‘Intern,’” 3 was written by Dave Ellis of YouTern, which connects emerging talent
with dynamic start-ups, change oriented nonprofits, and driven entrepreneurial
mentors:

I looked up the definition of “intern” on Dictionary.com.

I was surprised to read the first entry: “To restrict to or confine within prescribed
limits[.]” Then I realized that in this case the meaning referred to captivity
during wartime (i.e., internment).

I read further and found something more along the lines of what I was

3Dave Ellis, “Empower Yourself! Write Your Own Definition of ‘Intern,’” The Savvy Intern (blog),
May 18, 2011, http://tinyurl.com/3c7av3c ,
www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2011/05/18/empower-yourself-write-your-own-definition-of-
%E2%80%9Cintern%E2%80%9D/.

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looking for: “A person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation to gain
practical experience.”

When I thought about it further…although those definitions are in very
different contexts, combined they create a single definition befitting of what
many people think of interns:

Intern (v): To restrict to or confine within prescribed limits, a person who works as an
apprentice or trainee in an occupation to gain practical experience.

That combined definition is a good summation of how many
inexperienced internship seekers view internships, and their role as
an intern. They may project that in an internship one is severely limited –
confined by the role’s traditional perception where the skill you’ll improve
best is the speed at which you deliver coffee.

If that is indeed how you think you’ll spend your days as an intern…let’s get
you a new definition.

I challenge you to view your role as an intern as empowered…as
having choices…as being able to get coffee only for yourself!

Let’s look at some common perceptions about internships that fit my
combined definition above, and why those misconceptions need to be
revisited.

I’m Too Young (or Too Old) for an
Internship
Companies realize that emerging talent has a lot to offer. Today’s young
workers are the first generation to grow up immersed in technology, on the
Internet and with social media, for example – important skills to many
businesses. Start looking for internships while still in high school, and
certainly during your freshman year. Don’t wait…your career
competition isn’t!

Think interns can’t have a couple of grey hairs? Workforce veterans are
finding internships a valuable resource to transition into new careers.
Companies are often happy to bring your experience on-board, and often

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these internships turn into full-time positions.

I Have to Live Near the Company Offering
the Internship
In the past, one most often found an internship in their town, or they
relocated for a few months to participate.

Today, however, more companies offer “virtual” internships. Through
social media, Skype, instant message, and email, one can live in the
Midwest…and intern for a company in New York City. The intern gains
valuable business experience at a flexible pace, with no commute or
relocation!

Only Large Companies Offer Internships
The Disney’s, Google’s, Procter & Gamble’s, and “Big Six” accounting
firms still have the internship cache. However, there are thousands of start-
ups, entrepreneurial small businesses[,] and non-profits in all industries
more than eager to hire interns!

These small-team organizations offer the same experiential education and
mentorship as a large corporation. At these smaller companies, however,
interns participate closer to the core decision making processes of the
business. In quite a few small business internships, interns are
mentored directly by high-level executives and even the CEO. (Good
luck working directly with Robert Iger or Eric Schmidt of Disney or
Google.)

An Intern is “Just an Intern”
If you find yourself making coffee and copies in your internship…

You either made a bad choice in the company where you chose to intern, or
you’re making bad choices during your internship.

An internship is no different than any other business position…to a large

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degree you can “make your own position.”

Granted, you’re an intern…you’re not an executive. You’re learning and
gaining your first business experiences. But because you’re the “new kid”
doesn’t mean you have nothing to contribute. Take it upon yourself to be a
pro-active intern – and create your own position.

At every company one can identify inefficiencies in the business process. In
your spare time, or [on] your own time, put together a project plan and
present it to your supervisor. Detail your project’s goals and a timeline.

Make an impression and an impact during your internship. You’ll learn
more, and will likely come away with a stellar recommendation…and
maybe even a job offer!

To paraphrase an old Oldsmobile commercial, “This isn’t your father’s
internship.”

Interns today have more choices – in terms of both companies and
industries – in which to intern. And they have vastly more resources for
finding internships than at any time in the past. No longer are you as
restricted by age limits, geographic considerations, company sizes –
or an outdated definition of what it is to be an intern.

Let’s embrace a new, empowered definition…

Intern (v): To gain business experience while contributing your already developed valuable
skills; an empowered team member who learns through hard work and mentorship in a
dynamic business environment.

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Why This Book? Why Now?

“Free labor.” “Slave labor.” No, that’s not how companies see interns; that’s how
interns see themselves. It’s time for interns and potential interns to stop playing the
victim and take control of their careers!

If you can’t afford an unpaid internship, don’t take it. If you don’t receive any benefit
from a for-credit-only internship (other than the experience), don’t take it. No one is
forcing these options on you!

History lesson: Slaves didn’t have a choice. You do.

There are millions of available internship opportunities in the U.S. alone. Many do
pay – and don’t require you to fork over money upfront for the opportunity. Make
the right choice, for you!

It’s time to face the harsh reality that the world of work has changed dramatically in
recent years. Argue all you want about why and how unfair it is, but good luck
changing things “back to the way they were.” If you think about it, the workplace has
always been changing and evolving. You’re probably just noticing it more now
because you’re ready to join the workforce.

Throughout your life, you were probably told that a college degree would guarantee

- 12 -


you a job after graduation. Nope. Once you started college, everyone told you to get
as many internships as you could and that would guarantee you a job after
graduation. Wrong again.

Let me give you an analogy.

If you bought a treadmill, would you be guaranteed to lose weight? As a former
treadmill owner, I can tell you the answer is “no.” In order to lose weight, you have
to use the treadmill – it can’t just sit there collecting dust. And trust me, complaining
about the fact that you’re not losing weight doesn’t help either! Instead, you need to
get off your butt and accept the fact that weight loss will only happen when you take
the appropriate action with the treadmill: burning more calories than you consume.

The same applies to your entry-level job search.

Trust me, you’re going to need the degree and the internships (just like the treadmill),
but having them simply isn’t enough. The people who get hired do more than pull all
their information together on a resume and submit it to a job board. They analyze
their online presences for “red flags,” get their cover letters and resumes in shape,
join and engage in professional and social networking communities, create online
portfolios, start professional blogs, utilize search engine optimization to get found on
Google, become experts in their fields, and take other actions to go above and
beyond their fellow candidates. 4

Not every single person deserves or is a good fit for every single job (or internship).
Rejection is going to happen during your job search. Life is tough, but the good
things in life are worth working and fighting for.

Yes, the system is broken, and it’s about time we work together to fix it. However,
you must stop blaming the system – and take back control of your career.

4Heather R. Huhman, Attention Job Seekers: Your Search is at Stake! 9 Steps to Becoming an Expert Marketer
& Getting Hired in Today’s Digital World (Heather R. Huhman, 2011), http://tinyurl.com/3v8sw7y ,
www.slideshare.net/ComeRecommended/attention-job-seekers-your-search-is-at-stake-9-steps-to-becoming-an-expert-
marketer-getting-hired-in-todays-digital-world.

- 13 -


Why Me?
I’m a five-time intern. I have been hiring and managing interns for the past decade.
Because of my experience, I’m a verbose writer for many different outlets (including
U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal) offering internship and entry-
level advice and counsel.

Because of my reputation in the internship space, I am honored to work with and
consult many true experiential education experts and advocates – and I’m proud to
include the opinions of many of these colleagues throughout this book.

Laws Surrounding Internships
Did you know there are laws that govern internships, particularly unpaid ones? Many
people don’t. So, what exactly are these laws? The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 5
states:

1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of
the employer, is similar to what would be given in a vocational school
or academic educational instruction;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees;
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their
close observation;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate
advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion the
employer’s operations may actually be impeded;
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of
the training period; and
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not
entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

This law is clearly open to interpretation and needs a serious update; I take a first
shot in Chapter 5.

5"elaws - Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor," United States Department of Labor, accessed May 21, 2011,
http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/docs/trainees.asp.

- 14 -


What You Can Expect
Throughout this book, the following topics will be discussed:

• Recent controversies surrounding internships
• The importance of internships
• Characteristics of a good internship program
• How to create an internship program
• Current problems and possible solutions
• An analysis of “internships gone bad”
• How to turn an internship into full-time employment
• How to turn interns into full-time employees

- 15 -


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather R. Huhman, founder & president of Come
Recommended, has nearly a decade of public relations
and marketing experience, specializing in media relations,
content marketing, and social media. She is also a well-
recognized career expert, an experienced hiring manager,
and someone who has been in nearly every employment-
related situation imaginable.

Heather knows and understands the needs of today’s
employers and internship and entry-level job seekers.
Her expertise in this area led to her selection as a
contributor to Business Insider, Campus
Calm, CAREEREALISM, Career
Rocketeer, Examiner.com, GenJuice, Glassdoor, HR
Communicator, Intern Advocate, Personal Branding Blog, Talent Culture,
USNews.com, Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo!.

Additionally, she is the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from
Classroom to Cubicle (2010) and the e-books Attention Job Seekers: Your Search is at Stake!
9 Steps to Becoming an Expert Marketer & Getting Hired in Today’s Digital World (2011), 10
Years, 12 Jobs, 3 Careers: Lessons Learned from Taking My Career from Classroom to Cubicle to
Penthouse (2010), Relocating for an Entry-Level Job: Why You Probably Have to & How to Do
It (2010), Graduated, Unemployed & Un(der)insured: Why You Need to Stop What You’re
Doing Right Now to Purchase Health Insurance and How to Pick the Provider & Plan Best for
You (2010), and Gen Y Meets the Workforce: Launching Your Career During Economic
Uncertainty (2008).

Heather has a master’s certificate in Internet marketing from the University of San
Francisco and a B.A. in communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
She resides in the Washington, DC area with her husband, dog and two cats. She is
available to answer your questions (heather@heatherhuhman.com) or speak at your
next event.

- 80 -


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