Figuring a Salary: Fast Math

A paid internship (or a summer job) may be described in the pay per hour. A quick multiplication task will tell you how that pay would translate to an annual salary.

Pay per hour X 2000 = approximate annual salary

$8/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $16,000 per year.
$10/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $20,000 per year.
$20/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $40,000 per year.

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2010 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

College Interns: Strategizing in the Economic Downturn

Do lay-offs translate into more internships or fewer?

If a business is laying-off regular employees, it is more likely to restrict or eliminate intern spots.

Non-profit and government agencies are more likely to keep their intern slots.

Be prepared for more competition in all settings. New college graduates who are unable to find employment may go after the same internships that students seek.

Strategies to begin in spring months, well before the summer internship season:

1 - Broaden your search beyond paid internships. Expect to apply for "volunteer" intern spots, too.

2 - Indicate your willingness to take a part-time internship. Even 5- or 10-hour per week slots will provide you with experience. If you are flexible for night or weekend assignments, you will be more likely to edge ahead of the competition.

3 - Don't overlook volunteer internships that provide free meals and lodging. Does this include summer camps? Yes!

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

The Elevator Speech

Got your Elevator Speech?

• Not only for elevators!
• It's your 30-second introduction.
  
• Like an ad for yourself.
• On an elevator ride.
• Or in a hallway.

Talking to Whom?

• Probably your new boss.
  
• Or your internship supervisor.
  
• Or a mentor on the job.
• Or a new colleague.
  

Interns are sometimes reluctant to introduce themselves on the job. But your mentor will not always be around to smooth the way for you, so develop your own self-introduction and practice it in front of the mirror.

Keep it very short... As the name implies, this self-introduction should be appropriate to the length it takes to travel a few floors on an elevator. So, just 50 or 100 words is fine!

Keep it simple... "Hi, Ms. President. I'm Shelly Jones, and I'm the intern in marketing this summer. Thanks for welcoming us at the orientation. I appreciate the opportunity to writes ads for the Eco-Green campaign this summer and if you come by the 7th floor, I can show you the carbon footprint design I'm working on."

Good luck!

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields.

The Paid Internship

Is there such a thing as a paid internship?

• Yes, there is, but you have to ask!
• "Do you offer a paid internship?"
• "I will have to take time off from work to come here. Can you pay me?"

What if they say there's no pay?

• Some organizations cannot pay interns a wage. Explore some more.
  
• "Can you give me a stipend or some other form of support?"
  
• "Can you assist with housing or transportation?"
  

What if they still say no?

• If it's the internship you yearn for, say OK.
• "Thanks for trying. I will come anyway and live on a budget."
  
• "I understand. I still want to work here, so I'm saying Yes."

Internships always require some form of sacrifice, either in time or lost wages, or both. You will have to decide up front whether you can afford to accept a completely volunteer internship or practicum.

Be open to possibilities... a far-away internship may actually be the one that offers the most support (such as travel expenses and housing), so don't assume that you must stay near your campus in order to economize.

Be open to a new vocabulary... you may be thinking "paid," while the internship may use terms like "stipend," and "grant."

Good luck!

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields.