

Interns Resist Working Free - danso
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/30/us/interns-resist-working-free.html?_r=0

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Jugurtha
The idea of an internship is this:

The intern gains experience and gets a chance to show his skills, the company
has cheap labor and has better chance spotting future rockstars (or "people
with potential"). I'm fine with it.

However, there are internships and there are internships, and in the real
world, all things are not equal.

Interns should really think what they have to gain. Is an internship involving
photocopying really worth it. If you're an engineer and your internship is in
the "mail room", you got the concept of "internship" wrong.

I did an internship with a company. They had a slogan for that: "Internships
That Don't Involve Photocopying". The recruiter insisted on that. She said she
did internships while she was a student and it was terrible.

And they put their money where their mouth is: I've been flown in, taken care
of for a month, great accommodations in a nice hotel(pool, gym, etc..). Had
our own blocks for interns exclusively. The work we were given ? We shadowed
Engineers as they worked. We did pretty much what they did. We went on the
field with them. Got them to explain stuff to us. And did presentations: We
were asked to chose a piece of technology, and learn as much as possible about
it, and then do a presentation about it where they would ask us questions (how
to use these tools, technology involved, troubleshooting, typical problems,
etc...).

You get your clearance taken care of of which doors you can open and which you
can't. So it's pretty much all thought about in advance: They don't improvise.

Of course, pretty much everything is tagged "Private" and is classified. They
make you sign an NDA and a contract before you go. You get briefed _and_
debriefed. What you can and cannot say. But still.. It's a great internship
and you learn a tremendous amount of stuff. And you get to see some high-tech
stuff and learn what the word "added value" really means. Oh, and I got paid,
too.

Don't do internships with the wrong company. If it's a "big" company that
treats employees like shit, you got to ask yourself the question: "Do I want
to be involved with such a company?" As "big" as it may be. What's in it for
me and will I be allowed to bring value to this company. I did my internship
because I _liked_ that company. I've never sent a résumé in my life to any
other company simply because I chose it. I wasn't looking for an _internship_
at all costs, and I wasn't looking for a _job_. Nothing easier than to be
employed, but with whom. That's the question.

