NO THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A REVIEW OF OWEN WILSON AND VINCE VAUGHN’S NEW MOVIE. But just so you know the movie was terrible. This article offers advice and information on the type of work experience we all have to undertake in our time at university if we wish to ever have any type of legitimate employment. The feedback from graduate employers has been unanimous; they want experience when you graduate. However, while work experience and internships can provide us with excellent resume-padding and fantastic ‘selection criteria skills’ including- leadership, problem solving and communication, we must make sure we are not being taken advantage of in our bid to become more employable.
Unpaid Internships- Because ‘Internship’ sounds sexier than free labour
By undertaking unpaid work experience you will be promised invaluable experiences that include face-time with potential employers, gaining industry contacts, the chance to acquire new skills, insight into how your industry works and practical, hands-on experience that will put you streets ahead when applying for graduate roles.
I want to be clear, there is nothing wrong with having a few of these experiences on your resume but you need to manage the time you commit as students wishing to demonstrate their eagerness and commitment often risk exploitation. Under the Fair Work Act, the purpose of unpaid internships is to observe work procedures. However, if the organisation is requiring you to undertake productive activities, the benefit of the practical experience you are receiving should far outweigh the work you are doing to raise revenue for the organisation.
How long is too long?
As a final year student myself, I have enjoyed a number of unpaid internships with a variety of organisations. I still don’t know where I want work when I graduate so I thought I would get some experience in as many areas as possible. However, it is important to negotiate specified time frames and expectations with these internships as the longer you work for free, the more likely an employment relationship exists.
There are no clear guidelines about the prescribed length that internships should be but work experience insurance is often provided for 30 days which is 6 weeks of full-time work.
When does work experience become work?
We need to get experience somewhere, right? There is no doubt that unpaid internships can and do cross the line from work experience (gaining skill) to real work (applying skill without supervision). There is strong data indicating that unpaid internships are unlikely to result in employment upon completion of the internship when compared to similar paid internships. There are also reports of free work creeping into a range of professions with psychology students administering psychometric tests to jobseekers, hospitality staff undertaking ‘work trials’ and those working in advertising, publishing and media doing the work of professionals with all the responsibilities and pressures that go along with it.
However, as stated before, we need to get experience somewhere. If you are considering an unpaid internship be aware of what you are hoping to achieve through the placement (specific skills or developing personal qualities) and how long you want to commit to that.
Should I work for free?
There are plenty of legitimate internship opportunities out there that will help students’ employment opportunities out-of-sight. Most organisations want to help students improve their skills, are mindful of working conditions and some even offer employment after interns complete their internships. At the end of the day, it is your choice as to whether you want to undertake unpaid roles (certainly people in certain industry’s will find them a necessary evil) but you can feel empowered knowing what your rights are and how to approach negotiations for your placement. If you are still unsure, you might want to consider interning for a not-for-profit organisation then the work you do directly benefits the community, not improves the profit lines of the commercial organisation.
If you would like more information about your rights under the Fair Work Act, go to: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/factsheets/fwo-fact-sheet-internshipsvocational-placements-unpaid-work.pdf.