The Intern Redux

[Cory Smith]

 

[gordo]

Is the intern correct? Work only to match the compensation received? I.e. minimum effort for minimum wage. Or should one deliver their maximum effort irrespective of the wage received?

 

[claude72]

For an employe, normally the job done is proportional to the wage...


But for an intern, it's different: the intern is not in the company to make production... he is supposed to be in this company to learn the job: so he is working mostly for himself, for his own knowledge/experience, not for the company, not for a wage (even minimum).

An intern costs money to the company: other employes have to take time to teach the intern, to watch his job, to clean his mess... So (I think that) a good deal is that for each hour of production the intern gives to the company, the company gives back to the intern one hour of training/teaching.
(of course when there is no waste of material and other collateral damages!!!)

So, the intern is wrong, but the manager is wrong too: if the intern is too stupid to understand that this internship is the way for him to really learn the job, even if it means working free, there is no need to pay him as an incentive, the only need is to kick him out!!!
Perhaps it will make him understand that the knowledge doesn't come by magic, but needs to work... sometimes hard.

 

[arossetti]

To me it goes along the same lines as "don't dress for the job you have but dress for the job you want."

If you want to advance you need show that you can go beyond the current expectations. If you are being payed the minimum and only working the minimum don't expect a promotion and don't expect a raise beyond inflation; you are confirming your worth.

 

[maas]

I like Mark Twain's "Money is a measure but not the ultimate goal", maybe the Intern could see this unpaid work experience as an investment in his employability however I say this with the benefit of hindsight that age brings, at his age I would probably have thought "screw this"

 

[wtl0715]

Part of an intern's compensation is industry-specific experience, networking, and an opportunity to demonstrate his or her abilities to management. Unfortunately, there are many companies that view interns as free labor and nothing more. In that case, the intern is neither being compensated financially or through valuable experience. I think it's a symptom of our evolving business culture (especially on a corporate level).

 

[mattf-BCDDirect]

I believe that no matter what the job or what the pay you should always try your hardest and do your best work. It may not pay off now, but it will pay off later (unless you work for fast food... then it never pays off)!!!!