Going at it alone - what travelling can teach you

2013 began by taking a few weeks off from the day job to travel around Asia doing a whole range of things that I wouldn't normally do at home. From being a marketing intern with a Chinese company that imports Spanish food and wine in Shanghai to writing for a magazine in the South of India, it was the trip of a life time.

While it was only 7 weeks away, it took just under 6 months to organise. Applying and being accepted into the programmes in China and India took a bit of effort, applying for visas required coordination, developing a budget and a savings plan wasn’t too difficult but was securing funding from government and business was something (scored $1450 J) I hadn’t done before, while going to the travel agent had to be the best bit.

Being in a new culture and city with a bunch of new people (these had to be the best bits) meant that I have to be adaptable, self reliant and be comfortable with hanging out/working with a group of people that I wouldn’t normally be around. I also had to find solutions to problems with bank cards, sending stuff home and how to get to airports at odd hours, just to name a few.

But adapting to unexpected situations and having to improvise due to unexpected events have been one of the best bits about travelling alone and while they can be a little scary at the time, you end up look back and laughing.  

Having to adapt to a new workplace and tasks was another really cool challenge that I would do all over again and something that I would recommend to anyone.

Being invigorated and inspired by my time away I have been toying with the idea of moving on from my current position. But while exploring various options there have been several interesting discussions about the value of doing volunteer work and doing something for nothing.

On one side, it was argued that employers “frown on volunteer experiences” and since it wasn't real paid work meant that the skills that you used and/or picked up had no economic value.

Those on the flip side argued that such experiences should be promoted and the skills used highlighted to show transferable “soft skills” and life experience.

Why do things need to be of economic value to be worth something?

It does seem a shame that doing something for nothing whether it is volunteering in Cambodia, taking on marketing luxury brands as an intern in NYC, being a Scout leader in Australia or a stay at home parent is not considered to be a learning experience or evidence that you have developed particular skills because it is not paid.

I hope that one day unpaid experiences will have the same economic value as paid employment and that you don’t need a paid job to show what you can do.   

   

All is not to fair and equal in Intern Nation

I know that blogged about Ross Perlin’s Intern Nation before but after spending weeks interning in Shanghai, I have come to the conclusion that I am what Ross Perlin would describe an Intern Queen.

My reason for becoming such is simple; I chose to study  things that interested me and not areas that had economic value. Being an Intern Queen maybe is the curse of the Arts Grad.

I went through university being told that extracurricular activities (a.k.a internships) were the key to getting a graduate job, especially if you were doing Arts or wanted to get in to an industry that was particularly tough to break into.

As an Intern Queen, I’ve seen all kinds of internships: disasters, structured ones where you learn a great deal, unstructured internships in distant lands that are a whirlwind of experiences that challenge you personally and professionally and, more recently, one that is a combination of most of the above.

I’ve been stuck in a room on my own in the jungle with a boss whose only method of communication was Skype messaging, despite being in the next room. Another was everything that an internship should have been with interesting and challenging work that gave me an insight in to what I was good at as well as an exposure to the area that I was studying.

But from my experience and from reading Ross Perlin’s book, I’m beginning to understand that internships have value and not all internships have the same currency in the job market. I am also aware now from reading Intern Nation that internships are also quite unfair. 

But why do people need to do so many or focus on completing the more prestigious ones in order to get a foot in the door of paid employment in the knowledge economy?

Perlin argues that the reason comes down to ‘“systematic overinvestment” and employers upping the ante: increasingly it takes a prestigious internship or a string of [great] internships, to put you over the top’ (2011, 132)  

This means that while doing several internships is a positive thing but don’t be surprised when employers begin to make it necessary to have done bigger, better and more prestigious internships to get hired.    

The most obvious factor that makes internships unfair is that in many cases you either have to pay for the privilege or have to be willing to work for nothing during your internship. Either way, you have to have the financial backing to be able to participate.

I certainly wouldn't have been able to afford my current internship as an undergraduate and my parents wouldn't have paid for it either. 

But not having participating in internships can have consequences and, as Perlin argues, ‘Not having access to an internship can be the kiss of death if you want to move up in the world’. (2011, 165) It is especially true that not having done an internship can make getting a job so much harder if you have your eyes on the hard-to-get-into areas of the job market.

Perlin quotes, David Graeber who points out ‘It has become a fact of life in the United States that if you choose a career for any reason other than for the salary, for the first year or two one will not be paid. Graeber points out that in many professions – charitable work or literary criticism [even politics, international relations, events and arts management, broadcasting, journalism, international aid and development] for instance – “structures of exclusion” have excised for a long time, “but in recent decades fences have become fortresses”’ (ibid). The building of a fortress has come about from wealthy interns having the done the right internships with the right organisations to allow them entry to this fortress.

But there is another group that also get easy access and this leads into another level of inequality.

A less obvious factor in the inequality among the citizens/“want-to-be citizens” of Intern Nation is the rise of the what has many names but is essentially is the same thing; “Brilliant Young Thing”, “Pretty Young Thing” and “Professional Young Person”.

While this clip is pure satire and completely over the top, we’ve all seen people like this (without pettiness maybe) in the paper being celebrated for their for latest accomplishment, being the public face/voice of “youth” through sitting on every community, government and private business board available, or participating in some high achievement programme.

When it comes to finding a job post graduation, they have collected such an impressive array of experiences and contacts with which no ordinary person can compete. As a result, these Pretty Young Things are fast tracked into the internship programmes that are the red carpet to these hard-to-get-into-professions.

The very existence of these individuals perpetuates a winner-takes-all mentality and our society’s obsession with “Personalities”.

It’s not that these Brilliant Young Things are more qualified than anyone else or necessarily more capable than others it is just that their contacts and public profile get their application from the middle of the pile to being read. Either that or they received an invitation by an employer to apply (along with everyone else) for a programme knowing full well that they will be successful no matter who else applies.  The influence of contacts shows that this worries Perlin when he writes ‘Nepotism, cronyism and the lack of transparency remains the order of the day in filling many internship potions, even as people quietly admit that the situation is out of control’ (2011, 231)   

Correct me if I am wrong here but aren’t the whole point of internships meant to give people practical experience and an opportunity to transition from education to work or between sectors?

Now internships seem to be awarded to those who are already fully prepared to gain work in the knowledge economy rather than those need the assistance in making the transition.  The current system of internships, as Perlin quotes  ones of his interviewees, ‘enables those who have had some enabling’. (2011, 102)  

  

In summing up, Ross Perlin writes in Intern Nation ‘quietly and not-so quietly this “talent myth” has become an underlying justification for massive and grown inequality, runaway executive compensation a winner-takes-all economy and an intense focus on superstars’. (2011, 233) I would love to say that things may change but I somehow doubt that they will! Everyone who isn’t from an uber privileged (financially or socially) background will just have to work smarter and harder to gain a place in the knowledge economy.

Link

Perlin, Ross. Intern Nation: How to earn nothing and learn little in the brave new economy. (London and New York: Verso, 2011)   

The citizens of Intern Nation raise the alarm

I have just finished Ross Perlin's Intern Nation (how to earn nothing and to learn little in the brave new economy) as I am setting out for an internship in China. It was a sobering experience, considering that I am doing what Perlin would a complete waste of time and resources.

One of the problems that Ross Perlin has with internships is that society (including business, fashion, entertainment, NGOs, the education sector and governments) don’t really understand what internships are and that leaves people open to exploitation and abuse.

He gives many examples of internships that are unpaid and give the participant few opportunities for skills development or exposure to the key business of the organisation. He argues that internships are often touted as nothing more than an introduction to a shallow culture of an organisation or industry.

He regards this concept of exposure as being problematic when he says, ‘anything that bring “exposure” can now be a learning experience – flipping burgers for Disney, having a chat at the water cooler, spending an afternoon  at the copying machine’ (2011, 94). Unlike medical internships or “Articles” for newly graduated lawyers in the legal profession, without a tradition of providing real structured training to graduates, many interns fail to get the great learning experience and student-to-professional transition that they were hoping for.

Because of the misunderstandings surrounding internships, Perlin believes that their vague and unstructured nature allows both employers and interns to spin them to suit their own agenda.

Part of an employer’s agenda may often be to save money. This point was a major part of Perlin’s book and looks at the common trend of replacing paid staff by interns and it became clear that in this current economic climate with companies cutting back on staff, in many circumstances internships are used as cheap labour.

So what usually happens is that employers might spin an internship out to be this great learning experience but actually it is just doing the “grunt work” that is usually done by a paid employee because why pay someone to do it when you can get an intern to do it for nothing? Saving a salary just by putting a positive spin on the internship!

The intern on the other hand, might have fallen for the spined internship and, having realised that they were conned, continue the cycle of spin and writing it on their CV in a way that makes it sound better than it is.  

Despite the book being a reality check of the world of internship that I am currently engaged in, I thought it was a good analysis of the problems of unpaid programs that aim to assist you transition from university to the world of work. 

However, author Ross Perlin failed to dedicate enough time on why people sacrifice so much to do unpaid internships even if they offer so little in return. 

It was only in the 'afterwords' where he discussed the decline of employers willing to take new graduates (or even school leavers or career changers) and train them up rather than what usually happens now where they choose to hire people with lots of experience. Perlin notes that ‘unlike the “ageism” which affects some older workers, the closure of the workplace to young people without “experience” has become absolute and systemic, the disappearance of the entry-level job a primary symptom. The paradox of raised in Intern Nation remains unanswered: how do we get experience if we don’t already have experience?’ (2011, 227). His offers few alternatives and what he does offer, as we shall see later in this blog is simplistic and naive.   

   
The demise of the entry level job has also lead to more competition for positions further up the career ladder and therefore if you have just finished university and there a few opportunities available to get a foot in the door and learn to apply your "trade". So you soon realise that you have to do something such as internships as an attempt to address this problem of gaining experience and to give you an edge in an uber competitive job market. 

This is why I have chosen to pay a sum of money to intern in China, so that I may address a regular complaint by potential employers that I ‘don’t have enough experience’.

Internships, I am promised, are the key to getting the experience required to land a job.

So, why to people still fall for them?

Perlin cites, Economist Greg Caplin’s argument: ‘you get paid what you’re worth, and when you start out you are not worth very much. You’ve got to invest in human capital. People are willing to work for nothing because they are going to get a huge pay off in the future’   (2011, 128)

If you have little experience and employers are not willing to give you the foot in door that you need, what else are you going to do other than pay for the privilege to work unpaid in order to get some experience behind you?

Perlin sums it up well by noting that ‘applying human capital theory to internships at least allows for a guarded optimism: students and their families may feel compelled to invest heavily in education and skills-building, but they are rewarded in the end – hard work always wins out.’ (2011, 129) It is human nature and that people want to hold on to something and hope for the best.

With the job market not so kind to those without work experience or access to polished “personal spin machines” people put all their hope in to something that will help them to signify that they can do the job.  

In regards to my adventure over the next six weeks, I am sure that Perlin would not approve of what I am doing. He would tell me to ‘Figure out how to turn a job at the mall into something with a future: talking honestly about your ambition to your supervisor, interacting with customers, pressing for better work conditions and career advancement. Strike out and develop a new skill – whether   it’s taking a Spanish class or learning from a friend how to fix cars – and turn it into a career opportunity.’ (2011, 205).  While it is important not to devalue working in the local shopping centre or taking an evening class but I don’t see this advice working for those new grads wanting to gain employment outside the area that they used to fund their university studies.

While doing jobs to pay the rent and working on informal projects with friends are the catalyst of developing a large number of skills but in this day and age I doubt that they have much value in the job market. With so much emphasis on, not only on achievement and developing an impressive portfolio of experiences but also the charisma to make this collection sparkle like a football field of diamonds, the everyday experiences like doing a job to pay the rent, raising a family or helping out in your family’s shop doesn’t have the same level of impressiveness to potential employer.  

Internships have also crept into the world of volunteering. With the students everywhere wanting to get ahead, volunteering has lost its value in the market. Once volunteering with the Red Cross and the RSPCA was an indicator that you were motivated and a team player or being a leader in your local Girl Guides highlighted your leadership and interpersonal skills but nowadays this is not enough. For a good example of this check out this site.

As a result, organisations now promote volunteer placements as internships so that they attract students who are desperate to take part in activities that show that they are motivated, keen and capable.

You can see the debate played out in the America where spending the summer as a camp councillor is becoming seen as time not as well spent as spending the same time interning.  Just click here and here. 

People end up doing internships because they perceive them to having currency in the job market even though in reality they might not.

But as I leave sleepy old Perth for the big smoke of Shanghai, I hope that this internship doesn’t turn out to be another empty experience but an intense learning encounter that I’ll remember for a lifetime.

Link

Perlin, Ross. Intern Nation – How to earn nothing and learn little in the brave new economy. (London and New York: Verso, 2011)  

UN centre of backpacking adventure

The eve of my departure is filled with excitement of the adventure that will unfold over the next two months. Launching this adventure is a few days in the father land however; the big ticket item is participating in the 48th UN Graduate Study Programme

The title is “The United Nations: United to combat climate change to safeguard international peace and security” and will be held in at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The programme will consist of an intensive three-week series of lectures and panel discussions on the United Nations. Participants will get together in working groups to participate in simulation exercise aimed at developing negotiating and management skills. A final document will be developed on the basis of the working groups' discussions.

The working languages are English and French and no interpretation will be provided.

Being a student of Diplomacy and Trade as well as having undertaken a 7 week internship at the Australian High Commission in Malaysia I am keen to learn more about such a key player in international relations.

It will no doubt be an adventure to remember and I can't wait to leave.

The benefits of completing an internship

Gain global exposure.

It is often said that we now live in a global market place and having an international background is vital to being successful in it. By undertaking an international placement you will develop an understanding of the big picture and gain a different prospective as well as international contacts.

International Internships help you stand out from the crowd.

Completing internships in another county is an experience that is both a rewarding and challenging one. Doing an internship in overseas requires an extra set of skills such as operating in a new culture, overcoming culture shock and cross cultural communication. Your experience as an intern in overseas will show your adaptability, drive and focus.

Develop real skills.

During your internship in Malaysia, you will able to use many of the skills that you have learnt at university and apply them to international situations. You also aquire work experience and skills which can assist you to secure perminant employment in the future.

Evaluate your career path and the skills you need to get there.

It can be hard to know what its really like to work in a particular industry and how to progress onto a career path within that area. By doing an internship, you’ll be in a better position to understand your own strengths and weeknesses as well as evaluate your own choices and adjust your plans accordingly.

At internship midway point, Intern describes experience as “best time ever”

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3. Being approx 6 weeks through her 3 months through her internship Aussie Intern Gabs seems to have pack in more than most during the last 6 weeks.

With a slight change of placement and with university over for the year, a window of opportunity presented itself for spontaneous trip to Hong Kong, Georgetown and Malacca.

“I just want to make the best of my time away from Perth and explore more exciting places before settling back into my internship programme” she says.

This week saw the start of a new internship placement at the Australian Education International which is located at the Australian High Commission. Her role is, among other things, to start a journey into the blogoshere and bring Australian education into this brave new world. “Its all very exciting and I love every minute”.

Of course being at the High Commission does equal to heavy socializing, but not that is ever a problem for Aussie Intern Gabs.

“Oh, it's great, seriously” she says heading out to another event. “last week there was a farewell do, networking drinks and a Murdoch Uni Alumni dinner. As for next week, who knows?” We know for one that there will be a race that stops the nation and we are sure it will stop the diplomatic lot too.

However, there have been a few challenges. “The mozzies were awful at first, it looked like I had chicken pox”, she says pointing to the scars. “Living in a backpacker for 3 weeks was another” but we are assured that things are almost sorted now. Being confined to solitry confinement for a month (which seemed like a life time) was also a challenge but things soon picked up when Aussie Intern Gabs came down from the jungle to the city. She was always a city girl ;)

We are also told that while this internship is part junket, "I am here to work” she says, chaining herself to her desk.

We have also noted that she always eats out and catches taxis everywhere. Who does she think she is??

“Well, with food costing what it does and KL transport being what it is, why would you do anything else?”

Aussie Intern Gabs is looking forward to the next 6 weeks and learning as much as possible about everything. All we can say is “back to work, Aussie Intern Gabs”.

For more information visit http://gtrenbath.blogspot.com

Political Intern gets prosposed to while meeting top brass

Excitement reached new heights last week when the participants from Chris Evans Labour Movement Work Experience programme met Western Australian Premier Alan Carpenter and State Labor Party president Sharryn Jackson.

After meeting the top brass and their army of spin doctors, passion broake out in the centre of Perth though a rally against the poor treatment of cleaners in the CBD.

As a play on the Valentine’s Day theme, a very public show of love was expressed by the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union which included a dramatic marriage proposal being made on the busiest street in Perth at lunch time as part of protest.

Roses and chocolates were handed out to passers by to bring attention to the poor wages and conditions that the cleaners have to put up with.

The high drama tactic was used by the union asked the tenants of number 77 St George’s Tce to share the love with those who clean and part of their “Clean Start” campaign.

This piece of street drama appeared in the inside cover of the West Australian Newspaper.

All this took place during a ministerial placement during which I spent the week at the Office of the Minister of Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah Mactiernan.

Much of my time was spent working on documents relating to government legislation and the appointment of boards and committees but also to research some Freedom of Information issues.