TIME Magazine had an article on unpaid interns recently, and I’m quoted near the bottom. My quote is kind of rude, but so are internships – so ha! Thanks so much for leaving your great comments

Here’s the TIME piece btw: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1977130,00.html

” Offer free work – THIS DOES NOT MEAN INTERN. Don’t start doing a 9 to 5 copying job masking as a “learning experience.” No, offer to write an article/guest post, consult on a project or give a free seminar. People love free, but it doesn’t mean you need to lower your standards.”

because it speaks to the misappropriation of the term “intern” as coffee and copies, rather than in being a career professional who’s learning as they work. And, fyi, unpaid internships that are essentially coffee and copies at a for-profit may actually be illegal, since you’re working for under minimum wage.1

Yes, most resumes demand internships in some capacity. But the first two years after college are pivotal in professional development2. Get a running start with that internship; it will set you up well for the rest of your career.

1. New York Times. “Growth Of Unpaid Internships May Be Illegal, Officials Say.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/business/03intern.html?emc=eta1

2 The Atlantic. “How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America.” http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201003/jobless-america-future

Use the website and get rich……

As somebody who spend the greater part of 2009 unemployed I think you’ve made some rock solid points. The worst way that anybody can spend their time when looking for a job is by doing nothing but looking for a job. NOt only is it a waste of time, it’s really depressing and completely screws with your state of mind. It’s just not healthy. Freelaning and temping are great options and people can even build the skills to do certain things if they don’t have them because you can learn almost anything for free online.

These days many employers prefer to “test drive” before they hire. Also, you may not directly be hired by the place you freelance or temp but you will definitely meet other people within the organization who know other people. It also gives you a chance to see if you’d like working for this company and seeing who the key players are.

Lastly, don’t be afraid of giving away some work for free to show an employer what you can provide them. This is especially relevant if you are an editor, graphic designer, web designer, marketing, PR or advertising professional.

Nicole

I have been trying to freelance but you need a strategy. This always helps!

Thanks for sharing them I am sharing this with people I know as well.