I felt guilty and depressed just sitting at home looking for jobs that didn’t exist.
So says Becki Gibney, a 28 year old who was laid off three months ago. Instead of sulking, she went out and got an unpaid internship.
The Wall Street Journal profiles young professionals looking for work while simultaneously gaining experience and keeping busy in an internship. An important point to keep in mind if you pursue an internship as a more experienced candidate:
To land an internship after working elsewhere, you’ll need to explain why you’re willing to take a step back, says Constance Dierickx, a management psychologist at RHR International Co., an organizational-development firm in Wood Dale, Ill. “You need to talk early about the benefits of hiring you,” she says. “It works well to say that you’re looking to make a career change or to learn something new. It doesn’t work well to say I lost my job and don’t have anything else to do.”
Tags: Internships
Another thought about “unpaid” internships – No pay does not mean you won’t get something. You’ll get a lot if you’re smart. What?
1. Knowledge – the most successful people are NOT narrow, despite rumors to the contrary
2. Contact with successful people – gather them like they are gold, they are
3. Momentum
4. Ideas
5. A great reputation – be of service, be a sponge, show some initiative – who doesn’t want to hire that?
Constance Dierickx, Ph.D.
Consulting Psychologist
RHR International Co.
for more thoughts on work and leadership – http://www.rhrinternational.com/Thought-Leadership/Industry-Knowledge/