Unpaid internships: are they exploitative?

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There’s a fine line between getting experience and getting exploited.

And unpaid internships tread that line a bit too closely, in my opinion.

But what else can you do when every job application requires years of experience?

Keep reading for how to get paid opportunities with no experience - step #7 is my favourite.

P.S. I had a field day with the memes today…more memes at the end 😂 gotta meme the pain away

Why people take unpaid internships

Get valuable work experience
See what it’s like working in a team
Gain a professional network
Seek mentorship to learn faster
Understand the industry and potential career path
Improve chances of getting paid in the future

Proponents of unpaid internship say it’s worth it if you get something in return, like:

Learning skills you can’t learn anywhere else (i.e. teamwork, collaboration, stakeholder management)
Lifelong mentors/network of people to support you professionally
Improving earning potential in the future

But these are NOT guarantees.

They’re also inaccessible for people who can’t afford to do unpaid internships.

A MESSAGE FROM ENTRYLEVEL

Learn tech skills in 6 weeks.

Learn with EntryLevel.net, get a portfolio, and get certified.

Beginner to tech? No problem. Get guidance for portfolio project and show it off to recruiters in 6 weeks. If you complete the challenge, you'll even get your money back.

Why people don’t take unpaid internships

Financial burden - can’t afford living costs if not paid
Exploitative - free labour

When unpaid internships are normalised, you’ll get more and more companies doing this:

It’s especially unfair for people who cannot afford (time or money) to work for free.

Thankfully, there are some alternatives to unpaid internships I’ve found.

Alternatives to unpaid internships: step-by-step guide

Note: these steps do not need to be done in order, and can be done at the same time.

If you’re still struggling with the Catch-22 of needing experience to get work experience, here’s what you can do.

1. Understand yourself

Second step: do a self evaluation.

What skills do you already have?
What experience do you have?
What did the experts start learning with?

PS: our free workbooks help with this

— EntryLevel Programs (@EntryLevelNet)
Jan 6, 2023

What are your goals?

What do you like to do?

Use your answers to explore potential career paths you might like.

Listen to our Careers Wiki podcast to hear experts talk about their day-to-day jobs.

2. Network

“Your network is your net worth.”

But what if you have no connections to start with?

Don’t let it stop you - create your own opportunities.

That’s what Christiana did - she reached out to professionals (complete strangers) on LinkedIn.

Find her outreach template here: https://www.entrylevel.net/interviews/get-a-job-using-linkedin-christianas-story

Your to-do list:

You learn a lot faster with others.

3. Leverage previous experience

Had a job before?

Worked on a group project at school?

Taken an online course (like EntryLevel’s)?

Came up with a creative solution to a problem in your life?

Then you have some experience that can help you land the job.

If you’re transitioning careers, you’ve got even more experience you can share to help you stand out. Here’s an example: https://www.entrylevel.net/post/how-to-fix-your-linkedin-profile-a-guide-for-career-changers-in-ux-design

4. Get project experience

Many courses have projects included. Look for courses with a hands-on portfolio component, like EntryLevel’s programs.

But do your research - some courses require $2,000 tuition for a job guarantee, which always raises my eyebrows. To me, that implies that people who can afford to pay for a job will get one, regardless of their skills. More money = more opportunities.

But that shouldn’t be the norm. If you’re dedicated to learning and keen to use feedback to improve, your skills should speak for themselves.

That’s why I always look for companies that didn’t discriminate based on degree requirements in their hiring process. By evaluating based on skills and not a degree, the hiring process is more equitable, especially for people who cannot afford a university education.

Example of a company that hires based on skills rather than a degree. And because I don't gatekeep: the company is Toggl.

5. Use project experience to get paid work

Once you have a great project (and get feedback on it from mentors so you can improve), you can:

Freelance
Work with small, local businesses
Get testimonials from clients you work with

At this point, you don’t need to charge a lot. This experience can help you earn more money in the future, especially as you build connections and get more recommendations for your work.

6. Optimise your job search process

Treat your job search like a product. Keep iterating and making improvements based on the feedback you get.

That’s what one of our students, Ati, did to land a job.

Optimise each of the following:

Resume
LinkedIn
Portfolio - whether you’re a data analyst, product manager, or other

7. Find paid project platforms

Research local organisations that provide paid, short-term, and project-based opportunities to entry-level job seekers.

Here are a few I found for Canada and US.

If you can’t find one that exists in your country, perhaps a project for your portfolio is to create one. You’ll gain lots of valuable experience talking with people in the problem space and working with companies to deliver the solution to users.