All About Internships and Work Experience Placements

[closethunter]

Was anyone ever able to have a part time/night job while having an internship at the same time? I know when you have an internship you really want to impress the higher-ups and really give it your all and work hard, but it can be really difficult to live somewhere as expensive as NYC and have an UNpaid internship. I wonder if I ever got an internship if I'd be able to handle working at Barnes & Noble or something at night? Any advice/input?

NYC is extremely expensive, so if you want to have fun when you aren't interning, I'd definitely say it's wise to get a part time job. When I was interning I took a weekend job for a prominent real estate firm. That actually helped me to build a lot of networking relationships in the fashion industry because of the people that came in to see the development, like Norma Kamali!

Just make sure interning is your first priority. Don't take it for granted because you are working for free. Always come in early, and leave late! Everyone in the fashion industry has to "pay their dues!"

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

Thanks for the responses! I'm a figure skater, so maybe teaching skating at Chelsea Piers on the weekends or something could be a good balance because of the time commitment. I was also thinking of maybe being a page at the New York Public Library. Just anything to make some extra cash.

I'm trying to think of ways to convince my parents that an unpaid internship could be worth it...(summer 2009 of course). I think a retail job at a boutique would be wonderful, but I don't know if they'd hire someone for just the weekends, and you never know how late you'd have to stay at some internships. I wouldn't want to say "sorry I have to go to my paying job now...gotta go", or being fired from the paying job for missing shifts because I stayed at the internship. That's why I think a little something on the weekends might be better (though less money).

I just read through this entire thread....all 73 whopping pages! So so insightful, and full of helpful advice. I cannot thank everyone who posted here enough.

 

[love.cat]

i am exacly in the same position as you suggastiletto. I have an internship in NY but its just how can you afford it? I am from England too so its the flights...accomodation and general living...especially when it is unpaid you have to rely on your parents so much and i hate that

 

[BetteT]

An internship is considered part of your education ... so one way to look at it is, who would be paying for you to go to school if you were taking classes there? It's no different .... if you pay your own way, you'd pay your own way for your internship. If your parents are willing to pay for your eductaion, then this is part of it, too and they would probably be happy to help, if they are able.

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

love.cat hopefully we can both find ways to make it work in this industry in some capacity!

Thanks, BetteT, that's a good way to look at it, especially from the point of view of "trying to persuade the parents"! Unfortunately, I think they'd probably want me to stay at home (no rent) and have a summer job (cha-ching), instead of living in an expensive city and spending lots of many rather than making it....therein lies my problem! We shall see what happens when/if the time comes!

 

[Cicciolina]

Have a talk to your parents and explain what you want to get from interning and maybe they'll be understand the process more. A lot of parents think "what?? working for free??" but unfortunately it is almost considered an absolute necessity in some industries, if not a requirement (if you don't have any contacts of your own through family, that is).

Many interns I've spoken to work part time as waitresses or sales assistants. Of course it's frustrating to be working in a creative environment surrounded by beautiful clothes all day, then have to leave and slog at night in a restaurant, but in the end that is the reality in order to support yourself, if you don't have financial help from your parents.

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

^ I sort of had a breakdown yesterday thinking about growing up, moving away to college (10 hours from home!) and that sort of thing. I let my parents know how much pressure I felt career-wise, b/c I have an older brother who just graduated from university and is doing the whole "finding a job" thing. I guess I feel like I have to be super-directed and have lots of internships to get anywhere...the complete opposite of my brother. I want to demonstrate that I've learned from his lack of direction.

To get to my point...basically my parents said that if I ever had an unpaid internship it would be worth it, and if I had the drive and determination & was willing to put up with all the negatives, then they would support me. I guess they've come to accept and even nurture my love for NYC and how exhilarated I feel when I'm there.

It's difficult when so many young adults are fazed by visions of the supposed grandeur of big city living, and crave the so-called "glamorous" lives they could live there, when in reality it's a much different situation. A situation involving hard work and slaving at the bottom, barely scraping by, but just having the enjoyment of BEING in the city enough to keep you going and working HARDER. My family has realized that this is my take on the city, as opposed to my brother and some friends who wanted to move there just to "make it big." I'm glad my parents understand the distinction now.


Sorry for the rant, I just feel so relieved and more motivated than ever.

 

[BetteT]

Glad to hear that they are willing to help you with this. It's clear that you understand that an internship is not about glamour or fun ... it's paying your dues and working to build your resume and your contacts. It's not easy ... but can be worth it if you play your cards right.

 

[BetteT]

clutch22 ... I am moving your post to the Networking thread pinned at the top of Careers & Education. That is where we post jobs and internship opportunities.

 

[BetteT]

greatscott ... I am doing the same with your post.

All internship opportunities should be posted to the Networking and Opportunity thread. please.

 

[greatscott2000]

Thanks BetteT, sorry about that.

 

[BetteT]

No problem ... it takes a while to learn your way around here... we are very complex. And then, I saw you already found the thread.

Welcome to tFS, BTW!!

 

[malina s]

Oh gosh, life is crazy. I sent an email to the info manager at Sretsis asking if they were taking interns. It was kind of a whimsical, not too serious kind of question. Im going to Thailand with my grandma for a month in Feb, and didnt want to be hanging around doing nothing that whole entire time so i figured i might as well work. But i got an email back! They asked for my CV, which is seriously dead and lackluster, because where i come from theres not a lot of opportunities to work in fashion. But there was an option of sending a CV or having a little bit of a chat, telling them about my background and experience. I hope being Thai helps out a bit. hahha. Sretsis is based out of Thailand if anyone didnt know. But yeah, i just gotta hope for the best, my parents are being really ridiculous about the whole situation, saying that Bangkok is extremely dangerous and i shouldnt be there. Though, they were acceptive of me going as a trip. but not as work? what, i dont get them sometimes.
Im anticipating an email back, and for the month of february! I guess i should apply for non immigration visa and work permit there. what a hassle that'll be. pfff... but worth it!

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

^That's awesome! Congrats, I hope it works out

 

[Fashiongirl1]

Is there a possibility for someone with a Degree in Business Management to intern. I see that many current students get internships, but what about non students? If not, how can I get a job in this industry without an internship. What if you are working full time and want to change careers for example.

 

[dior_couture1245]

I sent in my resume to Rodarte a little over a week ago. I got nervous because I didn't get a response and they were usually pretty responsive to my emails previously...so I called and actually talked to one of the sisters...I think it was Laura....anyway, she said she had been out of town and hadn't checked the mail yet so she got my number in case my resume didn't make it there....

Fingers crossed I get a position at Rodarte!!!!!!

 

[Fashiongirl1]

What if you cannot do an internship, does that mean you won't be in the fashion industry?

 

[Cicciolina]

Fashiongirl1 - it's not that jobs in the fashion industry require you to do an internship, but the fact nowadays is that they are very favourably regarded because it does show a level of initiative; the fact that you will put 'your money where your mouth is' so to speak and do what you're interested in. I've noticed you are looking towards the more business side too. Keeping this in mind, though interning is probably not as important as say, if you wanted to be in styling or writing, there will probably be competition who has interned with the same level of education as you. One of the benefits about interning that companies like is that it shows that the applicant aren't dazed by the supposed glamour side of fashion and that they know that it's just as much hard work as any other industry.

Not all internships may give you the skills that you need later on in your career, but they are really important for networking and just getting the gist of the 'system' of the general industry, as well as the company.

 

[NadineAndTheCity]

I wanna do an internship at the end of the year...I would LOVE to intern at some fashion magazine but I think its almost impossible to do that so...probably at some small Berliner label or some modeling agency where they will keep me busy making coffee or pick up clothes somewhere...haha. But hey...everybody has to start small, right? And I kinda look forward doing it. Any advice on applying for an internship? Probably there is a thread about that too, right? ^^
Thanx

 

[BetteT]

There is a thread about what to wear on Interviews and one about writing Resumes, CV's and cover letters which is pretty much the same for an internship as a paid job. But everything else ... I think ... is in this thread. 75 pages of it ..... a lot of repeat info, but still a good read for nuggets of information.