I recently attended a workshop for my local PRSA chapter on internships. A number of local agencies were represented, as well as corporate PR managers looking to start programs in their organizations, as well as a handful of students.
While everyone agreed that internships are a terrific opportunity for students to practice the craft and get some experience, a few ethical concerns were raised that got me to thinking.
First off, I was shocked at the number of agencies that “refused” to pay interns. Their point of view was that they were doing these interns a favor by allowing them to gain professional experience. Some of these agencies routinely had 7-10 interns working at their shops at the same time (that’s quite a bit of “free” labor). Yet, in the same breath, they admitted to allowing these interns to work for their clients by writing press releases, making pitch calls, and attending creative and account management meetings.
Anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
Well, folks, unpaid internships are a clear violation of the law. According to my friend and colleague HR Consultant Mike Marino (www.mikemarino.com), interns must be paid at least the minimum wage. The only exception is if they are taking part in an official college/university program for which they are receiving credit. Even in these cases, PRSA (and Mike) recommend offering a stipend to offset their travel and meal expenses.
Moreover, a larger question looms. Are these agencies transparent with their clients? Are they letting them know an intern is working on their account? Is the intern’s time being credited toward the client’s retainer? While many agencies will deny they count an intern’s time toward retainer hours, they often do it. Frankly, it’s unethical.
Our agency is upfront with clients in telling them that we have interns on board during the summer months. We usually work with the client to identify special projects outside of the existing budget that the intern can tackle. In so doing, we partner with clients to give an additional level of service, while at the same time, giving the intern a meaningful work experience they can add to their portfolio. To date, our clients have found the program extremely rewarding and enjoy taking part in helping a young person to succeed.
Finally, unpaid internships give rise to the diversity issue. Unpaid internships limit our talent pool by providing training to students who fall into more affluent socio-economic parameters. By offering paid internships, our industry is more likely to attract a variety of students who can then pursue careers in public relations.
I urge agencies to take a closer look at their internship programs from an ethical perspective to make sure they are offering students, staff and clients a positive experience.
