Nice job Zach! I completely agree.

As someone who used to manage an internship program at a nonprofit, let me just say: I totally sympathize. I can't tell you how much I wish we could have paid our interns, especially since most of us (the staff) had once been interns ourselves. Interns were the lifeblood of the organization -- with such a small staff, we never could have gotten the work done without our beloved interns. It was especially difficult to see that most interns had to work a paying job on top of the internship to support themselves. But could we have paid them? As a nonprofit on a shoestring budget, the answer is absolutely not. Full-time staff barely made a living wage. The choice wasn't "pay the interns or don't pay them," it was "have free interns or none at all." I don't think it's any great crime that with people breaking down the door to work for us for free, we chose the free interns option. Of course in an ideal world, interns would be paid for their work. But where do you draw the line? Should soup kitchen volunteers demand payment as well?

One more thing. When I lived in NYC, I often went to consulting dinners and/or cocktail hours to supplement my meager Ramen diet. People attending these dinners were working as summer analysts in NYC ibanks and consulting firms (i.e. paid interns) and were wooed and dined to accept offers at various firms. So the business world pays for internships AND gives out free food to wine and dine you, while other fields don't get paid and still want these jobs, desperately. I'm not sure what this says about cost/benefit analysis, because I never took economics at Penn, but on second consideration, maybe I should have....

A lovely sentiment, but let's face it, the only reason they're giving you an internship is because they don't have to pay you. You, in turn, get your foot in their door, or someone else's (ask everyone who's interviewing right now how valuable that can be). If an organization is going to pay, they'll hire a college graduate or a Ph.D. For peanuts. Particularly in New York.

bs alert. kramer deliberately used her dp column to get an internship and build a career. she told almost everyone around her about every step of her career development. she had a good idea of what she was doing from day one. good for her, she played it well. but let's not pretend that she saved up bunches of money for unpaid internships in new york. her parents in Cherry Hill are quite well off. kramer chose journalism internships and not being paid is par for the course for those internships. that kramer is separating "the business world" from journalism in her comment says something about where the journalism industry is going. but this does bring up discussion-worthy issues about unpaid internships and the inequitable access to work experience.

You hit on exactly the point in the article and then glossed over it. The jobs that don't pay are ones that are: a) in high demand b) require relatively little skill (writing - everyone waiter in LA has a screenplay, media - everyone in the country wants to be working on a hot sitcom or a blockbuster sequel, etc.) A job could be in low demand and require little skill - this is why garbage workers get paid decently. A job could be in high demand and require lots of skill - this is why so many of us study hard to get the great hedge fund jobs. A job could be low demand and require lots of skill - most of these candidates are busy getting PhD's, though. But, in the situation of unpaid internships, simple math says that the above (a) + (b) = you don't have much to offer. And they'll pay you accordingly. Consider yourself lucky.

Chronicles, I paid for my housing in NYC using the money I got from my 15 hour-a-week job in the library, and my tutoring job at the Kelly Writer's House. I also freelanced. Of course, I was deliberate with my job search, as are most people from Penn. I don't think I "played" anyone by knowing I needed writing clips to get a writing job. Cheers, Melody

Nicely done, Zach. I am in complete agreement, though there is an issue of companies not being able to afford to spend money on the interns, as mentioned above by "person" and you can't really fault them. It's the ones where there is a profit that are the real issue. I myself hope to, one day, work in the sports business industry. I've spoken to various organizations (at a job fair in August), and anybody that mentioned money said that it would be an unpaid internship. Thing is, though, they said that they could offer college credit for the internship, but Penn doesn't accept internship credits, so that winds up forcing me out of an internship I may really want. I was actually told by the New Jersey Nets that they would likely be unable to hire me because Penn wouldn't give me any credit for it. Also, living in NY at the home of my parents, I don't worry about the housing and food much, but what about transportation. If you are working for somebody, you shouldn't have to pay to get to work and then get paid nothing. If we work for free, so be it, given the supply and demand, but why should people have to PAY to work. That, in my opinion, is a little ridiculous.

Joe makes a good point. Since Penn won't give course credit, this can force you out of a job you might have been willing to take anyway. What does it benefit you to have the prize dangled in front of your face? Penn should only post for companies that pay or don't require you to recieve academic credit. Otherwise Penn should start offering academic credit.

kramer, we all know that you're not being honest and that you're from a rich cherry hill family. but let's say that you did pay for your housing with these jobs. who paid for your other expenses at your unpaid internship? and are you really making a decent living at your current job without any parental support? this isn't disagreeing with your point as much as saying that you're a shining example of the few people who can afford to enter journalism and other careers with unpaid internships and low base pay.

Chronicles, I paid for everything, both now and then. Cheers, Melody