The Value of the Intern

Difficult. Easily offended. Challenging. Unmotivated.

These adjectives are how the majority of managers and business leaders currently view “Gen Z” in the workplace (1). With labels such as these, it’s no wonder that younger employees, especially interns, are often viewed with disinterest and even distaste. Because of their supposed “lack of dedication,” Gen Z interns are often relegated to being the coffee-getting, busywork-doing, easily-dismissed cogs in the corporate machine.?

Or, at least, one might be tempted to think so.?

If Gen Z truly is the epitome of laziness in the workplace, then it’s curious that Millennials – the current budding generation of business leaders – were viewed in the exact same fashion by their predecessors, Generation X. As Millennials made their way into the workplace over the last few decades, they were described – and sometimes still are – as entitled and lazy (2).?

If we go back even further, Gen X was also seen as difficult and spoiled by their generational predecessors, the “Baby Boomers,” when they began to establish themselves in the corporate world (3). Evidently, we’ve discovered a pattern here.

While opinions on the laziness of Gen Z likely stem from valid experience, it is undeniable that there is an intergenerational pattern of criticism of the work ethic and dedication of young people in the workforce. Both Gen X and Millennials dealt with the same scrutiny when they entered the office space, and they can still face the same critiques from the oldest members of the business world to this day. Therefore, as the youngest and least experienced faces in the office, Gen Z interns are the current target of this pattern of stereotyping.

Not every intern is built the same, but this generalization of Gen Z’s poor work ethic clouds the opportunities of young people who are truly hardworking, dedicated, and professional. When young interns are placed under these labels and are subsequently not trusted with anything of true weight, their potential remains untapped. They simply remain a nameless face that carries out nothing more than mindless tasks, and oftentimes the only compensation they receive for their dedication is an AI-generated letter of recommendation with their name slapped on it.

Even in the face of these degrading stereotypes, American companies cannot deny the irreplaceable value of interns. In 2022, around 4.17 million students worked as interns in the United States (4). While these positions are often highly competitive, the sheer number of hires solidifies the fact that companies are interested in bringing on interns. With this knowledge, the question remains: do companies simply have interns, or are they truly incorporating interns??

Just because a company hires young interns doesn’t mean that it’s truly investing in these bright, young minds. Yes, someone needs to fill out Google Sheets and organize the filing system, but are businesses offering exposure to hands-on experiences that will serve interns well in a future position? Especially if a company is seeking to mold their young interns into their next crop of employees, why wouldn’t there be a genuine investment into the cultivation of their talents?

Finding the right intern can be a challenge and may feel like finding a needle in a haystack in some cases, but the immense return on investment makes the search worth it. Forbes, Indeed, and a variety of other corporate resources agree that interns bring incredible value to the workplace and are a worthwhile asset (5, 6). Evidently, there are capable Gen Z interns that directly disprove the widespread assumptions about their age group.

When it comes to how to make the best use of young interns, there’s not one single answer or formula that applies to every company. Even so, each business owner that seeks to construct a detailed and sustainable internship program should navigate how to make said program valuable to both their business and their interns. With this query, the topic that often arises is that of pay. Should interns receive monetary compensation, or should they solely be “paid” in experience?

Once again, that question cannot receive a straight answer. If you ask the Harvard Business Review, they claim that the death of unpaid internships is long overdue (7). If interns are providing their talents and services, they should receive pay for said work. So, what happens if a company is financially incapable of hiring paid interns? There are a few creative solutions that companies have discovered to ensure their interns receive a worthwhile experience without turning their cost-free labor into exploitation.?

One such form of compensation is class credit, particularly for university students. Instead of receiving pay, interns can earn units or even replace a class to contribute to their degree progress. Many prolific universities, including Harvard and UCLA, have specific departments and programs for this very purpose; this strategy serves a dual purpose, as students are able to make strides toward their graduation while obtaining valuable workplace experience.?

Another approach is short-term, low-pressure internships. The principal quality of these programs is that they maintain a strong awareness of the fact that they offer minimal compensation. Consequently, they usually only last a short while, usually 2-3 months, to prevent an excessive demand on their interns. Similarly, while quality work is expected, employers mainly seek to foster an environment that values curiosity and teachability. By maintaining this professional yet low-stakes environment, companies can involve their interns in worthwhile projects while not taking advantage of their unpaid status. Especially if this system is established in a rotational manner that consistently brings in new interns, employers can offer professional experience to a greater number of interns while operations remain consistent.

This short-term, rotational model is one that we’ve found great success with here at The Plug. Our social media team is mostly comprised of young interns, and about 90% of all the content we post on our platforms are made by these interns (with plenty of assistance and advice from their team leads). This self-sustaining system has supported over two hundred interns in our company’s five-year history. In our various 12-week programs, interns receive hands-on experience in marketing, graphic design, PR, copywriting, social media, and more. To offset the unpaid nature of these roles, our co-founders, Ray Kim and Justin Kim , specifically designed these internships to be short-term and low-pressure. If they desire, interns can opt to extend their contracts once their 12 weeks are completed, but there is no expectation for interns to overwork themselves. This model has not only fostered a stellar social media presence for our company, but it has prepared dozens of young interns for full-time work with valuable, professional exposure to their desired fields.

Regardless of how a company offers their unpaid interns replacement compensation, they cannot change the fact that their interns are essentially working for free. In the face of this fact, it is up to business owners to decide how they will make this internship as valuable as possible to their young hires. If an intern is not to receive pay, then their program should be extremely worthwhile and manageable. As we’ve seen firsthand at The Plug, investing in a stellar program can turn internships – even unpaid ones – into coveted roles across the country.?

Successful internship programs certainly do not appear overnight, but this investment into the hardworking members of Gen Z is a mutually beneficial venture. Contrary to what generational prejudice may lead you to believe, the youngest members of the workforce are seeking meaningful experience. With their fresh perspectives and eagerness to grow and learn, Gen Z can bring remarkable talent to your workplace. Regardless of the shape their internship takes, the key to unlocking their potential is truly believing that it is there. Provide them with an advantageous experience and opportunities to impress you, and they will show you the tremendous value that they hold.

If you or someone you know is currently looking for an internship in the realm of social media, follow us to stay updated on The Plug’s latest opportunities!

Bibliography

1. Kelly J. Gen-Z Is Labeled As “Difficult” In The Workplace, But There’s More To The Story [Internet]. Forbes. Updated 2023 July 13. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/07/31/gen-z-is-labeled-as-difficult-in-the-workplace-but-theres-more-to-the-story/?

2. Tabaka M. Some See Millennials as Lazy and Entitled. Yet They May be the Most Successful Generation of Our Time [Internet]. Inc. 2018 Sept 7. Available from: https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/some-see-millennials-as-lazy-entitled-yet-they-may-be-most-successful-generation-of-our-time.html?

3. Kessler S. Gen X was as entitled and unmanageable as millennials are, based on commentary of the ’90s [Internet]. Quartz. 2017 Oct 11. Available from: https://qz.com/work/1070139/millennials-are-no-harder-to-manage-than-generation-x-according-to-the-commentary-of-the-1990s?

4. Internship Statistics U.S. [Internet]. StandOut CV. Updated 2023 June. Available from: https://standout-cv.com/usa/internship-statistics#key-statistics?

5. Indeed Editorial Team. What Are the Benefits of Interns and Why Do Companies Hire Them? [Internet]. Indeed. Updated Aug 18. Available from: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/why-do-companies-hire-interns?

6. 5 Reasons You Should Hire an Intern – and 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t [Internet]. Forbes. Updated 2011 Dec 7. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2011/12/06/5-reasons-you-should-hire-an-intern-and-3-reasons-you-shouldnt/?

7. Ravishankar RA. It’s Time to Officially End Unpaid Internships [Internet]. Harvard Business Review. 2021 May 26. Available from: https://hbr.org/2021/05/its-time-to-officially-end-unpaid-internships