Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) don’t exactly fit in with the other interns at Google. “They have more life experience than the age of most of our interns,” is how they’re described in the new blockbuster The Internship. After the two 40-something salesmen are laid off, they take internships at the leading search engine, which they hope will eventually lead to job offers, while getting them up to speed on all things digital. The opportunity also allows them to give the outside world the impression that they’re working, even though they’re technically unemployed.
Although I’ve never done an internship as an adult, I am no stranger to extreme volunteer work. In my freelance work life, which is either feast or famine, my volunteering has allowed me to remain actively working and keep my skills sharp during the times of “famine.”
But as much as internships, pro bono work, even temp admin gigs or part-time paycheck jobs can help workers feel they’re staying relevant in the job market, how do the professionals on the other side of the desk view such positions when they’re evaluating candidates?
In my upcoming novel, Back To Work She Goes, the stay-at-home-mother protagonist decides that it’s time to reenter the workforce. In the book, her uncompensated efforts, which she was diligent about over the years, aren’t taken seriously by recruiters, which is just one of the obstacles she faces in her job search journey. (I took some of these examples from my own experiences.)
Authors of books and movies though, can control the outcome of their stories, most often in the lead character’s favor. In real life, it’s not as easy. Interviewers ask questions and react to resume entries based on their knowledge of the current employment market – and this can throw candidates for a loop.
For guidance, I turned to Maria Fornario, president of Ace The Interview, a consulting firm for job seekers who want to truly prepare themselves for that foot-in-the-door meeting. This Upper West Side mother and VP Human Resources veteran, is the ideal person to shed light on the value of the internship.
Lorraine Duffy Merkl: Going into an interview in your field, is it better to go in with any job you can find or admit you’re not doing anything but looking?
Maria Fornario: It’s better to say you’re doing something to show you’re active.
LDM: So what about internships, volunteer work, temp admin gigs, or any “paycheck” job after you’ve been let go?
MF: In the hierarchy of jobs, a paid job has more credibility than an unpaid opportunity. It says that a corporation is interested in spending money for your skills. Also, most people associate internships with younger, up-and-coming professionals. But if an internship or volunteer work is what you’ve got at present, make the most of it. What companies looking to hire are interested in is the bottom line. Give the results and impact of your participation – in other words, focus on the business side of what you’re dong as a volunteer. You might be stuffing envelopes for a gala benefit, but if that gala raised a lot of money for the cause, that should be stressed first; you were part of the team that worked X hours and put together an event that netted X amount of money for X charity.
LDM: I’ve gone on interviews where I’ve spoken about my volunteer work and gotten smirks and eye rolls that convey, “Oh you’re trying to make that sound like a real job.” How do you turn that thinking around?
MF: When you walk into an interview you have to be proud of what you’ve done. Ignore the eye rolling and focus on your accomplishments; talk about obstacles that the team faced and how you were part of turning them around to make the event a success.
LDM: Another issue that comes up in both The Internship and Back To Work She Goes is that suddenly, seasoned professionals find themselves interviewing with and potentially reporting to someone half their age. In the beginning of the movie, Vince Vaughn’s character is particularly defensive. How does a job candidate not get his/her back up when being assessed by someone who wasn’t even born when the interviewee’s career started?
MF: On any interview, regardless of the age or gender of the interviewer, you look at the opportunity in front of you and ask yourself, “Can I work with this person?” If you’re a seasoned professional, you have to accept that there are young people in management positions. They’re in that job for a reason and that’s how it is. Step out of your own pride and make them feel comfortable that they can manage you, if you want the job.
LDM: For someone doing the internship or volunteer thing, beyond putting the job on their resume, what else should they do to maximize the opportunity?
MF: Most all jobs are gotten today through personal contacts. Always be networking with colleagues who are volunteering, as well as the paid employees. Connect with them on LinkedIn. They are your introduction to the higher ups who actually do the hiring or know others in the industry who may be hiring. Make your name known in the company by sending around a relevant article you’ve read or link to a news story to show you’re interested in the direction of the company or organization.
LDM: I realize that professionals pay for your insights and experience, but would you throw our readers a freebie on how to ace the interview?
MF: Here goes:
1. Write a really good cover letter that speaks to the impact of your participation.
2. Structure your resume so that it’s relevant to the job and business you’re applying to.
3. Listen to interviewers’ questions and don’t go off point.
4. When you wrap up an interview, try –in a couple of seconds– to sum up why you are a good fit. And make your interest known.
5. When you send your thank-you note, reiterate what they told you that they were looking for and how you have all those qualities.
If you’re working hard for no money, hoping it leads you to a paying job, I suggest you see The Internship for entertainment value only. I won’t spoil the movie’s ending by telling you whether or not the characters score their dream jobs, but I’d suggest you take your cues from Maria Fornario, and ace the interview.
Lorraine Duffy Merkl is a freelance writer in NYC and author of the novel, FAT CHICK, and the upcoming BACK TO WORK SHE GOES. Learn more about her writing at lorraineduffymerkl.com.
