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How can I survive an unpaid internship?
After I graduate high school, my goal is to move to NYC and do 3-4 fashion internships, which I know rarely pay at all. I would really appreciate any tips about how to not go broke living like this! #fashion #intern #internship #summer #apparel-and-fashion #fashion-shows
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Daniel’s Answer
Great question. The fashion industry can be exciting and NYC is the fashion capital in the US. NYC is also one of the most expensive cities in the world! You will definitely a paid job to survive here in order to pay rent. You can still work as an unpaid intern to get experience in the fashion industry, but it will just have to be a part-time internship. This way, with the rest of your time you can work a part-time job that pays the bills! :) One idea is to work a part-time job in fashion retail (shops like H&M, Zara, or Uniqlo are popular in NYC) so you get also get relevant experience. I hope that helps!
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Sandra’s Answer
Love this question because I was an unpaid fashion intern and don't regret any second of it! Did it set me back financially, yes, but I got "paid" in experiences both professionally and personally.
However, not all fashion internships are unpaid! Sharing some links in case you find any interesting: https://fashionista.com/tag/paid-internships
If your heart is set on a fashion house that doesn't pay, don't let it deter you! Do you plan on doing a summer internship? If so, I recommend getting a part time job during the school year (if possible) and saving money throughout the year, so you don't have to worry about working in NY while interning.
When interviewing for an internship, ask how fashion houses can compensate if they can't offer pay (for example, can you get school credit? stipends? pay for lunch?). Other alternatives is to look into financial aid (to see if it's a right fit) or scholarships as well.
Other financial hacks to consider: Sublease an apartment in NY, find roommates, shop at Trader Joe's or Aldi and cook as much as possible (or get premade meals from Trader Joe's), take the subway often or walk (avoid cabs and Ubers as those add up).
Hope you find this helpful!
However, not all fashion internships are unpaid! Sharing some links in case you find any interesting: https://fashionista.com/tag/paid-internships
If your heart is set on a fashion house that doesn't pay, don't let it deter you! Do you plan on doing a summer internship? If so, I recommend getting a part time job during the school year (if possible) and saving money throughout the year, so you don't have to worry about working in NY while interning.
When interviewing for an internship, ask how fashion houses can compensate if they can't offer pay (for example, can you get school credit? stipends? pay for lunch?). Other alternatives is to look into financial aid (to see if it's a right fit) or scholarships as well.
Other financial hacks to consider: Sublease an apartment in NY, find roommates, shop at Trader Joe's or Aldi and cook as much as possible (or get premade meals from Trader Joe's), take the subway often or walk (avoid cabs and Ubers as those add up).
Hope you find this helpful!
Thank you so much Sandra, this really helped me a lot!!
Bella
Amanda Chandler
Drive awareness and knowledge of the Xerox brand and how the organization helps simplify work
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Amanda’s Answer
Unpaid internships can seem really unfair, and many organizations have stopped doing them, but they still persist in areas like fashion. I definitely had a couple of unpaid internships while I was in school.
One time, I did the unpaid internship only three days a week, and then took a paid role the other two days. This helped ensure I had time to continue earning money.
You can also look at ways to use your weekend to take a part-time job for income. Or consider online opportunities that can be flexible around your schedule.
One thing to consider is that in the fashion industry, the hours can be long, so talk with your supervisor about what you will need in terms of time outside of the internship to earn money. And finally - be upfront with the recruiter if you have a financial hardship that will make it difficult. It can't hurt to ask if there is anything that they can do, and perhaps share some details about your situation. For example, if you are receiving full scholarships for your tuition, or if you are the first in your family to attend college, or if you are from an under-represented population - they may have the ability to find a way to support you.
One time, I did the unpaid internship only three days a week, and then took a paid role the other two days. This helped ensure I had time to continue earning money.
You can also look at ways to use your weekend to take a part-time job for income. Or consider online opportunities that can be flexible around your schedule.
One thing to consider is that in the fashion industry, the hours can be long, so talk with your supervisor about what you will need in terms of time outside of the internship to earn money. And finally - be upfront with the recruiter if you have a financial hardship that will make it difficult. It can't hurt to ask if there is anything that they can do, and perhaps share some details about your situation. For example, if you are receiving full scholarships for your tuition, or if you are the first in your family to attend college, or if you are from an under-represented population - they may have the ability to find a way to support you.
Updated
Maria Beah A.’s Answer
The unpaid internship will work as a "bridge" to the paid opportunities. So, keep this in mind and try to get part-time jobs and make some money while you are working as an unpaid intern. It will just be a matter of time to get the results. Try to imagine a recruiter taking a look at your resume with some experience instead of nothing else. You will stand out.
Updated
James’s Answer
A lot of this depends on your personal financial situation and support network. NYC is a very high cost-of-living city but it is possible to live less expensively there (live with roommates, live outside of Manhattan and commute into the city, etc.)
Depending on how difficult or time-consuming your internships will be, you might consider taking a part-time job to be able to help pay the bills - I worked in the restaurant industry while doing internships to make some money since many of mine were also unpaid.
Also start to learn more about creating good personal finance habits - learn how to create/follow a budget and how to analyze your spending as this will become really important when you're trying to live on limited funds.
Depending on how difficult or time-consuming your internships will be, you might consider taking a part-time job to be able to help pay the bills - I worked in the restaurant industry while doing internships to make some money since many of mine were also unpaid.
Also start to learn more about creating good personal finance habits - learn how to create/follow a budget and how to analyze your spending as this will become really important when you're trying to live on limited funds.