A summer internship with a public relations firm in New York City sounded like the perfect opportunity to Dan Pantages, a UW-Madison junior and political science major.
Paying $1,200 a month for a one-bedroom apartment while earning below minimum wage did not.
Luckily, Pantages' sister lives in New York City, so he will be able to live with her and take the job.
Like Pantages, many UW-Madison students are looking for a summer internship to \try on"" a career to ensure that their plans are on track and to gain professional experience related to their career goals. However, many internships are either unpaid, pay little or cause students to relocate.
""A lot of internships are unpaid, but you have to think of it as an investment, because it really is'you're going to have a big return on it,"" said Leslie Kohlberg, assistant director of the College of Letters and Science and Human Ecology Career Services.
Even taking an unpaid internship is better than not doing anything in the field a student plans to pursue, according to Sue Dewane, recruiting and intern coordinator for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Career Services.
Dewane also said that rather than worrying about the money, students should be excited about the learning experience.
But that is not always a luxury all students can afford, especially if they have to pay for tuition themselves.
Tyler Hines, a UW-Madison junior and material science and engineering major, said he will complete his second internship this summer in California. Although he too said that he thought experience was of utmost importance, he was also frustrated at the fact that he would be paying rent not only in California but also in Madison. Since he could not find someone to sublet his apartment, Hines said he would be paying about $400 per month for his Madison apartment along with about $500 per month for his California apartment.
""You have to get your experience somehow,"" he said.
The number of unpaid internships varies among different fields. For instance, Dewane said the College of Agriculture and Life Science Career Services was not advertising many unpaid internships, while Kohlberg said the L&S Career Services was advertising ""too many.""
According to the career services personnel, it is not the end of the world if a student cannot secure an internship. Employers also look at other accomplishments on a student's resume, some that can be unrelated to experience in the desired field, Kohlberg said.
The earlier a student sets career goals, though, the better, she added.
""The trick is getting your foot in the door, but once you do that, you're gold,"" Hines said.
