It's that magical time of the year when exam stress crashes with your stress about securing a last minute internship for the summer✨
If you're struggling to find an internship - we're working on a series where we'll walk you through all of our tips & tricks for securing a job. Be on the lookout!!
But for those of you that didn't leave their internship hunt to the very last moment (👏👏👏), here are some of your peers' (& our) thoughts on asking for money at your first internship. Let's dive in⬇️
36% of you said absolutely, 34% think it depends, and the rest think it's probably not the best idea to negotiate your internship pay. Our thoughts? Honestly, it depends...
Make sure to research the industry, company and position you're interning for to figure out what the "norm" is. You can check out Glassdoor, search for 'Internship Pay' on TikTok, or ask around if any of your friends know any upperclassmen who have done a similar internship in the past. Your school's career center could be a good resource too. Chances are, they'd know if another student from your school has done a similar internship & could either advise you or put you in touch with that student!
7% said yes & they got it (congratulations!🥳), 6% said yes but they didn't get it, and the rest of you have never tried asking for a raise. We get it! Especially when you're young and just starting out in your career, asking for more money can feel daunting.
The key to negotiating a raise is knowing (1) how your income compares to your co-workers or people doing your job in other companies, and (2) knowing the value you've brought to the company. Here are some tips & tricks from our favorite content creator Mrs. Dow Jones. She has created a skit that goes through the process of scheduling a conversation with your boss and how to navigate the compensation conversation. And if you decide to quit, here's also a solid resume template!
And if you're like ok THANKS but I don't have a job yet, so why should I even think about negotiating my non-existent pay?? We got you. Wanna know a secret? :) Almost 20% of the people around you have had their parents help them secure a job. Wanna know another secret? :) THERE'S NO SHAME IN IT!!! It'd be a shame if you didn't use that opportunity. So put aside the perceived judgement and ask everyone you know for intros. Your older sibling, your mom, your uncle, grandpa and neighbor. Someone somewhere will get your foot in the door & then you can go back to our tips for negotiating your salary🥰
Good luck everyone!!! And don't be a stranger, send us a message at hello@getfrich.com if you need more help!