10 Reasons Why Unpaid Internships Are Equally Important
January 12, 2013 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Front Page, Wright Ideas
Sunset of the Forbidden City, Beijing (northwest cornor of the Forbidden City) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
10 Reasons Why Unpaid Internships Are Equally Important
In the toss-up between paid or unpaid relationships, paid internships usually win out for a number of reasons. One main reason is that not everyone can afford an unpaid internship. Another reason is that most people look at money as the only form of compensation. Here’s why unpaid internships are equally important and good.
1. Good Branding
An unpaid internship usually offers good branding, by showcasing you as a young professional, rather than as a per-hour intern. Looking good on paper helps boost your confidence and your ability to succeed.
2. Your Dedication Shows
When you take an unpaid internship, you’re pretty much declaring that you’re doing it for the training and the experience, and not for the money. Your employer gets to appreciate your dedication and attitude, which means doors open for you in terms of opportunities.
3. Unpaid Internships Are Actually Apprenticeships
You have the opportunity to become truly skilled in specific areas within your industry when you take up an unpaid internship. Since the company doesn’t pay you, by law it’s required to offer you more training hours and fewer work hours. You get to benefit in terms of training and experience.
4. Higher Chance Of Securing Good References
You can add some really good work experience to my resume, and also ask for good references when you leave. If you’ve done your job well, and demonstrated the right kind of professionalism, your superiors will have no issue writing letters of reference for you. It’s the least they can do.
5. There Are Plenty Of Valuable Perks To Be Had
Unpaid internships pay in kind, via connections, references, work experience and so on. Among tangible benefits, you can ask for transport allowance or use of company transport, college credit, housing assistance, library memberships, and access to important resources and so on.
6. You Can Ask For Flexible Schedules
Since they’re not paying you, they cannot ask you to do a 9 to 5 and 60 hours a week. Most unpaid internships offer flexible schedules. This allows you to deploy your time the way it works for you, and perhaps get a part time job on the side.
7. You Can Demand Substantial Work
They are not paying you, and you’re doing them a favor by working for free. So feel free to ask for substantial work, serious responsibilities and participation in good projects. As long as you can prove you’re capable, they shouldn’t refuse you.
8. You Have The Chance To Work On Serious Projects
Nonprofit organizations usually offer unpaid internships because they are strapped for resources. However, the plus side here is that at times they depend on interns to manage projects. Intern or employee, everyone is required to pitch in and do what they can. You will gain a lot of valuable, relevant experience this way.
9. You Will Get Greater Work Exposure
Companies that offer unpaid internships are usually non-profits and small businesses. These companies have diverse creative interests, as they are not limited by large-scale corporate policies. A single team will be working on multiple diverse projects, which means you can get a varied experience to add to your resume.
10. You Can Choose To Terminate Ahead Of Time
In a paid internship, you’ll have to toe the line for longer, because in most cases they’ll ask you to sign an offer for a fixed period. Unpaid internships are not entirely legal, and there will be no hold on you. This doesn’t mean you can come and go as you please. However, if you need to take a break to do another job, or perhaps want long leave to tend a sick parent, you can avail it.
Rabby works for Tictwo.com, a company that conducts orientation classes for interns in China, including mandarin coaching, training in cooking Chinese cuisine and exposure to Chinese culture.
Entrepreneurial challenge
January 11, 2013 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under A Note for You
Entrepreneurial challenge
One of the biggest challenges encountered by many novice entrepreneurs is rather trivial – a very limited budget for marketing and promotional activities. Without high amounts of money for promotion it is hard to generate leads and grow a newly established business. We can of course do some of the promotional and branding activities on our own – for example design a logo or flyers, build links on forums, etc. But there is always a question of time and quality. On the other hand, professional services can be really expensive – 300$ or more for a logo design service is rather a standard rate. Without much sales or advertising income it is practically impossible to afford good quality marketing services.
Big savings – marketing for small business
A potential solution to this problem has been delivered by Jarek Sandomierski – an entrepreneur and graduate from MSc Technology Entrepreneurship at Univeristy College London. His platform – Adsurf.net can be described as a Groupon for marketing services and products, targeted predominantly to entrepreneurs. The clients can choose from various offers and save up to 85% off the standard rates for the services offered via the platform. Moreover, if you offer marketing, advertising or design services you can get them listed on the website and reach hundreds of potential clients effortlessly.
Various services
Adsurf.net offers services such as banner and flyer design (-70%), social media services, video & radio commercials production, banner ads, website traffic boost, SEO services and many more! All of these are offered at the fraction of standard market rate. Such savings can be achieved because Adsurf’s partners treat the platform as an investment and a way to promote their services to new clients. Adsurf.net works only with best service providers and guarantees great results.
If you are self-employed or run your own startup, website or blog – check out Adsurf.net , save hundreds of dollars for your business and boost your clients and sales.
One of the biggest challenges encountered by many novice entrepreneurs is rather trivial – a very limited budget for marketing and promotional activities. Without high amounts of money for promotion it is hard to generate leads and grow a newly established business. We can of course do some of the promotional and branding activities on our own – for example design a logo or flyers, build links on forums, etc. But there is always a question of time and quality. On the other hand, professional services can be really expensive – 300$ or more for a logo design service is rather a standard rate. Without much sales or advertising income it is practically impossible to afford good quality marketing services.
If you are self-employed or run your own startup, website or blog – check out http://www.adsurf.net, save hundreds of dollars for your business and boost your clients and sales.
Angel Pass- Where the Fashion Industry Comes Together
December 27, 2012 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under A Note for You, Featured Articles, Front Page, Media Training
Recently a group of designers and other professionals in the fashion industry came together. After many long discussions and sharing of our experiences, we saw a change was needed not only in the fashion industry, but in the whole of society. And so the idea of Angelpass was born.
We share the common vision of a just, harmonious society: equality, individual dignity, fairness and honesty in business and social interactions; cooperation rather than adversarial relationships. We want to see our fellow man uplifted, rather than exploited. Especially, we want to see the new generation of professionals in the creative arts freed from the pitfalls of unscrupulous business dealings. We want you to have other options to make your way in your careers.
We are not just idealistic dreamers: we are highly experienced professionals who know our way around the fashion design world. We know exactly what help and opportunities you, as the younger generation, need to find your way in the fashion industry and related creative fields. And we are convinced the negative aspects of the current system can be circumvented by mutual cooperation and networking — networking through Angelpass.
You, the younger generation, will soon be the leaders in all the creative fields. Angelpass is for those of you who know you have something special inside of you, some special destiny and reason for your talents. You who are over-comers, who believe in yourselves, who know what you want to do with your lives and believe you can do it.
Angelpass is here to help you do it.
ANGELPASS FASHION SHOW PARTIES
Each year Angelpass will choose 10 to 15 outstanding designers from our membership. We will honor them with four “big bash” celebrations, one for each season of the year. We will post notices of the date and city of each party, and invite our member designers to apply by submitting samples of their work to our selection panel. Each year the parties will be held in different cities around the world.
PERSONAL PROFILE PAGE
Put up your own Angelpass Profile Page on our website (similar to a Facebook page).
This is your premier networking resource for jobs, volunteer opportunities, and social connections. It is the best way to find anyone and anything you need for whatever project you are working on.
If you are a designer planning a fashion show locally or abroad, you may put out a call for models and other support professionals. Put up your own notice and browse through the Personal Profile pages to find paid or volunteer staff in the city and country where you are booking your show. (We suggest designers donate the pieces from their collection to any volunteer models and support staff.)
Remember– we are global, so spread your wings and reach out!
