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Subscribe to RSSLanding a full-time job can be tough after taking time off, but now a handful of companies are offering adults short-term, low-paying assignments similar to college internships. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports and Carol Fishman of IRelaunch.com and Lisa Belkin of The Huffington Post discuss the new trend.
Getting full-time work is even harder when you've got a resume gap, as many moms find out when they try to re-enter the workforce after taking a few years off to raise the kids.
In order to land a new job, you need to be able to talk about your last job -- but no one will give you that job without recent experience. That's why more adults are finding themselves interns at 40. They're also finding internships to be successful on-ramps to full-time jobs. Carol Fishman of IRelaunch.com, which hosts conferences dedicated to return-to-work issues, and Lisa Belkin, a Huffington Post senior columnist on family issues, chatted about the trend on TODAY.
These internships are short-term, temporary work arrangements where adults typically work for low pay at reduced hours in order to build up new experience and prove their worth again.
"It's a tryout, and you have to see it that way and you have be willing to take the tradeoffs," said Belkin. "For many women, it's the perfect thing to do."
The company you land the internship with may decide to increase you to a full-time role if things work out and they see a fit, and the "40-year old intern" gets trained up on the latest tools. They're also buffing up their resume.
"It's really important to focus on the experience itself and not so much on the pay," said Fishman. "It's much more productive to focus on what you learned in your internship then to talk about the fact that you just came off of an eight-year career break."
If the company doesn't offer a formal program, as the trend is just starting to see an upswing, don't feel shy about proposing your own internship.
"If you're in an interview and you think the hiring manager is hesitant to hire you because of a career break, suggest a short-term arrangement," said Fishman. "It will take out the perceived risk ... of hiring you permanently."
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WHAT?! Why should THIS be the "new normal" Corporate America just start hiring again. We are becoming like sheep... just following what is dictated. This country needs to get it together. People need WORK... with PAYCHECKS!
Fede, if YOU want people to have work with "PAYCHECKS!", then start your OWN Company and YOU hire. Fede, then, and ONLY then, you might realize how the odds are stacked up against the Small Business Owners by the over-regulations and Taxaholicism of the Obamanomics. Starting your own company and then hiring people with paychecks is a lot easier said than done when one has to fight against Obama's War On Prosperity.
As someone who myself took off 6 years to be at home with my children and returned to the workforce in 2006, I know how difficult it can be to "get back into the saddle", but it's more of a mindset in the corporate world. It's considered to many to be career suicide, and to tell you the truth, in the years that have followed I would have to agree that it was, but it didn't have to be that way. Do people think that just because you took time off to be a mom, all the prior years you worked and the college degree(s) that you earned now don't amount to anything?
Although women have made many breakthroughs in the workforce, here in America it's still very much a "good ole' boys club" mentality, and until we get the oldest of the baby boomers out of here, I'm afraid that's what we have to look forward to. As far as 40 year old interns are concerned, it's downright offensive, but sometimes we have to do things in life that we don't like so that we can survive.
@Kurt - with all due respect, what does your comment have to do with what Fede said, or with this article? I sincerely do not understand your point.
My internship was PAID. It was with the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, my dream. Because of my internship, I received one substituting and one consulting position, both of which have led to other opportunities, including publishing. My internship directly led to me making contacts in aviation/museum/space exploration. I also made friends who have remained friends. Education is what one makes of it.
I was a 40 year old intern. I returned to college in my late 30's. After graduation an internship was the way to prove to a company that I was able to retrain into a different career field. I am so thankful that they took a chance on me. After my internship I was offered a great job with great benefits. I would definately encourage others to try internships first!
I see SLK's situation being different from that of a stay-at-home mom who returns to the workforce. I myself also did co-op work in my early 30's after returning to college to earn a second degree that was a complete departure from my first college degree. Now I'm 49, and I would not expect to ever have to be a co-op or intern ever again. Although I am still re-building my career after staying at home, it's mostly because I came back when off-shoring was starting to become in vogue, and then there was the "Great Recession" that we're still muddling through.
Yeah, then after you leave your internship the HR drone across the table from you inquires why, oh why did you leave your last position!
Even working for free doesn't land you a job in this world. It's who you know that lands you the position.
I left my internship because it was over. It was a 10-week internship only. Employers understand this. Come on!
The article doesn't mention this, but taking time off for maternity/caring for young children and the resulting work experience gap is the reason why women get payed less on average than men. If you factor that in the "gender gap" dissapears.
@SLK - It seems kind of strange that if you had taken the initiative to go back to college, on your own dime I'm guessing, that an employer wouldn't be impressed with your perseverance and investment. Seems more likely the low pay opportunity by the employer was taken. Glad to hear that it all worked out OK for you.
@amused but not distracted - Age discrimination is a reality. It is often "easier" to train a young person fresh out of school than someone who already has a set work experience. The fact that corporations are now opening their doors to non-experienced older workforce is awesome. So they got 3 months of work out of me for lower pay, they are giving me a job that will support me and my family nicely for much longer.
@SLK - I think those employers will be surprised when those fresh out of college youngsters get a little work experience and fly the coop to greener pastures when the employment pictures brighten. There goes all that training expenditure out the door. Hiring the older workers is best for many companies bottom line. They will get a more loyal and appreciative worker. IMHO! Best of luck.
@LeonFeldman I see... so what you're saying is that family does not fit in career and that motherhood and parenting have no value. Hate to tell you this but parenting is a JOB! It should be given equal weight on a resume and not discounted. Equal pay for equal work...PERIOD!! This internship idea, so long as corporations do not abuse it, sounds like a reasonable approach.
Talked to a manager at a major aerospace company (name starts with B).... when I suggested that I would like to be an intern after taking classes as part of a career change, he thought I was nuts - according to him, internships are strictly for young people with no work experience. It is a mindset like this that keeps many people from trying to bust out of dead end careers.
Greedy corporations are finding all sorts of ways to stiff the working man. First it was part-time and contractor jobs without healthcare or benefits. Now it's internships? "Profits over people" should be the new American corporate motto.
And we wonder why so many Americans start looking for other options like disability and welfare. When you can't afford the gas, wear on the vehicle, and insurance. who wants to be driving any where when it doesn't make ends meet.
Why is it okay for corporations/ employers to take advantage of the worker and we settle for it as being creative, yet when workers figure out a different means, we label them as lazy? For all who complain about those on welfare it's not as easy as you think. Getting the system to work for one properly takes a lot of research and knowledge.
Lets all work harder for even less worthless sheets of green paper!
The Corporate elites do it by hardly working and for a lot more worthless green paper, right.
Give me all your worthless sheets of green paper. Then you won't have to store it.
Simple....All you have to do is work for nothing = Plenty of jobs.....Now we can get rid of those low payed workers ...That are holding down our bottom line....And earn me my richly deserved bonus!...
You think internships are scary, you wait until corporations take steps to avoid obamacare later this year. Companies will have no employees as everyone will get 1099's with no benefits, no overtime, and no labor law protections.
40. Lamo
This article is quite misleading in saying that companies are offering "low-pay" internships--those are QUITE in the minority! The majority of the one out there can only provide straight, out-and-out college credit by businesses looking for--yes, I'll say it--cheap labor.
An internship is fine is as long as you have another means of support during the time that you're occupied by it, but due to the demands of the position, the odds are that you either won't be allowed to, or have time for, a second job. If you're someone struggling paycheck to paycheck, and your income would virtually stop in exchange for "the opportunity of a lifetime," then this is not an option. Particularly if you have children, debt or have certain challenges (medical conditions, disabilities, etc.) that require a steady income.
At age 26, I started college and finished by 30. I wish I had started college right out of high school b/c even with that 8 year gap, it put me behind the 8 ball.
One thing I would not do if getting an education at any age, is to get one of these online degrees. People are filled with hope and anticipation only to be thoroughly let down when noone will hire them.
Stay away from those diploma mills.
I can understand a person wanting to change careers mid-life and needing the experience to pursue aforementioned career. What I can't understand is why we should care about mothers wanting to re-enter the workforce after breeding. As an employer, I tell you what. I'm not taking the chance of hiring someone who might go get knocked up again on my dime after I've invested time and energy into them and their training. Come back when you've hit menopause if you want an internship in my company.
By that token, you shouldn't hire ANY women who haven't either hit menopause or are infertile. Any woman with functioning organs can "get knocked up... after I've invested time and energy into them and their training."
Oh... wait... there's a law against that, huh?
You're also being naive in thinking that men today are simply the breadwinners. More and more, I see men having to be the sole caregivers and take time away from work for their children. Maybe you shouldn't hire any men with children? Demand a vasectomy from childless employees, just to make sure they don't screw up your business with unexpected surprises!
for people making a mid-life career change or those that want to either upgrade their skills or gain new skills I don't think there's anything wrong.
You’re absolutely right—landing a fulltime job after taking time off can be tough, and often intimidating when up against younger professionals. For this reason, an internship could be the boost returnees need to feel more confident and freshen up their skills. The idea to “try out” older adults in desiring to return to the workforce in internship positions is both beneficial and productive for both parties. The returning adults can endure a smooth transition back to work and potentially earn permanent position, and on the other hand employers can see if and how the worker can fit their needs. –Allison O’Kelly, founder/CEP Mom Corps
You’re absolutely right—landing a fulltime job after taking time off can be tough, and often intimidating when up against younger professionals. For this reason, an internship could be the boost returnees need to feel more confident and freshen up their skills. The idea to “try out” older adults in desiring to return to the workforce in internship positions is both beneficial and productive for both parties. The returning adults can endure a smooth transition back to work and potentially earn permanent position, and on the other hand employers can see if and how the worker can fit their needs. –Allison O’Kelly, founder/CEP Mom Corps