Problems with internships: what can you do?

In logical terms, internships clearly have their advantages: to put into practice what you've learned at uni and to be better prepared to enter the job market; to learn whilst being paid, without giving up the cinema, transport, museum, and gym discounts offered to students.  

But not all internships are perfect. Nearly a third of internship agreements are terminated early (and that's not necessarily a bad thing). 

So what's the problem? 

Before we get to that point, sit down and figure out what's wrong. Sometimes it's just a matter of communication between the intern and the mentor. Don't forget that your mentor isn't a mind reader, and don't think you'll be spared all the normal inconveniences of the job that any employee would face.  

But for example, if starting at 9am means you have to get up at 6am to catch a train and starting half an hour later would save you an hour's sleep, you should put your great communication skills to use and discuss it with your mentor directly rather than arriving exhausted every day. You could offer to take a shorter lunch break or to leave a little later. This is also what work experience is about: taking responsibility and becoming a professional, and that means knowing how to find common ground. [Text Wrapping Break]But be careful: if there's a strict schedule, that should be explained when you're hired. If you are a trainee in sales and you're supposed to open the shop at 9am, it's about more than your mentor's goodwill. You can't leave customers waiting at the door! 

Communication also applies to legal and educational issues. You've been on contract for four months and you've received each paycheque a week late? Discuss it calmly. You've signed a contract to do CRM management and for the past two months you've spent more time making coffee and collating the company's customer lists than actually learning? Again, talk to your mentor and come up with a factual argument.  

Similarly, if a company asks you to perform tasks without having trained you, you have the right to ask for help and guidance. You are an intern - that means you need to learn, not just provide cheap labour. However, any healthy relationship is based on give and take, so it's up to you to find the right balance: Excel formulas are easy enough to find on Google, and you can even find tutorials on YouTube. So don't be afraid to use your initiative - you don't need to be shown everything!  

Most of the time, the best option is just to talk about what's wrong. Nevertheless, everyone has their own personality and their own feelings, and when faced with totally unacceptable situations, it's not always easy to have a constructive dialogue. So if talking to your mentor makes you anxious or just seems impossible, don't hesitate to contact your uni's programme manager, HR, or an employee representative.  

The choice is yours! 

In some cases, they may ask you to contact the ombudsman, whom you can also approach on your own. 

This you may do if there are legal irregularities, for example. Remember that as an intern, employee rights apply to you as much as they do any other employee. For example, you cannot be made to work more than 48 hours in a week. Time spent on your course may be included in that total (so you can go to the gym, do your homework, see your mates, party, and eat your 5 a day - it's the perfect recipe for not burning out)! 

If you encounter a hostile working environment, once again, you have rights: insults, demeaning remarks, bullying and sexual harassment are obviously intolerable and illegal in the workplace. This applies to both employers and non-employees. A mediator can help resolve any disagreements and problems by finding a solution that suits both you and your employer. Mediators may vary depending on the sector you work in. Ask your uni's programme advisor for help. 

Sometimes mediation will be enough to solve any issues and allow you to complete your internship successfully. Very rarely, it may be best to end the internship early (if the mentor does not feel that they can provide you with proper support and no one else can replace them in the company, if you just don't get along, if your employer just doesn't follow the terms of your internship, etc.). The only thing you need to know is that when amicable termination is not possible, you must still respect any conditions regarding notice periods and possible mediation. In most cases, the notice period is seven days.  

And if you are seriously worried about the rest of your internship, keep in mind that in general, your uni  should allow you to continue your theoretical training for six months. Two, it's an internship. Three, we learn by making mistakes, too, and sometimes even better (take our word for it). You can bounce back and find a new internship in a field you like, using your past experience to anticipate possible issues.   

Need more information? Don't hesitate to visit prospects.ac.uk or your uni's work placement office.