Industry Internships: Glamorous or Grueling?
As a young girl, I dreamed of an internship in the garment industry. I would often daydream about being Andy Sachs, the intern for an influential fashion magazine in The Devil Wears Prada film. Despite how treacherous her daily tasks appeared, I yearned for that fast-paced corporate world environment while still impacting the fashion business. However, throughout the movie, Andy faces a seemingly impossible choice between prioritizing her career and her personal life, all because of her job’s strict demands. It makes a person question, “Are these fabulous fashion internships really all that?”
While searching for fashion industry internships, I discovered that many are unpaid. As a student who relies on working to pay for tuition, rent, bills, and groceries, this predicament forces me to decide whether to sacrifice my income or my education, which is an unfair but realistic choice for many of today’s youth. People interning unpaid for 40+ hours a week often don’t have the extra time or energy to make enough money to support themselves. If they find a way to manage another job, it can cause intense physical strain on top of an already established financial struggle.
Another common hindrance when it comes to internships is the emotional toll they can take on a person. Like a job search, an internship search often coincides with rejection, which can be challenging to navigate as a vulnerable young adult. Companies, especially larger ones, have hundreds to thousands of applicants yearly for a single internship position. Due to its competitive nature, the hiring process can be long and drawn out by businesses. If you make it through the initial resume screening, you may have to wait another month or two for the interview process, which still doesn’t guarantee a hiring agreement. Former interns and employees from major fashion houses recommend applying to over 50 internships if you are seeking one from a powerhouse company, and one rejection after another can be highly discouraging.
Although there are significant challenges to confront when it comes to securing an internship, the experiences can be beyond enriching. Encompassing yourself in a field that you find fascinating will provide ample opportunities to expand your education. Though many typical intern tasks may seem mundane, knowing the ins and outs of the industry will benefit you greatly in your future career and prepare you to face any issue that may arise. Just like everything else in the world, there are both negative and positive aspects to consider when regarding fashion industry internships.
