The Secret To Surviving An Unpaid Internship

We all know by now that internships are crucial building blocks to landing your dream job. Throughout my 4 years at Ryerson, I made it my mission to stack my resume full of valuable internships. My first internship ever was working on the live studio production of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. This internship was SO much fun. I was just thankful to be part of the team; making money was the last thing on my mind. After that, the list continued to grow: Audience Intern for Battle of the Blades Canada, Junior Editor for Best Fan TV, Brand and Talent Scouting for Foreground Inc., and many other 'volunteer' opportunities along the way. Majority of these internships and volunteering gigs only required a part-time commitment, so I was able to juggle my other responsibilities without stress.

It wasn't until my fourth and final year at Ryerson that I became extremely impacted by an unpaid internship. As a fourth year Radio and Television Arts Student, I was given the opportunity to select an internship in the industry of my choice. After dabbling in studio production (I had wanted to be the next Nancy O'Dell) I realized I didn't really want to be in front of the camera. All I knew was that I loved writing and meeting new people (that sure narrows down the job search, doesn't it?!). I applied and interviewed for many positions and finally accepted a position with ROI Relations, a PR agency focused on beauty and lifestyle.

You've got to wonder why post people don't end up pursuing what they initially went to school for. To me, it's pretty obvious. We are forced to make this life changing decision on selecting a school and degree in a field we really don't know anything about. I was lucky that through my experience and related courses I was able to expand my horizons and test out the PR industry.

I can't remember the exact number of hours that were required to complete the Internship course credit at Ryerson, but it was something extremely realistic that could be completed in the span of two months. At ROI, I signed a contract for a 4 month, full time, unpaid internship.

I'm from Pickering, and ROI Relations was in the west end of Toronto. I took the GO Train, then the subway, then the streetcar, and then walked to my internship. Monday to Friday. I'd wake up around 5:30 and get home around 7 or 8 in the evenings.

You might be wondering how I had a social life and survived financially. You may be in the same position now - juggling an unpaid internship, classes, attempting to make an income, and struggling to find time to see your friends. I'd like to share some tips on how to survive this extremely stressful time in your life, and how I survived (and ended up with a full-time job!).

3 Tips to Surviving an Unpaid Internship (And Keeping Your Sanity)

#1 Prepare & Pack Your Meals (You'll need to invest in a bigger lunch box!)

In Pickering, our lunch options are extremely limited. Half the time I'm not even tempted to go out for lunch. But Toronto is a totally different story. You're bombarded by Starbucks and hundreds of unique, trendy restaurants you really, really want to try out. Take the time every Sunday to do a meal prep. You will save hundreds of dollars, and your waistline will also appreciate the effort. Don't get into the habit of stopping by that cute coffee shop on the way to your internship, or consistently going out for lunch with your intern buddies. Pack LOTS of snacks, bring a refillable water bottle, and make your coffee or tea at work. Obviously you can treat 'yo self once in awhile.

#2 Schedule EVERYTHING

I had to plan when I was going to go to the gym, when I was going to see my friends, and when I was going to lay in my bed and binge watch Parks and Rec. I had a huge calendar on my wall where everything was colour coded. During that time I had to schedule 'me' time, or else I wouldn't find time for it on my own. It may seem overwhelming, but I promise, there are enough hours in the day to get everything done!

#3 Find The Perfect Side Job

At the time of this internship, I had been working at Second Cup as a Barista for about 5 years (what can I say... I love chocolate and coffee!). Thankfully my boss was super understanding and let me work strictly on weekends. This was great, but it wasn't enough money. Working twice a week at minimum wage would hardly cover my transit costs, let alone the large glass of wine I required on Fridays. Through a friend, I was introduced to the wonderful world of promotional modelling (seriously, how did I not know about this before?!) and was able to work weekends for literally double what I was making at Second Cup. If your schedule is all over the place and you can't give someone set availability (which majority of jobs require) you need to try promotional modelling and work as a brand ambassador. I suggest joining several agencies and apply for the jobs you want to work.

The Value Of An Unpaid Internship: Learn to Love Your Work!

I survived my unpaid internship, maintained a social life, and came out with a career (although, this was not directly through my internship). My credit card wasn't pretty (I couldn't completely control my shopping addiction) but it was a lot more manageable due to my work as a promotional model and my Sunday night meal preps. It was truly a learning experience and working unpaid for that amount of time taught me the value of loving what you do. Now, I actually get PAID to work at an environment I love and can afford to do the things I want to do. I still pack my lunch every day though!

Nicole Delorme
Marketing & HR Coordinator at Tigris Incorporated

P.S What are your tips to surviving an unpaid internship? I want to hear about your experience. Let me know!