Summer internships are a proven gateway to jobs. But that gateway is not equally open to students from different backgrounds. Low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students’ internship participation rates lag behind those of their wealthier, white peers. Moreover, access to paid internships, which are associated with long-term wage premiums, remains uneven along lines of race and class.
Don’t Just Pay Interns, Help Them Build Networks
A paycheck alone won’t jumpstart a career.
May 23, 2022
HBR Staff/master1305/WeAre/Getty Images
Summary.
Simply paying an intern isn’t enough to jumpstart a career. In a labor market where an estimated half of jobs come through networks, social capital remains the other key currency for getting ahead. Diversifying access to internships as an inroad to not just compensation, but also connections, is essential. There are four research-backed strategies for creating the conditions for this kind of equity in network building: 1) offer pay for work, relocation, and making connections; 2) don’t just assign a manager, build a web of support; 3) give real feedback; and 4) invest in, and measure, lasting relationships.
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New!
HBR Learning
HBR Learning
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.