Congratulations Gen Y. We’ve Hit a New Low.
This article is joking, right?
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Faced with a dismal market for college summer internships, a growing number of anxious parents are pitching in to help — by buying their kids a foot in the door.
Some are paying for-profit companies to place their college students in internships that are mostly unpaid. Others are hiring marketing consultants to create direct-mail campaigns promoting their children’s workplace potential. Still other parents are buying internships outright in online charity auctions.
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Congratulations, GenY. We’ve hit a new low.
Students – Asking your parents to BUY you a JOB? Are you kidding? Here’s an idea: Stop. Stop whatever career path you’re pursing… because you’re not going to be any good at it.
There is a reason people go through the Dip. If you never have to work for anything, you’ll never see the value in what you have. Remember when you bought your first bike/car/etc? Well, you probably didn’t have that experience… But for the rest of us that did, it was a special moment. It taught us what it’s like to work hard and reward ourselves for it.
Parents – What are you thinking? How will this possibly help your child in the long run? You just taught them that when something gets too hard, just call Mom and Dad. They’ll take care of it for you. Don’t work harder. Don’t try a different approach. Don’t learn from your mistakes. The answer is only a phone call (and a few thousand dollars) away.
It’s not often that I get worked up about a topic. And when I do, it’s rare that I’ll actually post something about it.
But, damn. This is embarrassing.
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18 Responses
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This post hurt my feelings. Every business needs us. You mean we’re not special?
We are always winners.
Even if we suck, right?
“If you never have to work for anything, you’ll never see the value in what you have” Brilliant! Keep shooting straight.
You forgot about the companies and nonprofits that are allowing this to happen and accepting money. Just stupid.
I don’t think I should be so astonished by this, but I am. I really am. I grew up believing that hard work was what brought the rewards, and while admittedly I haven’t been the most patient person in regards to pursuing a career, it’s a lesson I’ve learned. I can’t even begin to fathom asking my parents for $8K so that I could get an internship (an unpaid internship, no less) – that’s what colleges are for, that’s what work experience is for. You don’t have to have the most prestigious internship to find the value in your experience.
However, there seems to be another side to this story – I can almost (almost, not quite) see the value in this if the program one buys into is paying for lodging in an unpaid internship, but that’s only if the internship is in a city outside of where they live where housing costs are high and if the internship can provide real value. I can see something like this working if used in conjunction with the college and area of study and if there is something real and valuable to be gained. The cost of the program is steep for something that you’re not getting paid for and it’s ridiculous to spend that kind of money if the only outcome is that a student “came out of her shell” and helps one “focus on post-graduation plans” or if the student sees it only as a way to reach their goals faster. Nevermind the parents paying for it. That’s a whole other tangent.
I don’t know, Andy – I can almost see their (albeit skewed) reasoning. I absolutely don’t think it’s right; I think it’s a waste of money and negates the value of the work experience, of learning, but I don’t think these kids in particular are looking for that. Seems to me they’re looking for the fast track – and with this economy, I wonder if that fast track even exists anymore.
This is pretty sad. It really hurts the Gen-Y’s that are working their butt off in school, their jobs or in starting their own company. On the other hand I bet WSJ had to dig deep for this story, prob getting desperate that a bunch of 20-something bloggers are stealing all their traffic and ad revenue.
I agree, it is pretty sad. There are a lot of Gen Y’s out there that are working hard, only to be overshadowed by these kids with huge egos and even larger senses of entitlement. These kids are usually brought up in privileged homes, with helicopter parents that get offended at anything that is seen as a slight to their kids.
One thing I learned growing up was that you had to work hard for anything you wanted in life. They’re in for a rude awakening…
@Seth – Sorry to burst your bubble
@Mike – Thanks! See you at the Bloggers Breakfast tomorrow.
@Rebecca – I actually had a paragraph in there… and then took I it out. I can’t be mad at a company who puts an internship up for a charity auction. They’re just trying to help out.
On the other hand, you’d think the recruiters would be smart enough to figure out when someone has hired a marketing professional to draft a direct mail campaign…
@Susan – I see your point about a company that helps provide housing… But I think there is a big difference between paying someone to find you housing and paying someone to find you an internship.
Like you said, there are dozens of ways for someone to “come out of their shell” and “focus on post-graduation plans.” And none of those require spending $8K on an unpaid internship.
@Greg – Lol. I sure hope that’s the case!
Unbelievable! I remember graduating from High School and asking my dad for a car. He said (without missing a beat), “You want a car, well you get out there and get you a job and you will be able to afford a car.” That was the end of that discussion. I loved my first car – I paid for it from my own hard work. Thanks dad.
Maybe this is why teachers see the disrespect and lack of caring in the classroom. Gen-Y’s are the examples for which our elementary students are learning from. My question to you – What will the upcoming generation be like?
Andy — voice of a generation? Sure. Your ire is warranted and your point is well taken.
Great call. Keep ‘em honest and be the role model / leader you were destined to be!
Andrew B. Clark
–The Brand Chef
This is a little bizarre. Is it even legal to accept a pay-off for a job?
I work in graduate admissions at the UI, and I’ve had more and more parents calling to inquire about the program. I had a meeting w/ one parent and his son where the kid sat slouched in the chair while Dad took notes. It was weird.
Helicopter Parents are the norm, not the exception, in the upcoming generation. Those of us at the front of Gen Y wouldn’t dream of it, but those at the back can’t imagine it any other way, I’d guess… Okay not all, but some.
Using your parents connections to get a job is one thing, hell, I’ve done that. But getting mama and pops to BUY a job, that’s just stupid and shady and unsustainable.
And what business actually does this? I can’t imagine that the work of the students to be great, otherwise would then need to by bought a job?
From the perspective of a 74 year-old-grandparent, I see this as a much more nuanced issue than most of you. I’m much more careful drawing inferences about “gifts,” wealthy parents, schooling and charging for internships. Which is to say that the context, the personal needs, the opportunities and the learnings one can gain are not always clear cut issues. And those opportunities, like it or not, are often–if not usually–purchased by someone. Try the last chapter of Gladwell’s new book, the Outliers, to get a different cut on his Jamaican heritage–and what was “purchased” for him. American individualism sounds good, but at bottom, on occasion it’s a kettle of smelly fish–leading many into poverty.
It strikes me that the real issue is determining the more deep-seated values and adapting them to the context. For example, I know from research that enrichment and exposure builds intelligence, raises the ante, and tends to provide more long-term career achievements and personal success. That’s what I wanted, and that’s what we provided for our daughters. I’m also aware that 95% of parents could never have provided what we were able to. And I’ve never had a sense from those three highly successful, rich, professional daughters–who also make significant contributions to society–that I did anything wrong in buying opportunities for them. Sometimes, depending on where you live, the companies and the culture of your state and geography, etc. a lot of that is free. In other instances, enrichment opportunities are far more limited.
Let’s be blunt. The educational and enrichment opportunities in Missippi are much, much fewer than in Iowa or Minnesota.
I recognize that getting mom and pop to buy you a job seems to have no history in this country. It sounds like a terrible thing. But actually, that’s not true. Mom and Pop have bought jobs for their kids ever since the founding of this country. And it goes on all over the world. And it’s seen as normal, a fact of life, and a wonderful privilege. Sure, kids will misuse the opportunity, but the majority of them, the world over, probably–and I say probably because I lack supporting research–take very constructive advantage of what their parents provide. I have a number of friends who tell me they would never have thought of embarassing their parents because they bought an opportunity for them.
I’ll go for the nuance, thank you. Things are rarely what they seem.
So what do you think about my differing perspective?
This is another example of Helicopter parents, coming in and trying to do anything to help. Yes, times are tough, but I’m sure our parents had lived through (and obviously survived) worse.
My parents grew up behind the iron curtain in Eastern Europe and didn’t have some of the privileges that I enjoy everyday.
Fact of the matter is that this generation is spoiled and needs a proper beatdown to get their heads straight.
8k for an unpaid internship? Hell, come be my intern. I’ll let you work for free, for free. Unbelievable.
Sorry for the delay everyone. A few follow up thoughts:
@Laura – Great question about the next generation… And kind of a scary one. It could be worse… or the pendulum could swing and maybe we’ll be harder on our kids. Who knows? I hope it’s the latter.
@Lyds – Isn’t that just weird? Recruiters of our company talk about parents coming to interviews… I just don’t get it. I mean… I love my mom. But no way is she coming to an interview with me. Lol
@Monica – I totally agree the connections is one thing… and using their money is another.
@Dan – Insightful comment, as always.
I read Outliars. It was a great read and I understand your point about the last chapter. Where I differ is that the people Gladwell highlights in Outliars work their assess off. It’s a combination of having the right opportunities and having a undeniable work ethic.
There comes a point where parents who are trying to help their children actually end up holding them back. As Randy Pausch said, “The brick walls are there to prove how badly you want it.”
I’m totally o.k. with parents trying to give their students every opportunity possible… As long as the student understands the opportunity that is being provided and they don’t take it for granted.
I get frustrated when kids who have little intelligence and no work ethic get jobs because of their parents. I think that is a very different scenario from the example you used with your daughters. Obviously they work hard or they wouldn’t be where they are today.
I always love your comments, Dan.
@Piotr – Lol – I’m not sure if “beatdown” is the right word.
@Allie – Haha. I would love to have an intern working for me. Until then, I’ll just have to stick with the virtual assistant.
An interesting article in today’s NY Times sheds some light on the ‘Entitlement Generation’:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/education/18college.html?_r=1