Post: #1

I am on the brink of getting an internship for a small non-profit start up. I think its turning out to be a pretty nice gig since it lets me work remotely. I believe I'll be writing research papers for them on international development.

Anyways, they asked me what amount I have in mind for compensation. I've never been asked this before, so I really don't know what to ask for or how much, but I was thinking about getting paid based on each article I submit to them. If I do it that way, I don't know how much I should be paid per submission.

Should it be something like $25? $50? $100? Or should I just ask for a modest amount each month?

Post: #2

How long will be your internship ?

In France you are paid 450€ if it is more than two months, you are not paid if it is less. For longer internship (6 moths) it can be up to 1500€ especially for graduate student and mostly in Paris.

Post: #3

(03-11-2015 03:06 PM)Laurifer Wrote:  I am on the brink of getting an internship for a small non-profit start up. I think its turning out to be a pretty nice gig since it lets me work remotely. I believe I'll be writing research papers for them on international development.

Anyways, they asked me what amount I have in mind for compensation. I've never been asked this before, so I really don't know what to ask for or how much, but I was thinking about getting paid based on each article I submit to them. If I do it that way, I don't know how much I should be paid per submission.

Should it be something like $25? $50? $100? Or should I just ask for a modest amount each month?

If you really like the position, you should ask for as much as you believe that they are willing to pay you, but if you do NOT know how much that is, then maybe you want to turn the court on them and ask how much they usually pay.. Otherwise, you need to look at the pay for like work in the industry and in your region and try to put yourself somewhere in that range of pay.

Post: #4

Thanks guys. It will be an internship in the US.

I gave them my response before getting back to this thread.

I basically worded my response in that I am willing to be paid based on the amount of work I submit, but that it would also depend on my responsibilities, and that I am also open to what they have in mind.

Post: #5

First of all, internships are not to make money. They are to see if you're a good fit for a career with which allow you to make money at the company or at the very least, the same industry.

The only thing you should expect from an internship in terms of wages is enough to cover your basic living expenses and nothing more. Hell, I even did an internship for free to get into the industry I wanted to and this was in NYC where I was paying out of pocket. I wouldn't take it back for anything.

Post: #6

(03-11-2015 08:15 PM)monster Wrote:  First of all, internships are not to make money. They are to see if you're a good fit for a career with which allow you to make money at the company or at the very least, the same industry.

The only thing you should expect from an internship in terms of wages is enough to cover your basic living expenses and nothing more. Hell, I even did an internship for free to get into the industry I wanted to and this was in NYC where I was paying out of pocket. I wouldn't take it back for anything.

Yeah, I actually assumed this was an unpaid internship but then they brought up compensation. I figured since they brought it up, I might as well give it a shot. If for whatever reason what I said doesn't work for them I'll still do the work for free just for the experience + resume boost.

Post: #7

(03-11-2015 06:54 PM)Laurifer Wrote:  Thanks guys. It will be an internship in the US.

I gave them my response before getting back to this thread.

I basically worded my response in that I am willing to be paid based on the amount of work I submit, but that it would also depend on my responsibilities, and that I am also open to what they have in mind.

I think that your response was really good because you need to seem enthusiastic about getting experience and exposure and keeping a positive attitude, but also allowing them to consider paying you in order that they can feel like they are NOT exploiting you.

In the end, you can focus on being positive, gaining experiences and having fun with the work that you will be doing. They probably realize that later if you find out that all interns are paid x, and you are paid x minus 2, then you will feel resentment about how they treated you. Accordingly, it is good if they insist on the topic to put it in their court and say things such as, I would like to be paid a fair amount that is in line with your past practice in how other interns are paid... something like that.

Post: #8

Go look for info on firms similar to yours on Glassdoor, since from what you describe the firm you are looking for probably won't be listed. I was going through the exact same thing as you, and it helped me get a good reference of how much I could ask and negotiate for from my internship. Best of luck, let us know how it turns out.

Post: #9

Related stuff I have in my notes - from HRNasty, I believe - great no-nonsense blog on how recruiting works. Not all directly related (it's meant for full-time), but read between the lines and see what works.

Quote:My salary requirements can range from *pause for breath* A to B. The real question is - What have you budgeted for the position inclusive and exclusive of benefits?"

What have you historically paid all other people who hold this position? Once I receive your answer, then I will answer your question.

My research and experience tells me that a reasonable salary for this position would fall somewhere between £20,000 and £30,000. However, there are many things to consider, like the people I will be working with, career development and progression, and of course the job itself.”

“I understand you need to be sure my salary expectations fit within the range for this position but I am reluctant to focus on wage alone this stage - there are so many influential variables. I’m excited to find out more about this role and would happily discuss my expectations at interview.”

Here is an example of how we train people to negotiate. Candidate receives an offer of $54k. They follow up the next day and state they are very excited about the opportunity and look forward to joining the team. Then they say. "I have been interviewing with other companies, or researching other companies, and was looking at positions with a base salary of approximately $65k." "I understand you have a range for this position, but I wanted to see if there was some way we could compromise in the middle where it would still be beneficial to both of us.” The secret to why this approach works so well, is you put the person making the offer in a somewhat difficult position. You have not demanded more money, or refused the offer. You have stated you are excited about joining the company, but you have asked them to compromise. It is naturally very difficult for people to deny the option of a compromise. In most cases they will offer to look at the package again and see if there are any areas where they might be able to move. This is a great time to suggestion extra time off, or tuition reimbursement instead of an increase. Remember, companies pay taxes on payroll dollars. If you want an extra $10k, it will cost the company $11.5K (roughly) If you ask for $10K a year for your masters, you just saved them $1,500. Also, in salary positions, time off is a great negotiator. There is no real cost for most salary employees to be out of work for a week, because the work tends to be waiting for them when they return, and they have to work extra hours to make it up. Also, studies have shown the most productive day at work I typically the day before a vacation.