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Internships for Elders

U.S. News and World Report, 5/18/09

Abstract:

An internship has long been a milestone for college students and recent graduates looking to get experience and make contacts. But laid-off or job-hopping baby boomers are also taking these low or unpaid positions to transition into new gigs. It can be difficult for older workers to be back at the bottom rung after spending a few decades with more responsibility and clout. Here's how to make the most of a midcareer internship experience.

Create your own opportunities. Many internships require that the participant receive college credit for the experience, but some internship programs are open to people of all ages. Approximately 8 to 10 percent of Washington Internship Program participants are midcareer or later, according to Linda Bayer, executive director of the program...

...Update your skills. After a layoff, it's important to continue to make new contacts and keep your skills up to date. "An internship will give you structure and a place to go and will prevent you from becoming depressed about not working," says Nancy Schlossberg, an emeritus professor of the University of Maryland and author of Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose...

...Update your skills. After a layoff, it's important to continue to make new contacts and keep your skills up to date. "An internship will give you structure and a place to go and will prevent you from becoming depressed about not working," says Nancy Schlossberg, an emeritus professor of the University of Maryland and author of Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose.

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