The Nonlinear Library EA - Things to check about a job or internship by Julia Wise
Feb 12, 2024
12:24
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Things to check about a job or internship, published by Julia Wise on February 12, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum.
A lot of great projects have started in informal ways: a startup in someone's garage, or a scrappy project run by volunteers. Sometimes people jump into these and are happy they did so.
But I've also seen people caught off-guard by arrangements that weren't what they expected, especially early in their careers. I've been there, when I was a new graduate interning at a religious center that came with room, board, and $200 a month. I remember my horror when my dentist checkup cost most of a month's income, or when I found out that my nine-month internship came with zero vacation days.
It was an overall positive experience for me (after we worked out the vacation thing), but it's better to go in clear-eyed.
First, I've listed a bunch of things to consider. These are drawn from several different situations I've heard about, both inside and outside EA. There are also a lot of
advice
pieces from the for-profit world about choosing between a startup and a more established company.
Second, I've compiled some anonymous thoughts from a few people who've worked both at small EA projects and also at larger more established ones.
Things to consider
Your needs
Will the pay or stipend cover your expenses? See a
fuller list here, including
Medical insurance and unexpected medical costs
Taxes (including self-employment taxes if they're not legally your employer)
Any loans you have
Will medical insurance be provided?
Maybe they've indicated "If we get funding, we'll be able to pay you for this internship." Will you be ok if they don't get funding and you don't get paid?
Maybe they've indicated you'll get a promotion after a period of lower-status work or "proving yourself." If that promotion never comes, will that work for you?
If you need equipment like a laptop, are you providing that or are they? Who owns the equipment?
If you got a concussion tomorrow and needed to rest for a month, what would the plan be? If not covered by your work arrangement, do you have something else you can fall back on?
Medical care
A place to stay
Income
If you need to leave this arrangement unexpectedly, do you have enough money for a flight to your hometown or whatever your backup plan is?
Predictability and stability
How long have they been established as an organization? Newer organizations are likely more flexible, but also more likely to change direction or to close down.
How much staff turnover has there been recently? There are various possible reasons for high staff turnover, but one could be a poor working environment.
Structure and accountability
Will someone serve as your manager? How often will you meet with them? If there's not much oversight / guidance, do you have a sense of how well you function without that?
Is there a board? If so, does the board seem likely to engage and address problems if needed?
Are there established staff policies, or is it more free-form? If there's a specific policy you expect to be important for you, like parental leave, you may want to choose a workplace that already has a spelled-out policy that works for you.
If living on-site
Will you have a room to yourself, or will you ever be expected to share a bedroom or sleep in a common area?
Is it feasible to get off-site for some time away from your coworkers? How remote is the location? Living and working with the same people all the time can get intense.
Work agreement
Is there a written work agreement or contract? If there isn't one already, you can ask for one. For example, in my state anyone employing a nanny is required to write out an agreement including
Pay rate
Work schedule
Job duties
Sick leave, holidays, vacation, and personal days
Any other benefits
Eligibility for worker's compensati...
A lot of great projects have started in informal ways: a startup in someone's garage, or a scrappy project run by volunteers. Sometimes people jump into these and are happy they did so.
But I've also seen people caught off-guard by arrangements that weren't what they expected, especially early in their careers. I've been there, when I was a new graduate interning at a religious center that came with room, board, and $200 a month. I remember my horror when my dentist checkup cost most of a month's income, or when I found out that my nine-month internship came with zero vacation days.
It was an overall positive experience for me (after we worked out the vacation thing), but it's better to go in clear-eyed.
First, I've listed a bunch of things to consider. These are drawn from several different situations I've heard about, both inside and outside EA. There are also a lot of
advice
pieces from the for-profit world about choosing between a startup and a more established company.
Second, I've compiled some anonymous thoughts from a few people who've worked both at small EA projects and also at larger more established ones.
Things to consider
Your needs
Will the pay or stipend cover your expenses? See a
fuller list here, including
Medical insurance and unexpected medical costs
Taxes (including self-employment taxes if they're not legally your employer)
Any loans you have
Will medical insurance be provided?
Maybe they've indicated "If we get funding, we'll be able to pay you for this internship." Will you be ok if they don't get funding and you don't get paid?
Maybe they've indicated you'll get a promotion after a period of lower-status work or "proving yourself." If that promotion never comes, will that work for you?
If you need equipment like a laptop, are you providing that or are they? Who owns the equipment?
If you got a concussion tomorrow and needed to rest for a month, what would the plan be? If not covered by your work arrangement, do you have something else you can fall back on?
Medical care
A place to stay
Income
If you need to leave this arrangement unexpectedly, do you have enough money for a flight to your hometown or whatever your backup plan is?
Predictability and stability
How long have they been established as an organization? Newer organizations are likely more flexible, but also more likely to change direction or to close down.
How much staff turnover has there been recently? There are various possible reasons for high staff turnover, but one could be a poor working environment.
Structure and accountability
Will someone serve as your manager? How often will you meet with them? If there's not much oversight / guidance, do you have a sense of how well you function without that?
Is there a board? If so, does the board seem likely to engage and address problems if needed?
Are there established staff policies, or is it more free-form? If there's a specific policy you expect to be important for you, like parental leave, you may want to choose a workplace that already has a spelled-out policy that works for you.
If living on-site
Will you have a room to yourself, or will you ever be expected to share a bedroom or sleep in a common area?
Is it feasible to get off-site for some time away from your coworkers? How remote is the location? Living and working with the same people all the time can get intense.
Work agreement
Is there a written work agreement or contract? If there isn't one already, you can ask for one. For example, in my state anyone employing a nanny is required to write out an agreement including
Pay rate
Work schedule
Job duties
Sick leave, holidays, vacation, and personal days
Any other benefits
Eligibility for worker's compensati...