Beauty and skincare businesses have long demonstrated their long-standing commitment to the education and development of young people. From public programs to private endeavors, there are many ways that companies can fuse beauty with education, and there are equally as many ways that aspiring, young beauty enthusiasts or industry professionals can benefit from this concept. One way is through unpaid internship opportunities, which can be a fantastic way to obtain valuable skills, and learn from those with more experience. But there are some important legal implications that beauty brands and enrolled interns should consider before beginning what could become a lucrative and rewarding career. California unpaid internship laws require that in order for the internship to be unpaid, the internship must satisfy six criteria:
The Intern Cannot Displace Regular Employees When unpaid internship opportunities are offered by beauty and skincare companies, they are often designed to develop the skillsets of the intern. These roles should align closely with the branding vision, and offer insight into the workings of the beauty industry, as well as access to industry professionals and otherwise unavailable networking opportunities. Brand employees should not be doing the work that interns would be doing, but they should be business development or other tasks that support the companies educational internship efforts.
The Student Must Be the “Primary Beneficiary” of the Internship This is an opportunity for the intern to learn about the beauty industry from the inside out. The company should structure the program to provide a meaningful learning experience. This could be an overview of how to market a beauty brand online or the most efficient methods to manage online presence. The fallout from failing to adhere to the guidelines can be costly for the company who employs the intern, particularly if the intern is classified as an employee rather than an unpaid intern.
Interns Should Be Unenrolled or in Unpaid or Non-Compensated Courses Internship opportunities and courses offered through colleges and universities vary, it is important that the internship is highlighted as unpaid and does not interfere with other school obligations. There are a number of different ways to raise interest in an unpaid program such as: Advertising the internship opportunities on social media allowing for students to inquire more about the program. Utilizing job boards to reach a wider audience. Hosting open houses and asking attendees to participate. Connect with community organizations that offer educational programs to introduce brand internship opportunities. Offer an unpaid program to local universities to support students who are looking for hands-on experience.
Interchangeability between a Company’s Internship and That of Other Organizations Will Not Satisfy the Guidelines Another option that may seem natural is outsourcing your internship opportunities to other beauty organizations. However, it is imperative that the internship opportunities that you offer are distinct and tailored to your companies’ objectives. Although this could be appealing for brands that potentially struggle providing meaningful internship experiences, they will likely be viewed interchangeably even if the branding differs.
The Educational Experience Must Be Long Term At the outset, the internship should be billed as long term. Ultimately, it will be short, but the coursework and training offered will make the difference. It may be particularly beneficial to conduct the internship over the course of an entire semester. The program can even be advertised as a semester-long program, even if the students do not stick around that long.
Internships That Benefit the Company – unless Trial is the Intent As discussed above, the internship is an opportunity to learn what it means to work with the brand and vice-versa. The goal of hiring interns is to open a door for aspiring beauty and skincare professionals who in turn, support the vision of the company. That means that the intern is not going to be expected to contribute to the business until they are ready, but many companies use internships as a way to interview young people who they believe would be a good fit.
Talent Scouting Many professionals in the beauty industry were once young, aspiring professionals just looking for a foot-in-the-door. There is an immense amount of value to gain by gaining hands-on experience in the beauty industry prior to jumping into a full-time role. Aspiring professionals are eager to learn and willing to put the knowledge into practice. And through internships, companies can identify and get to know the talent before hiring. When done right, beauty companies have an opportunity to develop lasting working relationships with interns who are now industry professionals.
Ensuring that the applicable guidelines are followed can benefit the beauty and skincare industry’s internship programs. Once they are given the opportunity to shine, beauty and skincare brands have a way to showcase the commitment to development and growth for young beauty enthusiasts. Ultimately, this is a winning solution for everyone involved, and a great way to transform beauty industries all over.
For more information on internship regulations, you can visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s guidelines on unpaid internships.
