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Ask HN: Sad because I don't have a mentor or anyone

5 points by 0x400615 ↗ HN
I'm 24 and come from an uneducated family I'll be the first to graduate from a real university. I have been thinking about how I should negotiate my hourly rate for my second internship this summer. I thought how great it must be to have resources like family members that have been in my position before and that could offer useful advice. I don't. It makes me sad that I don't have resources or even anyone to go to for guidance on college and career questions, etc. Has anyone been in my shoes before? Thanks HN.

5 comments

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brent_noorda
I don't think it's extremely common to get career help from family members, because it's unusual (these days) that they would have been in a similar situation. So that aspect of your situations seems normal to me.

I hope you can use your fellow students, and teachers, and other resources from the real university. That should be where a bunch of experts are.

striking
Agreed. There are often career counsellors that can help you negotiate rates, and if a professor really likes you, he or she may even help you find a job or other opportunity.

The bottom line is: don't be afraid to ask. They're all there to help you.

a3n
Employment and life are much the same as they were 50 years ago. You have to eat, you have to work, you have to navigate the river without ever having seen around the bend.

Don't mistake technology for life.

rmk
You negotiate when you have leverage. If you want leverage, you get another internship offer and ask for a higher rate; you walk if you do not get what you want.

Realise that as an intern, your negotiating power is limited. Focus on what you can learn, and if it is a good company, whether you can turn your internship into a full-time position. Take these two factors into account and choose the company that is the best in this regard --- any increase in the hourly pay rate will pale in comparison to the upward arc you will put yourself on if you optimise for the two factors I have mentioned.

CyberFonic
Some of the best negotiators, I've met, didn't even finish high school. You learn technical skills at university. You learn business skills, including negotiation, in the real world. There was an article on entrepreneur.com saying that the ability to hustle is the primary skill you need to succeed.

Take a look at your family, relatives and friends. Identify who is the most effective in negotiations and learn from him/her. Good Luck!