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Though the current economic crisis has many students feeling pessimistic about internship opportunities for this coming summer, Jed Wilcox '09 is angling for a job with his business hero: the Thayer Street necklace guy.
"I started researching this internship back in January," said Wilcox, a Commerce, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship concentrator. "The street vendor labor market is so competitive right now and this would absolutely be a dream opportunity. The Necklace Guy is a legend. I mean, he single-handedly revolutionized the conventionally accepted model for medallion layout back in '97."
Indeed, the Necklace Guy '73 told the Noser that he will take on fewer interns this summer and they will go unpaid. "You see so many talented young people in this business," said the Necklace Guy. "I wish I could hire them all, I really do. But even a necklace empire like mine is being affected by the downturn."
Kelia Madison '09 said that she will not be applying for one of the coveted spots. "Learning from the Necklace Guy would obviously be a dream come true," she said. "But I'm just going to have to settle for a paying job with the guy who plays guitar on the corner next to the bus tunnel."
Madison hopes to save enough money this summer to one day be able to set up shop in Wichita, Kansas- commonly known as Necklace Mecca in industry circles.
Wilcox, however, says he would be thrilled to take the internship even if it were unpaid. "It's an investment in myself. The contacts I could make would be invaluable, and networking is the heart and soul of the low-quality necklace industry. This could be a massive stepping stone for me as I work my way up," he said. "Sure, sometimes I daydream about one day being successful enough to cross over into sunglasses, maybe have my own little booth outside the Cr�perie, just get out of the cutthroat rat race of the necklace game. But for now, I'm in it to win it."
The Necklace Guy cautions applicants that his standards are high. "I had an intern last summer who could lay out a whole line of imitation turquoise chokers in seconds flat," he said. "Sometimes even the sterling silver pieces, which have a huge learning curve for most of us. Now he's got a very profitable necklace stand in New York City. You do the math."
Wilcox remains optimistic about his chances, however. "I've been practicing my pendant handling for weeks. And my reference is someone who knows the local market intimately," he said.
"Although now that I think of it, it might be tough for the Necklace Guy to reach him. He just gave me the phone number of the Thayer Street Starbucks and said he's usually sitting in there when it's cold out."
Applicants who don't make the cut should not be discouraged, cautioned the Necklace Guy. "There are still plenty of other local opportunities for young entrepreneurs, like sitting on the sidewalk and holding out a box."
