Is this dumb?
 

Let's say your parents know someone someone who is looking for interns. Your parents ask you to forward your resume to them so they can forward it to that person. All your parents know is that this person works for an area that you may be interested in. You tell your parents that you would like to look at the company's website before making any decisions, but your parents aren't able to give you its web address because they don't know the company's name. All they know is the type of company it is and that it is reputable. Are you being dumb?

This is confusing... I say apply for the internship. If you get an interview, they will have to tell you about the job and then you can decide if you want to take it. The only tricky part is if your parents pulled strings to get you an interview or an offer. If you decline it can reflect poorly on them or their friends.

Thank your parents for looking out for you, and now take over. Get the person's name and contact info from your parents and contact that person to learn more about them and the company, as well as the intern program.

Now call the person and say something like: "Hi, this is NAME, and my parents NAME & NAME told me that you work for a great company that is looking for interns. I'd like to learn more about the company and what you do. I'd also like to tell you a little about myself. My mother says she met you through X. What was that like?"

You're starting a conversation and showing some interest. You've picked up the reins from your parents to talk to their contact and now it won't reflect poorly on anyone. In this stage, you're on a fact-finding mission. If you don't think you'd be a good fit for the place, based on the information garnered from this research, thank them and move on. If your parents have pulled strings, or their friends have pulled strings, goody for you. You have an advantage. Use it. Don't abuse it. Because what goes around comes around and if you mismanage an advantage, it can hurt your or a loved one's credibility later on.

As a previous intern manager, I'd rather an intern candidate with personal connections turn me down if its not going be something she will enjoy and work hard at, and hire someone else.

There's no harm in anyone's repuation for you to take an informational meeting or even a job interview. Ultimately the candidate and the hiring manager must decide together if there is to be a job offer and for the candidate to accept. In cases where there are personal relationships, as long as you handle yourself courteously and professionally, you won't burn any bridges.

adpisf,

What if the parents aren't giving you any information? All they're saying is to turn the resume to them so they can contact the company?

I'd just do it. An internship is an internship. the worst that could happen is that you're either not interested in the company, or the company is not interested in you. But if you never attempt you'll never know. I'd be worried if it was a sketchy friend, or someone I hardly knew asking for my resume under those circumstances, but not my parents.

Take every interview that you can get (even if you're not interested in the position.) The more you practice, the better you get.

Some people get high paying jobs at interviews for jobs that they didn't want because they were experienced at inteviews, and walked in with a cocky attitude.