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Post by discoberry on Apr 12, 2011 13:23:05 GMT -5
Read this in the NYT was wondering what others think. I am 31 and likely to be taking an internship in hopes of gaining a full time job b/c there literally aren't even minimum wage jobs in a 50 mile radius of st. louis right now www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/opinion/l11interns.html?_r=1Anyone have any useful imput? |
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Post by happycheeze on Apr 12, 2011 14:29:34 GMT -5
I've never interned. However, I will be interning this summer.
Do you know where you'd do it? Do you go to college? is it through them or through the company?
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Post by Smurfette Principle on Apr 12, 2011 17:40:30 GMT -5
I've interned, but through my school as a class, not for pay.
Input: do whatever they tell you, and look eager and energetic. Don't buttkiss, but do try to be helpful. It makes them like you and recommend you for a job later on.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Apr 12, 2011 23:40:25 GMT -5
I almost was. But then I was rejected. For being too inexperienced.
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Apr 13, 2011 4:12:03 GMT -5
Whatever you do, do NOT have ear canal sex with anybody in the office.
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Post by DeadpanDoubter on Apr 13, 2011 9:38:21 GMT -5
Advice from experience?
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Post by The_L on Apr 13, 2011 10:19:33 GMT -5
I almost was. But then I was rejected. For being too inexperienced. That makes no sense at all. |
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Post by happycheeze on Apr 13, 2011 10:39:47 GMT -5
Whatever you do, do NOT have ear canal sex with anybody in the office. Good tip. |
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Post by discoberry on Apr 13, 2011 15:40:15 GMT -5
I almost was. But then I was rejected. For being too inexperienced. That makes no sense at all. Story of my life. Apparently managing inventory, employee papers, scheduling, payroll, daily books etc at a bar is somehow different than everywhere else |
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Post by Yla on Apr 16, 2011 6:52:08 GMT -5
Don't sleep on the job. (Yes, speaking from experience. I did well usually, but that one got me a dressing down.)
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Post by the sandman on Apr 16, 2011 9:45:08 GMT -5
Advice for Interning:
1. You aren't there to be the company stooge. If you are in an internship at a company and the only thing they ask you to do is fetch coffee, file papers, and unjam the printer, then you are simply being used as free bitchlabor.
2. If you are being used as free bitchlabor, there isn't much you can do about it. If you leave, no job. If you complain to your boss, no job. If you complain to your boss's boss, no job. If you complain to human resources, no job. Decide if you want to stick it out and see if it gets any better. Sometimes asshole companies will use this tactic to see who will quit and who will stay.
3. There is a fine line between indispensable and kissing ass. Find that line and walk it, and if you do stumble, do NOT stumble into kissing ass. It is cool to bring in donuts or coffee for the other interns, bringing them in for your supervisor is kissing ass.
4. Never claim to be able to do anything you can't do. You WILL be asked to do it.
5. Figure out who will make the decision as to whether or not you will be hired, and become part of their team. HINT: This person is almost NEVER your direct supervisor.
6. Go above and beyond, but don't hog credit and don't make your supervisor or co-workers look bad by comparison. Make other INTERNS look bad by comparison. If another intern is making YOU look bad by comparison, you are losing. Remember, bosses LOVE workers who share credit, especially with them.
7. Do not let your supervisor cross the line. Asking you to pick up a client from the airport is cool; asking you to pick up his kids from school is not. Remember, if you are a doormat as an intern and get hired...you will always be the company doormat.
8. Take any disputes, complaints, or concerns directly to your supervisor, even if they are about him. Nothing will get you crossed off the hire list faster than going over your supervisor's head.
9. Dress like your supervisor. If he's in a suit and everyone else in the place is in business casual, you wear a suit. It's one of the few ways you can connect to your supervisor without it looking like you are kissing ass.
10. Don't be quiet. If they never notice you during your internship, they won't remember you when hire time comes around.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Apr 16, 2011 17:17:15 GMT -5
I almost was. But then I was rejected. For being too inexperienced. That makes no sense at all. And it's quite likely the source of 90% of my self esteem problems today. One women wanted me to file things. I asked my degree instructor (since I'm tech support) if that counted. She said it didn't. Said woman never responded to my e-mail apologizing. There was one place I tried to get in contact with, but the managers were always either in a meeting or not in at all. No matter when I called. No one else ever responded. So the one place that actually responded to me then rejecting me, and then said guy sending me an e-mail telling me everything I did wrong... yeah. It's wounded. It didn't help that, apparently, the manager was wearing completely casual attire and here I am in a nice suit shirt and nice pants and stuff. |
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Post by katz on May 1, 2011 19:57:41 GMT -5
I did a paid internship with a small print place. That was the job title, but it was mostly for the government grant money. I was more of a computer guru/office bitch. It was okay. Most of the people I worked with were nice, dress code was office casual, and they worshiped me as a god because I knew how to download and add fonts to their computers.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on May 2, 2011 16:46:32 GMT -5
they worshiped me as a god because I knew how to download and add fonts to their computers.  Seriously? It'd take two seconds of google for me to find out how to do that myself. And done. I now know how to install fonts in Windows Vista. I think the very first thing anyone with a computer should be taught is how to use a search engine to actually learn stuff. |
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Post by Yla on May 3, 2011 11:00:25 GMT -5
The computer illiteracy of some people is staggering, zachski.
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Seriously?