Life of an intern
If you can make it past the image of an intern or apprentice making the coffee and delivering the mail then it can actually be quite fun. When uni told us that to complete our course we had to take part in a 20 week work placement, that image is exactly what came to mind. I would be the tea lady! But in reality I have developed skills and deepened my knowledge while at my work placement.
Yes, undoubtedly there are companies that treat a work experience as a run around, doing the unforgiving jobs that no one else wants to do. To these people all you want to ask is why? I understand that these jobs need to be done and there are some people in the office that need not be bothered by the petty tasks of franking the mail or making the tea, but we are, at the end of the day work EXPERIENCE, and to get to where we want to go we have to have that EXPERIENCE and surprisingly filling out pointless spreadsheets and making drinks is not an experience.
In a world where more and more people are being turned down by employers through lack of experience, it does beg the question: what if employers gave the interns the experiences they require, encouraging more to go forward and therefore more experience to be had when entering that all important job interview?
However I digress, my work placement has been brilliant and never have I been treated like the run around. The people I have met and those that I have worked with have all made the journey so much more than that of just an internship. But I thought I would make a list of how to survive a university internship.
If you are, not just like myself in the equine world, but in any form of skill or hobby related work place where you can name drop… DON’T! After working with my colleagues for a number of weeks now I found out they hate that! It makes you seem desperate and childish. “Can you write me a post on Zara Phillips?” “Yes, actually we are best mates, she waved to me once, and it was magical. My sister events every weekend at 80cm level we’re practically best friends” I admit I have done this for a couple of event riders I knew back home. I only now realise how bad I sounded.
Don’t take offence easily. I am the worst at this. If I don’t get asked to do something or I do get asked to do something like the photocopying then I take offence. I worked on our companies Showing World magazine and when the editor didn’t want to talk to me when she was on the phone I took offence, when, in reality when I finish the people that she is dealing with are all still going to be there and you are, at the end of the day still their intern. You will get asked to do something great and enjoyable but remember to take the bad times with the good, the good will mean so much more.
Take in everything. Listen, ask questions, remember: how much you put in will be how much you get back. You give little or no effort they won’t know you’re ready and they won’t give you any of that ever sought after ‘experience.’
Don’t try and be better than anyone. Even if you do, don’t act like you know more than the people you are working with. I am from Scotland and we have a magazine called Scottish Rider. I tried to big myself up playing the Scottish card that I knew all these places (my geography is terribly- even in my home country) and people. Turns out the woman who runs that magazine, although not directly Scottish has relatives, and knew more people than me, one point to the boss, zero points to me. In turn also don’t be smug if your boss asks you instead of her other permanent colleagues to do something.
My fifth and final point. Enjoy it. Whether you realise it’s not for you or whether it is, It’s not permanent. You’ll be back to your uni friends in no time and be out on lash again soon.
