I’m not insinuating that your internship sucks, though it probably does. Saying that internships suck is an unfair generalization, but for the most part it’s true. Most people that have not had the pleasure of being an intern usually make the assumption that “it can’t be that bad.” For those that have never been immersed in the world of internships, here’s exactly why it really is that bad.
The Future
Television and film portray interns as young, bright, and aspiring people with the world in front of them and their respective internships are the first step into their fields. Right? Wrong. Usually internships are just a means of developing quality work experience in a professional environment. Meaning that the internship you first work for may not be a part of your field of interest. In fact, it may be in a field you never considered before. It’s just to say that you had one.
The Work
You may need to go pick up some coffee each morning and print out numerous copies and get the dry cleaning and clean the bathroom and massage someone’s neck and do absolutely anything else that someone may come up with. The majority of your work will probably deal with the actual scope of the internship as described in your application. But the rest of it will be any (and every) odd job that your superiors can come up with that they chose to refrain from doing personally.
The Age Disparity
Unless the internship is for a youth-driven company or something like Google, it’s likely that everyone else will be significantly older than you. Make preparations to be asked questions about the new Playbox 5 or the iPhone 360. Trying to act older won’t help you either as your own youth will betray you when you’re caught browsing through Instagram in your spare time. Don’t act surprised when someone asks you how to upload an album to their computer.
The Pay
Given all the above, it would be nice to just deal with your co-workers and workload each day so that you can go home with a fresh, savory burrito bowl purchased with your own hard-earned money. Except the burrito bowl doesn’t exist, because you aren’t getting paid. Allegedly “the knowledge and experience garnered during your tenure” is payment enough. If knowledge was a feasible form of currency, why does college cost thousands of dollars? If experience was as valuable as they make it sounds then every keg stand should cover car insurance. Just saying.
The Bottom Line
Internships are the worst because they have to to be done these days. Just a few years ago you could be trust to handle working a spreadsheet without saying that you volunteered for a spreadsheet company for six months. In addition to stuffing your resume with actual paying jobs, life accomplishments, and academic accolades you need a bevy of internships to prove that you know how to work. It’s just one extra flake to an ever-growing snowball of obligations. Everyone before has done it, so now it;s time to earn your own due. No matter how much it actually sucks.
Copyright © 2014 University Primetime
