Fetching Coffee & Six Other Myths About Internships
As a college student, interning had to be the single most important aspect of launching my career. I worked all summer, fall, and spring for next to nothing with the hope that it would land me the position of my dreams. In some form it definitely did, but there are plenty of myths we’ve all heard about when it comes to interning. Here are my top seven:
1. Landing an internship will get you the job
Great, you landed an internship a semester before graduation. You’re ready to hit the ground running, hoping your boss will recognize how great of a candidate you are, and eventually hire you. This scenario sounds good, but unfortunately, it doesn’t happen as often as people think. I’ve interned at plenty of places throughout college, and guess what? None of them hired me after graduation. Not getting hired at the end of your internship doesn’t mean you didn’t do a good job, but maybe they’re fully staffed or feel you might do better in a different environment. Always have a plan B, C, and D!
2. You’ll fetch coffee
This has to be the biggest myth of them all! I’ve interned for both large media networks and small stations, and I have never been summoned to fetch coffee. To be completely honest, my internships in the media business were way too intense for my supervisors to assign me to coffee duty. Now, that’s not to say you’ll never be casually asked to so, but if you’re at an internship fetching coffee more than you’re learning the actual business, you might need to reconsider whether or not that company is truly there to help you or babysit you.
3. Interns don’t have a voice
If you act like an intern, you’ll get treated like an intern. Companies are always looking for something new, and as an intern, you have something new to offer! Don’t be afraid to pitch ideas and suggest new things. Even if your idea doesn’t pan out, your efforts to contribute will leave a lasting impression.
4. Buying your boss gifts will get you the job
No one likes a suck up. As a professional who was once an intern, and has managed several, I don’t see how an intern buying me gifts and bringing me breakfast will qualify them for a job. Gifts are nice, but an intern that can make themselves an asset by putting the lessons they’ve learned into practice is even better!
5. You have to work for free
Having an internship doesn’t mean you have to work for free. Now, this is still a relatively new concept. Most companies aren’t paying interns, but believe me, these opportunities are out there! As a sophomore I was paid $15 per hour at an internship I took in Los Angeles. It was my first big company internship that was paid and it forever changed how I moved and where I decided to take my talents. After that summer I made it my businesses to look into internships that showed they valued their interns by paying them. Gaining real-world experience is paramount, but interns gotta eat too!
6. Higher paying internships = Better Experience
Since we’re on the topic of money, while snagging a paid internship would be a dream come true, that doesn’t mean it’s particularly the cream of the crop. I found that the best and most useful experience I gained came from internships that paid minimum wage or nothing at all. One summer I found myself turning down an internship willing to pay me $19 per hour for another one that paid only $400…at the end of the summer! A tough decision, but a decision that I never regretted.
7. Only big name internships matter
In the television industry, and probably many many others, most professors and mentors will tell you to go for the big company internships. While those are great, and you should definitely go after them, internships at small companies matter just as much. Sometimes, even more. The problem I find with big company internships is that there’s a lot of “red tape” when it comes to what interns can and can’t do. Most of the time you end up shadowing for liability reasons. The great thing about smaller companies is that you actually have the chance to get your hands dirty, make mistakes, and master your craft. Future employers tend to recognize that when looking at your resume and can see that as a plus!
What’s your dream internship? Comment and share below!
