As summer rolls around, corporate offices, state capitols and other workplaces have become full of interns looking to build their resume, find a job and gain useful work experience. The past three summers I have been an intern for two government offices, one on the local and the other on the congressional level. All three experiences have been radically different, but all have had the same result: preparing me for my first real job.
Internships are supposed to enrich one’s skills and interest in the field they are active in. There might be days where you’re what I call a “coffee intern” and there will be other days where you’ll have experiences that are life-changing or help you kind of navigate what you want to do in your path through life.
My first internship in a local government office helped me figure out how an office shouldn’t operate. My first internship was in a dysfunctional office that led me to kind of figure out on my own what needed to be done each day without guidance. Dysfunction taught me to be a self-starter and realize that even in an office with experienced individuals I had to be self-governing so that I ensured that my time was used productively.
My last two internships in a congressional office have been instrumental in developing my personal beliefs when it comes to a workplace and what it means to be part of a team. The staff that I’ve worked with have been great, helping me acclimate to an office environment while providing opportunities to get out of the office.
These real world, out of office experiences allow interns to feel like full staff members. These kinds of opportunities are integral for an internship and a company is not doing right by an intern if they do not provide opportunities for the intern to get out and have new experiences rather than being stuck in the four walls of their office.
A great, even profitable, benefit to internships is the possibility of making a connection that jumpstarts your career. As an intern, you must be memorable especially when it comes to finding connections that can help you in the advancement of your career.
I’ve been in meetings where at the end of the meeting, I was handed a business card and was told to call if I ever wanted an office tour or come in for an interview. The reason was simply that I showed up. Interning shows other offices that you’re willing to put the effort in and be dedicated. Showing up demonstrates to them upon the first impression you would be a valuable asset to an office.
The greatest deterrent to students enjoying their internship is an idea that four to six weeks in an office will lead to some form of change in the world. I have done this myself and I think that interns often overestimate the impact they’re going to have in a short time.
Internships, in my opinion, are more about assisting the office and showing in office your work in that office and how it would be advantageous to have you as a full-time member of that establishment. Applicants need to understand that for every office and open internship there could be 10 or more applicants for the same internship, all with very similar resumes and grades.
So, when you are given an opportunity to intern in an office no matter how long you’re in the office, you always have to give 110%.
