Intern 101

When people find out that I have (3) internships and (1) volunteer experience under my belt, they raise their eyebrows in surprise.
"Really? You've been interning that long?"

Yes, folks. Really. I guess it would seem natural to have learned a few things along the way. First and foremost: I've learned that whoever said the economy was recovering is completely full of it. If you're a recent college grad, you viscerally felt the effects of the recession. I particularly have felt discouraged by the current state of affairs, and so I've put myself through the paces of internship after internship. Because internships = experience, and experience is what companies search for.

As an intern, you should 1) Expect to work. You will be expected to show up on time (if not early) and put in quality work  2) Expect to occasionally do menial work. (IE: I have on more than one occasion, fetched coffee.)  But you should also know that the perks of being an intern are the fact that your supervisor won't have to worry about maximizing your economic output considering you'll probably be doing 20 hours a week for free. You get an inside peek at how an organization functions without having to constantly worry about your performance and how you fit into the larger structure. Because you're not being paid, the stakes aren't as high and you can afford to be an interested observer.

I've learned that the key to success is being clear of what you seek before you go into the position. Do you want an experience? Do you want to reach a particular goal? Is this for your future career or solely for your own education?

Interning is probably the least graceful of all positions. But I have a feeling that if I want to get anywhere, this is the bottom rung I must start on. So. Who's up for internship #4?