Internships are full of surprises and can be shrouded in mystery. We think we know what we are getting ourselves into, but often times, internships end up being completely different than we expected. Keep reading to unpack some common internship misconceptions and hopefully learn something along the way!
- Internships are “one size fits all.”
The entertainment industry has portrayed internships in movies, tv shows, novels, and basically every other publicly consumed medium. Growing up, I always thought that an internship was a highly coveted position that involved picking up coffee and dry cleaning. I now know that this isn’t necessarily the case. Some internships may involve balancing three trays of Starbucks drinks while running around making copies, but there are internships that involve video editing, phone banking, and even assisting in surgery. All internships provide immense amounts of career insight and experience, but they are a lot less formulaic than we are commonly led to believe.
- Asking questions will make you seem like “the stupid intern.”
There are a few damaging stereotypes that can surround the idea of the workplace intern: overworked, incompetent, annoying, and useless. These words couldn’t be farther from the truth when it comes to interns! Interns are some of the most engaged, thoughtful, and dedicated people in the business. The purpose of an internship is to LEARN. In order to do this, you have to ask questions and figure out the ins and outs of a workplace. There is a learning curve, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t qualified to be there. Asking questions doesn’t make you annoying, it makes you engaged and interested. Yes, you probably will be overworked, but hopefully in the best way possible. Don’t worry about the unfounded beliefs about your position, and go in each day willing to work your hardest and break down those unflattering stereotypes.
- Being an unpaid intern means that you aren’t qualified for a paid position.
Unpaid internships are still exist in the working world today. Although more companies are paying interns, unpaid opportunities are still a very common way to gain career experience, and often can lead to a paid position at a place of work. Many times, it seems an intern does the same amount (if not more!) work than an official employee. Just because you are not being paid to be there doesn’t mean that you aren’t valued. You had the skills to get the internship, and you will develop the skills to be employed in that field, if you don’t already have them. As much as employers benefit from having you there, you also benefit from taking an unpaid internship. Your internship is a time for you to learn about a prospective career path and decide if it’s right for you. You are there to gain experience and refine your career goals, and who knows, you might even end your internship with an official job offer!
- Interns are disposable, and if you mess up, you’re out.
While this may be true with some internships, the general truth is that the place that you are interning probably is in need of an intern and their primary role should be to teach you. Businesses use interns for a variety of purposes, and typically they are in need of an extra set of hands. They aren’t usually going to throw out that extra person just because some documents weren’t collated properly. It’s okay to make mistakes, and if you butcher something, it’s going to be fine, more often than not. Employers appreciate honesty and dedication, and they understand that sometimes mistakes happen. As long as you are up front about and understanding of what went wrong, it’s fairly likely that they will be too.
Finally, a fact about internships:
5. Interning is one of the best things you can do.
For better or for worse, internships provide incredible career experience. Even a “bad” internship can show you what you do and do not want from your future career and that is invaluable. Internships are full of learning opportunities, and you don’t only learn about jobs, you learn about yourself. Internships can be difficult and stressful, but you grow and evolve as an employee and person in the big working world. So next time you are offered an internship, go ahead and say yes! Your future self will be glad that you did.