OK, so that is not true at all, but I'm learning that you have to be a little creative [go figure] to "do what you want" as an intern. During the first week of my internship I was told by my team that that when in doubt- do, and if necessary- beg forgiveness later. So lately I've decided to adopt this philosophy. Here are some of the things I've figured out:
1. Casual dress is open to interpretation.
At UVA business casual was defined as nice, but not a suit- think khakis and a nice blouse. So on the first day of my internship that is exactly what I wore. After noting that some of the guys come to work in jeans, a t-shirt and Nikes, I decided to adjust accordingly. Lately I've even dared to slip some bermuda shorts into the mix. I mean come on, I'm an intern- I wear what I want.
2. Carry a Blackberry on vibrate at all times.
Thank goodness I had a Blackberry before starting this internship. A Blackberry in corporate America is the key to graduating from the kids table. Everyone in my office has their phones on them at all times and are constantly emailing back and forth [during meetings, lunch, conversations in the hall, in elevators]. So to blend in, I carry mine too. Of course there is the fact that my work email isn't even forwarded to my phone, but I've decided that my gmail and text messages are probably just as, if not more, important and deserve immediate attention.
3. Whenever possible, "Do lunch."
I just love being able to say, "Lets do lunch." While it is probably more beneficial to go to lunch with the people you work with, I find that it helps your status to show you have friends and a life outside the company. So whenever possible [aka I've done this twice], make it known that you have a lunch date at 12:30.
4. Schedule your own meetings.
Meetings with other interns can sound official if you forget to leave off the "intern" part. This also gives you some feeling of control over your day. As an intern you are pretty much required to stop what you are doing at the drop of a hat to carry out whatever task that has been thought up in the moment. If you enjoying having a clear idea of what lies ahead, "intern" is not the title you want. So to rebel against the system, take the steering wheel [the kind that come in Drivers Ed cars with the extra break pedals on the passenger side, of course], and tell them about your important meeting on the 3rd floor at 2:30.
5. Befriend the "little people."
Most go getters want to go straight to the top and become buddy buddy with the big wigs. I personally enjoying mingling with the behind the scenes people- the ones who secretly keep the company running on a day to day basis. I've found that these are the people who can make the not so glamourous intern duties, less painful. Knowing the secretaries saves you the trouble of wandering aimlessly squinting at name plates. Knowing the catering guys gets you the "give this girl a double" comment at the office happy hour. These may not be the people who will get me a job, but they are the people that help me survive the one I'm in.
6. Make your own hours.
I don't have a 9-5 job. In fact I don't technically have "hours" that I keep. I try to roll into work in the middle of the pack anywhere between 9:30-9:45, not the the first, but not the last. The problem is by the time 5pm rolls around, my brain has checked out, mostly due to inactivity. The first week I felt obligated to stay until 6ish along with the rest of my team, but lately I've been testing the waters and packing up around 5pm. I'm an intern, who needs more copies past 5pm?
7. Make "long-term" projects long-term.
Interns have brains the size of peas, at least that is the common conception. Most of the projects I've been assigned involve filing, copying, delivering, or organizing. Each of these projects has been labeled "long-term" by my employers. Being the overachiever that I am, I ignored this label. I finished each project with speed and accuracy, mainly because I figured the faster I finished them, the less time I would have to spend organizing and filing. It wasn't until recently that I caught on to the error of my ways. In any office, I'm sure there is an endless amount of mindless work just waiting to be tackled. No intern can finish that in a week... so heed my advice, when it comes to this sort of long-term project, take your time, because there is always more where that came from.
All of these lessons probably make me sound like a slacker, but I'm calling them what they are- survival tactics. As an intern, you are at the bottom of the totem pole, and you have to channel all of your inner strength, humor, and wit to climb your way up. But at the end of the day, you just have to realize- despite your intern status- sometimes you just got to do what you want.
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