For quite a while now over the course of my professional career, I've heard the word 'intern' thrown around quite a bit. Never before had I had the opportunity to have any, though -- until now. I was crazy nervous, and held off as long as I could, but my exec. director continued to encourage it and essentially made it 'must do' rather than a 'like to do.'
I've always been in the position of working entirely too hard for entirely too little money. The problem, however, has always been that I've never quite known just how much I'm worth. Once I did realize that, I switched jobs, moving from energy to non-profits.
Cue talk about loving your job, blah, blah, blah.
Where I currently work, everyone does a lot of everything, which is what I'm used to -- and really, it's how I thrive. But Director wants me to move into big picture thinking -- she says I'm all sorts of fantastic and sees me being able to lead a whole group of fresh-faced kiddos.
What's it say that I almost immediately thought of a legion of stone-faced zombies when she first said that? But I digress.
The long and short of it is this: I went through the process and secured some interns. One broad who was all up in my shit to get her started ended up no-showing me... and after I'd dragged in at 8a no less. Not ok. And *then* she went on vacation for 10 days. For serious.
But the two others have started and are fantabulous. And I'm moving into... well, I'm not sure just yet. I'm not used to having a job whose results are intangible; I don't know how easy an adjustment that will be. I'm a writer -- I write something and at the end of the day, have something to hand over. As the interns get comfortable, I'll give them more responsibility, and soon enough I'll be focused on strategery and 3-5 year plans and blah, blah, blah.
Is that what they call management? I have 'manager' in my title, so I suppose it makes sense.
I guess I'm all growed up. Or at least getting there. Weird.
I've always been in the position of working entirely too hard for entirely too little money. The problem, however, has always been that I've never quite known just how much I'm worth. Once I did realize that, I switched jobs, moving from energy to non-profits.
Cue talk about loving your job, blah, blah, blah.
Where I currently work, everyone does a lot of everything, which is what I'm used to -- and really, it's how I thrive. But Director wants me to move into big picture thinking -- she says I'm all sorts of fantastic and sees me being able to lead a whole group of fresh-faced kiddos.
What's it say that I almost immediately thought of a legion of stone-faced zombies when she first said that? But I digress.
The long and short of it is this: I went through the process and secured some interns. One broad who was all up in my shit to get her started ended up no-showing me... and after I'd dragged in at 8a no less. Not ok. And *then* she went on vacation for 10 days. For serious.
But the two others have started and are fantabulous. And I'm moving into... well, I'm not sure just yet. I'm not used to having a job whose results are intangible; I don't know how easy an adjustment that will be. I'm a writer -- I write something and at the end of the day, have something to hand over. As the interns get comfortable, I'll give them more responsibility, and soon enough I'll be focused on strategery and 3-5 year plans and blah, blah, blah.
Is that what they call management? I have 'manager' in my title, so I suppose it makes sense.
I guess I'm all growed up. Or at least getting there. Weird.
1 comment:
What you need to do is have a "devil wears prada" attitude and put them through hell... they'll love you in the long run.
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