Journal Essay Assignment - Question #5

5) What information or advice would you give to next year's interns, to help them be better prepared and better able to perform well during their internships?

Talk. Talk all the time, and to everyone. You never know where or from who you'll pick up a tidbit about the business that you can't learn in a book.

I would also suggest doing as much research into possible internships as possible. I did my best, and still found myself interning at home. If they truly want a NYC internship, it is entirely possible, it just involves a world of effort and self-promotion. I didn’t mind settling at home, as my priorities were saving money at the moment, and NYC was not an option that would fit with me this time around. I also believe that research is necessary, otherwise a student may find themselves serving coffee and not actually doing anything pertaining to their subject of study. I realized after interviewing at NYLON Magazine that I would not be doing anything for photography, but rather calling a lot of people and making lists… aka nothing like what I would want to do all summer. Yes a NYC internship would have looked great on my resume, but let’s be honest – if I wanted to work for someone else, maybe I would have cared about my resume rather than content. In personal experience, learning how to run and manage my own business means more to my clients than a byline on a piece of paper.