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The Intern Playbook

The intern life has its perks. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Since working towards my 4 year engineering degree I’ve burned a few time outs to catch my breath, gain experience in the corporate world, and scheme a career strategy.

I’ve concluded that interning is a lot like a scrimmage. The purpose is to give the corporate leaders a glimpse of your skill set and insight to how you will react in real life situations. We all want to be successful, discover our passion, and land our dream job.

 

We play the intern game now to win later.

 

 As interns, we’re often thrown in the game without practice and are forced to rely on our own ethical judgment and analytical intuition. At first it feels like we’re wearing an oversized jersey and running around without any direction.  You walk into the office suited up…everyday… taking on new information, projects, and responsibilities until you eventually look down to find you’ve grown (a little) professionally.  When you place on that fitted jersey your performance and work ethic is representative of your school and most importantly, yourself.  Although company culture, markets, organizational structure, and industries are dissimilar…at the end of the day we’re all playing the same game. The rules of the workplace are established, however, as an intern there are chances to blow the whistle, pause, and turn mistakes into learning opportunities. As my summer comes to an end and I go back to school as a red-shirt senior, I want to hand down my intern playbook in hopes that you will play smart, learn from my blunders, and be drafted as a top recruit.

1.)    Smile. Most people would choose to spend time elsewhere… but you can’t. So be positive, thankful for an occasion to learn, and make the best of it!

2.)    Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Yes, that means the threads you wear to Tin Roof or Wine Wednesday should remain in the closet.

3.)    Find a mentor. Having an internal alliance, role model, and cheerleader is critical. Find someone trustworthy and honest.

4.)    Never get a speeding ticket in the company car. Oops. Been there, paid that.

5.)    Say “thank you”.  This is the 2^nd most powerful word combination in the work place. The first is “free food”.

6.)    When responding to a mass email, avoid hitting “Reply All”. Ain’t nobody got time for that. This is the quickest way to make you look like a newbie.

7.)    Take time to form a relationship. Even in the most analytical jobs, work is about people. Find a way to make a personal connection with your co-workers and let them know that you genuinely care about them. We are all human, even your boss.

8.)    Be professional.  Gossiping, over-sharing about your weekend adventures, stalking your friends and enemies on Instagram, allowing your “Sex and the City” ringtone to chime during a board meeting, taking two hour gal pal lunches, and bashing previous employers are all a fantastic way to make an impression! …and find yourself stagnant on the bottom rungs the corporate ladder.

9.)    Speak up. Your fresh, innovative, “Generation X” ideas are valuable.

10.) But…know your place. At the end of the day, you’re still an intern so don’t act like a know-it all, smarty pants, whiz kid, or as if you already received the Nobel Peace Prize. You’re effort in school is respected and the company already believes in you. Be humble- you’ll be in a full-time position soon enough.

-jpr

 

Faith Over Feelings

        As I sit poolside and place my thoughts on paper, I feel the sun beating on my freckled shoulders and breathe in the surprisingly refreshing scent of strawberry lemonade and excessive chlorine. Wafting the water, I’m convinced that any courageous swimmer would dive in with natural hair color and emerge as the hulk. 

Today I find myself in a “what have I gotten myself into” type mood after coming to the realization that I am accumulating more responsibility. Some of this responsibility, like career decisions, simply comes with age. Others expectations and obligations I voluntarily place upon myself.

Recently I took a short personality test that compiles many facts that I had known for years all into one unsettling blurb.

The results are in!

Type A: individual is ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, sensitive, truthful, impatient, always try to help others, take on more than they can handle, want other people to get to the point, proactive, and obsessed with time management.

Reading this makes me cringe. Although a few adjectives have a positive connotation, I identify some of my biggest personal struggles with items on this list.

As I think about this upcoming year and the commitments I’ve self-induced I instantly feel overwhelmed, ill-equipped, and certainly without any hulk-like super powers. I would refer to it as a mid-20’s crisis, but that would be too dramatic. Truthfully, I’m just having a case of doubt. 

We all experience doubt-even the most confident individuals.  As humans we doubt our decision making, leadership abilities, intelligence, physical abilities, etc.  Sometimes Mr. Doubt drops by for a visit and other moments he pitches a tent and sets up camp inside of our minds. While we all encounter adverse emotions, the way we react to them is unique.  

For me, I write. 
At times, like this, I share my thoughts. But usually they remain scribbled within a journal.

Writing forces me to pause and be still.

Every time I hear the same whisper.

You are enough.

But what does this mean? To me, it sings that I am loved for my imperfections, accepted even when I fail, and valued for being myself. Believing this, doubt has no choice but to hit the road and the need to seek approval of man is suppressed.

And so, I say the same to you.

You are enough.

Regardless of age, status, experience, personality, or history each of us have been strategically positioned to make a difference exactly where we are regardless of how unprepared and unworthy we may feel.

 So today I choose faith over feelings, trusting that I am intentionally placed in this great big world but most importantly I choose to have faith in myself because I know the One who has faith in me.

He is more than enough.

 

Life is Too Short To Drink Cold Coffee

Happiness in a mug. Coffee has become a necessity lately. There is something very soothing about the smell and the taste especially on a crisp, cool morning. As I've gotten older, I have grown to appreciate these rejuvenating sips even more. As much as I enjoy the aroma and caffeine buzz, I think I especially like the routine that is associated with this morning ritual. It's my time to sit, reflect, and prep for the demands of everyday life. As I begin checking my calendars, setting alarms, and scheduling next week's meetings, my mind begins to race and all of a sudden my peaceful morning has evaporated and just like the temperature of my K-cup coffee, the warmth of serenity escapes. 

Have you ever been around people who radiate happiness? The people who smile and genuinely care.  The individuals who are dancing even when chaos imposes and attempts to steal the show. People like this are rare. Perhaps that is why we are all drawn to them. It's as if the warmth of their coffee and the tenderness of their heart never cool. When I think of the people in my life who live this way, I realize that they are all tied together with a common thread. 

They live in the moment.

As I sit here reflecting, the same phrase continues to enter my mind. 

Be where you are.

These words seem palpable at first. Physically we're required to be where exactly where we are at a particular moment. However, our mental location seems to constantly drift between snap chats, text messages, responding to emails, checking if someone 'liked' your Instagram photo, and envisioning events that are six months away. This happens to me all the time, and I have a feeling that I'm not alone. We're physically in one location but forget to engage, cherish, and participate in the NOW because our mind is elsewhere. We live in the age of distraction that causes us to miss out on the opportunities that are within reach and lose our potential to radiate our own happiness. Ironically, our brightest futures hinge on our ability to pay attention to the present. 

So today as I begin spring break and brew (push the Keurig button) myself another cup of coffee, I choose to focus on my attention on a different type of assignment. 

 Be where you are.

jpr