10 things I learnt as an intern
'Work smart' is rule number one when it comes to interning
At some companies ‘intern’ is just a word for ‘sastay mazdoor’ or cheap labour. So interns, you should be glad if you’re given some decent work to do. Or else, you might have to go pick up pastries from the bakery for a newly promoted employee.
Here are a few facts I learned during my internship
1. The photocopier is your best friend.
2. Cafeteria food will always taste bland and yet there will be a mad dash for biryani every Friday.
3. While interning, nine to five will be the only time you will get to do your home work, assignments and quiz preparation.
4. The boss will ‘always’ notice you when you’re texting and ‘never’ when you’re working.
5. The stipend is just never enough to cover the food/transport costs.
6. The end of internship report will be a big pain in the derriere.
7. There is always an exceptionally cute 50-year-old uncle wearing suspenders and glasses on your floor with a food baby going into its seventh month.
8. Be punctual. Never have I appreciated the importance of being punctual but when I get up at 1 o’clock sharp for lunch and 5 o’clock to head home.
9. Look busy do nothing. Honing this super-useful skill helps you get appreciative looks from your boss even when all you’re doing is secretly typing a blog at your office computer!
10. I have found seating plays an important role in how you are treated. If you sit near the boss then viola! People will automatically take you for the new boss. But, if you have the sad misfortune of finding yourself wedged between two cubicles, then even the peon won’t hesitate to tell you to stay out of his way when he does his ‘work’.
Regardless of all the light-hearted talk, I actually enjoy interning. My next internship starts the coming Monday!
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.
Here is to hoping your new boss is smart enough to take this piece with a chuckle.Recommend
Great article funny yet realistic this actually happens I know as I’m currently interning at Attock Refinary Limited Morgah Rawalpindi.Recommend
I volunteered at AKU last year. Man, I totally understand what you’re going through. It was hell. It was fun, yet it was a hell lot of work.Recommend
something tRue….Recommend
ah…my internship gave me free transport and yummy food..but no time for assignments or ‘other’ work:)Recommend
Nice.This will help all the future iternies as they keep all this in thier mind,Recommend
Nice…based on the reality and fact oof every internyRecommend
I must say.. your interning at the wrong company then..
My interning experience was really good! and nothing like this…Recommend
Where did you intern? Another attempt to get some publicity. I think you should write for fail blog rather than Express?Recommend
Excellent effort, Sumbul Ateeq.Recommend
Great Work done Sumbul…Your mom will be really very proud of you…Thumbs up!!
JunaidRecommend
@..Thanx for this wonderful piece of information !!Recommend
same happend to me when i was interning in hum tv’s music channel OYE…. they used to ask me to go and fill their thermos with bottles and the despensir was at the end of the floor, they asked me to copy pics from internet and to make fake budgets, nothing productive they gave me, and after 2 months they said me yew can go home we dont need yew, and all my saved pocket money was spent in food and fuel, i had a terrible experience thereRecommend
thats sound so true ..i am the parctical doer of it as i face it all but still u enjiy n learn all from all these
intership crap;DRecommend
A sense of humor like this will take you long ahead in life inshaAllah… Provided ur boss has the same too ….Recommend
This is so true.Recommend
@ everyone who cant take a chuckle
My mom has commented on my blog and she happens to have no issue with it :)
If u want to read a serious topic might I suggest NOT reading the life and style page? Coz that’s usually where people write light hearted things you know. Just saying :)
Learn to take a breather jeeez. Btw I never said I don’t like interning. I happen to mention I enjoy it AND learn too :)Recommend
Vienna,10-07-2011
Interne Subul, almost 56 years ago when I was an interne I learned they take your work
so seriously all load of work is on you.The stipend you get is your Bakshish.Do you
deserve a salary as a free student? I was given no time whatever for my ten point duty
set you identified.
–Kulamarva BalakrishnaRecommend
Nice blog….. but please confirm spellings before using french words to make your writing look more chic.Recommend
Not to mention the lustful glances that men cast on female interns…..Recommend
@Sarmad Zia Murad….Thanx for this wonderful piece of information !!Recommend
Very well written Sumbul, i really liked the way you have added humour:)Recommend
Goodluck getting a job in your next internship..just hope they don’t read thisRecommend
i have been intern with telenor and they really utilize their interns. one of the most professional organization in pakistan. i miss my internship days there :)Recommend
I read online novels, articles to keep my self busy when there is no ‘work’….its the best way to look busy without getting yourself bored to deathRecommend
OMG OMG OMG!!!! Sumbulll i totally get you … I have been interning for the last two months and it is exactly how you put it… DOnt worry we’ll get through this by hook or by the crook.. Keep smilling and working hard like always. Keep Writing Much Love Hasan!Recommend
i m currently doing intern at askari bank and i m enjoying alot…there is nothing for me to do.. all i have to do is just get myself busy in any kind of stuff……so i’m enjoy’n it .. :)Recommend
Alright, it’s nice to see that you realy learnt something :)Recommend
and how about the farewell party? you never mentioned that… :(Recommend
On my first day at internship my boss sent me to collect IP addresses of all the PC’s on the floor. Had to goto each individual PC’s to fetch em – I was lucky that photocopier wasnt functioning during my time at office.Recommend
Nice experience u shared :) Ok, im having a bit hard time digesting that my internship has been arranged at Beaconhouse Alevel campus, although im doing my BBA. my internship starts in a few days, im NOT sure if thats a good internship since ive JUST done my semester 1. But luckily my friend has got in mobilink and i feel left out.
u might suggest me some tips if im taking a positive approach in this matter on not.Recommend
@UMAIR:
Can u please guide me what was ur applying procedure in Telenor? i’d appreciate if u guide. :)Recommend
how to apply for internships?Recommend
@OZ:
how did u apply at askari bank/?Recommend
This is very true. Especially the fact about texting.
Also another thing I learn’t as an intern was that the person actually in charge of you hardly gives you any work while some other random officers hand you their own stacks of papers to put in order.Recommend
Very well written Sumbul Ateeq and all of this actually stands true!!Recommend
Hahahaha great article with fun. Thank you for telling your life experience as a internee this will helps us when we join as a interneeRecommend
An internship where you actually do work (which is relevant to your field and interest) is hard to come by, and when it does come by, my experience says that they will work your butt off!
BUT if its something good, interesting, and has future prospect, then i suggest that one should pour all his effort into it, for it will benefit him in the future….Recommend
i agree that this is exactly what happens…. and the worst thing is that if you opt for engineer as your career then you get internship in an industry that is very far from your house… it will take around one and half an hour to travel from your place to the workplace!!!!Recommend
I’m surprised you managed to learn 10 things at your internship. Most internships are like that unfortunately.
We always make sure not to do this with the internees at Warid, which is the organization I work at. Internees are always made to do relevant and useful work.Recommend
Haha.. Some parts are so totally true. I am reading blogs and replying to them from my office where I am currently interning :D
I am done with all the work that I could possibly do. And I am all free right now. Somebody please suggest what should one do when he has no office or university assignments to make? Even facebook and twitter do not work here :(Recommend
@Seema:
haha read up on something! i always have a book or my ipod on me for times like these!
btw, im replying from my intrernship too ALTHOUGH i have work to do :DRecommend
That’s what actually i am doing right now.. reading articles, blogs and news while interning :DRecommend
1,5 and 9 are always true, but she missed out, the internship will teach you hwo to make a good cup of tea/coffee, and look busy when waiting for someone to have the time to tell you what to do.Recommend
I somewhat agree with your article that interns are being used as cheap labor at some organizations where they have to do all tedious work but for what i have experienced is totally different. In all my internships i have been involved in some projects or any kind of professional work.
Its all about the organization you are interning at, so its an advice to always select an organization which has proper summer internship program, its better if you find project based internship and if you are an MBA student, internships do help at the time of your recruitment. So take it seriously!
CheersRecommend
I interned at ENGRO and the only thing which mattered there was how you could suck upto your bosses. A fail company ENGRO.Recommend
haha i enjoyed reading it. sarcastic yet true :)Recommend
Sumbullll, blog shlog. mashAllahh =P
haha, I really enjoyed reading this. My previous internship was the SAME, just as you described it. But Alhamdulillah the one I’m doing currently is beyond amazing, I actually feel like an employee there and dread the time when my internship will end.so yayy. =DRecommend
@Mastishhk
ur welcome but i can’t see how the infromation i gave could be helpful to youRecommend
@Mastishhk:
i dont get the point of you thanking either!Recommend
@ Sumbul….Nice Blog Sumbul…The “Thank U ) was for Sarmad Zia Murad….Just who is interested in where he works ??????
@ Sarmad Zia Murad..Sorry Dear, the idea is not to make fun of you …but i think the info was pointless !!!Recommend
:)Recommend
Lol i know no one cares but i have no idea why u pinpointed me while there are many other posts which have taken names of the organizations where they work.Recommend
The bigger the organisation, less important interns are. But I have been lucky, I have done 2 internships at Colgate Palmolive and GSK. Both went gr8. Actually it depends alot on ur boss and also being Proactive helps. Actually you have to get after your boss to get the work. If you seem okay with the current work, your boss will never give u productive work.
Companies usually hire interns as a formality or for a specific project One of my friends, working in Meatone is working on a real project like the employees.
So interning at a smaller company is good but the problem is we always try to go for big MNC’s which do not even care about our presence. so next time u choose a company choose wisely and if u r not satisfied, do talk to your boss.Recommend
Hahah xD This list will come in handy for me when I do my internship!Recommend
LBDN skill iz really awesome. I m using this since two n half year and have to use for few months more.Recommend
I do hope that someday you get a shot at GlaxoSmithKline; of the 7 corporations I’ve been at (4 internships, 3 jobs), I’ve never treated with as high regard, respect and value as GSK Pakistan granted. Good luck on the current one :)Recommend
Always keep your distance from Bill Clinton.Recommend