= The life of a lowly intern had the honor of interning at one of the city’s leading news publications at the end of my two-year journalism diploma program. A few hundred articles, a bit of luck, a lot of words, and 12 months later and I’m now working there full-time as a staff writer, partially overseeing the newest crop of journalism graduates as they start their own internships. To say that I learnt a lot in the four weeks | spent on the bottom rung a year ago would be an understatement, but it’s only now that I’ve experienced both sides of the system that I’ve really gotten a grip on how internships work, and exactly how to turn them into full-time employment. So listen close, students, because this information could come in handy a few months down the line. No matter what career you're hoping to find yourself in, most students will find themselves in an intern-like position shortly after graduation. While it’s definitely not the most impressive position to have on your business card (please oh please don’t get business cards while interning) internships are an extremely valuable way Rm 1020 — 700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2 & 604.525.3542 Chandler Walter Editor-in-Chief M editor@theotherpress.ca Kwiigay iiwans Layout Manager M layout@theotherpress.ca Jake Wray News Editor © news@theotherpress.ca Jessica Berget Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca Mercedes Deutscher Social Media Coordinator M multimedia@theotherpress.ca ib }* ba 5 jo ' to prove your worth to the right people. The truth of the matter is that most of your superiors are not going to be all that invested in the work youre up to. I was lucky enough to intern at a place that allowed me to write my own articles, but I have heard some horror stories about interns being used solely to deliver coffee. If the place youre working at isn’t giving you work that flexes the skills you've studied, or doesn't have you, you know, actually learning anything, it may be time to let your professors know about the situation. If you are put on actual work, there are a few things to keep in mind as you go about your business, and rule number one is to keep yourself from becoming an annoyance. This means keeping the questions short and to the point, taking it into your own hands to figure out (certain) problems as they show up, and only chiming in on the office discussion if youre positive that a joke is going to land/a piece of information is important to share. Workers spend a serious portion of their lives in their offices, and the last thing they want is an added annoyance buzzing around the space. @ theotherpress.ca M editor@theotherpress.ca ¥ © /theotherpress f/DouglasOtherPress Rebecca Peterson Assistant Editor M assistant@theotherpress.ca Lauren Kelly Graphics Manager Mi graphics@theotherpress.ca Caroline Ho Arts Editor © arts@theotherpress.ca Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor M lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Klara Woldenga Humour Editor WM humour@theotherpress.ca a 2 4a £ a Asking for feedback is good, but actually learning from it is even better. Internships usually last for only a month or two, so higher-ups might not consider it worth their time to ensure that you've actually got everything down pat. Sometimes it’s quicker for them to just fix up your work themselves than it is to explain exactly what you did wrong, but if you can prove that you'll act on those criticisms, they'll likely appear more often—making you better at the job in the long run. Ultimately, it’s making the job easier for those above you that will put you in their good books. Don’t seem too eager. It might sound a little counterintuitive, but one of the most unattractive things you can do in an internship is beg for a position once your time is up. Schedule a professional meeting with your immediate superior (even in “professional meeting” means going for a coffee one afternoon) to havea serious discussion about your prospects in the company once the internship is done. Sometimes they may not have an opening at the time, but that doesn’t mean that the door is shut forever—and it’s important to know when it might be open next. I spent a few months freelancing at the end of my internship. As soon as some staff members went on vacation and a temporary, part-time position opened up, I was the person they called. I did that for another few months before being offered full-time. While the freelancing pay wasn't all that consistent (when is it ever?), I took whatever jobs they offered me, because I knew being someone they could rely on was what would lead to that eventual phone call. Organizing, training, and supervising interns is work, so doing everything you can to minimize that work, along with creating quality content, is what will keep you around in the long run. Cheers, Ch Me Wale Chandler Walter (Y The Other Press has been Douglas Angela Ho Business Manager Jacey Gibb Distribution Manager Lauren Kelly Graphics Manager Elizabeth Jacob Production Assistant Cara Seccafien Illustrator Colten Kamlade Staff Reporter Greg Waldock, Jillian McMullen, and Katie Czenczek Staff Writers Analyn Cuarto Staff Photographer Jerrison Oracion, Ed Appleby, Veronnica MacKillop Senior Colomnists Jason Gokho Ing, J. Savage, Eric Beaudoin, Megan Jewell Contributor College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We are a registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.