Internships... is/was yours as pointless as mine?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
L

LOLyourFace

Banned
Jun 1, 2002
4,543
0
0
Hello, I'm a senior at Umass double majoring in Management & Marketing

I'm currently the marketing/creative services intern @ necn.com. At my first day I felt somewhat prestigous to be accepted as their intern, it's a famous local channel for New England area and regional stars such as Billy Costa (from Kiss 108 morning show) is a regular in one of our shows called TV Diner.

I was boasting to my friends as I was very excited for the learning opportunities & experiences I'd be exposed to and everyone was happy for me. And there was my first day about 5 weeks ago, it was cool to see the news network in action in live: reporters running around constantly in the newsroom, live camera men in action, the actual filming of show segments, gadgety master control rooms and much more.

The duty I was given on my first day was to respond to emails that the show TV Diner gets. The emails consists of constructive feedbacks, restaurant suggestions for review and entering to become a TV Diner for a day. Now these all seem fun at first but it is extremely tedious and redundant in nature and that's all I have been doing for past 5 weeks PLUS some pointless errands that both the director and I know it is indeed pointless besides to consume my internship time.

And today I figured it out for 100% sure without any doubt that I really didn't have a point being here nor did they have any structured program for me. I'm just basically a gopher here doing absolutely nothing! And believe me, if my work contributes to the company I'd be more than happy to be their gopher but the work I've been provided to do are utterly pointless.

what I'm doing today: I was given a task to oraganize any newspaper articles that mention the NECN network themselves. The director pulls out a stash of messy newspaper batch from her drawer and tells me to scotch tape them onto 11 x 8 printing papers for better organizing.
rolleye.gif


She is very very polite and well-mannered. She is also very busy as well, which I understand. But it is evident that I am here without any purpose. I'm very enthusiastic and hard working and have been to this internship as well. She and I both know that except we also know that the stuff I do here is something she just came up with from head about 5-10 mins before my arrival each friday morning.

*It is an unpaid internship,
*I do not get any credit from my college from this because my course load is already sufficient. (graduating this spring)
*However, my original intention was to gain personal experience and knowledge in the 'real world' out there for self-benefit.
*But in reality,I drive 45 mins to be here, do crap then leave. Learn nothing.


---what do YOU do in your internship? Are they supposed to be as retarded as mine?
 
L

LOLyourFace

Banned
Jun 1, 2002
4,543
0
0
Originally posted by: Elemental007
That's what you get for an unpaid internship.
Click to expand...

shouldn't it be the other way?

paid internship: crappy because u get paid anyways, ppl become ignorant of your purpose.
unpaid: therefore unpaid is supposed to emphasize on true working experience, etc at the cost of no pay.

apprently not
 
R

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Have you tried sitting down with them and asking them for more responsibilities/duties? You could say that you don't feel that you are challenged enough in your current role/position. You're just doing administrative support/assistant crap, which doesn't help your resume much.
 
bigdog1218

bigdog1218

Golden Member
Mar 7, 2001
1,674
2
0
For my co-op, which i get paid for, i'm researching metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy, or MOMBE, and growing MgO films on GaAs
 
L

LOLyourFace

Banned
Jun 1, 2002
4,543
0
0
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Have you tried sitting down with them and asking them for more responsibilities/duties? You could say that you don't feel that you are challenged enough in your current role/position. You're just doing administrative support/assistant crap, which doesn't help your resume much.
Click to expand...

I don't know how to break this to her though... Imagine, just interrupt in her busy schedule and say you suck at teh internship?
 
F

fumbduck

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2001
4,349
0
76
I had an internship at NASA. Looks GREAT on all applications, AND i got paid pretty darn good.

I think its worth it if you can handle it.
 
F

Feldenak

Lifer
Jan 31, 2003
14,090
2
81
I'll let you know if mine is as pointless as yours...I'm still searching for an internship for next summer. :)
 
B

beer

Lifer
Jun 27, 2000
11,169
1
0
Originally posted by: LOLyourFace
Originally posted by: Elemental007
That's what you get for an unpaid internship.
Click to expand...

shouldn't it be the other way?

paid internship: crappy because u get paid anyways, ppl become ignorant of your purpose.
unpaid: therefore unpaid is supposed to emphasize on true working experience, etc at the cost of no pay.

apprently not
Click to expand...


No, because the company spends nothing for you. You do not have to be efficient or do anything, so they just have you do crap to 'occupy' you without having to spend any time teaching or otherwise educating you.
 
D

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
81
quit

unpaid
pointless
no experience
empty resumer filler, when you explain that you did jack squat


I cant believe youve been there for 5 weeks
 
C

CanOWorms

Lifer
Jul 3, 2001
12,404
2
0
I thought most management, marketing, etc. internships were mostly unpaid things. I thought you had to crawl your way up or find a lucky break to get a job in those fields.

No offense, but look at your majors and where you go to college... did you expect something grand?
 
F

Feldenak

Lifer
Jan 31, 2003
14,090
2
81
Originally posted by: CanOWorms
I thought most management, marketing, etc. internships were mostly unpaid things. I thought you had to crawl your way up or find a lucky break to get a job in those fields.

No offense, but look at your majors and where you go to college... did you expect something grand?
Click to expand...

Let me guess...you are/were an engineering major?
 
A

alm4rr

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
4,390
0
0
hrmm - mine was fine

got 3 credits for 12 hours a week, paid $10/hr, played some office paper basketball, drank, and took 1.5 hr lunch breaks.

ah good times.........
:)
 
C

CanOWorms

Lifer
Jul 3, 2001
12,404
2
0
Originally posted by: Feldenak
Originally posted by: CanOWorms
I thought most management, marketing, etc. internships were mostly unpaid things. I thought you had to crawl your way up or find a lucky break to get a job in those fields.

No offense, but look at your majors and where you go to college... did you expect something grand?
Click to expand...

Let me guess...you are/were an engineering major?
Click to expand...

Yes, but I'm not heaping praise upon engineering or sciences. I had friends in these areas and I'm just repeating what they told me. They said a lot of these types of internships were unpaid, where you went was really important, etc.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
I had a nice internship.

$13 an hour. 35 hours a week for work. Got to use it for a total of 8 hours of credit at 4.0 GPA points per hour. Led me to a full time position that paid me $35,000 a year for working 12 days a month.

Woo!
 
D

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
12,985
1
81
I am glad that I had an internship with ssb. the second largest brokerage firm in US. oh...I was junior in hs when I had that and I got paid $8.5/hr too. it wasn't that pointless, but it depends what position you do. I landed in the account devision and it was boring. But at least mine was better than yours.
 
C

CrazyDe1

Diamond Member
Dec 18, 2001
3,089
0
0
If I had a pointless internship I'd sit and post topics with every excuse possible to post a pic of my girlfriend...I think it might make my days worthwhile:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom