This is a guest post written by Collin LaMothe. Currently, he interns for the Wellness Council of Indiana. He recently graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Creative and Professional Writing. He hopes to find a job where he can expand creativelyâtraveling, meeting new people, and writing about his own experiences.
My name is Collin LaMothe, and I am a cubicle intern.
This wasnât my first intern gig. When I was accepted at the Wellness Council of Indiana, I couldnât help but wonder what an out-of-shape guy like me was doing in an organization promoting health. I suppose it felt a little ironic, but my background in creative writing and design qualified me to lend some help with the main website redesign. So I signed-on for the summer, with the terms laid out plainly from day one. I was here to assist and, most importantly, renovate http://www.wellnessindiana.com before August came to a close. Now I mentioned above that this wasnât my first internship; I moonlighted as a software tester, glorified water boy, and personal filing device in a previous life, and honestly, I expected some of the same duties.
I figured the clichĂ© âget a coffee brewed in the morningâ would be my daily start-up position and office errands would be my physical activity. Much to my surprise, on the first day, my boss sat me down and laid out the details of my position. I was more the âtemporary employeeâ learning the ropes of higher business while providing a valuable service for the Wellness Councilâs continued growth and success. Rather than being told what I needed to do, I was given a pad of paper, a pen, some ideas and the assignment to come back when I had an idea to work with. So far, this internship hasnât been anything like I originally anticipated. What I am doing at the Wellness Council doesnât really feel like an internship; it feels like a real job.
Itâs my responsibility to generate content, come up with new layout designs, and propose ideas to help drive traffic and interest to the website itself. Iâm creating something of a physical artifact that I can point my finger at when an employer down-the-line asks for an example of my work. If I handle this job the way my boss wants, Iâll have the credit for boosting traffic and interest in the Wellness Council. What I create will remain a pivotal part of the program for as long as it works, and works well. Thereâs an inherent pride in creation I feel everyone needs to experience one day. A rush of satisfaction really puts the term âjob well-doneâ in framed perspective.
Maybe my experience is what an internship is supposed to be; it certainly feels more effective. Iâm not an expert on these matters, only throwing my hat into the ring for a few years now. But to those of you reading, I encourage you to seek value in all that you tackleâŠinternship or not. You never know who might be watching, and you may just like the feeling of going above-and-beyond the expectations you were hired for.
What unexpected experiences have you had in your internship?
