Strange Things I’ve Noticed At My New Internship
“A 22-year-old college graduate with no previous government leadership or security experience is now heading up a Department of Homeland Security terror prevention team.” – The Independent
All of the other interns already have decades of experience. Strange. I guess the job market is just in a rough place right now.
All of the other interns are really mean, and, dare I say, envious of me? For the life of me, I can’t understand why. Aren’t we all getting paid in “experience” and “the opportunity to gain valuable skills”?
On my first day, I was provided the nuclear codes. I mean, I’m fine with it, but it just seems like a lot of trust to put into an unpaid intern.
When I noted that this would be my first internship, my interviewer’s eyes lit up with joy. He then, over the remaining course of the interview, with a smitten smile on his face, would repeatedly and sporadically say, "Your very first. Huh."
I am working 18 hour shifts, seven days a week.
Without me even asking, my boss keeps assuring me that “EVERYONE”, not just me, is getting paid in experience and the opportunity to gain valuable skills. Interesting, because when I Google "average salary" for the position, it's not experience or the opportunity to gain valuable skills. I am 22 though, so I suppose I'm just paying my dues.
At the end of my interview, instead of having to wait to hear back in a few weeks, like I would expect for this position, I was hired on the spot. Right as I signed the contract I heard, “Shit, I’m down twenty dollars now. I didn’t think he’d actually do it.” Office banter?