Monday, July 31, 2006
Who Needs Benefits When You Get Intern Luncheons?
Hello, my name is Marcus, and I'm a professional intern.(In unison, "Hi Marcus!")
I think I have a problem.
I'm addicted to internships.
It started the summer after my senior year of high school.
I never had a job before because I used the excuse that I was too busy with school. But with college right around the corner, I figured it would be a good time to get a start on my resume.
I landed an internship with Warner Brothers Animation, in the Human Resources Department.
Talk about boring.
And at $7.50 an hour, I thought I was hot stuff.
That internship led to another internship the following summer at ESPN which eventually led to me spending the next three summers with the Worldwide Leader in various departments throughout three different states.
Before I knew it, I was taking semesters off from school (Sports Illustrated) and ignoring doctor's orders (Denver Post) to take internships.
Fast forward to 2006 and I'm entering my 10th month at my eighth different internship since I graduated high school. Currently I'm at BV and this has been my longest stint at any one place, and also my most hands-on internship where I have felt I have made the most impact because of the small staff.
But my internship mindset has gotten to the point where I turned down a full time job with the largest sports media giant in the world to stay as a intern.
Is there really such a thing as a professional intern?
Before people start going "Nig, is you crazy?" there were a couple of reasons why I turned down the offer.
The biggest one being that I still have three semesters before I receive my degree. That combined with the salary and I determined school wasn't important enough to throw away for what was being offered.
But are there times where it pays to be an intern making a steady salary and getting great experience instead of having a steady low paying job doing entry level work? continue...
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I know all to well about being a professional intern. I've had, gasp, 10. now when your internships hit the double digits, you know it's time to get a job. But I've been offered fantastic internships (and sucky jobs). I figure a year at #10 is better than a lifetime at #85 any day of the week!
I want to get into sports journalism and dream of working at ESPN. Do you have any tips for students who are trying to land an internship with ESPN? Thanks.