#intern tips

Development intern Rachel Sacks has composed this blog post for what to do when you’ve been picked as an intern and want to make the best of networking possibilities. Check it out!

MAKING CONNECTIONS AS AN INTERN

I’m not gonna lie—working at NPR Headquarters is exciting. Voices you’ve only heard on the air suddenly become associated with bodies, and Tiny Desk concerts become a regular part of your schedule, and. NPR news is streamed live in the elevators (and bathrooms). The most exciting part of working at NPR, however, is access to the brilliant, knowledgeable, and kind folks all throughout the building.  My strongest recommendation during your time here is to reach out as much as possible and learn from people you might not get to meet otherwise. These are my tips for making the most of creating connections.

BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL—BUT NOT TOO SQUEAKY Put yourself out there. Seriously, reach out to people that you’ve never met before but want to get to know, and if they don’t respond just stop by their desk or send a follow-up email. I truly believe that respectful persistence is the driving force to achieving goals, and sometimes it really is necessary when the person you want to meet also needs to cover breaking news or has a podcast production deadline or simply isn’t the most timely responder to non-emergency emails. This doesn’t mean get in the way of their work (also known as being too squeaky), but it does mean that it can be very worth your time to gently remind them that you’re interested in their work and getting to know them.

MAKING THE COLD EMAIL WARM With so many emails filling inboxes, it’s important to make your introductory message has some charm. As tempting as it might be to send something along the lines of “HI OMG I LOVE YOU HOW CAN I BE LIKE YOU,” it’s really best to avoid that path—especially because the reality is that this is an office space and not the front row of a Beyoncé concert. First, calmly introduce yourself, and mention what you admire about their work. Then, explain why exactly you want to meet with them, and be as specific and personal as possible. Maybe you want to learn a certain skillset, or they cover specific topics in a field you want to enter. Finally, THANK THEM. Keep it concise, keep it personal, and keep it in your inbox so that when they respond you can save the email chain forever as a souvenir of the amazing connections you made at NPR.  

FAME ISN’T EVERYTHING Make sure not to limit yourself to the big names at NPR. As cool as it might feel to tell your friends that you chatted with some of the most famous names in radio, there are so many interesting folks in a variety of departments that are worth getting to know. When I wanted to learn more about the Hidden Brain podcast, I reached out to Tara Boyle, the supervising producer whose name wasn’t familiar to me. She was wonderful to talk with and taught me so much about Hidden Brain’s production. She even invited me to one of the team meetings so I could get a better idea of what working on a podcast looks like. From finance, to development, to audio, to music, the building is filled with so many folks to learn from. 

WONDROUS WALK-ABOUTS At least once a day, I get up from my desk and walk around the building. I find this especially useful since my department (Development) isn’t in the newsroom, so I take this time to get to know the ins and outs of the various news desks and podcasts downstairs. I get to know where the offices are of people I want to meet and observe the lively conversations happening in every corner of the room. I find this essential to learning more about the structure of NPR and the different jobs at play—giving me a better idea of what skills I want to gain, and who I want to meet with and learn from.  I also take this opportunity to chat with the interns I pass and learn about the work that they’re doing. I’ve made connections that way too! While chatting one day with Dayana Mustak, the How I Built This intern, she introduced me to Guy Raz, former correspondent at NPR and current host of three NPR podcasts. This is a perfect example of when I got to know a fellow intern, learned a bit about her job and the making of a podcast, and got to meet the host too!

NATIONAL PUBLIC HAPPY HOUR My favorite people at NPR are the interns. The interns at NPR are friendly, easygoing, and ambitious, and they make the internship extra fabulous. Spend time with interns. Eat lunch together. Talk about projects and collaborate together. Go to happy hour together—a D.C trend and a great way to get discounted food and drinks while getting to know new friends! It is so fortunate to have a large group of people ready to have fun both at work and in the streets of D.C!

Here are a few examples of when these tips have led to successful connections for fellow NPR interns!

KEVIN GARCIA - diversity intern - After introducing myself in person to Leah Donnella, a news assistant for Code Switch, I followed up with her through email and we made lunch plans for later that week. Over lunch, we bonded over unexpected similarities—Leah went to college in Southern California while I’m from Los Angeles, and we both came to NPR not having a background in journalism. She asked me about what I was hoping to get done during my internship, as well as what I hoped to do after NPR, and gave me tons of support and guidance about how to achieve my goals. I thought it was really cool that she was willing to spend some time with me and help me get my bearings in the newsroom, and it showed me that NPR folks really do want to see interns succeed!

LOUISA LINCOLN, sponsorship intern - As an intern in the sponsorship department (National Public Media), I wanted to get a better understanding of the business and revenue-generating operations happening in the building. I reached out to Alaina Gibbs, who works in the development department, to get a sense of the work that she does with the NPR Foundation Board and with the donor relations team. She responded to my email within a few minutes and was so friendly and willing to chat. We met for coffee at Sound Bites the other day and had a great conversation about working in development for nonprofit journalism organizations and about the work she does here. She even provided some very helpful career guidance suggestions and offered to connect me with other people in the development department to learn what they do. It was definitely scary to send her a cold email, but I'm so glad we were able to connect!

Congratulations, you have landed an internship in the fashion industry! Now what? It is important to make a good impression so you can make connections to help you gain your dream job. Here are eight simple things which will help you get there. 

Flat shoes. This is a must. Even if you’re not send out on coffee runs or into the city to pick up fabric, you will be running around the office all day. But be careful to break in your shoes first. There is nothing worse than having blisters two hours in on your first day. On that note, also pack bandaids in case of any blister emergencies.

Note book. When your boss comes in and starts rattling off a lists of tasks to be completed, a notebook is perfect for writing all the details down. If you don’t do this you might forget jobs or have to keep interrupting your boss to ask what must be done next. This will give the impression that you are not prepared or professional.  

Opal Card. Whether you are interning at a PR agency, a design studio or in the fashion cupboard of a magazine, chances are you will be sent into the city with a list of tasks. Although a car can be useful, if you have to pop into The Strand Arcade to pick up some dresses, parking can be a real hassle. In this case it is best to have a topped up Opal Card on hand and ready to go. This will prevent you wasting time buying a ticket when you may have to have multiple stops. 

A Watch. Time is of the essence in fashion and it is essential that to manage your time to complete all your tasks. Good time management is a desirable skill in any future employee so wearing a watch to keep track of the time is a must. A watch does not need to be charged like a smart phone and can be relied upon for accuracy.

Dress Appropriately. Although this is the fashion industry, it does not mean that you can dress like you are walking down the runway. It is always best to be over dressed on your first day before and stick to the no denim rule. Once you have been in the office for a few days and have a feel for the dress code you can start for play with your wardrobe a bit but always keep our outfit professional - even if they are on trend, sheer fabric, low cut tops and crop tops are always a no go. 

Smart Phone. If you are interning with a PR agency or at a magazine your smart phone will be your best friend. When you are loaning garments to stylists or returning samples to a PR agency, you can use the camera on your phone to take a photo of the garment as a record of having send it and as proof of the garment’s condition. A smart phone is also essential for running errands in unknown areas, just make sure you have plenty of battery and data so Google Maps is always on hand.

Company  Knowledge. When you begin an internship you will not be expected to be a master on the ins and outs of how the company runs when. However, it is important to know a brief history and overall brand image and style of the company, as well as their recent work. For example if you will be interning at a magazine, it is important that you know what was in the current and previous issues and the editorials they featured. 

A Positive Attitude. This is the most important tip for any intern, no matter the industry they are in. If you go into your internship with a positive mindset, you will be more likely to enjoy your time and learn as much as possible. Although you may be doing simple tasks and at times may feel like you are not getting anywhere, keep your eyes open. Watch what goes on in the office or the studio. This is how you learn what each job involves and hopefully which is your dream role. If your employer can see how much you are trying and that you are passionate about the fashion industry you will leave a lasting impression. 

Grooming. Neat and tidy grooming is an essential element for aspiring fashion employees. It goes without saying that hair should always be clean and presentable. Don’t go over the top with make up. Keep your look natural. If you wear nail polish, check that it is freshly painted and not chipped, and nails should be clean and neatly filed. 

Tote bag. “Bags, bags, bags, they’re very useful things!” A tote bag has many uses. You might be sent to run errands such as to the bank and you’ll need to carry cash or documents. A bag is handy for carrying your lunch, phone, notebook, umbrella and other essential items. A bag can act as an extra set of hands when you are running around the city.

Just remember that all your favourite Designers, PR agents, Editors and Stylists started out as interns so keep you eyes open, ask questions and keep your thoughts positive.  

Supervisor: I need this piece put into storage. Oh, this is an $150K piece. Don't damage it.

I barely feel inspired to draw these days. I’m just being lazy - artistically. The past six months, I’ve been nothing but busy.

Between developing my video editing skills, freelancing, interning, and 40+ hour work weeks, and career networking, I’ve been neglecting my love.

I’ve been neglecting my love for books, random tumblr posts, old/foreign films, anime, Pokémon, vicariously seeing the world, random road trips, and the beach.

When it comes to bragging and sharing life events, I’m the worst at it. Always have been. It’s my nature to downplay and be nonchalant. However, this is something worth sharing.

This previous summer has definitely been an active one, to say the least. I managed to snag a gig taking pictures for the Miami Heat going into the playoffs. I’ve been a Heat fan since Tim Hardaway and the days of the Miami Arena, and this was the first time I actually attended an NBA game. To say that I was excited is an understatement. The series against the Pacers reignited my love for the game, and games 6 and 7 in the Spurs series was electric! Overall it was an experience, a great resume booster, and apparently the beginning, of sorts.

July comes around, and I’m offered an “internship” for a project with HBO ties. It was a legit group. Although it had a myriad of pros, I saw too many cons, and quickly turned it down. Something about the project just didn’t sit well with me. I won’t divulge too much, but the project was a sports docudrama (reality show) of sorts. The company reached out once again, telling me to reconsider and went on about how great an opportunity this would be in terms of career building, locales and exposure. Once again, I turned the offer down.

A month later, I was offered yet another internship opportunity. This time by sheer coincidence. As with every offer, I met with the group, discussed my career objectives, asked about their objectives, and talked about my experience with the Heat (they all ask about this for some odd reason…haha). I had a good feeling about the group, but as with every internship opportunity, I was skeptical and waiting for the catch. However, this group did what no prior internships have ever done: they gave me creative freedom. Obviously I quickly and graciously accepted the position.