Our college academic careers are full of encounters with THAT kid. Outrageously competitive and intent on succeeding at all costs, THAT kid makes a point of standing out… in the wrong way.
Unfortunately, THAT kid appears everywhere and your summer internship is no exception. Known as THAT intern, you’re bound to have a miserable experience if you don’t know how to handle her. While you may be able to avoid a THAT kid in a classroom setting, things can get sticky when your day will be spent working with THAT intern to complete tasks.
But fear not, you can survive a THAT intern-filled summer! By striking a balance between being calm and assertive, you will still get the most out of your internship while also retaining your sanity.
But first, what IS a THAT intern?
THAT intern arrives at the office with one objective in mind: to “win.” Whether it’s putting you down, taking all the credit for completed responsibilities or neglecting to help you out, THAT intern is determined to make herself look great, often at your expense.
“I’ve had an experience [with an intern like that],” says Kelsey Mulvey, a rising junior at Boston University. “She would mock others and tell her co-interns the wrong way to do things so we’d all look [bad]. There were times when she told me to do one thing and then later borderline yells and says to do something different.”
Kelsey’s experiences are, unfortunately, quite common among college students with internships. The encounter can be extremely annoying to the point where you may not enjoy showing up to the office every morning.
However, there are ways to contain THAT intern and make sure that she doesn’t ruin your summer internship experience. From keeping your cool to directly confronting the problem, we offer you some tips and tricks that will keep THAT intern in line.
