You know, it’s funny being an intern. You’re sort of in employment limbo. You’re not being paid, and the only reason you’re there (honestly) is for that all important reference at the end of your term. You have no affiliations with the company itself, because you know that it is only a very temporary position. Being an intern, you see everything from the outside.
And it’s sad, some of the things you see. Times are hard and as we all know, jobs are hard to come by. People are working extra hard, not because they’re well paid, but because they fear that they’ll lose their job. People seem driven by that fear more than by money.
Unfortunately, some employers have caught on to this. They know you’re completely replaceable, and as a result, they have little or no respect for you. They expect you to go to the moon and back for them, and don’t even offer a thank you in return. It makes me sick.
I’d like to refer the said employers to my favorite of Aesop’s Fables, The Wind and the Sun. Moral of the Story? You are more likely to get someone to do a better job when you treat them well, rather than by force. The carrot is more effective than the stick.
I know, that as employees, we feel pressured and stressed to keep performing. But please, have some respect for yourselves. Yes, you may be completely replaceable, but that doesn’t mean you are not contributing, and your employer should be thankful. If you hadn’t done that work today, completed that task, bagged that sale, who would have?
Stand up and be proud of your work, no matter how menial it is. They could not have done it without YOU.
