Insights of an Intern

There’s something to be said about uncertainty. The fear of the unknown and failure, or the opportunities that may unfold and the success that comes with it. Either way, there’s an excitement to the mystery. I’ve had a few internships prior to graduating from university, so was no stranger to the workplace, but none with the expectation of staying there for years to come and build a career out of it.

As you would expect, I was looking to make an impression on my new colleagues. The psychology of meeting new people kept whirling through my head; ‘judgements are made in the first eight seconds’, ‘don’t make too much eye contact, but don’t shy away from engagement’. All this conflicting advice obviously all went out the window as soon as I arrived at WE.

I was shown around by our loveable IT guru and was placed in the middle of the office reading through all the paperwork and taking in the office atmosphere, trying to work out the office dynamics. For the first couple hours I was sifting through contracts and what was expected from interns; daunting tasks of taking some of the most senior staff members out for coffee, hosting office meetings and projects I thought were above my station. Little did I know that the worrying was pointless. Something I was going to learn in due time — WE has a funny way of changing your perspective.

The beginning is always the hardest, but slowly and surely you impress those you work with. Just make sure you take what you’re given, complete it with more than they expect, then go back and ask for more. Being keen is never a bad thing, and the thing about WE is, you get back what you give. As you prove yourself, your peers and seniors will be more inclined to ask for your help on varied and exciting projects.

And it’s not just work that you should throw yourself into. The social aspect at WE is something to be envied. Everyone is good natured and fun to be around. Every member has quirks that make them unique and consequently all the better at their jobs. They bring something different to the table which makes things always interesting. I’d encourage anyone to join one of the many clubs and teams that are on offer and get to know these great people.

Jumping back to my original point, uncertainty is a strange thing, but in this case it provided an opportunity. A lot of things have changed since I’ve started. Life is never static here; you’ll always need to adapt to changing situations whether that be team constitutions, work schedules or client demands. Instead of seeing these things as challenges, other more forward thinking individuals may see these as opportunities to improve and learn new techniques and exciting skills in different media.

I’ve enjoyed my time here as an intern and the company isn’t lacking in ambition — I’ve learnt a tremendous amount and am very fortunate to be joining such an experienced team, I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

A message that I’ve heard my whole life but has become ever more relevant now, ‘you don’t ask, you don’t get.’ If you take anything from this blog post, it’d be that. The possibilities are endless, so don’t hold back.

By Joseph Gahan, Intern at WE Communications