This has been my third internship in my college career and I have learned just as much, if not more, about my ideal work environment and what kind of work I’m good at. Useful, since I’m going to be applying for real person jobs soon (?!)
+ I cannot work on a computer all day, even if it’s “easy” work.
+ I’m a much better collaborator than I thought. The Americorp Vista and I have been co-creating some documents and fliers in the last two weeks, and I’ve seen how two heads truly are better than one!
+ I desperately need approval and acknowledgment of my work . Thank Yous and compliments are my sustenance. Which also means that flattery will make me work much, much harder.
+ I want a job where I get to read and write* but I don’t have to every single day.
+ Things that are important to me in terms of productivity and happiness: windows, a comfortable chair, and privacy (ie. people aren’t walking by my desk every half minute)
+ I love logistics and basically want it to be my job to ask and answer “how can I make this meeting/outreach strategy/structure better at achieving the organization’s goals?”
+Without deadlines and scope, the project will not get done very well (at least, not in my hands)
Will I find a job right out of college that meets all of the above stipulations? Probably not. But at least I know what to aim for?
*Yes, I also learned that “writing” is inescapable, but I’m referring to essay or memo writing.
I can totally relate to this. I’ve figured out a bit more about what kind of job I might like to have, and a lot more about what I really don’t want in a job. I wasn’t expecting how much the program would be like a “practice” full time job, but that is a very valuable experience to have as an undergrad! I (hopefully) got a lot of “rookie mistakes” out of the way..