Jodi Glickman, founder of communication training, author of Great on the Job....I suggested she take on a student as a summer intern. She looked at me square in the eye, without a trace of irony and stated, "I have no time for an intern."
Isn't the whole point of an intern to make your life easier? When an overworked young Gen Y executive says she has no time for an intern, isn't something wrong with our system? Interns aren't supposed to be a drain on time, energy or resources.
In practice, however, they can be. In today's competitive economy, where everyone is doing more with less, you've got to figure out a way to be value add from the start. Interns, you might just have to come up with your own projects, figure out how to insert yourself into team projects, or just navigate this crazy world of work all on your own...
