I came into this internship with a bucket load of theoretical knowledge and 7 seasons of Mad Men as the basis of my understanding of the marketing industry. Looking back on it, I was clueless, my first couple of days had me running around the office like a headless chicken desperate for someone to give me a job to do. But after 3 months of working 9-5, running on way too many red bulls and not enough sleep, I have learnt a few things of which I will share with you.
As a student, many of us will have worked part-time jobs to help pay our rent or to help afford our shopping addiction. For me, I worked in the retail industry since I was 16 and at these jobs I clock in when my shift starts, I’m immediately told what to do and when to do it, and then I clock out again once my shift is over. Shockingly, a 9-5 does not work the same way. I remember on my first week I would come into the office at 8:55, and set up my laptop and would be ready to start work at 9 on the dot. And then 9 o’clock would come, and I’d be the only one in the office. I was always so puzzled. Shocked that all these workers were slacking or all on holiday or all sick. And then the clock would strike 10 and slowly and surely, people traipsed their way towards their desks. And then I’d have the same experience at 5pm, I was always ready to go as soon as it turned 5, I’d have my bag packed and my desk neatened out. But everyone else would still be typing away on their computers, or trapped in a Zoom call.
That evening I called my mum, and immediately ranted about this company’s supposed lack of work life balance. And then the next day I came into work, at 9am sharp, and spoke to my coworkers about what time we should arrive and leave, to which they informed me that as long as you show up for 8 hours, whether it’s 9-5 or 11-7, and get all your work done the company does not mind. Obviously, this does not mean you should all start coming into work at 11am instead of 9am, but flexible working is becoming more accepted following the Covid-19, and definitely something to look forward to in corporate life.
Secondly, unlike my expectation, I did not come into this internship with a to do list stacked on my desk and deadlines for them. Instead, I was given a broad responsibility to investigate for the company, and left to my own devices. Of course, any questions I needed answering I could always turn to my amazing team who would help me out whenever they could. But most of the work day, you have to come up with your own to do list and manage your time efficiently, as no one else will be doing it for you.
So essentially, for those of you with no work experience in a corporate sector, be prepared for a work environment that you’ve never experienced before. Be prepared to be your own boss. Be prepared to wake up early everyday. Be prepared for the cramped commute. But most of all, be prepared to make a name for yourself.