That was my first thought as soon as I was left alone at my office desk the first day of my internship. Starting your first day at your first job can leave you a little bit like a deer in the headlights. We’re so used to having guidelines or criteria to guide us through projects and work at university that it becomes natural to expect your job to be the same. But boy was I wrong!
On my first day at TAUS I was greeted by my coordinator who proceeded to give me a tour of the office while we met all of my colleagues. I was handed my laptop, given my email address, and a few more logistical things to get me settled. Then as soon as I sat on my chair, I heard the words: “go on, why don’t you write up an email to be used for our next campaign?”, followed by my supervisor walking away to her desk. I looked around, thinking that it must have been some sort of prank! How could she expect me to write up an email to our thousands of recipients about a topic I had no clue about?!
Today, on my last day of my internship, I could not be happier about that beginning. I realize now, that by not giving me any guidelines or constraints, my supervisor was allowing me to fully immerse myself into both my role, but most importantly, my skills which I wasn’t really aware that I possessed. By not knowing how to set up an email campaign, I had to go out of my way to try to understand how to do it. By not knowing about the topic, I had to research and truly learn about the content, but also the company. Let me note that she did not give me any deadline for this task, it was my sole one for the first day. I later learnt that she was not so much interested in what I was able to come up with – which was of course also important – but rather on what I did to get there. Talk about some on-the-spot problem solving!
Let me now speak to those who will be starting their internships or first jobs soon: this was one of the most valuable things that I have learnt through this experience, and lucky me that it came right up on the first day! Having to learn how to do things and not being guided step-by-step sets you up to being proactive and having initiative in the workplace. Furthermore, it encourages you to find your own and unique way of doing things, which is a great way to bring new perspectives into the office.
If you ever find yourself in a similar position on your first day, do not be scared like I was! Instead, take it as an opportunity to learn and grow, and also remember this is a chance to show why you were hired in the first place: you’re capable of much more than you think you can do at the beginning!