Internship Not Working Out?

I have heard from several students this summer who are struggling to make their internships work. It can be very discouraging when you work hard to find an internship that you think will give you the experience you are looking for but you end up feeling that it’s just not what you expected it to be.

Before you make a move, take a step back and try to look at the situation objectively.

Try asking yourself these questions:

“Why am I so dissatisfied with this internship?”
“Is the internship different than what I expected?”
“Is my supervisor unreasonable and difficult to work for?”
“Is the job so boring that I can’t stand going to work each day?”

Once you have identified the problem, it will be much easier to come up with a solution.

Since an internship is usually a short term experience, perhaps you can make the experience less painful by changing your perspective. If you have not done so already, try speaking with your supervisor and ask if he/she can give you work assignments that are more challenging. If your supervisor is the problem, the Human Resources Department would be your next step although they may have limited options since an internship usually is a short-term experience. Completing the internship will definitely be beneficial since you will be able to list it on your
resume and hopefully you will also be able to get a good reference from your employer.

If you find that there is no way that you can stay and complete your internship, be sure to provide your employer with a formal resignation letter and two weeks’ notice. You will want to exit gracefully and avoid any unnecessary bad feelings between you and the employer. By behaving professionally you will maintain the respect of your supervisor and the employer and you will feel confident in your ability to be able to handle uncomfortable situations in the future.