I’m a firm believer in the old do-as-you-would-be-done-by. Interns often go on to do very well. Besides, there’s so much to learn from bouncing ideas off people who are a little closer to what’s happening out in the real world.

As I learned this week, 19-20 year olds still see interruptive marketing as a viable option.

(Glad to have you back. I’m still looking forward to that next podcast :)

Glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for taking the time to respond!

I really loved this post – and treat my interns the same way. Giving them the gift of my time and the crazy roller coast experience that it is working with me on a daily basis seems the least I can do. And a great learning experience for me, too!!

Thanks again for the wonderful words.

Shelly
@shellykramer
http://v3im.com

Something you said is key… that good mentors realize raw talent exists. As a mentor you have to look beyond the tasks and the moment and realize that every person you’re responsible for has talents and their performance will improve when their talents are harnessed and utilized. There’s nothing more sad than someone with a talent that’s going unrecognized and unused! Even interns who are still students have talents that need development. Can you imagine the gratitude if they found an opportunity to explore their talents?

It’s not always easy to have interns when you have a lot of responsibility around the office, but it’s rewarding for both of you if you take the time to give back. I look at those past mentoring experiences wishing I had done things differently, if only I had been more focused on making their projects more dimensional. Ate least I can use those experiences to be an even better mentor in the future!

Thanks again for your thoughts, Tom!

I think most interns expect to do some of the administrative stuff, because that’s just how the food chain works. I’d expect that, especially if I was working for free, I would get REAL experience rather than just fancy resume filler without any actual working knowledge.

We’re young, but that’s a good thing in the digital age. We’re willing to “help out around the house,” but we also want to help build brands and brainstorm. Good mentors understand that the raw talent exists, it just needs to be refined and cultivated in an intern. They’re willing to help out because they know what it’s like to be in that intern’s shoes. Bad mentors give no direction and have their interns sit around.

I applaud you for taking time out of your life to help “give back” to the community through mentoring interns, Michelle. It has to be a pretty great feeling to know that one of your interns is doing amazing things…it reflects a lot on your teaching ability.

Tom

What a great post. It is literally chock full of valuable information and learnings.

I have worked with many interns in the past I would never, with a capital NEH and a captial VER have them do any menial tasks that I would not do myself. Man do I abhor that when I see others doing it.

There are always contructive things interns can be doing… especially in the world of advertising and social media.

If I were Aesop, and I am surely not, I would say the moral of your post is be nice to everyone you meet, treat them the way you wish to be treated. It’s akin to the whole “the people you meet on the way up the ladder cause you may meet them and need them on the way down.”

Not exactly the moral but I haven’t had a cup of coffee in over 5 minutes so my brain is on its own… scary.

Great post Michelle and I love the Apprentice tie in!

All the best,
Steve O