Internships make the difference

Steph Mangold

As college students, we always hear about how internships are the key. Well let me tell you, I was not one to believe that. I thought that by getting an internship, at best, I could see what goes on in my anticipated career.

From what I had heard of internships in the radio business, my major, I was not enthused, to say the least. The idea that I had planted in my head of a radio internship consisted of volunteering my time to do whatever the radio station did not feel like doing themselves.

It was the grunt work. It was the handing out of stacks upon stacks of bumper stickers. It was getting coffee. It was being the despised “gopher.”

I knew that I had to try my hand at an internship because I was not sure that I wanted to pursue that certain career path. I knew that I would not get paid, but herein lies the importance of simultaneously holding a job.

I interviewed with the station and was given a summer internship. Frankly, for the next two-and-a-half months, I worked my butt off. I came into the station from 5:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. every weekday morning.

At times, I did play the “gopher” role, but not nearly as often as I had anticipated. Just as I had heard all of those teachers and career development speakers say, “Get internships because they make the difference,” I began to say it as well.

When the time had run out at my internship, they asked me to stay. I stayed for another month, still without pay. I wanted to show them that I was dedicated to them and to the station. I was hired in the end of September as a promotions assistant.

However, I now work for two radio stations, in both as a promotions assistant. Everything leads to something bigger. My newest job is leading to another facet of the business that I am eager to enter. The wheels can never stop turning.

I think to myself now, “If I had not partaken of an internship, I would not have a job that I love to go to every day.” This job is the beginning of what I have come to realize is the rest of my life.

If there is a chance to have an internship, take it. It can even count as credit hours toward a major. The possibilities of what an internship can lead to are endless. I never thought that I would be one to say this, but take my word for it because it happened to me.