Time to find another internship?

[Double J]

Hello,

 

I've recently posted about this here a few times now.

 

This month is going to mark 13 months that i've been a part-time intern (while being a full time student) at an advertising/media agency. Last year was great in the sense that I learned many new things. But in the past 3/4 months or so, I feel like I haven't learned anything new, and that these people are putting me to do a lot of routine stuff where I'm not allowed to put my skills into action.

 

Yes, I've talked to them about it. What I basically asked is if they could move me to a different area (research) within the company, but they pretty much implied that they could not because they need me to do the same stuff in the area that I'm in - otherwise they have to hire and train someone else to do it. They've also told me that since I'm part-time, they cannot rely on me for big projects since I don't put in enough time.

 

I currently work with the research director on a small project but it really doesn't involve much "brains." He told me around Sept of last year that there was a chance they would indeed move me to work directly under him, but that fizzled and never came to fruition. I think once I told him that I put in 15 hours a week (and that I have an irregular schedule where I don't necessarily come in the same days every week due to school), it somehow might have drawn a red flag that he can't rely on me as he would a full-time person.

 

I think that such a situation is not a very favorable one for me. I graduate from college in December and I wish to be able to learn different things in different areas and gain exposure to different types of work before I get my marketing degree. The area i'm in specializes in media buying which is not really what i'm interested in, even though we handle a big client.

 

I feel that if I stay in this area for the rest of the year, I'm not going to grow much nor learn anything new. Everyone on the team always seems too busy as well (I'm now with a totally different team than the one I started with at this company because my former supervisor left as well as the woman who trained me but that's a different story).

 

Leaving this company would hurt for two reasons - good pay and great reputation. At the same time, I'm somewhat bored of doing the same things. I know that internships don't normally last so long - they're usually a few months. They've extended the duration of the internship twice now, which is good, but I don't want to be stuck doing the same stuff for another full year. It seems as if both sides have their own best interest at heart (them keeping me in this area so that they don't have to spend time training someone else and me wanting to grow and learn more before graduating).

 

I know that "room for growth" in an internship doesn't make a lot of sense, and I know that working in this other area I want to move to was not originally what this internship was for. That's why maybe i've reached a threshold and it's time to move on to something else. It's pretty much balancing good pay and company reputation against finding a company that's more aligned with my interests. I must admit something else - where I currently am does give me a lot of flexibility with my schedule. So flexible, in fact, that they allow me to do work from home and still get paid for it. They give me so much flexibility that this, combined with having to do the same stuff (hence no new training for new tasks) has made me lose interest in going to the office more than 2 times a week. And they don't seem to mind at all.

 

I might consider bringing this up again with the VP - the most senior person in this company. If they tell me the same thing again ("sorry we need you in this area, we can't move you") I think i'll pretty much tell them that it might be time to move on. But I need your feedback and opinions - would this be a good decision?

 

Any comments ?

[dreamingwithabrokenheart]

Is there a way you can schedule your classes in the next quarter/semester so that you can come into your internship on a regular schedule? That might allow you to work in the research dept.

[freedom]

i would say stick with it. Most importantly right nowis that you are with a large company and good pay. Whn you finish your degree ou will become full time ad thus have the ability to move within the organisation and expand your opportunities. I would have to say that i agree with your boss on this one. You are obviously a good 'employee' but with your situation right now (tie schedule and end of degree) yor school load is going to be higher and thus you are going to be unrealiable. I suppose they dont want to risk you degree with work obligations.

Sitick in there and you will experience more later. Btw, maybe talk to you boss about after degree options and see what he can offer you.