imported_lifedigger
New member
I'm really confused. I am currently doing this high-profile internship at NBC News in DC and I enjoy it, most of the time. Many people say they are so jealous/proud of me and tell me how great this opportunity is. And of course, I'm aware of that, I'm lucky enough to have access to all the BIG places (the white house/congress/court and such) because I'm with a BIG organization carrying a press pass. It's also one of the perks of working in the capital. I've also got to meet all the cool/big people, and seen a lot of public figures in person. Everything has been like a dream, at first.
But after a while, when the novelty wears off, I kind of feel I want to get my hands on something. I'm here to learn and work... not to be a tourist and observer. But the problem lies in here: for places this big, they don't usually give you a lot to work on, and since it's also an unpaid internship, they don't even care if you are there or not. I feel whenever I'm in the office, I'm just sitting there staring at the computer, answering phones like a receptionist and totally wasting time doing nothing for a whole day. Most of the time they don't even notice you in the room, but sometimes if they do, they'll engage you a little bit... let you do some research for them and that's all. I never really get to do a newscast, interview and produce ANYTHING. I feel like a total observer, and it's almost the same case with all the other interns. Other times if I'm not in the office, I'll get to go to those BIG government places to watch all the cool stuff going on, but as much as I love doing that, I feel like a tourist as well. I think the disadvantage of interning at somewhere big is here: you won't get to do much, whereas in smaller places, local media, you'll be expected to participate and work much, much more, and at the same time, you get more experience too which is good. I really don't know what to do now.
Some of my friends/classmates are interning at various local stations in different towns. They don't get to see the big people and big places, and all they report are the local news. However, they get much, much more chance to be hands-on. People at local stations really let interns participate in REAL stuff and even put you on air and do a show. By the time you get out, you'll have tons of experiences and might have improved a lot too. Plus, it's also great to put something on the resume tape, whereas I'm only here getting a pretty name -- interning at NBC -- while actually didn't get to do anything. Now I don't even know if this is a good idea to be here. I need to get a job next year, so I definitely need to get some clips. All I've been feeling now is wasting time at NBC while others at locals are being productive ...
Any suggestions?
But after a while, when the novelty wears off, I kind of feel I want to get my hands on something. I'm here to learn and work... not to be a tourist and observer. But the problem lies in here: for places this big, they don't usually give you a lot to work on, and since it's also an unpaid internship, they don't even care if you are there or not. I feel whenever I'm in the office, I'm just sitting there staring at the computer, answering phones like a receptionist and totally wasting time doing nothing for a whole day. Most of the time they don't even notice you in the room, but sometimes if they do, they'll engage you a little bit... let you do some research for them and that's all. I never really get to do a newscast, interview and produce ANYTHING. I feel like a total observer, and it's almost the same case with all the other interns. Other times if I'm not in the office, I'll get to go to those BIG government places to watch all the cool stuff going on, but as much as I love doing that, I feel like a tourist as well. I think the disadvantage of interning at somewhere big is here: you won't get to do much, whereas in smaller places, local media, you'll be expected to participate and work much, much more, and at the same time, you get more experience too which is good. I really don't know what to do now.
Some of my friends/classmates are interning at various local stations in different towns. They don't get to see the big people and big places, and all they report are the local news. However, they get much, much more chance to be hands-on. People at local stations really let interns participate in REAL stuff and even put you on air and do a show. By the time you get out, you'll have tons of experiences and might have improved a lot too. Plus, it's also great to put something on the resume tape, whereas I'm only here getting a pretty name -- interning at NBC -- while actually didn't get to do anything. Now I don't even know if this is a good idea to be here. I need to get a job next year, so I definitely need to get some clips. All I've been feeling now is wasting time at NBC while others at locals are being productive ...
Any suggestions?