For many students interested in the arts, an internship can either be another blip on the resume or a jump start into a successful career.
A summer gig with a company does not guarantee instant employment after graduation. Unless students prepare themselves for life after the internship, they risk becoming forgettable sources of labor rather than important potential employees.
“Unfortunately there are a lot of students who have not done what they are supposed to have done to secure a job after college,” said Dario Bravo, manager of the UCLA Career Center’s Internship and Study Abroad Services.
A strong internship, however, can provide the answer to postgraduate employment concerns. A 2002 National Association of Colleges and Employers survey revealed that out of employers’ top 10 sources of new hires, interns cap the list.
So when updating the address books or manning the photocopy machine this summer, remember that the effort might pay off when it comes to forgoing post-college freedom and finally landing that job.
As associate director of Kim Light / LightBox gallery in Culver City, Sharon H. Lee is the youngest in the operation but already second in command. A former art student, Lee graduated in 2006 with her employment secured after a successful internship.
With a six-month stint as a gallery intern that began in September, Lee experienced how strenuous an internship can be.
“They have you do some labor-intensive things: organizing the back room or doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning things, getting lunch, getting coffee. You definitely do some of the dirty work,” she said.
Menial office tasks are many times an unavoidable part of the internship experience, which can come as a hard blow for those with unrealistic expectations. Students often expect to work on huge, glamorous projects immediately.
“We have a Washington, D.C. (internship) program, and I have students who come in, and they expect to write policy and to meet the president, but that’s just not going to happen,” Bravo said.
“You have to have professional skills,” Bravo added. “If you have to pick up the phone and answer it, you have to be able to answer it right. … From there you will be given more important assignments and projects.”
Lee gradually earned more responsibility as she displayed her skills and gained the confidence of the gallery’s owner and namesake, Kim Light.
“When they started realizing that I was able to write, and when they noticed my other capabilities like being able to talk to people, … they started putting me out there a little more,” Lee said.
The small tasks eventually gave way to larger duties for Lee, culminating in a trip to New York for the art fair LA Art NY.
“I took school off, and I went for the long weekend. While we were there, (Light) really liked the work I was doing,” Lee said.
Her efforts paid off. When Lee flew back to Los Angeles, she returned with a job offer as a gallery assistant after graduation and soon advanced to become assistant director six months later.
For Susie Shen, Class of 2005, her internship with Sony Pictures boosted not only her career plans but also her education in the industry.
Life as a film student gave her an understanding of production, while her time as an intern provided her with insight into development. With her current post as an executive assistant to a creative advertising executive, she explores another of her interests: marketing.
She cites her love for film rather than a wish to boost her resume as what propelled her into an internship.
“The reason I wanted to work in film is because I’m interested in movies,” Shen said, “It didn’t matter to me as much that I had to do internship duties, because I was passionate about the work. Once you find what you are interested in, the interning part comes easy.”
Shen was able to avoid another common intern slipup: remaining so career-driven that learning loses priority.
In fact, Shen never even expected salaried employment after leaving the studio. The job came only after a former temp boss called her up after she graduated to replace an assistant after hearing recommendations and considering her work.
Bravo agreed with Shen’s approach to interning: “If you are doing an internship just to build a resume, this shouldn’t be a reason why.”
Shen, who witnessed projects for films such as “Spider-Man 2″ during her internship, said her time with the studio was more about experiencing the process than solidifying a job.
“We got to talk with people who work with huge movie stars and huge directors, and we see the way their brain works about who they choose to direct and who they choose to play what role,” Shen said.
It also might take more than just a couple months to establish strong connections and opportunities within a company. Shen interned with Sony for three years and worked as a temp for several months.
“(Companies have the same interns) for maybe the whole year and maybe a couple summers. They then can evaluate them and see if they are a good fit,” Bravo said.
For Shen, finding a job she enjoyed was definitely worth the wait.
“I see a lot of people stuck in things that they don’t like to do,” Shen said. “If you find something you like to do, then you are going to be good at it, and you are going to be successful at it.”