Networking Wednesday: Internships

Seeing RED

This Summer I got an internship at Target. If you know me, you’d understand why this was not the type of internship I always saw myself doing. First of all, before this internship, I might’ve walked into a Target store a dozen times in my entire life. On top of that, I’m a terrible shopper, who was raised to associate the color red with every rival school I’ve ever had since elementary school. There was not a Target near where I lived, and I was starting a manager-intern position with zero loyalty and zero store experience. Yet there I was, dawning my best khaki pants with possibly the first red shirt I had ever owned. I had a walkie on one side, a PDA on the other, and a crisp, magnetic name tag leveled perfectly for the guests to see. I looked the part, felt the part, and now it was time to act the part.

I was so ready.

Or at least that’s what I thought.

Missing the Bullseye

Let me put this straight: Target is one of the greatest companies I’ve ever seen. The way Target treats its employees, regardless of level, is phenomenal. The people who work there generally love it, and that says a lot about the character of the company.  I say that to make the point that when I decided retail was not for me, Target was not the reason. The point of an internship is to see if a person is right for a company, and if the company is right for the person. For me, retail was not something I felt comfortable with. Simple as that.

Waste of a summer, right?

Wrong!

The Target Connection

Usually students know to work hard for an internship, even if the opportunity itself isn’t as attractive to them as it could be. But in case you’re not one of those students: work hard during your internship, regardless of whether the job itself seems interesting. There you go, now you’re ready. I knew pretty early on that I wouldn’t pick up a career at the big red store, but I also knew that there was something to be learned during the summer. And I was right. No matter where I end up, the leadership and teamwork skills I learned will put me in a competitive lane to the top. Also, those days of lowering my shoulder and grinding through did not go unnoticed. To put it simply, my leadership staff knew people.  A lot of people. People who are leaders in their own companies. People who are looking for hard-working college students. People who could be my future bosses. I’ve met a few, and I’m sure I’ll run into more in the future.

So I glad I did it? Absolutely. The experience has been just another chisel strike on the leader I’m being sculpted into. Friends, even when things seem pointless to you, be sure to give 100% every day. Those people watching you will be the people talking about you at some point, and trust me, impressing people in high positions can get you broadcasted further than any resume can go sometimes. If that’s not worth the 40 hour weeks, I’m not sure what is!