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 COMMENTARY:   Confessions of an Intern

Confessions of an Intern: Can Job Satisfaction Exist Without a Job?

"My name is Amy... and I am an intern."

There, I said it.

It's bad enough that I don't have a reserved spot in our office parking lot - or even my own cubicle - but having to utter those words - "I'm the intern" is the hardest part of my job (even though I'm often reminded that I don't really have a job... it's an "internship").

It's like having to say, "I'm not really qualified for a "real" job, I don't really get paid much at all for the work that I do, and with my irregular hours and student status, I doubt you take me too seriously. But... feel free to ask me to do way too much work anyway." Even my own father has referred to me as "just an intern".

My "mentor" keeps telling me that it's all about "paying my dues." Unfortunately, my landlord keeps telling me it's all about "paying my rent."

But just as my complaints about lack of respect reach new levels on the "whine meter", I'm reminded of just how lucky I really am.

I recently had lunch with a classmate of mine who has an internship in the IT department of a large corporation. Big name, fancy title (i.e., does not include the word "intern"), sweet reserved parking spot, and, as it turns out... absolutely no responsibility.

While I'm being asked to put my programming skills to work on various AVUM projects, she's being asked to program the microwave in the snack room. While I'm being asked by senior software engineers to make suggestions to help streamline our workflow, she's being asked to make photocopies.

She mentioned that there are perks to working at a big corporation: each month they throw a party for all of the interns - oops, make that Technology Junior Associates - so they can get to know each other better. I had to admit that we have no such monthly parties, but that we do celebrate when AVUM reaches a milestone or finishes a big project - like the recent successful launch of NASA's Spitzer Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)."You mean... they include you?" she asked with surprise. "That must be so... so satisfying!"

I then realized that that is exactly what working at AVUM is - satisfying. Although many of my tasks are not as "glamorous" as others, I'm treated as just as important a member of the team as everyone else. So even though I still don't have a reserved parking spot (hint, hint), or my own cubicle (now I'm really dreaming), or even a real job, I have what they call "job satisfaction." Not bad for "just an intern," huh?