Intern's Notebook - If I Only Knew Then: Prescott Loveland

It's not just people with years of experience who have something to add to the "If I Only Knew Then" issue. Check out what our intern learned in his first ten days!

Last semester when I became an intern at Changing Our World, Inc., I was very excited. Not only was this internship going to be my first exposure to the “real” working world (outside of student employment and some miscellaneous summer jobs), but I would also be working directly with non-profits and philanthropists. What a great opportunity!  I dry cleaned all my “dress clothes,” bought a few new ties and checked the train schedule into Manhattan. I was thrilled, but also a little nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. 

Six months later, I think back to my first ten days and the important things I learned.  First of all, brace yourself for Grand Central Station. As you join the other 250,000 commuters on a weekday morning who speed through the terminal, you must walk quickly, keep your eyes forward, stay to the right on the escalator and don’t dare say hello to anyone who hasn’t had their morning cup of coffee. Carry the New York Times if you want to fit in, and beware: the food at Grand Central may be delicious, but it is expensive! 

Thankfully, the atmosphere at Changing Our World was much friendlier than that of Grand Central in the morning. I quickly found out that CW has the friendliest receptionist in New York City and that there is just something wonderfully refreshing about a company full of people who are devoted to engaging in the world constructively. Even as a rookie, I quickly became aware of how important it is to have a friendly work environment.   

I also quickly learned that when working in the world of philanthropy you must know how to read a 990 form. While the Foundation Center Directory has convenient summaries of the 990, there is still no escaping this form. Familiarize yourself with the 990, or else!

My first ten days also gave me a quick lesson on meetings: they are important, but time consuming. Meetings are not only a chance for you to better understand the overall operation of your company/organization, but also a great opportunity to prove yourself as an intern or new employee. Pay attention, take notes and ask smart questions. If you are invited to present something (e.g. research results, your brilliant ideas), speak clearly, provide hand outs, and most importantly, be prepared! Beware: while you may be required to attend meetings, don’t get too excited; your work is not going to do itself. Your time is limited—especially as an intern—so schedule accordingly.

Most importantly, learn from your superiors. Senior Managing Directors, CEOs and other important executives have attained such status because they are experienced, knowledgeable and successful. In other words, these guys and gals know what they’re talking about.  If they are willing to share their valuable knowledge, be grateful, listen carefully, and ask questions.

A few other small suggestions from a now-seasoned intern: don’t sit near the kitchen if you are trying to eat healthy, remember your co-workers names, and become very good friends with in-house tech guys because, let’s face it, you do not know how to work a computer or copy machine as well as you’d like.

If I Only Knew Then: Intern's Notebook

Lyndsay Reville started at CW as an intern in our Special Events department. Immediately inundated with client work, Lyndsay quickly learned the ins and outs of the world of philanthropy. Lyndsay was recently hired full time, so for our If I only knew then issue, we sat her down and said, "Lyndsay, what do you wish you knew when you started"?

After graduating college I was unsure of what my next step would be, so I began meeting with professionals who I thought could guide me in the right direction.  I started learning about fundraising for the nonprofit sector and was introduced to a company that felt like a perfect fit. 

After I was offered a full-time position at the company, I began to reflect on what it was that helped me land the offer. When this company hired me as an intern, I realized that it could not only be an amazing learning opportunity but also a chance to embark on my career.  I realized that I needed to take this opportunity seriously and put forth my best effort with the goal that the internship would result in a full-time offer.  With very little professional experience, I knew I needed to set myself apart from the other recent graduates searching for a job.  My internship granted me the opportunity to prove myself and that was my daily mission.  I approached everyday as if it were an interview, a chance to demonstrate that I was someone worth hiring.  I strived to have all of the features of an ideal employee while embracing my opportunity to learn as an intern. 

I’ve compiled the questions I had before I started my internship and thought about what I did to secure this offer; I’ve put together a list of pointers that I wish I knew before I started my internship.

• Take full advantage of your opportunity. You are there to learn and most of the people you work for or with are glad to help you.
• Although you are an intern, you must be a professional.  You represent the company you work for and everything you do is a reflection of that company.
• Dress the part. You must look and act like a professional at all times.  Somebody once told me “dress for the job you want, not for the job that you have.”
• Don’t expect to start at the top. Everybody stuffs envelopes at some point and nobody is too good to stuff!
• Every step in a process is as important as the final result and has an effect on the final result.
• There is no such thing as a stupid question; if you are unsure, ask.  It is better to ask and do your job correctly than to be unsure and make a mistake.
• With that, mistakes do happen.  If you think you may have done something wrong it is better to speak up and fix the problem sooner rather than later.
• Don’t complain. No task is pointless, you are doing it because it needs to be done.
• Say thank you. The company you intern for is doing you a great service by offering you an internship.  What you learn during this time is priceless and can possibly mold the future of your career.  People like to know that you are appreciative.
• Speak up if you have something to say.  If at first you feel uncomfortable adding your input during meetings, make a note and mention it to your boss afterwards.  After a while, you will know what ideas are worth mentioning at meetings or during conferences and you will feel more comfortable sharing your ideas with others.
• Try to talk to everybody you meet.  Each individual is another source of knowledge that you can go to for information.  Make as many connections as possible and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to others.

I hope that what I have learned during my internship can help the next intern along the way.  Being so young in a “grown-up” world can sometimes be intimidating and it helps to know that other young professionals are thinking about the same things you are. 

Intern's Notebook: Event Planning Pointers

This past summer, we asked an intern in our event planning division here at Changing Our World to share some experiences after her summer-long internship. And so, with input from everyone else on the staff, the idea for the “Intern’s Notebook” was born. Going forward we hope to offer many more insights from the “not-quite-professionals but not-quite-students” who work with us day in and day out. If you are an intern, and you would like to contribute to this occasional feature, please write in! Thanks, FLiPs, and enjoy the Intern’s Notebook.

Do you like to dress to impress?  Mingle with movers and shakers?  Be wined and dined?  If so, special event planning might be a fabulous fit for your career.  What you have to realize, however, is that your job won’t be exclusively about the glamour.  It can take months or even a year to plan an event properly; I learned this in my event planning internship this past summer.  Here, a few of the tips and tricks I made note of along the way:

The client is key
Your client is your number one concern.  Try to take into consideration their needs and requests, and keep an open mind.  At the same time, recognize that they are working with you because of your industry know-how; you are the expert on all-things events, and so you shouldn’t be afraid to speak up when there is a difference in opinion.  Make suggestions that you feel will benefit your client as well as the event.