Your internship is a moist lump of clay, give it the form you want

Q. I graduated from the university last year. At the moment, I am an intern in the communication department of a firm in the city.

The firm has no resident CO, so I have to wade my way through. My expectation of an internship was that I would learn while working under a more experienced communication person.

As things stand now, I am the main CO of this company and I think I am not really getting any serious internship experience.

Also, my contract says I am an intern, so I am not getting paid despite doing all that work. Should I leave?

Prior to joining the organisation, you seem to have had insufficient clarity about the form your internship experience would take. During the recruitment process, employers usually provide information to candidates about the role they wish to fill. It is also an ideal period for candidates to seek clarity concerning what is expected of them and to share their own expectations with the organisation.

Having a supervisor who is knowledgeable in the field of your career is crucial for learning and growth.

Although working without one may feel like charging through the woods in the dark, you can still reap value from your internship. Besides communications, there are lessons you can learn in your current situation that will prove useful in future. Among these could be how to collaborate with colleagues; to acquire a fitting work ethic; to interact with supervisors and to develop a professional deportment.

Incidentally, not all lessons in your career will emanate from a supervisor. Some of the finest insights in your career may distil from wrestling with daunting challenges on your own and the mistakes you make in the process.

Internship provides more than an opportunity to learn. It also presents the chance to make a contribution to the organisation. Instead of focusing on your limitations and what you can harvest, work with what you have. At this point in your career, obsess more about your experience than pay.

You may also consider identifying an external mentor in your field from whom you could seek guidance. Your internship is a moist lump of clay that will take the form you give it.