se·ri·al
[si(ə)rēəl] adjective
1. consisting of, forming part of, or taking place in a series.
2. (of a criminal) repeatedly committing the same offense and typically following a characteristic, predictable behavior pattern.
When most people hear the word "serial," their first thought is probably, "Yikes! Serial killer?!" or "Cereal? Yeah, I had that for breakfast this morning." Neither interpretation of the word applies to this blog post.
At age 10, I used to ponder my future. I would imagine a 30-year-old version of myself in a power suit speaking firmly to a group of people in a conference room. I had gotten from point A (little girl playing with Barbie) to point B (successful business woman) in merely a moment of thought. As a 21-year-old entering her final year of undergrad, it's easy to see now that life doesn't work like that. A college degree is the new high school diploma, a masters degree is the new undergrad... and orange is the new black.
The workforce certainly has changed quite a lot in just the past 10 years, and the process could not be further from the original. In ancient times, your field of work was determined by your family's vocation. Your last name might be "Smith" because your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great... grandfather made a mean horseshoe. There was no choice to be made back then, no guidance counselor waving a personality test in your face. Nowadays, parents tell their children what not to go into, based on their own career experiences.
One of the most radical and recent additions to the workplace process is the INTERNSHIP. It has become a buzzword among college campuses. Most degree programs at many liberal arts colleges require one, if not multiple, internships in order to graduate. A college diploma fills a very small line on a résumé these days. The rest of your résumé is supposed to boast experience above all else. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, it is invaluable to your future. In mathematical terms, college diploma + experience = job offer. Subtract either and your ROI drops dramatically.
So why did I start this post by introducing you to the word "serial?" Well, an internship is supposed to be relatively short. You are asked to work for a certain amount of time, varying from a few weeks to a year. When the internship is over, you get to go on your merry way to whatever experience awaits you next. The world is your oyster, as they say. Once you have graduated from college, you are expected to find a "big girl" job. This job could drag on for years, potentially for the rest of your life. Everyday is a black hole sucking in your soul, or maybe it's the pot of coffee you cannot start the day without for fear of murdering everyone (see, there's your serial killer reference).
Okay, but seriously. Once you have hit your breaking point of boredom and repetition, wouldn't it be incredible to be offered a brand new position in a brand new city with brand new adventures to be had? Someone could work three months, four tops, at a company. Whether they liked it or not, the storm of change would be brewing and a new opportunity would be around the corner. Obviously this would not be the ideal situation for a man or a woman with a family and established roots in a place. Nor would it work for someone driven to pursue large amounts of cash. But for myself, an unattached, young and free bird, that would be the ultimate job offer: Serial Intern.
A girl can dream, right?
When most people hear the word "serial," their first thought is probably, "Yikes! Serial killer?!" or "Cereal? Yeah, I had that for breakfast this morning." Neither interpretation of the word applies to this blog post.
At age 10, I used to ponder my future. I would imagine a 30-year-old version of myself in a power suit speaking firmly to a group of people in a conference room. I had gotten from point A (little girl playing with Barbie) to point B (successful business woman) in merely a moment of thought. As a 21-year-old entering her final year of undergrad, it's easy to see now that life doesn't work like that. A college degree is the new high school diploma, a masters degree is the new undergrad... and orange is the new black.
The workforce certainly has changed quite a lot in just the past 10 years, and the process could not be further from the original. In ancient times, your field of work was determined by your family's vocation. Your last name might be "Smith" because your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great... grandfather made a mean horseshoe. There was no choice to be made back then, no guidance counselor waving a personality test in your face. Nowadays, parents tell their children what not to go into, based on their own career experiences.
One of the most radical and recent additions to the workplace process is the INTERNSHIP. It has become a buzzword among college campuses. Most degree programs at many liberal arts colleges require one, if not multiple, internships in order to graduate. A college diploma fills a very small line on a résumé these days. The rest of your résumé is supposed to boast experience above all else. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid, it is invaluable to your future. In mathematical terms, college diploma + experience = job offer. Subtract either and your ROI drops dramatically.
So why did I start this post by introducing you to the word "serial?" Well, an internship is supposed to be relatively short. You are asked to work for a certain amount of time, varying from a few weeks to a year. When the internship is over, you get to go on your merry way to whatever experience awaits you next. The world is your oyster, as they say. Once you have graduated from college, you are expected to find a "big girl" job. This job could drag on for years, potentially for the rest of your life. Everyday is a black hole sucking in your soul, or maybe it's the pot of coffee you cannot start the day without for fear of murdering everyone (see, there's your serial killer reference).
Okay, but seriously. Once you have hit your breaking point of boredom and repetition, wouldn't it be incredible to be offered a brand new position in a brand new city with brand new adventures to be had? Someone could work three months, four tops, at a company. Whether they liked it or not, the storm of change would be brewing and a new opportunity would be around the corner. Obviously this would not be the ideal situation for a man or a woman with a family and established roots in a place. Nor would it work for someone driven to pursue large amounts of cash. But for myself, an unattached, young and free bird, that would be the ultimate job offer: Serial Intern.
A girl can dream, right?
