I have been dilly dawdling on bringing on an intern since I started here over a year ago as the Program Director. I struggled to learn this position and build a new station, essentially from the ground up. My thought was perhaps, that an intern would get in the way or maybe that I would wind up teaching them more than I would be learning to be successful in my position. Boy, I could not have been more wrong.
One of them (yes I have more than one, two in fact) we’ll call them Intern A, had been emailing me consistently for 11 months before I called them in to talk. I instantly fell in love! Intern A talked a lot in school about how great of a time they were having working together with me. A professor contacted me and referred over Intern B who is equally as wonderful.
Here is why they are so great as humans: They both bring different perspectives to the table. They each have different gender identities, experiences (one is really into TV and the other really into country music), levels of passion, and different strengths and weaknesses. Where one is really strong, let’s say in producing commercials, the other is really great at coming up with compelling on air content or internet research. They work together and help each other and they are both so happy to be in the building.
Here is why they are so great for the building: They are both so happy to be there. Simple as that. It’s like I forgot that magic feeling when you get a new opportunity; to be able to walk into a room and show off even the few skills I have. By teaching them and watching them teach each other, I become a better talent, and quite frankly, a better human being. Their fresh energy is contagious. I want to come up with exciting things for them to do each day. I want to set an example for what they should expect in this business.
Today, in fact, I was helping Intern B put together a solid demo tape, so they could have something tangible to help get a job. It was challenging to describe exactly what a program director will be looking for and how some of the audio they put together just wasn’t “it.” The eagerness to please was adorable. My desire to help them get stronger and advocate for themselves is more important for them in the long run, so rather than just accepting the work because a) it was really cute how they wanted to impress me and I want to be impressed or b) it wasn’t as good as mine (maybe, that’s so subjective) and that means less competition, I really listened to what Intern B presented and critiqued it. Critically. I had to get out of my comfort zone and say why I thought something could be better.* That, was really difficult for me.
So, why did I wait so long to get an intern, or two? I don’t know. Fear. Business. Who knows. I am sure glad that I have two of them that bring so much to the table and actually help me become a better talent, a better leader, and an all around better human being.
To my interns and interns everywhere...thank you.
*Note how I said something could be better, not something isn’t great. Intern B’s work was okay. It was passable. But I wanted their demo to really showcase their strengths, which I recognize because I’ve been working with Intern B for a couple months now. A new program director, however; won't so easily be able to spot those great qualities unless he pounds them over the head with it in that demo! Again, it was still really difficult for me to say that, but the reward will be when Intern B gets a great gig. I guess I'll deal with the awkward "sorry to hurt your feelings" guilt.
To the Left: Here are the two people who make me work harder and therefore make me a better on air talent. Samantha and Dominick right at the beginning of their internships.
Look! They bring treats unannounced...I trained them so well. (Okay, I've actually NEVER asked them to get me coffee, so this was pretty amazing)
I have however, sent them on shopping sprees to update the Prize Vault I keep for my listeners.
Here we are after a great lesson in throwing away all of your show prep when something else better comes up! 'Go with your gut' was that days mantra, literally. (We were arguing about whether or not to order your food online or over the phone, so I said, "Wait a minute, let's talk about this on the air." The phones blew up that afternoon!)
Want to know them better?
Contact Samantha here.
Contact Dominick here.
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