Is it normal to get unwanted or unimportant tasks as an intern?

[Anonymous]

Even if you are smart and qualified?

[sawno]

Yeah, that's extremely common to abuse interns like that. Nobody wants to do those tasks and its cheap labor.

[Asker]

But does this even happen to smart capable interns?

[sawno]

I was the best in school as far as my career field goes, in my first internship I was mostly dealing with boxes, labels and other really boring tasks.

[Asker]

Why didn’t you speak up?

[sawno]

It was my first internship ever so I was to inexperienced in the work place to find it abnormal. I thought thats just how you start, if they had trusted me more they would have seen my true potential but since I never got the opportunity to try my skills in practice I lacked that confidence so I wasn't going to just tell them I am doing work under my skill.

[sawno]

Its a bit like a girl whose first boyfriend is abusive while coming from a broken family, she may just assume thats what relationships are like. Until a guy comes along who is actually nice and she gets more life experience.

[KostasKouvalis]

That sounds about right. One of my buddies from colleged interned 6 months for free and had a shit ton of project, then when it came time to start paying him, they suddendly had no projects for him anymore

[Asker]

But where these also tasks he was overqualified for?

[KostasKouvalis]

No, not really

[Asker]

So if my supervisor gives me mindless busy work can I assume that I’m just dumb?

[KostasKouvalis]

Not necessarily dumb, but inexperience

[Jkgordon]

Sure that’s the name of the game. Be assertive and try to learn more.

[jahaims]

That's what interns are for

[Roudyrebel8]

That's what I hear