4 Internship Tips: Handling Being Hired To Departments You Didn’t Apply To.

By Jane Gakaria,

Lucy Wanjiku has been trying to get an internship for the past 6 months with no luck.

Eventually a company did call and give her the opportunity. Unfortunately for her, rather than being placed in the accounting department which she had applied for, she was sent to the sales department.

So should Lucy leave the company simply because she didn’t get what she wanted? Absolutely not!

If you’re in the same position as Lucy worry not, for there have been many people who have passed through the same.

The following are some tips Ms. Sandra Mbogo, a HR Executive from Orient Insurance, shared with us on how to handle such situations.

To begin with, ask for a transfer or reassignment. “Don’t worry or fear that the organization will think that you’re being ungrateful if you ask for a transfer. If anything they’ll appreciate your honesty and will take your concerns into consideration.”

Further Ms. Mbogo adds, showing interest is considered a good thing as when a vacancy in said department may arise, they will consider you for the chance.

Secondly, show genuine interest. “Don’t ask to go to a particular department just because your friends are there. Be genuinely interested in the department and take the necessary steps, so long as the company ‘okays’ the idea.”

This could include you using your free lunch time to go take a visit in the particular department or come an hour earlier to work or even leave an hour later to use that time to familiarize yourself with the department.

The company could also include the extra work done in your recommendation letter, which could give you an edge in actually getting a job.

Thirdly, realize that a company will never meet all your needs. “Don’t rush in quitting the job because you feel it doesn’t meet your expectations. Make due with what you have, after all no company is perfect.” Though she does caution that if you have to quit, let it be as a last resort. “If what the company does goes against your values and morals, and your feel your integrity is at risk, then maybe you should quit.”

Lastly, Ms Mbogo advises prospective interns to do thorough research on the companies giving them the internships. “Some companies out there are quacks! Do thorough backgrounds searches or if you have the time, go do a random visit and see what they are about.”

She also adds that a potential intern could look for previous employees through sites such as Linkedin or Facebook and ask them to give them feedback on what their experience was working for said company.

So if you’re an intern looking to be hired or has recently been hired, realize you may not always get the position you want.

At the end of the day know that your there for the work experience and not the internship experience.

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