Yesterday I was nervous but excited to start interning at a fashion PR firm in West Hollywood. I had my outfit all picked out and got up early to make sure I got there early. On my way I called them and explained I forgot to ask where to park. The girl told me I could either choose to pay metered parking, park my car in a two hour spot, or park at a Ralph's that I never did seem to find. Red Flag Number 1. Still, I brushed it off and parked a street away in two hour parking, which then meant I had to watch the clock (because LA parking enforcement is crazy), walk to my car, find another spot to move it, and walk back to the office EVERY TWO HOURS. WTFreak?
As you can see in the picture (taken right when I got there and before everyone had come in to work), all the girls work in a close space. I was excited to meet girls my age and maybe make some friends, especially since we would all be working, together, in the same room. But as I watched each girl come in the door, look at me, look away, and sit at her designated spot without any smiles or hellos or introductions, I became increasingly bitter toward these mean girls. Red Flag Number 2. Two girls to my right, sitting side by side, were having an instant message conversation and would take turns laughing out loud to whatever each one would say. Then when I got back from lunch, five of them were sitting around (one girl was slumped low in the chair I had been using with her feet propped up on the desk), whispering to each other. As I walked in, they took one look at me, didn't say anything, and continued in a low whisper gossip. Red Flag Number 3. And by then, I was over it.
Even more,
1) It was an unpaid internship, so I was literally paying in gas to work for them.
2) They had me doing menial tasks that had nothing to do with learning about PR or the world of fashion, including organizing a closet that looked as if it had just barfed up its' clothes. Believe me, I'm not above doing those tasks, but to never once teach me anything about what they were working on is not okay in my book.
3) They told me I would help stylists with pulls in their showroom. Translation: You will watch the stylist pick out the clothes he or she wants and then you will scan and bag them.
4) Through conversations I would overhear throughout the day like "how many interns are working today" or "what days are you working" meant that they have tons of people who they have basically doing slave labor. Which meant this "internship" had no potential for me to grow into the company.
5) Did I mention they were just mean? They only times they would talk to me would be to tell me what to do. The rest of the time, they acted as if I didn't exist.
So I emailed them and said "thanks, but no thanks."
good for you
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