“My Paid Internship Has No Clear Job Description. “I am a graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance. A family friend recently referred me to a company that has an internship position. The only problem is that this internship was not advertised anywhere and there is no clear job description on what is expected of me. I am uncertain that the internship will cover my area of expertise but I still want to take it because it is giving me an allowance of Kshs. 5, 000. I am confused since I don’t know whether this internship will be about coffee fetching and copy making or running errands for my boss. My understanding is that the company just wants an intern and they have nowhere to place me. In other internship positions that I have applied for there is no monthly stipend but there is a clear job description. Will I be able to broaden my knowledge and expertise in the finance industry? Will I be wasting my time if I decide to take up this undefined internship? What are the dangers of such an internship considering the fact that I do not know what I will be doing?” reads Joseph Maina’s email Landing an internship is a perfect platform that familiarizes you with the corporate world but sometimes it can prove to be a headache when you do not know what is expected of you. Speaking to a HR Administrator at Summit Recruitment and Training Firm, she emphasizes the importance of an internship that has a job description. “An internship is an on-job training and a job description is necessary to clearly define the work that needs to be done. When an internship has a job description, the intern can make a report on the whole internship about the things they have learnt,” she says. She also adds that, “First, it helps the intern understand what is expected of them. The intern knows when to do something. You do not just wake up and head to work without knowing what you need to do. If you have a clear schedule of activities you need to do you will not waste time doing nothing or procrastinate She is also quick to give the dangers of going for an undefined internship. “An internship without a job description will see you being tossed from side to side. Every department in the office will want to take advantage of you. For example today you will be in the accounts department doing data entry, tomorrow the IT department tells you to assist the IT technician to carry the cables and the next you will run errands for your boss,” she highlights. The HR Administrator says that at the end of such an internship you will be confused from doing unrelated duties and not fully utilizing what you learnt in college. And what advice does she have for this graduate? If they take the internship, familiarize with the environment and then ask what is expected of them from the supervisor or employer. This is an indirect way of getting a job description. With this you will get to know your responsibilities and give a report therefore adding value to the company and to yourself.” Job descriptions are important and if not given, ask for it to avoid wasting time and to utilize your area of expertise.
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 17:03:01 +0000
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