The Secret To Handling Your Perfectionism In Internships

Perfectionism is a blessing and a curse. Us perfectionists, we have a lot of passion and attention to detail, but we can also be a little intense. Any mistake can have us overthinking for hours or days if not weeks. So when you take that mindset and put it in a brand new internship or job position, it is very easy to spiral. However, my fellow perfectionists, we actually shouldn’t spiral and here’s why. 

The textbook definition of an internship is “the position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay (ugh, gross), in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.” Not to sound like an English class, but let’s break this down. The overall point of an internship is to GAIN EXPERIENCE. Therefore, it’s implied that you don’t know a lot, and are there to learn. Guess what a natural part of learning is? Mistakes. 

I know you don’t want to hear this, but yes, you are going to make mistakes. You are going to get constructive feedback, and yes, you aren’t going to be perfect. But that is completely okay! It can be a really humbling experience going into an internship from a university setting, especially at an academically competitive school. We are used to being in a bubble, being told we are exceptional, nothing less than the best of the best, only to get a taste of the real world and realize all these fancy classes sometimes don’t mean crap. However, this learning process should not take away from our self-worth. 

Your advisors know you are a student. They know you are not a full-time employee. Most mentors want you to grow and learn. I know we perfectionists tend to overthink, but trust me, your advisor does not hate you because you didn’t do something exactly perfectly. They probably didn’t expect you to, and you know why? Say it with me, because you are an intern who is LEARNING AND GAINING EXPERIENCE. 

I am currently in the middle of a celebrity journalism internship, where I get to work in a fancy office, see TV show tapings and build up my professional portfolio. However, I often have to stop myself from spiraling because of my perfectionism. Every time my articles get drastic edits or take a long time to publish, I start to freak out, but then I I remember to take a step back and realize that: 

1. This is a completely new publication I’m working for. I’m not going to nail their style immediately, but I am improving.
2. Not everything is about me. Sometimes if I take longer to get an assignment, it’s not because I’m an awful writer or worker. I work in a time-sensitive newsroom — people are busy and stressed! They have priorities over me. 
3. There are positive sides, too. My advisor tells me, “Great work!” every day and gives reassuring feedback. Of course, I need to remember my edits so I can improve, but I need to focus on the good. I wouldn’t continue getting assignments and tasks if people did not have faith in me. 

These three thoughts taught me different lessons in handling my perfectionism that can be applied to any internship. Be kind and give yourself grace, don’t overthink and do focus on the positive. While these hacks seem relatively simple, they can do a world of change in how you approach your professional situations. 

Don’t ruin your internship or professional opportunities because of your mindset. Because we are perfectionists, we are going to take things seriously, and people notice that. Being a hard worker is always the most important skill set you can bring to an internship because companies want potential, not perfection.

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