How to manage a bad intern

May the best person win

June 19, 2024

Hi friends. Today is Juneteenth, a day we commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. As a federal holiday, many of us have this day off, and we encourage you to use it to reflect and educate yourself on the past and learn how we can support, show up, and celebrate the Black community. If you’re looking for a place to start, Ashanimfoko on TikTok has some great advice and resources.

Today’s tunes: “Shut up and drive.” - What you wish you could say to your coworker when they can’t seem to be quiet.

Do you have a question you need answered? Talk to us here.

Applying for an Internal Position Without Telling Your Coworker

 question 
How do I navigate applying for an internal position and competing against my coworkers for it? One of them will not stop bringing it up, and I’d rather not discuss it with them. —S.

 answer 
Ah, nothing like some good old-fashioned workplace competition, right?! May the best person win! But in all seriousness, there are two routes you can take here.

Don’t say anything. As long as you can put up with hearing your coworker blab a bit longer, don’t think you have to tell them you’re also applying. The interview process while balancing your current role is daunting enough; you don’t need the added pressure of having to explain yourself to your coworker on top of it all.

Say something. If you can’t stand to listen to them any longer and feel inclined to say something, try something like:

  •  “I’ve noticed you’ve been talking about applying for the (INSERT NAME OF POSITION) role, and I want to be transparent and let you know that I’m also applying for it. To keep things as professional as possible, I think it’s best that we don’t discuss it anymore while the hiring process plays out.” 

Short, sweet, to the point. Not to mention, your statement will probably get your coworker to stop talking about it when they know you’re their competition. ;) 

How To Manage an Intern You Don’t Get Along With

 question 
I’m in my first managerial role at my company and don’t get along with my intern. My work style is very go-with-the-flow, and his style is more strict and regimented. I need him to be proactive and manage through ambiguity, but he wants me to provide him with a to-do list for every hour. How can I handle this the right way without losing my cool? —S.

 answer 
Quick reminder: many interns are either 1) still in school or 2) fresh graduates, meaning what they’ve heard about the working world is probably from a professor, textbook, or TV show. So don’t be afraid to show them how it’s done... how else are they supposed to learn?!

Interns are there for their own career development, but they’re also hired to help you! A few things to tackle with your intern now so you both can find value from their internship?

Provide a comfortable environment. For your intern to be proactive, they have to feel confident about it. As a manager, part of your job is to make sure your employees feel supported and safe. Communicate to them that your door is always open (within reason) if they need to run something by you. And if a mistake is made, try your best to use it as a learning lesson for them instead of becoming upset or frustrated.

Show them how it’s done. Thinking back on our own intern years, we were eager and wanted to make a good impression, and sometimes that meant maybe going a little above and beyond. In your intern’s defense, they don’t know you, including how you work. Have a chat with them in the beginning to set up the vibe. Let them know of any important processes you follow and how they should be doing them from the get-go.

Set goals together. Ask them what they hope to get from this internship, share your own goals for them, and discuss how they can reach them. For instance, one of your goals for them can be to “take ownership and be proactive on certain projects, with minimum oversight.” Let them know this doesn’t involve giving them a laundry list of daily things to do. 

Providing a little guidance and practicing patience can go a long way and make everyone’s experience much more enjoyable. Good luck out there this intern season; we’re rooting for both of you!

Got a Q for us to A? Submit yours here.

Things To Send in the Group Chat

…while your neighbor yells at the birds chirping in the backyard. (true story)

 So the rumors were true! A Practical Magic 2 seems to be in the works, and Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are returning for it! I mean, what would it be without them anyway?!

MAX’s new movie Am I Okay? tells the story of a 30-something-year-old, played by Dakota Johnson, who finds herself on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates friendships, sexuality, career, and everything else life decides to throw at her. 

Asking ourselves the same thing every day…

You know how we feel about sweet treats! This lemon blueberry dessert from Macey Blackwell on TikTok makes our mouths water. Have a sweet treat recipe you want to share with us? Send it our way; we’d love to try it!

That’s all for today! Hope you do something this week that makes you happy. See you next Wednesday!

—Rod and Gabi

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