Director made me do this as an intern - is this normal?

The bank shall go unnamed but a Director on the team (who is divorced) asked me (intern at the time) to deliver a bag/package (did not check what it was) to his daughter's babysitter at a random condominium (not sure on the parenting arrangements after separation). I waited almost 45 minutes to hand off the bag/package. 

  1. Is this normal?

  2. Any similar stories?

 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, it's not typical for interns to run personal errands that are unrelated to their job functions, especially in investment banking where the focus is usually on developing professional skills pertinent to finance. However, the culture and expectations can vary widely between firms and even between teams within the same firm. Some might argue that completing such tasks shows a willingness to help and be part of the team, but others might see it as inappropriate or a misuse of an intern's time.

For a similar story, there's a thread on WSO where an intern shared an experience of being sent on an urgent task by the CEO to deliver a mysterious box and key to the Dean of a well-known business school. The intern was not told what was inside the box but was assured that completing this task would put them "head and shoulders above the other interns" in the CEO's eyes. This story, while unique and perhaps "badass," is not the norm and certainly not part of the usual intern job description. It does, however, highlight the unpredictable nature of what might be asked of interns in high-pressure environments.

Sources: Most Badass Intern Story?, Most Badass Intern Story?, Have you ever seen an intern quit early?, I just got my VP to bring me a cup of coffee.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

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