I'm a nepo intern, super worried about my internship

I feel ashamed to say this but I recently landed an internship at a small securities firm through a family connection. I did my best to apply to so many other jobs on my own merits but ultimately it didn't work out

I'm starting my first day next week and I'm worried I wouldn't be taken seriously by the staff. It's a very traditional company (an Indian firm) and there aren't many women traders either.

I guess I'm looking for advice on how I can actually learn from this internship instead of being sidelined and made to do work for the sake of doing something. The management already seems to have that approach (the HR told me I can leave whenever since I'm not being paid) but I want to try harder. It's just that.. in my culture the staff can take it the wrong way and see me as annoying or being a try hard. I dunno.

Sorry for the rambling post, I'm too stressed to write this properly

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Good that you are trying to learn - here a few tips as a fellow “nep intern” who did an internship at a start up during uni.

1. Never boast that you have connections at the top unless someone asks you or you are required to answer truthfully. When answering dont be a pretentious ass and add that you are willing to learn and work hard

2. Ask for tasks that you can do and make sure you really do it well with good attention to detail, ask smart questions, etc. Your goal is to not cause a headache to above person but to add value, i.e. produce high quality, accurate work

3. If the firm has facetime (assuming as implied by HR’s comments) stay late until other interns do, offer to help out the analysts, etc.

Essentially don’t take the easy route (leaving early, doing only easy work, etc.) and work as if you don’t have that connection. 

Work hard, have a good attitude, don’t leverage your relationship, and produce good work - then people will start giving you more value-adding work eventually.

 

Wow thanks! I didn't expect such a helpful response. I guess it's generally assumed I have some connection since it's a small firm, but I will answer truthfully and be humble as you said. I will do my absolute best since it's a huge privilege to get this kind of role where I live.

Thank you so much for your response

 
  1. Never ever leave early. The least you could do is the standard working times which shows more of your character than the quality of your work at intern level.
  2. Know you have been giving a leg up compared to others and remind yourself that you can’t let that go to waste.
  3. Create an objective for the overall internship. Try be specific and the other things that come with it is a plus. With one objective it’s easier to feel you’ve taken atleast something away.
 

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