Just like the Kuiper Belt is more than a random collection of icy rocks aimlessly drifting through space, internships are more than just a convenient way to attract cheap labor. The real question isn’t: “How do we make the garden prettier?” but rather: “What’s wrong with the window?” Because let’s be honest: if your intern sees your entire company through a foggy, crooked pane of glass, no amount of well-placed tulips is going to make a difference.
The window; onboarding, guidance, expectations, basically the whole circus of how interns are brought in and treated determines everything. But who even thinks about the window? No, we’d much rather sit there admiring the garden, because that’s what looks good on LinkedIn. But what if that window isn’t just dirty but also completely misplaced? Maybe we’re missing half the garden because we’re too busy admiring our own reflection in the glass.
If we actually took the time to fix that window, we’d not only get a clearer view but also start to see what’s outside the frame. Like the fact that interns aren’t just handy flower pickers but potential gardeners with better ideas about the garden than you do. So, instead of slapping another coat of paint on that picket fence, maybe it’s time to sort out the window. Or don’t. Stay in your smudged little bubble. Just don’t expect your garden to thrive.
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