Experience Never Gets Old

4 Lessons To Learn From The Intern

It is a movie about a 70 years old retiree working as an intern in the fast paced world of online retail, Ben Whittaker (played by Robert De Niro) and the hardworking founder of About To Fit, Jules Ostin (played by Anne Hathaway).

Dress Your Best
First impressions make a big difference. In the movie, Ben wears a suit to work every single morning in spite of his co-workers telling him that he does not need to dress up all the time. The subtle message here is this: it is important to look your best whether or not it is in a casual or formal setting. Looking good makes you feel good and when you feel good, you will be more likely to better focus your mind as you work; like meeting clients or attending meetings.

Observe What Needs To Be Done And Do It Without Needing Recognition
There was a table filled with junk at the office that keeps piling up and constantly bothers Jules each time she walks past it. It bothers her yet she is not able to find the time or person to clear the mess. Ben notices this and arrives early one morning to clear the entire desk without being asked. Jules finds out – and a huge smile of relief spreads across her face – and the whole company commends him for doing so.

At work, we may feel the extra pressure or expectations to impress those above and around us in hopes that they may recognize our efforts. But what we should do instead, is to focus on doing our job well, not for the glory or recognition, and the rest will take care of itself.

2 Generations Can Learn From Each Other & Work Together
Initially, Jules was hesitant about having a retiree as an intern. She soon realizes how much she could learn from his experience and some of his old school ways. On the other hand, Jules starts a FaceBook account for Ben & teaches him the modern ways of working in the industry.

You may feel completely new to the working world and it is easy to lose yourself and what you may know. As you learn to adapt to your new environment, don’t forget that you can contribute what you know as well. You may be able to provide a daring & unique perspective on how the company is run, so don’t be afraid to share your fresh insights when necessary.

What Is Important & What Is A Priority Can Be Very Different
Jules started a great company that is excelling at an extremely rapid pace, but in the meantime, her personal life is falling apart.

Life may feel out of balance as you transition from college or university to the working world. It’s not about getting good grades now, but excelling at work instead. Being able to distinguish what is a priority and urgent from what is important, will help you during hectic times. You will be facing new challenges, now and for the rest of your working life, so be kind to yourself and use your time to learn & grow from mistakes made along the way.