Want to Be a Stellar Intern? Steal This Simple Tip from President Obama

Internships are tricky. How do you know what industry you want to work in or what position you want all based off of a couple months at one company, and what if you have a dream job that just seems downright unattainable right now?

Luckily, President Barack Obama gave some helpful advice to the White House’s summer interns this week, and his message is universal regardless of where you’re interning: “Worry less about what you want to be and more about what you want to do.”

When it comes to figuring out what you want to do with your life, it’s easy to get stuck on titles and perks. Yes, being able to say you’re a hip fashion designer or the founder of the next big app sounds nice, but how do you know you’ll actually enjoy the work that comes with clawing your way into those roles?

Instead of focusing on your future title, think critically about the skills your current internship lets you acquire and what you actually enjoy (or straight-up loathe) about the work you’re doing. For example, if you want to go into fashion design, do you actually like sketching, sewing, dealing with vendors and spending hours toiling away at tiny details? If yes, you’re on the right track. If you’re cringing just reading this, maybe the title was drawing you more to the industry than the work itself. Time to go back to the drawing board.

But before you start looking for a job where you’ll like everything you’re doing all the time, remember that no matter what gig you end up taking, not every part of it will be glamorous or fun. Many startup founders still physically pack boxes of their product in warehouses. Programmers deal with lines of code they aren’t necessarily jazzed to write, and sales people fill out countless spreadsheets, which may not be your definition of fast-paced or exciting, but if you’re in the right role in the right industry, the interesting parts of the job will far outweigh the grunt work you inevitably have to do.

Going back to President Obama’s advice, what does this mean for you now? No matter what internship you’re completing, think about what you do and don’t like about your gig. Could you see yourself doing this work full-time and really liking it? If not, what are parts of the internship you do like, and are their other industries or roles better suited to those skills?

Internships are an awesome way to learn more about yourself. Don’t ignore those signs.