My Internship kinda sucks

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Well, I've been there a week, interning at a CPA office. You know the typical "office click", usually amongst some of the women? Well, it's there! I'm trying to be as cool/nice/hips as possible. I feel like an outcast! My supervisor has this other lady teaching me stuff and the whole management of me is a joke. Nobody wants to "deal" with the intern. Well, hello, why did they start an internship in the fist place! And when they try and teach me how to do something, they speed through it on the computer like I'm not there and are then like, here ya go, your turn!!! You know, if they wanted someone who knew Prosystems tax software like the back of their hand, and someone who knew how to do EVERYTHING, they should have hired a CPA with 10 years of experience. The management structure is NON-EXISTENT. Sorry to vent, just had to get it off my chest. Anyone else deal with this kinda stuff? No wonder they've been talking about how much turn-around they've had lately. Sometimes just being nice to the new hires and not engaging in office hazing B S could go along ways to retaining new people. And one more thing, the daughter of 1 of the partners works there and treats me like dirt. I just don't get it!!! I realy don't! It's actually kind of laughable. But, if they're not gonna teach me anything and let me sit around and twiddle my thumbs for 20 hours a week for 12 bucks an hour, I'm game.
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I guess the problem is, I'm a "nice guy" and that's a sign of weakness or something. But if push comes to shove, I'll have a nice "chat" with this lady that's such a ***** to me. Man, I just really can't figure people out sometimes. It really is office hazing!! What a joke.
 
Welcome to professional office life.

Watch Office Space regularly with a support group so that you don't feel so alone!
 
I think the kind of behavior that's been thrown my way proves that human beings shouldn't be trapped in offices for 50 hours a week. Or it supports the history of mankind, and how in general, the masses don't really get along (the whole "war" thing/politics). Maybe I'm just not political enough, but I really don't feel the need nor desire to advance myself by cutting the legs of others. The funny thing about the daughter I spoke of, is I know their family through our former next door neighbors. This is not to be meant in any bad way, but they are super mega evangelicals who espouse to be so humble/nice and how it's bad to be proud and such. If you could see how this girl behaves towards me....... MAN it ****** me off. There'd be a huge picture next to who in the the dictionary next to "hypocrite"
 
I guess they all are satisfied employees who love their job and it shows!
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I'd get the **** out before becoming one of them.

I once had an employer who was treating me in a manner that I at first was thinking he was just testing me. I found out he had been treating all his previous employees like that. Well, let's just say I quit at a time that was highly inconvenient for him and he went out of business within a few months because he was unable to find another *****-boy (industry term!) to slave away for him while taking crap. That's when I decided to never again be an employee. If anyone is going to be ruling with an iron fist, it's me!
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I think what you've learned, Drew, is how unusable your education is at this point. Frequent turnover is not unusual at a place where the boss's daughter works at there is an anticipated bottleneck at higher positions. This probably manifests itself in hostility towards you.

My advice is to learn as much as you can in this environment, maybe learn about the clients. You have two ears and one mouth and I would use them in that proportion. Self deprecating humor can put your adversaries offguard. There's probably a lot of back baiting you're not aware of. Compliment everyone as to how smart and good looking they are, a-la Eddie Haskell.

Don't sweat it.
 
First, you've been there a week. It takes time to be one of the team and it takes time to be accepted. I would be suspicious of an office that takes a lowely intern and brings them into the inner circle right off the bat.

Second, you're an intern. Everybody expects that you'll be there for a short time then leave. Why invest too much into you?

Third, it takes time to learn the job and all of the idiosyncrasies of the workplace. A week isn't much time.

Fourth, it isn't school anymore. It takes time to blend in and become one of the insiders. It sounds like they expect you to be a self starter and not sit around "twiddling your thumbs" waiting for someone to hold your hand and show you what to do.

If worse comes to worse, learn as much as you can and move onward and upward. There are lots of other jobs out there if you have the skills. But it's up to you to learn those skills.
 
I have to have about 2000 hours as an intern pharmacist before I can get licensed when I graduate. I feel you pain.
 
The good news is that NOT all places are like that, but enough are as you found out.

At my advanced age age, at least I can ferret it out in the first interview. The bad news is you are indeed dog squat. The other good news is, you didn't really want to WORK there for any amount of time, did you? sorry
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give it like 4 or 5 months. it usually takes that long for everyone to get use to the new guy and treat him like one of their own. youll get youre copy of the executive bathroom key, just takes some time.

also, if you dont like working there, just be fake and go along with everything. at the end of the day you can laugh about it on the way home. dont take things too seriously when people treat you bad. this big religous girl, you can awalys buy a $2 fake gold (that guy) hangin on the cross necklace to wear around her. would be a laughing riot. thats what i would do anyways.

just have fun with it. in the worst case you can awalys quit or get fired. its just a job. theres a zillion other jobs in the world if you dont like this one. its not like you are 30 with 3 kids a mortgage and 2 car payments with 50 g's in cc debt.
 
Drew, sorry to hear this is painful experience. It's hard to be the greenhorn in the company but I can give you some perspective.

The more confident and less nice you are, the better. I respect the new co-op students a lot more if they are business-like, confident (even if they are green) and don't ask too many dumb questions.

You can still be corial, respectful and even amiable but "nice" has "run over me please" all over it. I can say this as a former nice guy.

Signed,

bitter acerbic guy down in the machine shop. Grrrr.
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Seriously, try not to let it bother you too much as this period in your life will blow away like yesterday's newspaper. And don't let ANYONE treat you like dirt—respectfully inform her you don't appreciate her conduct and change the subject.
 
Suck it up. Life is a b1tch and then you die. What you are going through is like a stroll in the park compared to things you will experience as you go through life. Do your best and learn from this "opportunity". You'll come out of it better than before.
 
If you could see how this girl behaves towards me....... MAN it ****** me off.

What exactly does she do to you, why does she treat you like dirt ?
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Please explain.
 
Look at it this way, what's the least they can do to you?

I say step up to the plate and take your internship by the reigns. If you don't like the way they show you something, tell them. By being a Royal Pain the ***, will show that you care about getting the most out of your Internship.

Secondly, as you can see working for someone else has it's good and bad. The bad, you have to put up with the way you are treated and either like it or leave.

Maybe this is a good time to start to explore working for yourself? It sounds like you are in a good field, and maybe you could find a niche that you could do on your own when you get done with your internship. Just and option
 
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