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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Flip Side

Hello Eternal Interns,
How are things in Los Angeles and New York?  I've been doing some thinking about our Eternal Intern predicament and I came to a realization...  Actually, what got me thinking was a comment from a fellow party guest at Tim's soiree last weekend.  When I mentioned that I was an intern hoping to be hired the guy gave me a troubled look.  At first I assumed he was just repulsed by the fact that I was in theory unemployed and yet hobnobbing with the creme de la creme of the New York television scene, but the more we discussed it became clear that he was slightly intimidated by ME!  Yes, by lil ol' me!  I'll explain.  In response to my usual  "yes, I am just an intern but I'm hoping my current company will hire me" he asked if they were creating new positions or if I was hoping that someone would leave/get fired.  I started to tell him my hope to bump Victoire out and take her place, but held back when I realized that that is his worst nightmare!  I mean, it makes sense...  Here is a man who has held on to the same job for 20 + years at more or less the same salary, he has a bachelor in something completely unrelated but got the job when things were "easier" and learned as he went along.  He doesn't want to retire but he's getting old and not as quick and eager as he once was.  He has been asking for a raise, but so far no luck.  Then, along comes a fresh-out-of-college keener who has a BA and a Masters, speaks three languages because she lived abroad and horror of all horrors... is willing to work for free!

All this time we have been looking at it from an intern perspective (and with good reason!), but as with any good story there is a flip side.  Look at mean, sullen, vendictive Victoire.  I haven't done a thing to her and yet she acts like I am singlehandedly ruining her life.  It all makes sense now!  I am the competition without even meaning to be.  One slip up on her end (or one stellar move on mine) and she could find herself an Eternal Intern (ok, I'm exaggerating but you get the point!).  I once had a boss who often quipped that one day she would be working for me... could it be that she was vocalizing the Eternal Employees biggest fear?

Should we feel bad?  Maybe, but I'm pretty content knowing that I'm keeping Victoire on her toes!  Let the epic battle between Eternal Interns and Eternal Employees begin...

Bisous x x x Ophelia

3 comments:

  1. wait a minute! you have a masters degree and are still working for free?!?!? there is something seriously wrong with that. you could be the female version of buster bluth from arrested development!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel for you- I am in the same boat. BA, Master's with honors, 6 months on, still interning in PR. I don't know what to answer when people ask me about my work.

    ReplyDelete

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