Dear Ed,
I just completed a semester-long internship at a big, local publication. I arrived early, never missed a day, got along with everyone in the office, pitched ideas, and was even featured in the mag. I wasn’t supposed to read my end-of-internship evaluation, but curiosity got the best of me, and I read it…
My supervisor was surprisingly critical. She acknowledged my ability to work well with others and show up on time, but said my work throughout the internship was careless, often incomplete and lacked passion. I was blindsided by the critique because I would ask for help when I needed it, and she never approached me to tell me I was doing anything wrong. Now I’m confused about what to do next. Should I email my supervisor, admit that I saw the evaluation and ask for more feedback? I’m still getting credit for the internship, but I’m worried about my future in magazines. Help!
-Scared in a small city
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Dear Scared,
It’s never a good feeling to read something negative about you, but doling out criticism is what editors do most often. Unfortunately, though, editors don’t often have time to explain what interns could be doing differently during the internship. It’s hard to know exactly what an editor wants if she doesn’t have the time to explain it to you, so don’t beat yourself up too much over this. And on your next job, ask for a 15-minute check-in halfway through your time there.
For now, Ed doesn’t think you should admit to peeking at the evaluation (if you think “a lack of passion” bothered your editor, blatantly disobeying her will annoy her a lot more), but asking for feedback is a great idea.
In addition to your handwritten thank you note that you give her, send her a thank-you e-mail and ask her to tell you what you can improve upon for future jobs. She’ll likely say much of the same that was in the evaluation, but hopefully she’ll give you some specific examples of what you could have been doing better.
And even if you don’t feel like you were careless, seeing this description of your work usually means that there were errors in what you submitted. Don’t let that deter you from pursuing magazines: With your next job, just go one step further than you’ve been going. Instead of double-checking your work, triple-check it. Get to know the tone and spirit of the magazine and try harder to mimic that in your writing and with your ideas.
Love,
Ed