By: Julian Hayden
I think that a beneficial experience for everyone is to do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. All experience is good experience, because there are so many things you can take away from the experience. This last summer I had that kind of experience as a video intern for the Lincoln Saltdogs, and I am glad that I did. It was the first internship I’d ever had, and I learned a lot about the video profession and those who work in it. It’s because of this internship that I’ve come to believe that everyone should put themselves in challenging situations. Here are three reasons why:
You’ll know what you like to do and what you don’t like to do.
I found that I would much rather do on the field camera work, create highlight videos and run the in-game live stream as opposed to the other positions I worked on during the season. I wouldn’t have learned that I liked doing those jobs if I hadn’t had done the internship and worked those positions. Even though I struggled with those jobs at the beginning of the season, I found that I enjoyed them as I got more practice. Everyone should face the challenging tasks at a new job, because you will find new things to like.
You’ll learn a lot about people.
You’ll encounter people with varying personalities and work styles. Some people are more laid back and keep things running with calm authority. The announcer for the Saltdogs games is one of those kinds of people. He never shouted at anyone when he needed something, and he was just an all around chill guy. Other people are a lot more strict and prone to micromanagement. One of my fellow interns would even boss around our boss. There are many other kinds of people you’ll encounter on the job, and it’s through encounters with these people that you will better be able to handle all the types of people you will encounter at any job you do. Avoid these challenges, and you will miss out on valuable experience as well as possible friends.
The experience will help you become a better worker.
Getting real world experience will help you discover your strengths and weaknesses. I found that I needed more practice with live video, video editing and working in a fast-paced environment. I can now take the lessons and skills I learned from my summer with the Saltdogs and apply what I learned to Jacht and other future jobs. I’m glad that I had this crucial experience because I wouldn’t have learned these lessons without the Saltdogs internship.