Mail Time

The thing I've definitely learned throughout all my Internships is to never think any task is too menial for you. I have been neck deep in a pile of unopened mail, calling every member of Congress looking for contact information, and looking at a scanner most of the day and even though you may not see these things as necessary for the office to run, they do help with the flow of communication and it shows your employer that you can be ready for the bigger stuff.

You can't be a Chief of Staff first day in. Then where would all the fun parts go? A lot of responsibility starts to spring up as you gain more experience and move up in the ranks, so you don't have as much time to make connections or enjoy free time that comes with being the classic intern ready to do everyone's bidding. Some of the best networking, socializing, and lessons can be had when at the bottom, running around with your friends who work in the same building, reconnecting with people that have similar interests, and happy hour hopping to see if you can spot the people that have gotten to the top. Also, you can gain a lot of knowledge from the professionals who just started out- a great staff has people that love to give you advice on things to know for the future and send you invites to the top events in the city. I have gotten lots of hints and funny stories about their LSAT experiences from the attorneys at my office, and I know that after I find out my score they will be able to guide me when I decide where to go for law school.

So even though filing or opening mail doesn't seem to be a factor that could break down your entire organization, just remember that what you're learning while doing it or during your experience is more important tenfold- and remember when you're at the top to give props to the Interns in your office!