✍️ The newsletter: Feedback for Conservators #7
✍️ The newsletter: Feedback for Conservators #7
The internship and the "5 MUST"
This newsletter project comes from the mentorship service Feedback for Conservators: a place to bring a little bit of professional feedback to help on subjects that I wish I knew more about, especially (but not only) at the start of my art conservator career. Topics discussed here are recurrent ones that I see over Zoom sessions! so I thought would be useful to address them in a short and more informal video format. In between, shorter posts with a digital free tool will be discussed. New publications will be out twice a month, for a year.
And just as a reminder: this is not a perfect newsletter and doesn’t intend to, but rather a space to offer some help. Read here past newsletters. And as aaaalways, some disclamers1
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The internship and the “5 MUST” 🎒
(for technical problems, today there is no video. However, let me know in the poll at the end your thoughts!).
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Internships are an important step in anyone's carrier. However while doing Zoom sessions with future interns, I repeatedly see that:
1. they do not actually fully get what should be really about an internship, and
2. not everyone knows what they are specifically looking for, therefore they apply very randomly.
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Today I will be talking about the n. 1. what should be a good internship (one that, to me, covers the 5 points below). I always try to engage any student or colleague to reflect on these points before start thinking about step n. 2.
Think of it like a filter.
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The Internship: what should be really about
You are still not a professional, so they/you should not expect the same standards to perform as a professional one. This is something that a colleague said to me long ago. I was working so hard with a team of interns on a project. We were worried to work slowly. Our Team leader (this colleague) saw us and eventually came to have a talk: “This work would be done in 3 days for professional conservators. However you will take maybe 2 weeks, and that is ok. I am not expecting that you perform in the same way. An internship is not about that”. He was right! Which brings me to the second point:
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You have to actually LEARN. Seems obvious, but it is not. You must be in a project, case, team etc. that allows you the space and context to learn new things, make some mistakes, have time to think a lot and improve your approach. I have heard more than one colleague saying that they spend an internship doing more of what they know already how to do. And since sadly most internships are not paid, it’s important to make sure that you will have this point covered. And how? Do not be outshined just by the name of an institution/studio/colleague or their cool website (a very common mistake). Make your research and enquiry other past interns of this institution or museum (and not just one, at least 2): questions such as how is working there? did you have the chance to work on several projects or just one? Did you work in teams or individually? etc. Pro tip: not only ask other students from your school that went there but also ask others that you do not know directly (LinkedIn is a wonderful place to start!)
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It has to create an impact on your cv whereas is because:
It is an interesting project
It is an interesting team/colleague to work with
It is an interesting institution/collection
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Ideally should be all three. If not, try at least to have two. Remember that it is in many cases an unpaid internship, so it must be a win-win for both parties. In the end, It is your responsibility to create the professional path that you want, therefore consider these elements before applying randomly to any place where there is a spot open.
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It is an occasion to see professional colleagues working, but also that they see YOU working. Of course, is wonderful to see how other professionals work in “real life”, but realise they will see also how you work and play out in the projects that they are doing:
do you work well in teams? are you kind to your colleagues? do you take initiative?
These elements are important as much as your CV, because let’s be honest: if you have a wonderful CV but then working with teams you’re the one that always is taking a liiiiittle bit too many breaks, the conservators (and future colleagues) that you worked with for sure they will remember it. Acting as a professional while being an intern is more about that than working fast.
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An internship is what you make of it. Another wonderful colleague tip. You are also responsible to make the most of it while you’re there (especially if maybe it is not as cool as you thought). See always the possibilities on it: besides the project you’re doing, can you check their amazing library? can you ask if you can see X treatment performed? Can you suggest doing X or X? Do not expect that they give you everything on a plate, be proactive. I can say first-hand that you will hear more “yes” than “no” if you ask kindly. And this also applies even if the internship is wonderful.
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*A final note*
I know that in many cases you can not cover the 5 points mentioned, but I will insist: try to work as hard to get the 5 points covered. As I mentioned, in most cases the internship sadly is not paid, so make the most of it for you.
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For the motivated
If you have not yet started your internship research, try to apply this filter while searching: contact past interns, search well about the teams and projects etc. It’s also a cool way to lose the fear of reaching out to other colleagues.
If you have already, can you share if maybe a bad experience was because one of these points did not work as planned? did you try to overcome the situation by creating new opportunities? comment below.
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Also, a little poll. “Feedback posts” usually have a video that supports them. However, I am considering that perhaps doing just the written version from now on.
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That’s a wrap for today. More in two weeks, see you then?
As mentioned, this newsletter supports the mentorship service Feedback For Conservators (here are some testimonials). Also, as part of it, I offer limited Pro-Bono sessions for those colleagues or students who can not afford them. If you’re interested in any of both just email me, promise I do not bite 🤓.
This is my personal opinion, which means also that I could be wrong! You do you✨.
Please do not share extracts of this newsletter without my consent.