Am I wrong for hesitating to ask for work?
I’m currently an Audit intern in the midst of the busy season, and for the second consecutive week, I haven’t been assigned to a client or team. I’ve been waiting for nearly three hours for something to do.
At this point, I feel reluctant to reach out to anyone for work beyond the two people I’ve already approached. I’d rather not join the group chat for work either. Why? Because I worry that if I keep bothering people, they’ll just rush me through tasks or give me trivial busy work since I’m not part of their team. Is it unreasonable to prefer not to keep asking multiple seniors for work instead of billing admin hours? Honestly, if there’s no effort to schedule me, then I don’t think I should be criticized for my admin time.
Edit: I’m really frustrated about not being on a team. When I was, I was assigned tasks and it felt much more productive than constantly asking around for work, only to receive multiple “no’s” and having to move on to the next person. It’s just exhausting.
Update: I received feedback from a senior today! He mentioned I could enhance my Excel skills, but he reassured me that my request for work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Update 2: The scheduler reached out to me and the other interns, asking if anyone was available for some business development projects. It seems they’re clearly looking at me since the other two interns are already busy.
One response
It sounds like you’re feeling a mix of frustration and uncertainty about your current situation. It’s completely normal to feel hesitant about asking for work, especially in a busy season internship where you might fear being seen as a burden. However, it’s important to remember that part of the internship experience is about learning how to navigate these professional settings, including communicating about your workload.
It’s understandable that you don’t want to be assigned busy work, but asking for tasks from your seniors can also lead to valuable learning opportunities. Remember, they might not realize that you’re not actively working on anything, and they’ll appreciate your initiative in seeking out responsibilities. If you’re worried about being rushed through tasks, you can approach your ask with specific questions or express your desire for meaningful projects that align with your learning goals.
As for your admin time, while it can be frustrating, it’s often unavoidable in internships when the scheduling isn’t ideal. If you’re proactive about showcasing your skills (like improving your Excel), it can help you stand out to those ultimately deciding who to assign work.
Regarding the opportunity for business development projects, that could be a great chance to engage, network, and demonstrate your skills. Even if it’s not the traditional Audit work you’re expecting, it can offer valuable experiences and insights into different aspects of the business.
Don’t hesitate to follow up with your scheduler about potential work making it clear that you are eager and available. In summary, it’s not wrong to feel the way you do, but reaching out can ultimately lead to a more fulfilling internship experience.