New intern

[Anonymous]

Posting to see if you think I’m being unreasonable or have the wrong idea about how to host an intern.

A new intern - a first year law student - started yesterday. We met straight away and discussed a couple of assignments to start working on, and I also told her that she would be welcome to shadow me in meetings so she could learn more about the work I do and the company. (I lead part of the legal team in a public tech company)

I had her shadow me in a couple of meetings today. I expected her to sit quietly (after brief intros) and just listen.

But instead, she spoke often, asking a lot of questions. To be clear, these weren’t clarifying questions to help her get to know the company and understand the issue (which also, to be honest, I’d rather she didn’t do in these meetings because people have limited time, our meetings are relatively short, and I’d be happy to chat about these questions separately afterwards). These questions were sort of like the kinds of questions I might ask if I were trying to get to understand the problem better and get to a resolution.

Except that because she doesn’t know anything about the company or the legal issues, they were not good questions and they were leading people down random paths that were unnecessary. I didn’t want to interrupt, but it was a waste of time and she was missing the key issue (that I wouldn’t expect her to have known at all, but I also didn’t expect her to be talking so much!)

Anyway, of course I did interrupt because we needed to come to a resolution, so I steered things back on course. But it has been bothering me because it just wasn’t what I was expecting from an intern! I definitely never did this and I don’t think she should have done.

So - am I being unfair?

[Anonymous]

“From now on, she will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of her filthy sewer will be ‘Ma’am.’ Does the maggot understand that?” Paraphrasing for gender and singularity, of course.

All kidding aside, you’re not being unfair, and I share your perspective.
Even if she understood more about the company and the legal issues, I’d diplomatically explain to her that early in the internship, her role in meetings is simply to observe.*
She should note any questions for later discussion with you, or whomever is supervising her at that time.

*I also recognize that once she’s deeper into the internship, she may be asked to report during meetings about work she’s completed, e.g., research or other assignments.

[Anonymous]

Interns have been told to ask questions. It’s how they learn. It’s up to you to establish guidelines for those questions- when to ask, what types of questions etc.

[Anonymous]

You’re not unfair in what you want her to do. Perhaps a little unfair in expecting her to know if you didn’t make it clear that her role was to observe. You need to do that now, or it will reflect badly in both of you.

[Anonymous]

Just tell her. Explain she can write down a list of questions to ask you or research afterwards, but she’s not to ask in meetings unless invited to do so by you. She’s there to observe only. Etc.

Interns don’t know anything. You have to teach them.

[Anonymous]

Have her ask questions to you after the meeting and not waste everyone’s time with questions irrelevant to the meeting topic.

[Anonymous]

You are her mentor and you have an obligation to help her.

How you go about doing it is up to you, but she will surely be grateful to you down the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are her mentor and you have an obligation to help her.

How you go about doing it is up to you, but she will surely be grateful to you down the line.

This. I'm a mentor for new attorneys. Just talk to her.

[Anonymous]

I have run many legal intern programs. Generally, interns know to listen and learn at the beginning. But, not always. So, your expectation wasn’t incorrect. When something like this happened I would just add it to the list of things to go over with new interns in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interns have been told to ask questions. It’s how they learn. It’s up to you to establish guidelines for those questions- when to ask, what types of questions etc.

Agree 100%

[Anonymous]

You’re supposed to be teacher her right? You don’t have to frame it as interrupting, more like steering the conversation. You could also tell her to take note of her questions and you’ll have a follow up with her after the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re not unfair in what you want her to do. Perhaps a little unfair in expecting her to know if you didn’t make it clear that her role was to observe. You need to do that now, or it will reflect badly in both of you.

What you are expecting is totally reasonable.

What she did was also totally reasonable.

It's just that her understanding doesn't match your expectations, so your job is to make those expectations clear, and hers is to listen to you and then and adjust.

[Anonymous]

I work at a law firm and we specifically recruit a lot of people first in their families to go to college, let alone law school. So while I, a person raised by people with graduate degrees, would know this, someone raised by people with little education and a non-white collar job might not.

Just tell her how to behave in meetings going forward. Frame it as your fault for forgetting to tell her the behavior expected of her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“From now on, she will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of her filthy sewer will be ‘Ma’am.’ Does the maggot understand that?” Paraphrasing for gender and singularity, of course.

All kidding aside, you’re not being unfair, and I share your perspective.
Even if she understood more about the company and the legal issues, I’d diplomatically explain to her that early in the internship, her role in meetings is simply to observe.*
She should note any questions for later discussion with you, or whomever is supervising her at that time.

*I also recognize that once she’s deeper into the internship, she may be asked to report during meetings about work she’s completed, e.g., research or other assignments.

Major Payne

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you've never managed anyone OP. As others have written, you need to be a mentor + kindly explain how things work + what your expectations are. You need to guide, encourage + teach.