Recent grad and Careers24 writer Portia M shares her personal experience of an internship with a ice cold boss...

Okay, maybe to a lesser degree. But in my books, my first boss might as well have been the fussy, unrelenting Editor-in-Chief from The Devil Wears Prada, served on an ice cold plate without a hint of nice. Nonetheless, after scouring the web and sending out mass emails, I was over the moon to finally land the perfect internship.

And perfect it was… At least on paper...

Communications degree? Check. Research skills? Check. Keen interest in fashion? Check. Writing skills? Check. Attention to detail? Check.

And what’s more, not only would I be working for one of the leading fashion and health magazines in the country, but I’d finally get to leave the confinements of my home and establish myself in a new city. What else could a girl ask for? This internship was everything I’d desired.

So there I was, on my first day, turbo charged with heaps of confidence, or so I’d have everyone believe. And because I’d done my homework, including researching Miranda Priestly herself, I was pretty sure I’d leave an unforgettable first impression. After all, first impressions count for everything… So advice columns suggested.

A quick introduction around the office was all it took to bring me back to reality. There she was, Miranda, seated at her desk without even a sign of acknowledgement as I modelled my molars as soon as we were introduced. Which in my state of bewilderment made me wonder what it was about magazine editors that made them so rigid? Were they all schooled in the same institution by the same lecturer who uses the same textbook: “Tips to make your employees wince with one glance” to scare everyone away?

Once my seat had been allocated I managed to bluff my way through the rest of the morning, only to be handed a pile of magazines and told “I need double copies of all the fashion spreads photocopied and stapled on my desk by the morning?”

Did I miss something? Where in the job description did it stipulate that I’d have to marry the photocopying machine?

As close of day approached and everyone winked, smiled and choired goodbye, there I was without a clue what the difference between a fashion spread or fashion ad was. To me it was all fashion.

Stapled and placed on Miranda’s desk in order of page number, I wiped away the sweat and headed for the door, to realise tomorrow was yet another day.

The next morning I was greeted by a “Thank you” note and another pile of magazines.

Was that what dreams are made of? I’m not sold.

But I’ll tell you one thing that internship taught me is that we’ve all got to start somewhere. And although the path to building my career may be bumpier than I expected, without noticing it, those tedious tasks prepared me for what lay ahead. Before I knew it I was giving my input where required and even began writing my own content pieces. And finally, by asking for my opinion about a scarf she wanted to wear to a staff party, Miranda acknowledged my existence.

Or was it because I was the only other person in the room? Some questions are best left unanswered... 

Submitted by: Portia M

Have you had a similar experience? How did you handle it? Share your story in the comments below!