You Know You’re a Good Viget Intern Candidate If…

We recently posted the descriptions of our 2012 Summer Internships. Each internship description explains the tangible requirements for earning a spot, but I thought I'd follow up with some less-obvious thoughts on who should apply. Here are some things that are likely true of our ideal intern candidates.

EVIDENCE THAT YOU'RE A COMPETENT ADULT:

1. You put Ikea furniture together like a champ. Not because we make interns build our furniture for us (well, maybe just a desk or two), but because you're the kind of person who is willing to sit down on the floor with a screwdriver and a booklet of useless instructions, and bust out some elbow grease.
2. You -- not your parents -- are doing your internship search. Parents are great and we'd admire you if you seek their wisdom before making big life decisions. But at Viget we are all fully-functioning, autonomous people who like dreaming our own dreams and making our own plans.
3. Flat tire? W-2 Form? Broken iPhone? No problem. You've been around the block and know a few things. What you haven't seen before, you can figure out.

PIECES OF WISDOM YOU'VE DISREGARDED:

1. Don't close any doors. Broad horizons are nice, but if you know what you love and what you're good at, you may have to invest in those things at the exclusion of others. We're looking for people who have already mastered technical skills and who are clear on how they want to start their career.
2. Everything in moderation. Alcohol? Sure. TV watching? Maybe. But some things are best done to the extreme, especially while you're young. We want our interns to be passionate and relentless in their pursuits.
3. Follow your heart. In most academic and professional situations, we think a level head will serve you better than a bleeding heart. While passion and determination have a big place at Viget, so does mature, grounded, rational thinking. (Then again, if your heart leads you to Viget ... by all means, follow it!)

TRUTHS YOU HOLD TO BE SELF-EVIDENT:

1. Hard work is good work. Things that come easily are often fun, but nothing feels better than putting in some serious effort.
2. Getting straight A's is possible, but not always worthwhile. We're looking for high achievers, but you should be mature enough to know that there's more to life than grades. What activities keep you from that 4.0? We'll be interested to hear about them.
3. Only boring people get bored. You're the kind of person who is creative, curious, and productive in almost any situation. When you land a Viget internship and you're surrounded by smart people working on interesting projects, you'll be blissfully overwhelmed by how much there is to learn and do.