Sahlender Internship Reflection

Anthony Sahlender - College InternIf your perception is that working for the State of Maryland is not interesting, I want you to know this is NOT the case.

As an intern with the Department of Budget and Management’s Recruitment and Examination Division I have been helping to increase the awareness and reach of the state’s social media presence. In other companies this task could be cookie-cutter and boring; simply posting the same messages online every day and trying to expand an email list. To my surprise, I was given freedom in how I approached the issues they faced and the solutions I would soon recommend. 

The demands of this project would push me at times. I needed to speak with directors from multiple departments to ensure their involvement and acquire the research I needed. I also had to organize the findings in a way others may understand if they reviewed them after my internship had concluded. I had to use Photoshop to make designs and write creatively, I had to give presentations, and I had to meet strict deadlines so the project would not fall behind schedule. 

Many believe government work is built on independent effort, however if I tried to accomplish this project alone, there’s a good chance I would have failed. A lot of my time was spent coordinating with others from my division. This meant having meetings to brainstorm, discuss ideas, designate tasks, and collaborate to ensure success.

I am very grateful not only for the opportunity this internship provided me, but the general mindset of the people around me. They could have easily said, “I don’t need to put as much work into this” or “This project doesn’t matter since he’s only an intern”. Instead they took me seriously. I felt that because I was taken seriously, I had to deliver! 
Anthony Sahlender - College Intern
My project even made its way up to the Secretary of DBM, and I was able to present my idea to his senior staff in Annapolis. None of that would have happened if I wasn’t truly a part of the team and the vision of this department. Though I was only here for six months, I felt I made an impact and was a welcomed part of the “family” here. 

If you are thinking about working with the state, whether as an intern like me or as a career don’t let the perception of “uninteresting” work deter you. I assure you if you love what you do and bring a positive attitude you are going to love working for Maryland State government! ​

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