Administrative Assistant Internship for a Non-Profit Organization

by Maria Soledad Becerra

 I did my administrative assistant internship at W.A.G.E.S. W.A.G.E.S.is an acronym for Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security. It is an organization located in downtown Oakland that works with low-income immigrants, mostly Latinas to give them the skills to own their green cleaning businesses cooperatives. WAGES teaches women to work together to success in a healthy work environment, with good pay, while making good decisions and getting an equal distribution of profits. WAGES has 12 members in different positions.

I had some responsibilities while I was interning there. I had my own temporary email from W.A.G.E.S. and was given different passwords to be used with the confidential and exclusive computer system. The organization shared relevant and private information about members of cooperatives with me. My supervisor was the Associate Director Alex Armenta who gave me the opportunity to understand, reflect on and follow her directions. She was very clear and specific when she explained and assigned a new project to me.

 I went to my internship Mondays and Wednesdays for eight weeks from 9 am to 4 pm. My internship started at 9 am. I greeted everyone in the office then took “my” laptop from the finance manager who had control of computers and devices. I had a designated seat in a desk close to my supervisor Alex. I turned on the laptop and I read all the emails prioritizing for necessity and urgency. I had a very big project doing a super spreadsheet putting all contacts and providers together. The spreadsheet was my principal project, and I received lots of compiled lists from other members of the staff to put the information on it.

I had some challenges during my internship because it was my first real experience working in an office environment in the United States. I needed to meet the Associate Director for an interview before I was accepted for the internship. She asked me some questions, questions I had learned how to answer in LEN Business and Language Institute’s (LEN) Career Development class, so I was prepared to do that. I knew that I responded assertively.

I also needed to pass three tests, one of them was how to write an email to communicate to everyone in the office about a holiday coming. The other was how to resolve a three person  executive meeting where only one would be present because the other two had problems planning their agendas and canceled at the last minute. The last one was regarding my knowledge of spreadsheets in excel. After I waited for a few minutes to see if I passed the tests, the Alex decided that I could be there as an Administrative Assistant Intern. I liked the name of my position so much.

Another challenge I had was when the Financial Manager requested me to translate some documents from Spanish to English. It was hard, but I felt proud of that accomplishment.

 But the most difficult challenge I faced was when I felt overwhelmed about the internship because I didn't take my break times and lunch time. I was exhausted entering a lot of data in a spreadsheet without rest. I tried to quit the internship without saying anything to the Alex about my situation I tried to make up a story telling her about changing my career plan to study medical assisting at LEN, and that it would not be necessary to finish because I didn’t need it.

I called my counselor Miguel and explained my feelings. He recommended that I explain the situation not my feelings to Alex. Then I talked with Nancy, the LEN director and told her I was feeling too exhausted and didn’t want to continue going there. After that, Nancy, Miguel and I had a telephone conference regarding my internship at WAGES. We decided that I would end it. But then later, Nancy recommended that I talk with Alex, and explain my situation. Alex was very understanding and nice. She suggested that I take breaks and go outside specifically to a garden on the sixth floor of Kaiser Permanente and walk around. She gave me a one hour lunch to do that and permission to stand up and relax at any time I needed. So, I stayed.

While I was undertaking the internship, I got a lot of benefits. For example, I had the amazing opportunity to work with a very professional staff in a structurally formal organization. I felt so important having my own email, passwords, desk, laptop and whatever I needed to accomplish and finish my job. I learned some new skills like how to manage a Google calendar, how to share files with staff in their own computerized system. I had the experience to act professionally, resolve my internship conflict,  and gain confidence about following instructions from a boss. I felt happy that my job was recognized and the organization appreciated my time with them. 

Thanks to WAGES for  letting me be part of them for the 8 weeks of my internship.