Mara Forster

1. What's your name, nationality and in what year of your studies are you at the moment?

Hallo! I’m Mara, 25 years old, and an OG German who’s currently in her 3rd year of IBCoM!

2. Where did you do an internship and what was your position?

I scored my dream position and did a 6-month internship at The Hague Humanity Hub (@HumanityHub) as a Communications Support Intern.

3. Was your internship online or face-to-face?

Due to government restrictions, most of it was online, but once measurements were eased a tad, we all did try to come to the office (which is a co-working space) once a week. Now towards the end I actually spent quite some of my working days there!

4. What were your main tasks during your internship?

Oh, vast and varied. Ranging from interviewing high-level professionals in the peace & justice ecosystem in and around The Hague (exciting!!! My first day at the job actually started with an interview of a high-ranking UN OCHA official and the last day ended with an interview with someone from UNHCR… Full circle feelings.) and writing profile pieces (Humans of the Hub stories) about them, to managing, operating and improving our WordPress website, to handling all external social media communication, to designing and writing internal and external newsletters, to crafting visual content for promotional material on social media and offline mediums with Illustrator/PhotoShop, to managing our social channels, and lots of ad hoc work that comes up on the daily. Phew.

5. What did you like the most about your internship and what was challenging?

I loved working with a community that strives towards a more peaceful and just world in a myriad of facets, engaging and talking to professionals who I look up to, and expanding my network in a professional realm that I strive to work in one day as well. The responsibility that came with my position is something that, of course, was challenging often, but rewarded me in so many different ways. I had all the freedom to bring in my ideas (and kill my darlings sometimes…). The best part was the team – a small, yet tight-knit team that felt a lot like family - and the informal, innovative vibe at work at a beautiful space in the heart of The Hague. Bonus: I actually got a job out of this!

6. What is something you learned during the internship that you will always remember?

Two things stand out – For one, that I can do anything if I set my mind to it. Halfway through my internship we launched a new networking platform for the peace & justice ecosystem (peace & justice café) and had to plan, organize, promote, and execute within just a matter of weeks. Needless to mention the pressure and stress, but we pulled off a very cool (yet last minute) event that gained lots of local attention and recognition. Number 2 is that I now know that I don’t have to bend over backwards to ‘impress’ someone – I can simply be myself and have learned that this is more than appreciated.

7. Do you have any tips for students who are searching for an internship at the moment?

What got me a lot of positive responses was that I stuck to my values and did not try to fake anything, be that during an interview or on my cover letter. If that’s you – write a funny application letter. Be honest about who you are. And apply to places that match who you are and where you see yourself in the future. Get some solid advice from other people on your CV. And lastly – A rejection is not the end of the world. It probably was not meant to be, and *that* company is just missing out on you (That’s at least what I told myself).