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By Valeria Menendez, Science Programs Intern, Science Programs
Valeria Menendez is adamant about enjoying life. This means working hard when she has to, but also knowing how to relax and have fun. You can usually find her either doing work, commenting on the show “Chopped” or “4 Weddings,” or inviting people to hang out with her. The Children’s Museum is her favorite museum, and she feels so fortunate to be able to intern here.
I used to think that during the job search, one had to bend their rules and go with whoever hires you, but my experience with the Children’s Museum revealed that this does not have to be the case.
The learning began before I even stepped foot into the museum for my first day of my internship. As I spent hours applying to various internships, I realized that if I was not truly excited about the opportunity, no matter how hard I tried, it showed within my applications. Interning at The Children’s Museum was always a dream of mine, so I knew that I would love working at this museum and really wanted to be a part of the team that makes this museum so memorable.
I went directly to the website and applied, writing everything on the application from the heart. I was truly so excited about the possibility of working for the best museum in the world, and wanted my application to reflect that. My enthusiasm seems to have been palpable, because here I am, writing a blog about my internship experience at the world's biggest and best children's museum!
Learning about the work that goes into each exhibit has been fascinating, and the grant work that I have been doing has given me hope for future generations. I have had no trouble feeling included and respected, and everyone seems to love working here.
What I’ve learned throughout this process is to directly seek out companies that I like because it will be reflected within the application, and will lead to an enjoyable experience at the company. This is a crucial revelation that sets the tone for the rest of my career path—I now know that when I feel very strongly about a company, it will increase the chances that I have a happy, fulfilled life of loving what I do professionally.
