I obtained my first college internship 5 years ago, at the age of 20, and every year after that, I secured a summer internship experience leading up to graduation. These are all personal strides I attribute as great accomplishments.
When I landed my first internship, I was placed in a cohort with like-minded individuals which instantly boosted my confidence. There was a sense of reassurance, knowing I was selected amongst many other young adults to learn and perform in the workplace. I was later assigned a preceptor to facilitate my learning and manage my experience as an intern.
This internship was my first realization of the generational age gap in the workplace.
I was placed in meeting rooms with individuals 10 years+ and introduced to a new way of learning. However, there was much pushback from an internal perspective of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. These feelings stemmed from realizing I was significantly younger than my peers.
I later completed the internship after several rounds of presenting my learnings. From there, I realized the value of my contributions. Although my initial judgments were clouded by internal and external factors, I found value in the age gap, the intergenerational work environment.
This leads me to share a few ways to manage being the youngest person in the room.
Acknowledge Your Why
You applied to the position because of your why. Let this reason fuel your interactions, work efforts, and personal development in the workplace. At the moment, my why was to gain real-life exposure to the day-to-day operations in health administration. I leveraged the opportunity to interact with the senior-level executives on a daily to build my acumen and explore more of my why. Once you are clear on your why, navigating interactions in settings that present age gaps should feel more conventional.
Be Your Own Advocate
I am sure once before you have been told about your great potential. Those kind remarks are great and really help you pursue certain goals and aspirations. However, outside voices can take you but so far. Create a voice of your own, a voice that speaks highly of yourself and is concerned with you reaching your full potential.
Utilize every possible advantage you may have and be your biggest advocate because no one will.
Be Proud Of Who You Are
I pride myself on my background and where I come from. Although I was born in the United States, my parents are from another country, Trinidad & Tobago. Therefore, my way of communicating may sound different. My way of thinking can vary. My values may seem a little different.
I do not hide who I am because I am proud of who I am. Your story is what makes you human. When you interact with individuals in the workplace, you are presented with different attitudes and styles of working. If you are proud of who you are and what you bring to the table, opportunities are endless.
Question For The Readers
- How do you exhibit confidence when you’re youngest person in the room?
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Thanks for stopping by.
Love,
Chelsea
