Once upon a time, there was a banana.

I’m having one of those “back-in-my-day” senior’s moments. In fact, I’ve used that exact phrase (must be said in slightly huffy and indignant voice) more times than I care to admit this week.

It all started early last Sunday morning when I was sitting peacefully on my couch, sipping tea and reading the papers. I was flicked fairly mindlessly, my brain pre-occupied by the pressing question “How early is too early for yum cha?” and the related dilemma “Can I feasibly eat prawn gow gees before 10am?”  Just when I’d decided, “Yes! Yes I can!”, my focus was suddenly drawn back to the newspaper by the unwelcome sight of my own face staring back at me. And it wasn’t attached to this column.

Oh dear. Hate looking at pictures of myself in any context, let alone the news section of the paper. Never a good thing. Instant dread. Glanced quickly at the other photos on the page, scanned the headline and ascertained it was something about magazine editors – of which I’m no longer one but whatever.
The gist of the story was that the magazine industry was apparently in a “tizz” about some anonymous rumours on a website.

One of these rumours – are you sitting down? – was that “Mia Freedman once sent a work experience person out to buy her son a banana.” A banana. A BANANA.

Here’s a brief snapshot of what went through my head after reading that sentence.

1.    Did I do that? Possibly. But more likely banana was for self. Son not partial to bananas.
2.    Even if true about son, banana is fruit. Good Mother Points in that.
3.    At least no mention of the time I sent Art Director to buy my son McDonalds. That definitely happened. Look, she was going there anyway.
4.    Why is shocking banana allegation not on page 1 where it belongs? 2020 Summit? Pah!

As my friends and family woke up and opened their own newspapers, my phone began to beep. “At least it wasn’t a Mars Bar!” texted my mum. “Selfish cow,” texted an editor friend. “Why didn’t you let work experience girl choose the cover and then take her out to dinner?”

During yum cha, and for the next few days, I thought a lot about work experience students and how their expectations have changed. In short: A Lot.
I started my own career doing work experience when I was 19 and my first boss was the wonderful Lisa Wilkinson.
Back then (in my day etc), I was grateful for the chance to get her coffee or her mail. I would have gladly washed Lisa’s car – or her feet – had I been asked. Heck, I would have blow-dried her dog (I do know an editor who was asked to do this when she herself did work experience at a magazine). During this time, I believe I was also regularly sent to fetch assorted muffins and sandwiches for staff. And one time? A peach. I know. But it’s true.

Occasionally, when the receptionist was at lunch, I was given the basic task of sitting at her desk and answering the phone. For me, this was Christmas. I was stoked just to be there, breathing the air. I was ambitious and knew from day one that I wanted to be an editor but even with the arrogance of youth, I understood it would take a little time before I got to do the really fun stuff.

So I’ve always had a soft spot for work experience students. As an editor, I insisted we have a structured program to give them a well-rounded understanding of how a magazine worked. Inevitably, this included some boring tasks because – GUESS WHAT KIDS – there are many, many boring tasks to be done in every workplace. At every level.

Over the years, I began to notice a change in attitude from some (not all) of the work experience students. Gratitude was being replaced with a sense of entitlement and absurd expectations.

I’m guessing that Banana Girl was one of those; a sixteen year old who rocked up for her week expecting to interview Jessica Alba and attend fashion shows. That’s the kind of experience she was after, thanks. And she wasn’t the only one.

More and more, I noticed work experience students arking up and it was driving my already over-worked staff nuts. It got to the point where, before they came, we had to inform them in writing that “you will be required to do administrative tasks and whatever else is required to help around the office including trips to the mail room, coffee runs, filing etc”.

Some decided this wasn’t, like, acceptable and never showed up. Others showed up and then sulked. Or disappeared mid-week.
To ensure my radar wasn’t unreasonably set to Fuddy Duddy due to my Gen X status, this week I asked some of my Gen Y mag colleagues about their experiences with work experience.
They came back with some corkers.
Like the girl who emailed an editor direct with a story idea and signed off with “Get back to me ASAP”.
Or the one who refused to help the fashion assistant take clothes down to the courier dock, announcing, “I have a degree, I’m not a Sherpa.”
Or the one who said to the deputy editor “I’d really like to interview a celebrity while I’m here. Can you arrange it?”
Of course, many work experience students are wonderful young women (and occasionally, young men, bless their brave souls). A 26 year old features editor puts it like this: “It would be 50/50 split: the little creatures who slump and sigh at being asked to get the mail, and those who have already gone down and got it before you can ask. Guess who gets the internships...”
Back in my day there were no internships. They should be grateful….

Comments

[Cerry]

Pfft, a banana. At least a banana is small, light and easy to carry. When I did MY work experience at the uni radio station in year 10, we did a broadcast from the uni bistro. Guess which lucky work experience student got to lug 2 speakers that were about half her height up the stairs so we could use them for said broadcast? Sure, if I'd been able to punch a hole in the ceiling and crawl through it, I would have been about 2 meters from the required destination for said speakers, but that's besides the point. The point is, if banana girl's worst job was getting the banana, she shouldn't be complaining too loudly.

[patricia]

I'm just over Gen Y and work as a Sales Manager bringing in amazing blue chip clientds for the business. Your article re starting at the bottom fascinateds me. I work with a lady in her 30s (Gen ?) who came through the bottom to higher management WITHOUT ANY QUALIFICATIONS,SKILLS & NO TRAINING. However, my salespeople and me are really making the profits and we don't count as I'm GEN Y-Z, AND SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THE QUICKER YOU GO UP, I await the day!!!

[fattpanda]

Hooley Dooley! I grew up in a very remote part of australia and would have given my right arm and possibly a kidney to do work experience at a magazine! What will it take to bring some of these Gen Y's down off their pedestals? More to the point, Who gave them the impression they were allowed to get up there in the first place?

[Micaela Pritchard]

I am a teacher in a high school and it does not surprise me in the least that someone "reported" you for asking them to buy a banana at the shop. Many young people would be thrilled at the prospect of being able to work with you but unfortunately there are some young people with a highly developed sense of entitlement. Thank you for having work experience available at your workplace. I hope this recent unpleasant incident has not put you right off the whole idea.

[Jelica]

Mia I know one of the ungrateful girls that did work experience at Cosmo when you were an editor. Her story was; so there I was standing in Mia's office on my last day, with this other work experience girl who was thanking Mia…and I just thought to my self, what for???
I couldn’t believe she was bitching about you, I’d be happy just to meet you!

[Danielle Melnyczenko]

:O... I'm dumbfounded. I got accepted for a weeks work experience at DOLLY when I was 16 but I lived in Darwin and Dad refused to send me down hahaha. He told me to apply but didn't think I'd get it.
I would have done anything for those people... then at the end of the week asked them to adopt me so I could fetch them banana's for the rest of thier lives.
I'm still enthralled with the publishing industry... a magazine junkie, hardcore. I'm 22 and now live in Western Sydney... am I too old for work experience? I could show those ungrateful fruit-hating snobs whats what.
Loving your blog babe :D
Dani oxox

[gigdiary]

Back in the 80s, (yup, one of those ‘back in my day’ diatribes), I ran a music publishing business, out of a suburban office. At certain times each year I’d get calls from students asking for WE. I guess they saw my Yellow Pages ad, ‘Music blah, blah,’ and thought ‘well, it’s local and it’s music’. I always tried to deflect them towards the city music publishers (EMI, Warners etc) as I knew that while mundane tasks are supposed to be part of work experience, a modicum of glamour/excitement is certainly inspirational for a WE candidate.

At the same time, I employed a few girls through a government scheme that subsidised their wages. These previously unemployed girls were highly motivated employees who undertook all tasks smilingly, turning post office and lunch runs into social networking opportunities.

As I say, back in my day.... (yawn)

[Richard]

Back in my day..... I had a hard time in my work experience.

As a 17 y/o, I worked for a high profile new car franchisee.

Sometimes when he was too busy bullying us all and unable to keep his regular massage appointment, I was sent along in his place so that he wouldn't lose his regular slot [spelling?:)]. I never quite understood why, but for tax or other reasons he wanted to maintain the pattern of expenditure. I was sworn to secrecy, given the cash and ordered to bring back the receipt.

Much to my surprise and teenage delight, his massage was at a "rub and tug" joint disguised as an upmarket health spa.

I used every trick in the book to load him up with work, fake clients, anything, to ensure he was too busy to make his next appointment. I've never worked so hard in all my life :)

Sadly, it was too good to last. Maybe his wife became suspicious - she used to chat a lot with our office staff.

After half a dozen work "experiences", my educational semenars... sorry, seminars, finished as quickly as I did!

But oh, the memories! Hard times, indeed...

[Meg]

part of my job is to supervise work experience students and out of the dozen or so i have supervised there was only one who was nice and polite, listened to instructions (the first time) and made notes, she did great work and didn't argue when being asked to make corrections. she was so great i recommended her for a job, which she was given.
the others had terrible attitudes and such a sense of entitlement it drove me crazy. one guy was so bad i was ready to take my annual leave to avoid him until his time was up. most lied on their cv's about their expertise in software, this is SO stupid because it takes me about one day to figure that out. one guy argued everytime i asked him to change something - it's not a suggestion! many didn't even bother listening to me and then got upset when i made them redo their work. after the first few i got tough and made sure from day one they understood how things would work, i wouldn't put up with crap and if i was forced to go to my boss about any difficult behaviour then they could forget about being considered for a job, he needs people who are easy to work with and team-players.
what i never understood was that they all said how they really wanted to work there but didn't seem to realise that if they couldn't follow my instuctions, do the work well and make a decent impression then i would have no choice but to tell my boss this if he was considering them for a job.
i did some work experience for a magazine when i was a student and i was so thrilled i didn't care what i had to do, and some of it was mind-numbing. i was so thankfull for the opportunity.

[AK]

Hi Mia... I did work experience at Cosmo Bride as I was finishing my media degree. I had tried so many times to get in, and all of your magazines were already so busy with other work experience students. I ended up emailing you directly and trying to write something witty and interesting to catch your attention... and it worked!! Although I did not end up working in magazines, it was a great experience and I enjoyed every moment (even dropping off mail and buying coffees for staff!). If you don't start at the bottom, how can you enjoy the climb to the top?! Always appreciated that you gave me a chance, thank you so much. x