Actually landing an internship offer is an extensive process in itself – from sending out resumes to doing tons of interviews, it’s definitely rewarding when it ends in an offer or two. But that’s only a small part of the battle; making sure you’re making the most out of your time and absorbing as much as you can when you’re there is critical. An internship is all about learning what you do and don’t like and what industries and types of positions you might want to be in after college. Here are some tips for making the most of it:
Write down your goals beforehand.
Before you begin your internship, it might be a good idea to write down what you want to get out of it. If you’re working in Public Relations, for example, you might be able to get some marketing or corporate communications experience out of it, too. You might also want to learn a new software or a certain set of skills. Refer to this list every now and then throughout your internship and try to make sure you’re doing and learning everything you set out to do.
Ask for feedback.
One surefire way of making sure you’re learning is by asking for feedback. Ask your boss not only for clarification in the beginning if there’s something you don’t understand, but ask afterwards to make sure what you did is what they had in mind. For companies that don’t have entire internship programs with specific people dedicated to working with interns, employees might be busier and have more on their plate. Due to this, it’s very beneficial to go out of your way to confirm. Sometimes if they don’t give you feedback afterwards, it’s not because they don’t have any – they might have just forgotten or have been busy with something else.
Do a mid-internship reflection with your boss.
This point somewhat builds off of the last one, but try to sit down with your boss for 30 minutes halfway through your internship to see how you’re doing. This is a time for them to tell you how you’re doing in terms of quality of work, timeliness, attitude, and more. It’s also a time for you to ask questions. If there are some tasks where you feel as if you’re not given enough guidance, now is the time to bring it up. It also doesn’t hurt to ask to diversify your work a bit – if you feel a lot of the tasks are quite similar or that you’re doing a bunch of busy work and would like to learn more, tell them! You’d be surprised how much your boss also wants you to learn and get a lot out of the internship.
Maximize your time and ask for tasks.
It’s not uncommon that a task might take you a lot less time or a lot more time than originally anticipated. If it takes more time, give your boss a heads-up so they know you’re not slacking off. But, if you finish way before they thought you would, let them know! They’ll not only be glad that you’re working efficiently, but you’ll have more time to start something else. It’s okay to take a five or ten minute break here and there, but try not to sit around for too long – it’s incredibly beneficial to get as much real-world experience as possible while also making a good impression.
Get to know your coworkers.
Your coworkers or fellow interns will become your friends throughout your time there. Even if you’re not directly working on projects with them, sitting next to someone for that long calls for conversation every now and then. Use this to your advantage – ask them where they went to college, where they worked before, and what their career goals are. These things will also come up naturally over time. Maybe even ask to grab lunch with someone who works in a department you’re interested in. Putting yourself out there can be scary in the beginning, but it isn’t often that you’ll be surrounded by so many people you can learn so much from in a corporate setting.
Write down what you’re doing and learning.
It’s a good idea to write down everything you’re doing as you go. This way, it’ll be a lot easier to add the position to your resume and add skills. It’ll also give you a holistic idea of what the position entails; sometimes internships can be quite long and it’s easy to forget some things you did in the beginning. This will also give you a clearer view of the tasks you did and didn’t like doing, and you’ll learn more about yourself.
Make sure your level of effort doesn’t waver.
It’s not uncommon that interns often put less work into the second half or last couple weeks of the internship than they did in the beginning. After working there for a while, things might start to become a bit repetitive and your effort might start to drop. Try to make sure that you’re putting in the same amount of effort throughout. The end of the internship is one of the most critical parts of the process – it’s not only the last impression you leave on your boss, but it’s also when you ask for a reference letter. You definitely want to put your best foot forward as often as you can.
Those are some tips for making sure you’re making the most out of your internship. The most beneficial thing you can do for yourself as an intern is to keep and open mind and do a lot of self-reflection. There’s a reason internship are only a few months long – you’re supposed to absorb as much as you can and decide if you do or don’t like certain positions and industries. Maximize your time as an intern by making connections, learning new skills, and even learning more about yourself!
