You landed the summer internship of your dreams, now it is time to learn to tips and tricks to be the best intern you can possibly be. Take into account that an internship is the foot in the door to a future career. An internship is also a taste of what you will be doing for the rest of you life in a professional setting. Knowing what it takes to be the best intern will make you stand out above the rest and help you secure future references.
Be flexible to whatever is going to be thrown your way. For the first couple of weeks, do not plan to have a set schedule throughout the day and what time you are going to leave the office. Allow yourself to have an open schedule and willing to accept whatever the task is for the day.
Set personal goals at the beginning of your internship and allow yourself to accomplish these goals throughout your time. Contribute to beyond what the normal task is and push yourself to reach your goals.
Do your homework BEFORE the internship starts to prepare yourself for the first day. Research the company, who works there, and its mission statement. Knowing all of these things will give you confidence and allow you to be comfortable in your work setting.
Network! Try to make as many connections as you can while completing an internship. Take advantage of every situation and everyone you meet because they could offer something very beneficial down the road. Always be friendly to everyone that you work with in order to establish good relationships. A goal of your internship is to find people to rely on in the future.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Remember, an internship is a learning process for you and the people you work around know that. Do not expect to know everything there is to know right off the bat. Allow yourself to be open to learning and ask questions if you do not know how to do something properly.
Use your cell phone when it is appropriate. Try not to fall in the habit of checking your social media sites throughout the day while completing your internship. Save that for lunch breaks and after-work. Cell phones can be a major distraction and take away from the learning process that an internship has to offer.
Remember that while working in an office as an intern, you are basically at the bottom of to totem pole. However, do not let this discourage you. While completing your internship, continuously ask for feedback about how your performance is. Knowing what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong will help you get a better understanding of what the profession is like. One last thing to remember while interning is to have fun! This internship is a taste of what you are going to be doing for the rest of your life and you do not want a profession that you dread going to each day. Always have a positive mindset and have fun!