Internships. This word may stress you out, excite you, or not mean much to you yet. No matter how it makes you feel, they are becoming an essential part of college education, and more of a necessity for getting a job. If you’ve had an internship before, it may have been an amazing experience where you learned a lot and made great connections. Or maybe you ended up landing an internship that sounded a lot better in the job description than it really was. When this happens, it can have some negative effects. It might give you a bad image of the field you want to go into, or just leave you unmotivated. After all, taking out the trash and breaking down boxes can be pretty mundane. If you find yourself in this position, don’t give in! It can be easy to just give up and make the worst of it, but I’m challenging you to do the exact opposite. Everything is a learning experience, so try to find as many upsides as possible. Below you can find some ways to help you do so.
1) Ask as many questions as possible.
After all, you’re there to learn. If experience alone isn’t answering your questions, ask one of the employees! As professionals, they’re most likely going to have answers for you, and they’ll be happy to help. If you’re confused about a certain concept, or can’t quite remember to do something, don’t be afraid to ask someone. Even if you have more general questions about work life, they’re there to teach you.
2) Write down EVERYTHING you do in a day.
Something that worked really well for me was writing down everything I did in a day, from watering plants to creating social media posts. At the end of my internship, I made a master list of every single thing I did. From that, I put stars next to the things that taught me something new. Finally, I color-coded everything based on the skill I learned from each task. Some of them were positive, such as creating better social media posts, while some of them were more mundane, like understanding office manners. Going through this process can help you see the upside of all your tasks, no matter how useless you thought they were.
3) Be honest with your boss.
If you really think that you’re internship is not at all what was promised, and you’re truly getting nothing out of it, it’s time to tell someone. As hard as that may be, there isn’t much to lose. You’ll either start getting better tasks, or you’ll end up in the same position as before. Chances are your boss may not even be aware that the internship program could use improvement. As you’ve heard millions of times, honesty is the best policy, and it’s up to you to say something if you’re unhappy. It’s your internship experience, and you have the power to shape it.
Hoping to avoid the not-so-great internship? Here are some questions you can ask during your interview to help you get a better idea of what you’ll really be doing.
– Can you describe an intern’s typical day?
– Are the employees willing to answer interns’ questions?
– What is the office environment like?
– What are some key skills that make an intern successful?
These questions should help you get a better idea of whether or not the internship is a good fit for you or not. Remember, internships are not one-sided. If you get an internship that you don’t think you’ll enjoy, you have the option to turn it down.
I hope you all learn a lot and enjoy wherever you end up. If not, remember that you have the power to make it great. You shape your experience, and what you decide to get out if it is up to you. Good luck on applications!
Cover Photo Credits: UConn
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