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Career

Tips on How to Get the Most Out of Your Internship

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at ODU chapter.

Have a Game Plan

Before your first day as the office newbie – make sure that you’ve spent some time thinking about your goals as an intern. What do you want to get out of your internship? What are some questions that you have? What can you do as an intern to stand out? Setting goals for yourself will keep you motivated and help you feel more prepared to go head first into a real-world working environment.

 

 

Source: GIPHY

Ask Questions

Asking questions will not only give you a better idea on how to succeed in your chosen field but it will make you seem engaged and genuinely interested in what you’re doing. Ask your colleagues and boss for professional advice on how to get where they are. Pick their brains for tips and tricks on how to succeed and make the most out of your time with them.  

Source: GIPHY  

Be Friendly and Mingle

Play nice with others and wear a smile! Greeting your boss and colleagues is a great way to make your presence known. Just don’t be the intern that avoids human contact at all costs! Make casual conversation when appropriate and get your work done. There’s no need to hide at your desk or sneak to the Keurig when no one’s looking.

 

Source: GIPHY

Ask For Constructive Criticism

It can be daunting to ask for criticism of any kind but this will definitely make you stand out! Internships allow for an opportunity for growth and learning. The best way to improve your skills is to receive feedback and reflect on it. Asking for constructive criticism won’t make you seem like you don’t know what you’re doing, rather it will make you seem interested and concerned with improving your performance.

Source: GIPHY

 

Take Initiative

Whether you’re simply taking care of office housekeeping tasks, volunteering to make copies, or jumping on a new assignment, taking initiative will help you get noticed and seem reliable. You would be wasting your time and your supervisors time by sitting at your desk watching cat videos all day.

 

 

Source: GIPHY

 

Following these tips will no doubt make you a more organized and prepared intern. You worked hard to land the position so now make the most out of it! Just be yourself and know what you want to get out of your experience. You got this!

 

 

Source: GIPHY