The pressure that young adults are put under to gain work experience before getting a “real world” job makes finding a job a lot more stressful than it should be. Unfortunately, we no longer live in a society that guarantees college graduates a job as soon as they earn their degree. I am one of those people that have fallen into the cycle of finding and learning all that I can from jobs and internships to put on my resume for the future. From my experiences, I have picked up a few tips that will be beneficial to any college-aged student looking to get the most out of their internships and gain good experience to put on your resume.
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1. Ask Around to See Who Hires Interns
Many of my peers have trouble even finding internships in the first place. Asking fellow students, teachers, parents, or friends what kind of companies in your area hire will most likely give you better results than looking for them on your own. Some companies are known for hiring interns, so get to know who those companies are and get connected. Some ways to get connected are using tools such as LinkedIn and attending networking opportunities in your area to start to build a good reputation with them.
2. Realize That Internships Aren’t Always Glamorous
As much as we would like internships to be fun and teach you a lot, sometimes they just aren’t as great as you had pictured. They can be boring and appear mundane. Just remember that any skills you are learning at the company are important ones. Even if it’s just learning how to address an envelope. Make the most out of all the small tasks you are given and realize that these skills might actually help you in the future. You never know if and when these small skills will benefit you in the future. Take advantage of everything that the company you are working for is willing to take the time to teach you. They think these tasks are important so you should too.
3. Be the Best at Whatever Your Employer Has You Do
This might seem like an obvious point, but it’s a good thing to be reminded of. For instance, if your boss tells you to make them a PowerPoint for their upcoming meeting, then you make sure that it is the best PowerPoint your boss has ever seen. Put all your efforts into every task that is given to you. This point goes along with the last point. Even if the task seems to be unimportant to you, your boss thinks it’s important otherwise they wouldn’t be telling you to do it. Make sure that your employer knows that you are the best one for this internship. Working hard will get you a long way.
4. Connect With Your Fellow Colleagues
Networking is the foundation to a successful career. Getting to know the people you work with now and connecting and staying connected with them long after your internship can make or break your future. You never know who can help you down the road. Your colleagues now might be your boss later. Utilize LinkedIn as much as you can and grow your network.
5. Thank Your Employer
It is so important to stay on your employer’s good side once you have finished your internship. A nice handwritten note not only shows how truly thankful you were for the learning opportunities that the company offered you, but also shows good character. People want to help people that are nice to them. These employers can be the outstanding reference on your resume for your next job or offer their own connections to you. The business world is dependent on who you know and not necessarily what you know. Make sure you leave and stay on good terms because this could make or break your future career.
Keeping these 5 points in mind can help you make the most out of your internship. Now good luck on furthering your career!