Congratulations on securing your first internship! Give yourself a pat on the back, a round of applause, or even a sweet treat because this is just the beginning of your professional character arc. As an ambitious Virgo, I can truly appreciate the satisfaction that comes with making your LinkedIn debut to humbly announce the next step of your career.
However, the impostor syndrome unfortunately doesn’t end here. You might be feeling like you girlbossed a little too close to the sun. No matter the industry, scale, or number of jobs you had previously, starting an internship is scary. With my first internship in progress, here are some tips I wish someone had told me before my first day.
Fight the Self-Doubt Demons
My first day in the office was like the first time driving without my mom. I couldn’t help but ask myself, who let me do this? As an anxious girly, impostor syndrome never seems to go completely away. The only demons that get in the way are me.
The best remedy I’ve found helpful is to remember why I was hired in the first place. Regardless of the industry you’re interning in, the people who hired you are professionals whom I assume you admire.
Your supervisor didn’t find you on Craigslist, surrendering to the risk that came with their decision. If you admire them, they must be good at their job. Trusting them to do their job well also means trusting their judgment of your capabilities.
If You’re Unsure, Ask
From my experience, asking questions at your internship isn’t like raising your hand in class. Your supervisor will likely be thrilled to answer your questions, no matter how small or trivial they might seem.
What matters is timing over content. For instance, your supervisor might be less thrilled to answer your questions when they’re in the middle of a call. However, their busy schedule shouldn’t completely deter you from asking.
After a few days on the job, I realized a quick Q&A is always welcome, even when the office door is closed, as long as you knock. My supervisor was more than happy to walk me through my answers and make time for a quick discussion.
While this experience may not be universal, after working in multiple industries, from retail to food service, your supervisor will always prefer too many questions over permanent results from major mistakes. Remember, the worst they can answer with is “no.”
Own Your Mistakes
Honesty really is the best policy, especially since a cover-up could cost more than the mistake. Your supervisor understands you’re still a student and expects you to make mistakes, yet it’s crucial to communicate when they occur.
How you recover is the most important part. I’ve always found success by letting my supervisor know the situation, explaining the mistake, and then offering potential solutions or asking for advice. After all, mistakes can be from a simple misunderstanding or even a typo.
Learn at Every Step
Internships are all about finding your footing. When I started mine, all I wanted was to be an expert instantly because the learning curve was so steep. Learning the lingo, getting into a routine, and finally feeling a little bit more at ease in the office took time.
Feeling like it’s your first day of school every week at work can be extremely humbling. New characters, new side quests, and new rules all need to be learned in an instant. However, give yourself some grace. Every mistake is a learning opportunity and can even be a funny memory.
An internship is simply an opportunity to try on a career and see if it fits. It’s not the final outfit, though, and some pieces may be too big at the moment. If you can see yourself making the career your own with room to grow, then the career might just be a new part of your capsule wardrobe.
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