Internships are great opportunities to get your foot in the door in your career field. As a college student, it may be more challenging to find internships that allow you to get fully involved in the career path you’re most interested in. As long as you’re not just fetching coffee for your corporate bosses every day, you’ll probably be given chances to expand your skill set this semester.
First, congratulations! You got the job. Application processes and job interviews can be unnecessarily extensive just to end up being rejected (we’ve all been there). But if you’ve made it this far, you can definitely keep it up to hopefully land a full time position after the internship ends.
Most of this information may seem self explanatory, but trust me. You’ll be surprised how impressed and happy with your performance your employer will be.
Here’s how to make the most of your Internship:
Make connections
Simple. Introduce yourself to everyone you meet even if they aren’t in your department. Remember their names too! Utilize everyone around you just as they will to you. Learn about the people you’ll be working close to and form bonds with them that will come in handy as reference sources or for employment opportunities in the future.
Get your work done before it’s due
Your boss or supervisor will be ecstatic to find out that the tasks they left you with were completed well before the weekend. Be on top of your responsibilities by reducing distractions too. Put your phone away. When you get bored with task #1, take a break from it by working on task #2! This effort is crucial to fast paced working environments.
Ask questions
More often than not, your employers will not be annoyed or upset with you for asking questions. Asking questions shows initiative. It demonstrates that you’re eager to work hard and be accurate in your area of work. Asking questions is a great way to avoid confusion, too.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
Clearly, you’ll want to dress appropriately based on the company’s dress code and policies, but don’t be afraid to add a little flair to your outfits by accessorizing with bold statement pieces. These bold pieces can help your outfit pop while eluding to the fact that, sure, you’re an intern now, but soon you plan on being the boss.
These things to keep in mind will definitely help you enjoy your experience more, as well as make your employer happy with your performance at their company which will be beneficial in the long run.
Best of luck this semester!
HCXO,
Devon