As a sophomore, this summer I’m preparing for my second summer internship. Though this year I’m feeling rather relaxed and more excited than nervous, last year I was freaking out. I had managed to score a blogging internship with Brand-Yourself.com, which was surprising enough after what I saw as a disastrous interview. I didn’t know what I’d be walking into, other than writing blogs on social media and online branding help–which I only knew from the interview. Though my experience turned out to be wonderful and not too stress-inducing, it would have been even better in the first few weeks had I prepared myself better. Now, as a confident intern veteran, let me tell you how to prepare yourself for a summer internship so you can walk in with more excitement than nerves and really show ‘em what you’ve got.
1) Know what’s expected of you: Though your future boss might not have completely filled you in on the work you will be taking part in over the summer, you should at least have some idea of your responsibilities. As a blogger, it would have been helpful for me to start reading other related blogs and start brainstorming potential ideas. Regardless of your job title–and yes, there are titles beyond just “intern”–at the very least make sure you know some background on the company, store, magazine or what have you that will claim your soul over the summer. Just kidding, but seriously, don’t walk in without any clue about anything. You’ll only end up overwhelmed.
2) Keep it all in perspective: Don’t walk in with huge expectations to be the best intern the company’s ever seen and after a week be moving up the ladder. That’s not how this works. In most cases, at the end of the summer, the internship is over and that’s the end of you and Company Y. However, don’t think just because you’re only staying over the course of about three months that you can slack off or take it easy. Maintaining a good relationship with your boss will be key for future internships, jobs or other work-related opportunities. If you walk away being seen as a slacker or uncaring about your responsibilities, even if unpaid, your future career might be a bit lackluster.
3) Remember to breathe: If work keeps piling up and you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t panic. Often, unless given a specific deadline, the work is meant to be spread out over a couple days. As long as you keep making progress and maintain a level head about it, you’ll be fine. If you feel like you’re drowning, ask a fellow intern to maybe help bail you out. Befriend your fellow interns, even if you’re only convenient summer buds; you never know when you might need each other. Take some deep breaths, figure out what is most important to do first and then hop to it.
4) Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy yourself: Yes, internships are important to your future career and you need to take them seriously, but don’t let a serious attitude suck all the fun out of your work. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, maybe you need to consider a different career path. Take your work seriously, but not too seriously to the point where you’re stressing yourself out for no reason. If your boss sees you love what you’re doing, they’ll only feel that much more comfortable with you and this could lead to more opportunity.
Overall, internships aren’t to be feared. They are wonderful growing opportunities to allow us to gradually get in the mindset of responsibility and working for a living. Strive for success, for fun, and to make the absolute most out of the opportunity as possible. Control your nerves and get excited, and with a little luck and a good boss, hopefully you’ll love it.