Having a successful internship is more than just staying under the radar and completing your tasks. The key to standing out and making a lasting impression is to see yourself as more than just another temporary intern. They chose you! And now, it’s up to you to make the most of the experience. Luckily, we’ve provided you with 5 helpful tips on how to be the most impressive intern your company has ever seen!
1. If you’re on time, you’re late
As college students, your manger understands that you have a million and one other activities going on in your life. That’s why it will look even more impressive when you go above and beyond with your time management. Not saying you need to be thirty minutes early every time you come in, but having your notebook open and being prepared to take on the day will speak volumes about your reliability as a future employee.
2. Take notes
Speaking of notebooks, nothing says, ‘I respect what you have to say.’ more than an attentive note taker. People see it as a massive sign of respect when you write down what they are saying. For you collegiette’s who prefer to take notes electronically, make sure to let the person know that you’re going to take notes on your phone/ipad before you whip out the electronic devices.
3. Admit to your weaknesses
Not everyone is great at everything. The whole point of an internship is to learn. Faking your way through a project or task will only come back to bite you. Remember that you are there to gain knowledge and that your manager wants to help you. When you hit a roadblock or have a question, try to figure the problem out on your own. If you still can’t figure it out, go through your detailed notes and simply say to your manager, “I’m going through my notes on what we talked about earlier and need a little more clarity on this project.” Your manager will be pleased that you tried to figure the answer out on your own before coming to them.
4. Play up your strengths
Now that you know how to handle your weaknesses, take any opportunities to improve on the things your good at! Take initiative to lend a helping hand for projects or tasks that you know you can excel in. Intern managers love when students go the extra mile. As long as your to-do-list is completed, everyone loves a passionate and hard-working intern who knows what they’re doing.
5. Treat the custodian with the same respect as you would the CEO
I’ll let you in on a little hint. People pay attention to the way that you treat others. It may seem common sense, but a lot of interns get so caught up in reporting to their managers, that everyone else in the building falls by the wayside. Certain employees may have more influence than you think. That IT guy who you always ignore may be the only person who can fix your company laptop later down the line. Keep it classy and always respectfully acknowledge others in the work place.