It’s about that time of year where you may have recently accepted an internship offer, and with that, congrats! It is such an exciting time, and you should be incredibly proud. After two consecutive summer internships, I have a few tips for you to get the most out of your internship experience.
1. Meet employees outside of your direct team.
You’ll likely be working closely with the same team daily, which is great to develop close connections over the length of the internship. But I found it super helpful to go out of my way to get coffee or lunch with others outside of my team/department within the company. I learned a lot from them and gained a better perspective on how the company worked. It grew my network even more, and I know they’ll always be willing to help with my job search in the future.
2. Stay later.
As much as you may think as an intern you can leave at 5 pm, it looks a lot better when you put in the extra hours. Staying later shows that you are determined, hard-working, and take your work seriously. It really makes you stand out, showing how much you want to be there by putting in the extra effort.
3. Always be one step ahead.
In the initial stages of your internship, it’s expected that your supervisor will guide you and tell you what he/she expects you to be doing. It’s okay to take the time to get adjusted. Once you’re comfortable, it’s important to take initiative and take on projects without being prompted. It will look especially impressive if you predict the next step and solve problems on your own.
4. Always take notes; for yourself and your supervisor.
An internship’s main purpose is for you to learn. Always put in the extra effort to take in-depth notes at events, meetings, and while networking because you may come across valuable advice. When I was given a project, I always took notes of the instructions so I could refer back when I got started. I also took notes in meetings and sent them in an email to my supervisor afterward without being asked, and she was always impressed and appreciated the help.
5. Try to always say yes.
This isn’t me suggesting you juggle too many things at once, but rather saying to try as many things as you can handle. You’ll gain the most experience by taking on various projects and seeing where your strengths lie. It won’t go unnoticed if you’re consistently hungry for more work.
Follow these tips and you’ll be able to tackle your internship with confidence!