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Making the Most of Your Internship(s)
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Career counselors, employers, and others have long touted the importance
for college students to work one or more internships during their college
years, and a recent study released by the Vault.com shows that college
students are listening: almost 9 out of 10 (86 percent) college graduates
reported completing at least one internship, and more than two-thirds
(69 percent) reported completing two or more internships.
So, knowing that you will have one or more internships during college,
what are the keys to making the most of your internship? What follows
are the 12 keys to internship success. Follow these guidelines and you
should be well on your way not only to a successful internship, but to
a successful career.
- Set Personal Goals. While some internships are
very structured, others are not, so you need to spend some time before
you start the internship setting goals that you want to accomplish.
Maybe it's deciding on what area within marketing that you want to
specialize, or learning new skills, or building your network. Whatever
your goals, you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment once you
achieve them. Hint: Setting unrealistic goals could make even a good
internship seem bad, so make sure your goals are realistic and attainable
in your internship.
- Have Regular Meetings with your Supervisor(s). Sound
obvious? Well, maybe, but you may get a supervisor who never schedules
meetings with you or travels quite a bit, so you have to make sure
to have regular meetings where you can share experiences and lessons
learned -- both good and bad -- as well as give progress reports. Hint:
While you want to keep your supervisor abreast of your accomplishments,
remember to also be a good listener and learn as much as you can during
these meetings.
- Tackle all Tasks with Enthusiasm and a Positive Attitude. In
just about every company, the new hire/intern is going to have to "pay
his or her dues." You will undoubtedly be given some grunt work to
do, such as making photocopies, but the key is to complete all your
work assignments with the same level of enthusiasm and professionalism.
Hint: You might also consider working extra hours (beyond the required
number for the internship) to show your work ethic to your supervisor(s).
- Avoid Negativity. The quickest way to kill a good
internship is being negative. So, avoid complaining, being rude, disrespecting
coworkers, arriving late, leaving early, being closed-minded, missing
deadlines, appearing arrogant, wearing improper attire, acting unprofessionally,
appearing inflexible, and taking part in office politics. Hint: A common
mistake among interns and new hires is treating secretaries and clerks
as being beneath them -- avoid this behavior at all costs.
- Never Shun a Chance to Learn More About the Company/Industry. Take
every opportunity presented to you to attend company or industry meetings,
conferences, and events; participate in training workshops; and read
all company materials. Hint: Meetings may appear (and actually be)
boring to you, but they can often offer a good chance to increase your
knowledge, network, and build relationships.
- Get as Much Exposure as Possible. Some of the best
internships rotate you among departments and supervisors, but if yours
doesn't, don't let that stop you from tackling new tasks, meeting people
outside your department, and attending company social events. The more
you are exposed to new ideas and new people, the more you'll learn.
Hint: Joining the company softball team (or other informal group) is
a great opportunity to meet new people in a relaxed and informal environment.
- Don't be Afraid to Ask Questions. Always remember
that an internship is a learning experience for you. While the employer
expects to get a certain level of work from you, you are not expected
to know everything. Seek advice and raise questions whenever you encounter
something that is not familiar to you. Be open-minded about new ideas
and procedures -- remember that you don't know everything and that
your professors didn't teach you everything. Hint: Smart people know
that there really is no such thing as a dumb question, so ask before
doing.
- Take Initiative. Employers love employees who dive
into tackling tough problems and who think "outside the box" in finding
solutions. Just make sure you work with your supervisor(s) so you don't
overstep your authority -- and make sure you share successes with her.
Hint: There is a fine line between taking initiative and being perceived
as a "know-it-all," and for interns especially, it is best to err on
the side of caution.
- Find a Mentor. A mentor is someone at a higher
level in the organization that looks out for you and makes sure you
are learning what you need to know and accomplishing what you need
to do. A mentor can also shield you from office politics and be a good
sounding board for you to discuss ideas, ask questions, etc. Hint:
Your supervisor could be your mentor, but it could also be another
person within the organization.
- Network, Network, Network. One of the key tools
of job-hunting is utilizing your network to find your next career step,
whether another internship or a job upon graduation (and beyond). Build
professional relationships with your supervisor(s) and other managers
in the organization. These people are also a good source for getting
other job-hunting advice and tips from their years of experience. Hint:
Even if you have a bad experience on an internship, never burn your
bridges because you never know when it could come back and hurt you.
Always leave on good terms.
- Leave with Tangible Accomplishments. One of your
goals with any internship is leaving it with some tangible results
- both for your resume and your career portfolio (if you use one).
Maybe you developed a brochure, computerized an inventory system, organized
a sales conference, met with clients, tracked industry trends, etc.
Hint: Keeping a journal may help you remember all the things you accomplished
on your internship.
- Enjoy Yourself. Most internships are great experiences,
so make sure you have some fun while you're working and learning. Don't
be so uptight that you are perceived as something you're not. Hint:
Just make sure you don't overdo the fun -- and avoid office romances.
This section is originally from http://www.quintcareers.com/internship_success.html
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