The First Major Internship Experience.

Internships are one of the most important experiences for any student and grad. They are an opportunity to gain relevant experience, test drive a field of interest and have a glimpse of what career might look like post-graduation. Internships provide insight on what it’s like to work in a specific job role, company or industry. These internships also enable students to build connections with relevant professionals and can be used as references later on in their career. While we keep hearing how important they are, not all students get an internship while pursuing their degree. So if you’re fortunate enough to have an internship while in school, here are some tips that i learnt during my first major internship experience.

Know the company culture before interning.

For the first few weeks, take some time to understand the company culture. What are the offices like? What are people wearing? How is the communication like? Is there a lot of collaboration or do people work independently? What is the work-life balance like? All of these factors will help you understand where you fit in at the company; how you can add value to the organization and be a good fit for the team. You’ll also be able to identify the type of people that you want to network with. You can do this by simply asking people about their role in the organization, their day-to-day responsibilities, and something about their background. It’s always best to ask these questions in person or over the phone.

Be on time and always be prepared.

This applies to all aspects of the internship. Be early for meetings, have your notebook and laptop ready for your daily tasks and be prepared when it comes to questions from your manager or coworkers. Being prepared not only shows that you are responsible for your actions, but it also lets people know that you take your job seriously and that you care about what is going on around you. This is a good strategy when you feel like you’re in the middle of a challenging task and need a pep talk to get you through it. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed and stressed, but those feelings don’t define you. And they don’t have to get in the way of you having a successful internship.

Network like crazy, and take note of who you’ve met.

This is one of the most important things you can do as an aspiring professional. Networking is all about building relationships with people in your field. It’s about getting to know people, understanding their role in the industry, and learning about their career path. If you’re interested in PR, networking with representatives from PR agencies is a good start. If you want to work in tech, then networking with tech companies and individuals is the best way to go. Take note of people’s names, roles and company affiliations. This will help you remember who you’ve met. It’s also a great strategy to ask people if you can take them out for coffee or to lunch.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

There are always going to be times when you’re confused about the work that you’re doing or the expectations of your manager or senior-level employees. It’s perfectly fine to ask questions, even if it’s a task or project that has been assigned to you. You might be assigned work that seems unrelated to your daily tasks or projects, but that’s all part of the learning and growing process. There will be times when you feel overwhelmed and stressed, but those feelings don’t define you. And they don’t have to get in the way of you having a successful internship. Take note of what questions you ask and whom you ask them to. Keep track of the questions that you have and when you have them. This will allow you to keep track of what you don’t know and what you need to learn more about.

Remember that it’s an internship and not a job interview.

First and foremost, understand that it is, in fact, an internship. You’re there to learn, gain experience and hopefully have some fun. You’re not there to interview for a job, so don’t treat it as such. Internships are great ways to explore different fields, discover what you like and don’t like, meet people in the industry, network and get hands-on experience doing what you want to do in the future. If a company offers you a job after an internship, great! However, it’s not a given that you’ll get a job offer after an internship. Don’t put extra pressure on yourself to excel at the job, company or internship experience. Enjoy it while it lasts and work hard while you’re there.

Final Words

Having a successful internship is not an easy task. It requires a lot of self-management, discipline and clear communication, with both your manager and your peers. Having a successful internship will also require you to be flexible. You may need to adapt to the culture at your workplace, deal with unexpected challenges and meet new people. Having a successful internship can be a great experience and lead to future job opportunities. However, it’s important to remember that internships are not a given. They’re a privilege that is earned through hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.