STRATEGIES FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERNSHIP

 

STEP 1 

Identify What Your Internship Needs Are

 

• Do you want to explore different industries?
• What size company do you want to work for?
• What, specifically, do you want to learn from your internship?
• Do you have to earn some money during your internship or can you afford to do it unpaid?  Unpaid internships increase your opportunities.

 

STEP 2 

Identify What You Have to Offer

 

• What are your strongest skills?
• Do you already have some experience in a related position?
• What skills can be transferred to the professional work environment?  Volunteer work, clubs, etc.

 

STEP 3 

Find or Create An Internship

• Research opportunities through your CareerLink, school, friends, previous employers, etc. – everyone you have contact with.
• Or create an opportunity by writing to a company that you want to work with and offer your services; do they have a volunteer department?

 

STEP 4 

Get Commitment and Make Final Arrangements

• Put all details – hours, responsibilities, pay (if any) – in writing to the sponsoring company.
• If you are interviewed, take note of what employees wear – you will want to look like them.

 

STEP 5 

Prepare for Your First Day

• Assemble at least three outfits that are as similar as possible to what employees wear, so you won’t look like a temporary intern.
• Have extra copies of your resume.
• Scope out alternate routes to the office in case of traffic tie-ups.
• Get a notepad and pen to carry around with you.
• Double check that you have done all that is necessary to begin your internship; vaccines, criminal background checks, etc.

 

STEP 6 

Your First Day

• Get up early, with plenty of time to prepare.
• Leave home extra early – better to arrive early and walk around the block than to arrive late.
• Be ready to jump in and start working right from the beginning.

 

STEP 7 

Make an Impression

• Never arrive late, leave early, or take all the allotted time for lunch.
• Dress and act like a paid employee, even if you are unpaid.
• Keep your notepad and pen with you at all times to take notes of people’s names and titles,  list of the duties your assigned, deadlines your given, etc.
• Offer your opinions only when asked, but offer solutions and useful information when appropriate.
• Put forth your best effort in everything you’re asked to do, not matter how trivial the task may seem to you.
• Never hand in the first draft of any written work – put tremendous energy into accuracy, thoroughness, attention to detail, especially grammar and spelling.
• If you’re not very busy ask for more work – but take only as much as you can do at a high level of quality.

 

STEP 8 

Make the Most of the Experience

• Try to meet as many people as possible without detracting from your assigned duties.
• If your given duties unrelated to what you thought your were there to learn, talk to your supervisor – this is why duties should be spelled out in writing beforehand.
• Ask a lot of questions about the company, the industry, the various types of jobs available in the company, the most valued skills.
• Observe office “politics.”  The receptionist is often the most valuable person to know.  See if you spot any unusual efforts to avoid people or topics of discussion that may clue you in to potential problems in the office.

 

STEP 9 

When It’s All Over

• Thank everyone who helped you in anyway (including secretaries) both in person and in writing at the end of your internship.
• Update your resume with this new experience.  Highlight your accomplishments, not just the skills you utilized or learned.
• add the people you met to you list of network contacts.  Plan to keep in touch with them.

(This information came from the “Dose of Reality” series.)