Starting a new internship can be unpredictable; you don’t truly know what it will consist of until you’re there. Internships are one of the most effective ways to gain experience in your desired field, and there are countless benefits to taking on a new job as an intern. Take these steps before, during and after your internship to make the most of your experience there:
Define what you want to gain from your internship experience upfront.
Knowing what you want to achieve during your internship will help you stay on track throughout your time there. Set goals for yourself, big or small, so that you can keep those goals in mind. It will help you know what you want to put your efforts toward on a day-to-day basis.
Know how you plan to measure your own success.
Every position has different ways of measuring success. Figure out how you will measure success in your role and work towards reaching those benchmarks. This can include asking for feedback from peers and managers, to get an outside perspective on your performance within the role.
Keep your resume/portfolio up to date.
Include any internship experience under your work history in your resume and on your LinkedIn. On top of that, make sure you are adding completed work from your internship into your portfolio to keep building it for future opportunities.
Challenge yourself and keep yourself busy.
Go above and beyond what you’re expected of; try out new tasks when you have the chance to. Putting yourself out of your comfort zone will force you to learn new things and give you more insight on your strengths. If you ever find yourself having down time, brainstorm different jobs you can do that will challenge you in your role. You can even offer to help with things outside of your job description to get a more comprehensive understanding of the company you’re with.
Set goals for yourself using the SMART technique!
Ask for letters of recommendations.
At the end of your internship, take the time to ask for a letter of recommendation from your supervisor, or recommendations on LinkedIn from co-workers. It’s important to read about experiences that other professionals have had from you, and to have them to send to future employers. It will help you in the long run when marketing yourself as a candidate for upcoming roles.
Keep in touch with professional contacts who can help you down the road.
Everyone you meet connects you with a whole new web of people. Having an internship presents you with a great networking opportunity; it will allow you to make strong relationships within your team which can help you later on within your career. Stay connected on LinkedIn with recruiters or through other forms of social media; you never know when a connection will be a resource to you!
Internships should always be taken seriously; they are the gateway to finding your career path. For more tips on all things job search and professional development, check out our Employee Tips or contact us at mglenny@franklinprofessionals.com
