Getting the Most from Your Internship

I have students come to me all the time to complain about their internships. It's boring. They only get to file. They aren't treated like an equal. Now, to be fair, there are a lot of bad internships out there, but there are equally bad interns. The goal is be figure out how to make the most of the experience you have.

First and foremost, figure out why you are doing your internship. What is it you want to get from this experience? Do you want a resume builder, a chance to try on a career, or maybe a networking opportunity? Be honest about what you hope to gain and then begin to set goals that will get you what you want.

The whole listing goals thing may seem hokey, particularly if you aren’t a “list person”, but it’s helpful to write things down so that when you get to the half way point you can see where you are in terms of accomplishing your objectives. Setting your goals will also help you make the most of tasks you are assigned and no when to volunteer for new tasks. A job running errands as an assistant may seem lousy, but if your goal is to get a lot of face time with the top people, it can be a great entrée.

Talk to your supervisor. Set up a work schedule, a set of expectations, and share what you hope to gain while you are there. Put all of this down in writing so that you can refer back to it at any subsequent meetings. I can’t tell you the number of students who got half way through their internships, working in misery because they felt underused, only to find out that their supervisor had no idea what they wanted to do.

Do the crap work with a smile and ask for more. Everybody does lousy work sometimes. It’s part of life. Here’s the secret, the people who are willing to do the crappy work happily are more likely to be the people who get noticed. Do your job well, do it with enthusiasm and then go back and ask for more work. You will get noticed and you will get more responsibility.

Be professional. That’s a tough one. Business culture is really nothing like college culture. Many of your professors have never even worked in a business environment. Professionalism means dressing well (see the Dress for Success entry), being positive, listening more than you talk, taking suggestions from others, offering positive feedback to others, avoiding gossip, romance, and arrogance. Be confident, but humble. A tough order, I’ll grant you, but this is your time to shine and shiny objects aren’t covered in dirt.

Jump at all learning opportunities. Any time someone will teach you something, learn it. Whether it’s about the company, the industry, your job, or life.

Look for a mentor. Your mentor should be a positive person. They should give you solid advice and offer practical tips for doing your job and surviving in your environment. Even if you don’t find a specific mentor, pay attention to everyone around you and how they do their jobs.

Learn networking skills. Get business cards from everyone and write a note about who they are on the back. Learn to write thank you notes and quick emails offering your gratitude for someone who let you take on an extra task or taught you something new. Start creating a holiday card list filled with people you particularly connected with.

What not to do?

Stay away from the poison people. You will meet people who love to hang out with the interns. They will take you to have drinks, they will share gossip with you, they will complain endlessly about their jobs and suggest you bitch about yours. Any and all of these are signs that you have found a poison person. This person may seem fun and welcoming, but what they are really doing is leaning on you to make their world better. This person is not a good mentor. They are probably not well liked by their colleagues and so they spend time with younger, less experienced people. It’s flattering that they want to be with you, but in the end, they can’t help you and will probably bring you down.

Don’t drink around your co-workers. If you have to drink, limit yourself to one beverage and then switch to water. Getting drunk in a business setting can only lead to bad things.

No office romances. Yes that 25 year old ad executive is hot and has been hitting on you constantly, but if things go south, you’ll be the one to go!

No bitching and moaning. Yes you are working for little financial gain, you are doing lousy tasks, and you may not be getting respect for any of it, but this is what you signed up for. Thank you sir, may I have another!

No Blogging. Yes you want to share your experiences with friends, but blogs get around. Many companies will fire you on the spot for sharing workplace details online.

No matter what your experience, you should leave your workplace with a positive vibe. You should thank your supervisor and ask for a final report of how you did, including suggestions for how you could improve. If you developed a special relationship with a mentor, you might consider buying a small token of thanks. Finally, write a note to anyone you met with whom you want to keep in touch thanking them for their assistance and providing contact information for the future. Remember that these are the people who will help you find jobs later, so treat them like gold.