Hey There,
It is often said that internships are not as structured or as well managed as most interns would like them to be. Through your internship, you might have discovered that your internship is less perfect than you previously viewed the position. You might have found yourself scrambling for things to do around the office or other times, figuring out how you can fit with the rest of the team.
If this is the case, you have a great opportunity to test your self-leadership skills, move out of your comfort zone, and try on some new set of skills. However, no matter how well your job is structured, if you are looking for a full time job offer, your internship is an opportunity to convince your potential employer to employ you full term.
Today, we would look at the first part of this series, meanwhile tomorrow; we would look at the last part.
#1 Treat Every Day Like It’s An Interview
Every single day during your internship, you get a chance to prove to the hiring manager that you are the one for the job. You have to act like you are already a full time employee. Be enthusiastic and positive. This would show to an extent, how you would be a perfect employee
#2 Do Not Complain About The Tasks You Are Given
In all jobs, there are usually parts of the jobs that are less desirable than others, no matter if you work on your dream job or on an internship. Do not have unreasonable expectations that you would love every single thing you do while on the job. Do the assignment happily and offer to help when you can.
#3 Take Initiative
In an office, being the intern can be intimidating but that does not necessarily mean that you should fade into the background. Feel free to make a suggestion if you see an opportunity. You could also pipe up your ideas in a thoughtful way if you are at a meeting or holding a conversation with your colleagues.
#4 Make Your Supervisor Genuinely Proud Of You
Make sure your supervisor knows what you are contributing to the team. Write up a daily summary of your activities, and then share it with them in a conversation or email every week. You could also include a plan of action for the week ahead. When you do this, remember wherever possible to focus on results and accomplishments, rather than just a list of tasks.
Managers like to brag about their staff. If you give your supervisor the chance to brag about how he or she got the best intern of the summer, you’ll be nicely positioned as a recommended hire when they all sit down to compare interns.
#5 Build A Solid Relationship With Your Co-Workers
Building relationships is a core strategy in any job search, so why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to do it in your internship? Introduce yourself to people you don’t know, invite colleagues to lunch with you, and volunteer to do presentations where you might get exposure to more than just your immediate team.
This can be difficult to do. In fact, one intern told me he works in an office that is so quiet, you can literally hear a pin drop. It was hard to make small talk or have conversation with others, but that doesn’t mean he should stop. Here’s what I suggested: post a flyer inviting others to “Coffee with the intern,” and extend the invitation to the group, asking them to share their workplace wisdom and expertise. For sure, they will remember him!
Join us tomorrow; as well conclude on the steps that could be taken into turning that internship into a permanent position.
Regards,
PushCV Content Team.
