Mandy Yun
Tips for a Rewarding & Successful Internship
Mandy Yun
Spring 2016
As an intern reporting on the first day of work, it can be a rather nerve-racking experience. You are excited but at the same time you may also feel anxious with butterflies in your stomach. Questions start running through your mind such as “Who are the people that I will be working with?” “Will I get along with my supervisor? “Will I fit in with the work culture?” “Will it be a boring first day?” Whatever questions run through your mind, the most important question an intern should dwell on is “what can I do to make this internship a rewarding and successful experience?” Here are some tips to help you get the most of out your internship experiences:
1. Make your intentions clear
As soon as you get to work, the first person you might report to is the HR person to get your paperwork filled out and your picture taken for a possible ID. However, as soon as you get to meet your supervisor, you should schedule a one-on-one meeting with him or her to discuss your goals/expectations and vice versa. I cannot stress how important it is to make your intentions clear at the start of the internship. If your main goal is to perform at your highest level so that you can get a full-time offer by the end of your internship, then say it to your supervisor! Don’t be afraid to articulate your goals even if they are far reaches. You want your supervisor to get the vibe that you are a confident individual who is ready to take on whatever task given to you and be able to execute it with quality.
Success is not defined by a smooth path. It is a rather rocky path with multiple obstacles. (Photo Credit: Voices of the Voice)
2. Take initiative for your own learning; in other words, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback
In order to learn and improve, you need feedback. It is essential that you ask for a midterm performance evaluation to identify your strengths and weaknesses. It is also a great time for you to highlight your achievements thus far to your supervisor. You should not be relying on your supervisor to keep track of your accomplishments because they may already have a lot on their plate.
With feedback comes constructive criticism. Some people handle constructive criticism better than others, but as interns, you need to have thick skin and let your supervisor know that you are here to learn and improve, so they should never feel uncomfortable giving you constructive criticism. No one can take control of your learning except for yourself, so start taking the initiative to ask for feedback!
As interns, you should always perform your best and aim to get a potential full-time offer! (Photo Credit: Steve Martin)
3. Step outside your department
You should not be limiting your interactions to only your supervisor and peers within your department. As interns, it is highly beneficial to network with as many people in your organization as possible. You may even want to request for informational interviews with other hiring managers from other departments to expand your network and increase your chances of getting hired back under a different position and supervisor. Therefore, it is essential to start building meaningful relationships now!
4. Establish your reputation as an intern
Never say, “I am just an intern” because you are more than that; you are a contributing member, who is here to prove that you are worth hiring. If your supervisor is attending an executive meeting with other managers, don’t be afraid to ask if you can accompany him or her by offering to take notes. It might seem intimidating to ask if you can attend, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. All it shows is your interest and eagerness to learn more about the organization so try to put yourself out there and see what happens!
Mandy is a junior studying Accounting and Finance. She is currently interning at CSIS (Center for Strategic & International Studies).
