Landing a good internship is more than a just plain resume
building exercise. This is an opportunity to learn, explore yourself and set
things in the right perspective for professional growth. Let's have a look at
how to make the most of it.
1. Test yourself
An internship is the ideal place to try new skills and roles,
as you will be assisted and guided to succeed by a group of experienced
individuals. This is an opportunity to discover your strengths and ability to
work on solutions that are fresh and creative. Push yourself as much as you
can, put your every skill to test and gain new ones. Through experimentation
and trial-and-error, you will learn what kind of work you enjoy and are looking
for as a career.
2. Consult your supervisors regularly
Always seek feedback! Speak to your supervisors on the
development you are making and solutions you want to try. Grab this opportunity
to ask questions and extract all the knowledge you can from your mentors. This will
not only help you improve your work during your internship, but will also help
you grow as a successful professional. This practice will also demonstrate that
you're thoughtful and eager to progress in your profession.
3. Go the extra mile
At your internship, you will be exposed to real business
issues in the form of projects. Take advantage of that! Let your managers know
that you're enthusiastic to take up more responsibility. Move around, speak to
other teams and learn about their projects too. Do not confine yourself.
Proactively looking for more tasks and seeking information will help you
improve your understanding of the overall work and business and will also make
your hours well spent.
4. Network and then network more
While you need to give your best at the tasks you have been
assigned, it's also important to build a strong network. Every conversation is
a networking opportunity. Get away from your desk and make connections. Your
colleagues can share relevant knowledge and information that can help you
accomplish your tasks, and they may become important contacts for future
projects. Additionally, networking will help you build up your list of
professional contacts that can help you with a strong reference and in some
cases, potentially set you up for a job.
5. Leave a lasting impression
Building a strong relationship with your
supervisors and co-workers can take some time, but it's worth every bit of
effort. Work towards it systematically, have a positive outlook towards people
and work, display a good work ethic, and be resourceful and pleasant to work
with. Be somebody your co-workers can depend on and would love to collaborate
with. A good rapport with them will also mean that they can vouch for you when
there is a job vacancy. Make sure you take the extra step to keep in touch with
them even after your internship is over
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