Getting the Most Out of an Internship

Internships are a great opportunity for students to wed their theoretical classroom studies with the experiential learning they need to be successful in today’s rapidly-changing workforce. But an internship can only be useful when you work to get the most out of it. These tips can help you maximize your internship experience, which will increase your skills and prepare you to enter the workforce after graduation.

Choose your internship wisely.

Getting the most out of an internship actually begins before you even have one. Although many students tend to take the first internship they find, it’s best to really evaluate whether an internship is a good opportunity for you. Think about these questions before taking any internship:

•    Will this internship give me the skills I need to become a good job candidate after graduation?
•    Who will I report to at this internship? This is an important consideration because the higher up on the totem pole your supervisor is, the better this opportunity will look on your resume.
•    Will the network of contacts I gain at this internship help me with my future job search?

Take the initiative.

Sometimes, interns work for extremely busy executives who may not have a lot of time to give direction. This, coupled with the fact that initially bosses won’t know how much work an intern can handle, can lead to a lot of thumb twiddling while waiting for work. And if you don’t create work for yourself, you may be in for a long wait.

A better approach is to take the initiative and show your supervisor you’re willing to work hard, says Jonathan Ivanoff, Associate Director of Internships at Adelphi University’s Center for Career Development.

“Sometimes what we hear from interns is ‘I showed up and it was a while before they could find something for me to do’ or ‘they told me to be there eight hours a day, but I only had enough work for maybe half that.’ Instead of waiting, look for something to do while you’re there or ask for assignments,” he said. “If you can do that, you’re going to be remembered for that go get ’em attitude and that’s going to help you stand out.”

And the more challenging the work you take on is, the more you will stand out. Working on assignments like creating reports, drafting marketing or PR campaigns, or helping to implement a social media strategy can show your boss that you’re willing to do demanding tasks. And this kind of work will develop the skills that will impress hiring managers when you look for a job.

Sharpen your communication skills.

Anything you can do to sharpen your verbal and written communication skills during your internship will give your resume a huge boost. Take full advantage of any opportunity you have to create a PowerPoint presentation, speak during a meeting or write a report.

Build your network.

In today’s job market, the majority of positions out there are filled through some form of networking, so it’s important to use your internship as a way to build up your network. Not sure how to get started? According to David DeLong, author of “Graduate to a Great Job: Make Your College Degree Pay Off in Today’s Market,” one effective way of building your network during an internship is by conducting informational interviews.

“When you’re inside an organization as an intern, you have a natural opportunity to conduct a lot of informational interviews. These are interviews where you’re not looking for a job, but you’re doing interviews to learn about how people’s careers developed or to learn about an industry, a business or different jobs,” said DeLong. “In the process of your questioning, people are getting to know you and the more they learn about you, the more likely they will be to help you later on.”

Facilitate recommendations.

Once you’ve finished your time as an intern, you’ll want a glowing recommendation from your supervisor to show prospective employers everything you did during your internship. And you’re more likely to get one if you make it easier on your boss. Instead of requesting the traditional recommendation printed on company letterhead, consider asking your boss to add something to your LinkedIn page. Or you can ask your supervisor for a few words that sum up your performance and offer to write up a draft that can be edited when your boss has time.

From Intern to Full-Time Employee: How to Make the Leap

If you think that landing an internship at an organization will guarantee a job offer when you graduate, think again, says DeLong. Although it’s not impossible, you may still need to look for a full-time position elsewhere.

“The big mistake students make is after the summer of their junior year, they get a cool internship and think their work is done in terms of job search. You’re better off assuming that won’t be the case,” he said. “Although it’s not impossible to get hired full-time, fairly often, an employer may love a student intern and just doesn’t have any jobs.”

And if there are jobs available, your internship is no guarantee that you will land one of them. But you can improve your chances by:

•    Never dropping the ball. Just because you may not be paid for an internship doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work hard every single day. Treat each day at your internship as if you’re being considered for a new job.
•    Emulating success. Ask your supervisor to describe the characteristics of the company’s most successful interns. That success may have led to a full-time position. Once you find out what successful interns did to impress the boss, emulate those characteristics. And if you meet someone who successfully converted their internship into a full-time job at the organization, be sure to ask them for their story and advice.
•    Not acting like a prima donna. Although internships are a great way to hone the skills you will need in the workforce, DeLong says that nothing aggravates an executive more than an intern who is too self-interested to care about the well-being of the organization. Make sure that you maintain a team player attitude and remember that you’re there to help the organization as much as they help you.
•    Always getting feedback. Be sure to solicit feedback from your supervisor as often as you can, so you know what your strengths and weaknesses are. This will help you sharpen your skills and demonstrate to your supervisor that you’re invested in doing a great job.

About the Author:

Kenya McCullum is a freelance writer based in California.