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How To Nail Your First Job as an Intern
Generation Z and the remaining population of millennials are now graduating college and are seeking internships as the first steps to making a career. An internship is more of a step into the real world and helps one develop their professional aptitude, strengthen personality and explore the industry that they are interested to pursue their career in. Some could be enthusiastic about it while others can find it to be quite daunting.
Internships tend to be short and it is important that you utilise this time period to shine and become the best intern your team has ever had!
And here's some tips from a fellow intern on how to nail your internship:
Attitude Matters
Your attitude will say a lot about you to others. Be enthusiastic and positive while you are working. Treat the internship similar to a full-time job and put in your best foot forward to carry out the responsibilities given to you. Having a good attitude is vital since the impression you will leave behind after the internship would determine if you would be re-hired for a full-time position or either be given a good recommendation to pursue a job elsewhere.
Pitch in Your Ideas and Thoughts
As an intern myself, one thing I've noticed is that my team members appreciate and encourage the fresh perspective we bring to the table. Sometimes we might see things differently than what that they are used to. Therefore, for e.g., if you really see a process that you think could be done more efficiently in another manner or have a new idea that you saw somewhere which could benefit the team, take the lead and discuss new ideas. Remember to be assertive yet respectful while you do so.
Make Mistakes to Learn
Now, now, now you'd assume that to nail your internship you must not make any mistakes but that is not the case. Down the line, you will make a mistake or two or maybe five and that is completely normal. You might miss a follow-up mail or mess with the wordings on a post but it is not as big of a deal as you'd assume unless you've burned the office down or something. Sure, you will have the "talk" with your supervisor or mentor and you'll not feel that great in the moment. But that's pretty much all that happens. You learn a lesson from the mistake you've made and you will probably work on it and make sure it doesn't happen again. It becomes part of your learning experience.
Ask Away
One of the most important things I learnt as an intern is to ask questions. It is OKAY to not know or understand something. You might have a doubt and in situations as such feel free to raise your queries. Some interns refrain from questioning out of the fear of judgement or being perceived as annoying. I did not ask questions at the start either and just looked things up on google or went along. However, the whole point of an internship is for one to absorb as much knowledge and grow within the short time period that they have. Therefore, it is important you ask your questions freely and to not hinder your learning process.
Don't Forget to Enjoy!
Life as an intern may not always be all sunshine and daisies but make the most of this experience. Don't pass out on socialising with your colleagues because you'd never know which of them, might turn into long-lasting friendships or strong professional contacts. Attend and volunteer at companywide events and activities for getting the best experience. Don’t be hard on yourself, have fun and learn throughout your internship period.
So, there you have it! I didn't get everything right initially, but I did well enough throughout my internship. And now that you've read this blog, you'll definitely outplay me.
Blog Author
I recently started working at Peoples HR and am very happy to be able to share my HR experiences and learnings as I go. Being in an office surrounded by professionals who are experts in the field of HR and Technology is the best learning environment any aspiring tech marketer like myself could ask for.
