Have an internship this summer? Follow the tips below to ensure you will succeed!
Before the Internship – Prepare!
- Research the company
- Set up Google Alerts to retrieve instant news about the company
- Research using Vault, Hoover’s, Wall Street Journal
- Visit the Company’s Website
- Introduce yourself to the manager and ask questions about what it takes to succeed and what are expectations of the role
- What does it take to succeed in this role?
- Where did previous employees who failed go wrong in this role?
- Buy a notebook
- Figure out the dress code
- Speak with students or alumns (via linkedin) who have gone through the internship to learn about what to expect
First Day of the Internship- Don’t be nervous! Be yourself!
- People are excited to have you there. This is your opportunity to make a good impression!
Throughout the internship – Bring your A game!
- Bring a positive attitude!
- Give 150% in your role
- At the end of every week, reflect on the week and jot down some quick notes about what you worked on, what you have learned, and/or what you accomplished. This will help you with writing the bullet points when you add your internship to your resume at the end of the summer.
- Take Initiative
- Be prepared to do grunt work. No job is beneath you!
- Come in early and stay late if you have to
- Dress for success
- Keep busy by asking for more work if you have completed other projects, learn the business, or shadow other employees. Don’t waste downtime!
- Identify issues not addressed by the organization and improve them
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify project deliverables and deadlines
- Share your thoughts and opinions. They want to hear from you!
- Manage time, prioritize effectively, and deliver before the deadline
- Take detailed notes – Always carry a notebook
- Follow Company Policy on Technology use
- Get to know the people you work with! Connections are important
- Understand the culture of the company and adapt to that culture
- Get to know the city the company is in, could you see yourself living there?
- Make friends with other interns! They could be your future co- workers
End of the Internship- Stay in Touch!
- Write thank you notes!
- Get contact info and stay in touch with coworkers via linkedin etc
- If you are interested in working there full time, make sure you’ve made that clear!
- Update your resume and linkedin account with your new experience
- Reflect on your experience to see if you could see yourself working there
