10 tips from a supervisor on how to be a fantastic intern
Enter the phrase "how to be a great intern" into any search engine, and you will find no shortage of advice--most of it very good. Almost none of the advice, though, is from those who host (and supervise) the interns, so I though I'd offer up a few secrets. Here's my list.
Love your "job." If you chose well, you have an internship in a field that really excites you. It's fine to show your excitement & eagerness to learn, as long as you can stop yourself from being too giddy or sycophantic.
It's not completely true that "there's no such thing as a stupid question." When you have a question, large or small, research the answer before you ask someone else. Often, just trying a little harder to figure out an answer to any question will yield an answer. Even something as simple as "where's the printer" can often be answered by looking walking down another hallway before interrupting someone to ask. If you still can't "find the printer," ask someone who doesn't look too busy--not necessarily your supervisor. For bigger questions, especially those related to the work you are supposed to be doing, do a little more research (online and offline) before you ask. Then, when you're sure easy options have been exhausted, ask. You just don't want to ask any question your supervisor thinks you should have been able to answer yourself.
Ask GOOD questions about your work. Once you've made sure that your question is not easily answerable (see 2), then ask your colleagues and supervisor for their thoughts. Your question will likely advance the agenda of the group, or at least inspire an interesting discussion. And, you may even get an answer!
Be organized. It's not that you should keep your work area neat (that's always a plus, but often not that important), it's that you need to keep track of what you're doing in the most efficient way you can. Use whatever off- or on-line system works for you to keep track of what you've been asked to do, and what you've done. That way, you and your colleagues will always be able to stay current on what you're doing, and also be able to use your work in the future.
The best interns do more than what is asked of them. Think about what next steps would advance the project that you're working on, and take as many of them as you can. Definitely do what you were are specifically asked to do, but don't wait for instructions on doing more if you can see a good next step. Note that this applies to everything from menial tasks ("maybe I should bring sugar, cream, and stirrers with the coffee they asked for?") to deep research ("what if we had assumed a different parameter in making that economic forecast?")
In discussions, speak up, but don't overstep your expertise. The worst mistake many interns make is staying too quiet, but the second worst is being too noisy. It's very hard to know how much to say, and when, but if you just remember that the people you are working with usually know significantly more than you about the topic at hand, you should be able to bring valuable new information to the discussion without ever being inappropriate.
Remember that many supervisors, no matter how much they want to work with you, are very busy, so try not to take more of their time than is needed. It's really tricky to act on this one well. You really want to keep your supervisor up to date, but you don't want to send too many long emails that he or she can't understand without more background. Face-to-face conversations are often underrated--try making time for those, and taking notes in them, for efficient communication. Different supervisors have different scheduling styles, so try to adjust to best suit both of you.
Pay attention to the small stuff. Dress appropriately; be on time; use proper grammar; write emails that have punctuation, openings, and closings; stay off social media unless it's part of your job; and do all that other stuff your most annoying relative who always wanted you to have good manners told you to do!
Take time to meet people. An internship is usually a great opportunity to get to know a group of new people, and learn from each other's experiences. Take advantage of opportunities to get to know your colleagues--coffee, lunch, dinner, drinks, softball games, etc. Often more is learned in social than in formal settings.
Leave a legacy. When your internship ends, you want to leave something behind. If it was a research project, then there will hopefully be written or other lasting documentation of what you've done. If it was less formal, then make sure you've made connections with people who appreciate your contributions--they will be helpful to you in your future.
