My top 5 internship tips:
1. Carry a notebook everywhere!! As someone brand new at a company or in an industry, almost everything you know is going to be brand new and trying to absorb all that information, complete assignments, make a good impression, and remember it all is a lot to ask. So don’t try to remember all the little details - write it down. Get a notebook (I recommend a professional one like a Moleskin that’s easy to carry around and looks clean) and diligently write down the titles of meetings your in or assignments that your manager gives you. Under those headers, jot down bullets of the main points of the meeting, unfamiliar terminology so you can look it up later, or you can write down the things that people did in the meeting (maybe the tools that they used -- like if they used certain special software or how they structured their powerpoint). All of these things can help you remember not only what happened, but it will help you remember what type of work your coworkers are expected to produce in that role!
2. Document your progress. Every week, spend a little bit of time and jot down some bullet points of your accomplishments. What meetings did you sit in on (and most importantly what did you learn or what were you exposed to in those meetings)? Did you identify a problem or a process that could be improved? Did you take a training that could help you in your career? Even if you didn’t fully finish something you can document if you started working on something! Although no one else may see these bullets they can help for a lot of things like making strong bullet points on your resume or writing your performance evaluation at the end of your internship. This can also be helpful when your manager asks you what you accomplished in the last week. No one else is going to keep track of all the amazing things you do and learn during your internship and at the end of the your internship you need to sell yourself (whether it’s to the company you’re working at or another one) so make it easier to sell your value by diligently documenting your progress.
3. Communicate with your manager regularly. Set up regular touch points with your manager so that you can discuss progress on assignments, ask questions, and build a relationship. It doesn’t have to be very long - even just 15-30 mins regularly goes a long way. If you’re official manager isn’t able to do it, then maybe someone you work closely with on your team can meet regularly with you. Keep in mind that some managers/coworkers may like to regularly check in with you but they keep it informal, so as long as you’re regularly touching base don’t stress so much about putting an official meeting on the calendar.
4. Conduct Informational interviews (lots of them!). Your internship is a great opportunity to show a company you’re interested in, that you’re a good fit for them and to gain more experience BUT it’s also a great opportunity for you to explore what a career at this company could look like. Informational interviews are a meeting to learn about someone’s career path or experience at a company. Try asking people you work with if you could ask them about their career path or send requests to people in the company so you can learn more about their current/past roles. Informational interviews are an easy way to build your network and gain valuable career advice. Want to learn more about informational interviews? Read about them here.
5. Have extra time? Attend Lunch n’ Learns and do training! Lots of companies have employee resource groups or other departments in the company that set up events. Whether they’re specific to interns or open to everyone, these events are great ways to learn new things (I’ve seen events that range from diversity events, financial education, or company specific events). Plus, they’re great networking opportunities that can help you meet new people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the panelists and send them a thank you note if you really liked what they said. Another easy way to expand your education at your internship is to use some of your down time to do some trainings. Lots of companies have internal websites where they post training materials or courses. Even if they don’t exist, then you could try asking someone you work with for a quick training on a process or tool they’re good at!
