Taking Full Advantage of Summer Internships
It is officially summer and while it is the time to relax and unwind from the school year, the majority of college students obtain a summer internship. These internships are a great way to get hands-on experience as well as credit if needed. If this is your first internship or you have had previous internships, knowing how to utilize what internships have to offer can be extremely important. Listed below are a few tips for you to take full advantage of what internships have to offer.
Network, Network, Network
You hear the concept “networking” all the time, in classes, GVPRSSA meetings, or it always pops up on LinkedIn posts. Having an internship is a perfect place to network with those who surround you. Networking with other interns and professionals who work there is a great start to taking advantage of your internship. Whether it is keeping in touch via email or connecting on LinkedIn, you may find opportunities to come back and work at the business you're interning with. You also never know if some of the people you are working with have a connection, or a gateway to a job opportunity post-grad. This article from Harvard Business Review called Make the Most of the Network you Built During your Internship goes more in depth on how important networking is as well as continuing to uphold that connection throughout your internship and afterwards. They even emphasize that, “these relationships are going to take energy and time — two of your most valuable resources” and to figure out who you want to invest time and energy in.
Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask questions throughout the internship. While some might say that asking questions is a weakness, I feel it is a strength. If you ask a question to your supervisor regarding what to improve on after the first few weeks, not only will you receive constructive feedback, but it shows your supervisor that you care about the work you are doing. An article in Inc. Magazine, lists examples of 10 questions an intern should ask their boss. This article is a good resource if you have trouble coming up with questions to ask and there is no timeline for asking these questions. Even asking professionals personal questions like “what did you major in,” “what is the best project you have ever worked on,” or even “what would you tell your past self to do differently?”
Write About It
Writing in a journal daily can not only enhance your writing skills, but it is a way for you to remember the experience. It is a way in which you can record the progress you have made from the beginning of the internship to the end. InternQueen shares a step-by-step process of how you can create an internship journal and what key topics should be included. One method that may work for you is every morning, set three goals you want to accomplish that day and once the day is done, write about what you learned and if you completed the goals. Michigan State University offered insights on topics you can write about and how this journal can be a great resource for a future cover letter or resume writing.
Enjoy!
Overall, the internship you receive should be something that gives you more experience and more opportunities to apply the skills you learned throughout the school year. These tips provide you with a few ideas that can be a good way to take advantage of internships. Whether you work for a small or big company, networking at the internship is a great way to expand your network and practice skills for the future. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to the professionals around you as the questions can lead to a conversation or an opportunity to grow. Even if it’s writing out a few bullet points in a notebook or a google document, journaling this internship can be beneficial. Taking full advantage of internships may be a hard adjustment, but reminiscing on the experience can help prepare you for future careers.
Madi Reifler is an upcoming junior studying Advertising and Public Relations with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Digital Studies. She is the VP of Public Relations for GVPRSSA. This summer, Madi is an Entertainment Publicity and Promotions intern at Allied Global Marketing and is working part-time at Aerie. In her free time, Madi loves spending time with her puppy Kingsley, going on walks, attending concerts and hanging out with friends and family.