By Adriana Howell
As an account coordinator for BIGfish Communications, one of my tasks is overseeing our internship program. In this role, I’ve seen what makes a memorable intern…for good reasons and for not-so-good reasons. How do you leave a positive impression on your internship supervisors? Put these suggestions into action – and always keep in mind that internships can easily lead to job offers if tackled correctly.
Ask for feedback – and absorb it. As busy professionals, it’s easy for your supervisors to focus on their own work and not think about giving you feedback constantly on every project. And in fact, the feedback you do receive may seem mostly negative; for some reason, our instinct is usually to let good work go undiscussed and make comments about things that need improvement. If you’re not getting the feedback you want, ask for it! Your supervisors will appreciate your drive to constantly approve – especially when you take all feedback and put it into practice going forward.
Be resourceful. Your supervisors are (hopefully) more than willing to answer any questions you have, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to solve problems yourself. Look through past work the company has done, check the Internet and exhaust all your resources. If you can find things on your own, great; your supervisors will notice. If you can’t, they’ll appreciate that you tried.
Dive into the industry. It’s possible you’re interning with clients in industries you’re unfamiliar with. Go the extra mile to really immerse yourself in these industries – follow clients, competitors and relevant news outlets on social media and make sure you’re reading news from the outlets you’re targeting. Make note of journalists who write about relevant topics and forward any important industry news to the rest of your team. It will help you understand the work your team is doing on another level.
Speak up. As one of my internship supervisors once told me, “Speak up. I want people to remember you.” Your co-workers should value your input just like that of any other team member. If you have an idea, share it. If you have a question about something, ask it. If you see a meeting on the calendar, see if you can be part of it. It shows you’re invested and that you care about your internship.
Stay motivated. It’s easy to fall into what I call the “second half slump.” You’ve been at your internship for almost two months, and things can sometimes feel monotonous. Avoid falling into a rut at this point – find something to keep you inspired. At BIGfish, we hold mid-semester evaluations with our interns so we can have a conversation about what’s going well, what can be improved and what projects the interns want to focus on going forward. If your internship doesn’t automatically do this, ask for one. Even if it’s an informal coffee meeting with your supervisor, a conversation like this can do a lot to boost your motivation for the second half of your internship.
Still looking for more advice? Tweet me your questions!
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