Make the most of your summer internship and maximize future career opportunities
Internships can be great opportunity to meet people in your desired field of work, gain valuable skills and more
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While some college students use summer break as a chance to relax, get to work with internship opportunities. Internships are a great chance to get hands-on experience in the workforce.
Applying for and securing a summer internship are the first steps to obtaining one. The progression of experiences often falls on the intern.
You can choose to sit back and let the work come to you or absorb plenty of information and experiences to boost your resume for future internships and jobs.
If you are a student preparing for an internship or currently working in a summer internship program, make the most of your experiences with these tips.
There are key things you can do in your summer internship to make the most out of the short experience. (iStock / iStock)
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- Learn about different jobs within the company
- Don't be shy
- Say "yes" to hands-on experiences
- Network, network, network
- Keep track of projects and skills you obtain
- Post internship check-ins
1. Learn about different jobs within the company
Internships are a step in your journey to a great career. Often, students aren't sure exactly what they'd like to do for a career after college. While that's normal, internships are an opportunity to experience the workforce and decide if a specific career path is for you.
Use your internship to learn as much about the company you are working for as possible. If time allows, have conversations, lunch or coffee with individuals in different departments. There may be jobs that are more interesting to you than you thought. You may also find new areas of a company that you didn't know existed.
Shadowing is a great way to learn about someone's day-to-day at work. Again, if time allows beyond your daily responsibilities, shadow different people throughout the company to get a better grasp on what their job is like. Ask any questions and express interest in specific tasks and responsibilities.
Talk to as many people as you can in your internship, other interns and professionals to learn as much as you can. (iStock / iStock)
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2. Don't be shy
Internships are not a time to sit back and be shy. Speak up, ask questions, initiate conversations, participate in idea development and be a trustworthy worker. Though you will only be at your internship for a short time, you never know where it can take you.
In just a short time, you can become prove value to the team. When it comes time to apply for jobs, you're going to want strong connections from your internship in your corner.
If you have questions, simply ask. Show initiative and interest in the work you are doing. Avoid holding back ideas, helpful feedback and more.
3. Say ‘yes’ to hands-on experiences
Often, internships offer hands-on experience that you may not receive in a college classroom.
If hands-on experience comes your way, accept it. Use the completion of tasks, knowledge of tools and software, experience working with others and more on your resume. Discuss specifics from your hands-on opportunities in cover letters and job interviews.
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Take time at the end of each day to jot down notes about your internship. You may be able to pull from these notes in the future for your resume and interviews. (iStock / iStock)
4. Network, network, network
During your internship, you'll have the chance to work with those that are hiring or currently working in your dream job. Be certain to introduce yourself to as many people as you can, build contacts, add people on LinkedIn, ask people to grab coffee or lunch, ask questions and show interest in their field of work, etc.
Network as much as you can while you're in their presence.
5. Keep track of projects and the skills you obtain
Keep note of every task, big and small, that you perform through your internship. Take note of your accomplishments at the end of each day to avoid forgetting.
When applying to jobs post graduation, your work experience is going hang from experiences at internships. While applying, go through your notes from each day and pull experiences that are relevant to the position you're seeking.
6. Post internship check-ins
The end of an internship doesn't have to mean a formal goodbye. The people with whom you worked with can be mentors and contacts for you throughout your career. Someone you met while interning may be the connection to a future job.
Keep professional relationships in tact even after your internship has concluded.