Sheryl Swingley
Ball State University
Question:
What advice do some of your former interns have for me when I do my internship?
Answer: Asking for advice from your peers who have already done internships is a super idea. I hope that your student chapter of the American Marketing Association sponsors an internship panel annually. All of us, no matter our age, have a tendency to listen to our peers. We like to know what our peers think and appreciate them sharing their experiences with us.
Denise Duncan Verona, one of my former interns, has these suggestions for students doing internships.
At the beginning of your internship, share a copy of your internship and career goals with your supervisor. By sharing this information, you and your supervisor will know what the other's expectations are. Sharing your goals will reduce your chances or your supervisor's chances of being disappointed with responsibilities assigned during the internship.
Be open to new ideas and procedures. Just because you have done something a certain way at your university doesn't mean that is the only way to achieve success. Avoid saying, "That's not the way I was taught or that's not the way we do it at ...."
Volunteer to do small tasks. Once you prove that you are capable of performing well on a smaller scale, it will probably lead to larger, more interesting projects.
Take your internship as seriously as you would a postgraduation job. Look and act professional at all times. Take note of how others operate and adopt the habits of the most successful employees.
Keep busy. There is usually someone in your area who can use a helping hand with whatever he or she is working on. By helping others, you initiate interaction with co-workers and are more likely to get help with your projects when others are not so busy.
Network whenever possible. You never know who will be able to help you down the road with job tips or a job reference. Be sure to collect the business card of everyone you meet – inside and outside of your company. Always take the initiative to introduce yourself to anyone you come in contact with during your internship.
Attend social functions you are invited to. You may be invited to a variety of activities during an internship. Make such invitations a priority and attend as many of them as you can. If your company has a softball or soccer team or sponsors teams in a bowling league, consider joining.
If possible, be available to train your successor. Your willingness to train the next intern saves your supervisor time and is usually welcomed.
Here are more suggestions from other interns I have worked with. They are as follows:
Do ask your boss questions, but when you have a question, try first to find the answer on your own. It's after you have exhausted your resources that you go to your supervisor for the answer. If you can tell your boss what you've done on your own to answer the question, you'll increase your chances of being viewed as a problem solver. Problem solvers are always valued in the workplace.
Meet with your supervisor at least once a week. Such a meeting will allow you and your supervisor to stay better informed about what you're doing. Such a meeting also might increase the value of your internship to you and the company. The time you and your supervisor spend together will give both of you a chance to review projects, revise them and arrange for increasingly more challenging tasks. Also, if you learn about something you'd like to be exposed to or work on, ask how you can get involved.
Strive to bring your supervisor solutions, not problems. When you have a problem that you need your boss's help with, try to suggest to your boss some ways you might approach the situation. He or she can then tell you whether you have some good ideas or whether the situation requires a different approach.
Write and edit e-mails before you send them. In the business world, your e-mails need to be written as well and as carefully as you would write a letter, report or story. Observe proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and style. Remember, too, that e-mails are not private. Don't send an e-mail that you wouldn't want the whole world to see.
Always strive to make the supervisor look good. If the boss looks good, you'll look good.
Go to meetings prepared. Know your material to avoid shuffling through papers to find answers to questions you should already know.
Think through or practice what you're going to say before you call someone for information or to report what you have learned. It's important to state what you have to say as succinctly as possible. Learn to say it once. Avoid going on and on.
Don't gossip. Usually this means you should avoid talking negatively about your boss and co-workers. Also, refrain from talking about what you did when you went out last night. Other topics to avoid in the workplace include religion, politics and medical problems … or how tired you are.
Make time to explore your surroundings and have fun. Get out of your office. First, take a tour of the building in which you're doing your internship. During the tour make sure you introduce yourself to the receptionist and/or telephone services personnel so they know you exist and can forward calls to you during your internship. Explore the community you're working and living in, too. For example, if you're working in Indianapolis, go to the Visitors Center and take the walking tour of the city. If you're in Chicago, take the architectural boat tour. If you're in New York City, take the day-long bus tour. Attend local festivals, fairs and other special events. Explore the natural wonders or historical sites nearby.