How To Tackle Your First Weeks At A New Internship

Joining a new organization can often feel nerve-wracking and overwhelming. Where do you go on the first day? What if you don’t make any friends? Who do you eat lunch with? These were the same questions we had on the first day of school, and many of the same questions we have the first day at a new internship. But, the good news is that everyone understands and will try to make your transition as seamless as possible. To further ease into a new internship, try taking a look at the following tips.

         

[Source DIY Network]

Tour the Office

You can acclimate yourself to new surroundings by taking time to explore the office. Your supervisor will likely show you around on your first day, but exploring on your own means you can discover new things that weren’t on that initial tour. You may discover a different kitchenette, or maybe a fully stocked storage closet.  And when your supervisor needs you to make those copies, you’ll know exactly where to go.

Meet Fellow Interns

Your first days, and even weeks, at a new internship will be filled with meeting new coworkers and interacting with supervisors. It is also important to form relationships with other interns in the office. Remember that other interns are just as new and confused as you are, and you’ll have to lean on each other to figure things out. Fellow interns may be the people you go to lunch with everyday, and will be valuable contacts to have in your network.

Schedule One-on-One Meetings

Scheduling meetings with individuals in the organization allows you to form personal connections from the very beginning. You’ll be able to understand exactly what someone’s role is, which will allow you to better understand the organization as a whole. The office won’t be full of nameless faces, but rather people with whom you can connect and share stories. These relationships will prove to be invaluable, especially after your internship ends.

This is some advice that has gotten me through four different internships, and as I embark on my fifth I still believe it’s useful. As summer internships approach, I hope you also find it beneficial. If anything, always remember to show interest and enthusiasm. Asking questions and finding ways to make the lives of your coworkers easier are the best ways to make a lasting impression.  

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Janelle Grace.

Why Learning How To Code Can Enhance Your PR Career

As technology becomes more ingrained into our everyday lives, do you ever stop to wonder exactly how those websites and apps are created? Learning programming languages, such as HTML, CSS, or Javascript, are additional skills that could be added to your resume and increase your marketability. 

New Ways to Help Clients

If you identify an aspect of a clients website that could be updated, having basic web development skills would immediately fix the problem.  Rather than going through loopholes to find a developer, you could easily do a minor update; thus saving your client money and forging a better relationship.

Join a Startup

Have you ever thought of doing public relations for a tech startup? Learning how to code can give you a foot in the door. Having, at most, a rudimentary understanding of programming languages allows you to communicate with everyone at the startup about the product or service. This makes you an invaluable part of the team and helps to grow the company.

Ways to Learn

• Websites such as Codecademy and MIT Open Courseware have FREE online courses. 

• Programs, such as GirlDevelop It, host classes specifically dedicated to teaching women how to code.

• If you are still in school, and have a few extra credits, a minor in computer science or digital media technologies would also help.

Learning to code can be an incredibly beneficial skill, but don’t feel pressure to code just because everyone else is learning. If staring at a computer screen with a bunch of letters, numbers, and symbols is not your cup of tea, that’s completely understandable. But, I encourage you to give it a shot. Those symbols on the screen can turn into programs that make your life and career easier and profitable.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Janelle Grace.