When starting an internship, you want to make sure you establish yourself as more than just a student but as a valuable part of the company that can bring fresh ideas and skills to the table. Classroom to Cubicle gives four great steps to ensure success at your next internship:
Establish Goals
Set several goals for yourself in a variety of paths, such as: networking (online and offline), skills development, project management and soft skills.
Be sure to write these goals down and share them with your supervisor/mentor so that they can assign projects accordingly and be sure to keep them informed of your progress.
Don't be afraid to let your supervisor know where you can be the teacher and can create a plan for educating employees about unique skills you have.
Establish a Relationship with a Like-Minded Mentor
Create and maintain a relationship with someone within your organization who possesses the skills that match your goals and learn from them. Those individuals are very enthusiastic to share their knowledge and skills with eager to learn students.
Be Prepared to Manage Up
Some organizations have a small team environment and do not have an already established "intern program." This may result in not always having constant supervision. Instead of fearing away from the challenge, embrace it by remaining efficient with your time management and organization in order to help the company get to the next level while earning a reputation for being a strong independent thinker.
Track Learning and Accomplishments
Whenever possible, track quantifiable results that you have contributed to, for example: "Helped increase the company's Twitter followers from 10,000 to 30,000 during my three month internship."
Additionally, track anecdotal measures of progress and performance by receiving testimonials from team members and supervisors.
What other tips do you have for being a stand-out intern? Let us know!
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