Make the Most of Your Internship

Everyone hates general education requirements, but some of them are put in place to benefit you, the student. The goal after you graduate college is to get a job, and that requires different levels of experience. The way to get most of that experience? Internships. Most colleges are requiring internships to graduate these days, and that isn't something that we should complain about. It's no secret that more and more entry-level job applications are requiring more industry experience than a recent graduate may have. The job market is becoming more competitive and we need to be ready. To do that we need to make the most out of our internships.

Make yourself known.

The first thing you can do when you get to your internship on the first day is make yourself known. Whether your supervisor introduces you to everyone or you have to do it yourself (which is terrifying, I know) it's important that the people you're interning for know who you are. Take advantage of the fact that you're surrounded by industry professionals.

Finish your assignments--then ask for more.

It's not enough to just finish the assignments you're given. Once you finish them, see if there's anything else that you can help with. Be proactive with what you get out of your internship. It's not just up to your supervisor (although it would be nice if it was, right?). Asking for more assignments may be hard, I'm still learning how to do that, but it's important that you do.

Ask your coworkers for help.

No matter what industry you're in there are going to be times where you need help with something. For example, if you're in an internship where you're writing copy for a company website you may need someone to proofread your piece before you turn it in. Ask someone for help! There's bound to be someone who has the experience (and isn't intimidating) that will agree to read your piece and provid feedback. Not only does it mean you're turning in something more in-tune with the company's voice, but you're building a connection!

Update your resume and LinkedIn.

If you don't know already, LinkedIn is a professional networking site that's similar to Facebook. You can update your connections on your new jobs, educational achievements, and life. Additionally, employers are always searching the web for you and it's always good to have a professional profile pop up under your name. You can fit everything you've ever done on your LinkedIn--unlike a resume that can technically only be a page long. As you progress through your internship, update them both. Or, at the very least, keep a running list of everything you're doing at your internship. It'll be a lot easier to update your resume afterward if you do that.

Ask: "Can we connect on Linkedin?" and stay in touch.

Chances are everyone you worked with has a LinkedIn and you can connect with them! Now, you could wait until your internship is over to request connecting on LinkedIn, but I think it would be more beneficial to do so a few weeks before your internship is over. Again, this is something that may be intimidating to do, but when you have these connections on LinkedIn you can get references, skill recommendations, and a boost in the industry you're working for.

Apply what you've learned to your future.

Don't throw away the time and energy your put into your internship once it's over. Everything that you've learned can be applied to your current and future jobs. Use the time management skills you've learned in your classes if you haven't graduated yet. If you have graduated, use those professional networking skills you (hopefully) learned to get yourself a job. Don't let this experience go to waste--your future self will thank you.