I'm an intern. Actually, this is my 3rd time being an intern in various companies. Through these positions I've learned a thing or two about what makes you valuable to your company, because ultimately the best outcome from your internship is to prove yourself as indispensable to them and have a full-time position offered to you after graduation. I'm not saying I'm a perfect intern, because I'm not. But I'm always learning and want to share with you what I've found so far that can set you apart from every other fish in the intern sea:
1. Be on Time
Once upon a time I was engrained with an important saying by my old boss "early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable." Always aim to be at least 10-15 minutes early each day of your internship. You'll look much more professional if you're a little early. Plus you'll give off an "I'm pumped to be here" kind of vibe for doing so. It will also give you time to fill your water bottle, make some coffee, and chat with your coworkers.
2. Come Prepared
It's better to be over prepared than underprepared. Your first fews days you should bring anything you think will be helpful. After a while you'll know what you really need and don't need with you. From my experience the most helpful items to bring are your laptop and charger, a notebook, pens and highlighters, deodorant (if it's summertime), money for coffee and/or lunch, a pair of comfortable shoes to commute in and your professional shoes for later, and a water bottle.
3. Dress For the Job You Want
It's important to follow the dress code of your office. They'll provide you with some kind of indication as to how to dress but take note when you get there. Some offices, like my current one, say it's business causal but really it's relaxed business casual. Basically they were nice jeans with professional tops and such. But you should dress for what job you want. Just because you can wear jeans and flip flops, doesn't mean you should. If you want the same job as your supervisor, dress how they dress.
4. Ask for Work
Asking for work is vital to being a good intern. Don't wait for your supervisor to approach you. Go to them whenever you need work. It'll make you look more enthusiastic and interested in being the best intern you can be.
5. Bring Snacks
Don't wait it out till lunch time, bring as many snacks as you think you'll need. Often it's more than okay to have some munchies at your workplace. It's very easy to get hangry working a 9-5. So bring some snacks to keep you focused and not counting down the hours till your lunch break.
6. Volunteer for Everything (Within Reason)
Volunteering for projects is a great way to make yourself indispensable to the company. Ask to help on anything you feel would be good for you, the worst they can say is no. It shows your supervisor you want to learn as much as you can.
7. Ask Questions
You don't know everything, and your supervisor doesn't expect you to know it all. They expect you to ask lots of questions, so do it! This is your time to be the newbie and learn as much as you can. Plus asking questions show genuine interest in the field and your education.
8. Don't Half-Ass Your Work
Often times the work assigned to interns can be boring and mundane. Sometimes you'll be editing others work, reading through long articles for statistics, or running errands. Whatever your task, put in your 110%. Doing so will show your commitment and will make your supervisors confident in giving you the harder and more advanced projects you want to work on.
9. Get to Know Your Coworkers
You don't have to be their best-friend, but getting to know your coworkers is vital to your success in the future. They are all real professionals in the field and they are wealths of knowledge. Your coworkers can serve as mentors and references for you in your career journey. You never know who will point you in the direction of your full-time career after graduation.
10. Take Notes
Taking notes shows you want to learn as much as possible during the time you're there. Likewise it shows you have a genuine interest in the field and you want to make sure you do your job right the first time around. People notice that in their interns.
