This is for any millennial who happened to find a company which thought they were competent enough to hire. Yeah, I'm talking about you, me and every other 20 something who has meandered into the professional world. Here's some advice from the wise words of Tina Belcher.
1."You bought the ticket, take the ride."
(from Twitter)
If you’re going to go in, then go all in. Ask what you can do and what needs to get done. There’s always something that needs to be done in the office, no matter how simple or tedious. It may seem insignificant or time consuming to you, but it's not. These smaller tasks have to be done by someone. When doing these things, it lets employees of the company focus to do their own jobs more effectively. Do those things willingly. It shows that you care and that you’re there for the long haul. This will ultimately lead to larger and more challenging tasks in the future, where you have the opportunity to let your talents shine.
When I first got to my internship, some of my first tasks were creating social media content,
making coffee runs as well as spending several hours entering over 300 business cards into an
Excel spreadsheet. Since I’ve willingly taken on different tasks that my supervisor gives me, they
have given me more opportunities than before to work on press releases, draft blog posts and
more.
2. "I've logged over 3,000 fantasy hours on my relationship with
Jimmy Jr. You don’t just throw that away."
(from Pinterest)
If you want to be the best intern and even possibly have a job with the company after college, then invest your time in them. Do research on the company, take extra time to get to know what they do and why. Brainstorm ways to improve or add to the success of the organization. Be interested in the mission of the company and get involved. Since I’m working for a company that works with fine wine and food companies, it’s been challenging to jump into the field (to say the least.) There is a plethora of knowledge regarding the field of wine and public relations itself. Since I’ve begun, I take time each day to do research on the company and their clients. It’s helped me tremendously when writing for the company and understanding differences between clients.
3. "Don't have a crap attack!"
(from Twitter)
As an intern, we don't know everything and we aren't expected to. We are there for experience, which means that we learn from a trial and error process. Accept the fact that you will probably make mistakes, but take care not to make the same ones twice. If you do make the same mistake twice, own up to it and understand why you did it. But don't freak out. Never freak out. It could send you spiraling into a whole new set of mistakes triggered by the one. But just in case you do make a mistake, don't let your heart "poop it's pants."
4. "Time for the Charm Bomb to Explode."
(from giphy)
Dress the part. Observe what other employees wear and take note. Look professional and clean, and for your own sake don’t wear ripped jeans into the office! Each office has a different dress code, so it’s always wise to look into it before heading into your internship. If all fails, google business casual and business outfits or create a Pinterest board to help.
Some Pinterest boards to check out:
Ladies:
Fellas:
• goo.gl/mBghhH
5. "My entry point is my bangs. Then I wow them with my
personality.”
(from Twitter)
Be yourself. They hired you for you, so show them who you are! Even though everyone at the company is really nice, I was nervous at first because I wanted to impress them all and do well. The smartest way to do well at your internship is by using the strengths (personality and skill wise) that you know you have and applying them towards your work. It’s fool proof.
