Making the Most of Your Internships

Internships represent a valuable opportunity to gain experience and even launch your career, but only if you do it right.

If you managed to land on the internship you had your eye on, then congratulations! But there is no time to rest on your laurels because the real work truly starts here.

Your next goal is to excel in your internship by showing your ability to apply the knowledge and skills picked up in the classroom to the real world. If you succeed, there may even be a good chance of landing a full-time position with your employer afterwards. After all, an increasing number of employers prefer converting interns to full-time hires.

So, how do you get the most out of your internship from start to finish? Here are some useful tips.

Research the opportunity well

Achieving internship success starts right from the application process. Firstly, before applying for an internship post, read the job description and responsibilities carefully. They should be in line with your own career goals and provide opportunities for you to develop relevant skill sets that will help lead you to your dream job after graduation.

If you are unsure about the responsibilities of a particular job role, bring it up to Career Development Centre, ask your seniors for their thoughts, or take the time to do the necessary online research. Your internship will likely last about four months, so you do not want to waste time in an internship role that does not ultimately help you grow the skill set that you want.

Secondly, get familiar with the company you are planning to apply an internship with. Go through the organisation’s values, vision and mission to get an idea of its direction and whether it reflects with your own values. It will be a bonus if the company offers training and mentorships to interns as well.

Set personal goals

Once have accepted an internship offer, prepare yourself mentally for your role by first listing down the personal goals you would like to achieve. Start by defining what success means for you, then set bite-sized targets for yourself to follow.

For instance, if you are an architecture intern, your measure of success would be whether the projects you are involved with meets your clients’ objectives while still addressing emerging challenges, such as the need for energy-efficient construction and maintenance, rapid urbanisation and transportation planning. Take the time to understand what those mean, and to think about how you might contribute to them as an intern.

Having goals and targets will help give you a direction to work towards. This will in turn keep you focused and purposeful while on the job, which makes for a more productive internship.

Treat it like a job

Although you may receive more leeway when it comes to making mistakes as an intern, your internship is still a serious commitment and an important opportunity. Thus, it is crucial that you give your best and treat your internship like a full-time job. Take every task seriously, as though your livelihood depends on it – no matter how small or unimportant the task may seem.

Although you may only be in the role for a few months, allow yourself to be immersed in the company culture. This will help you discern the kind of company culture that suits you best when it comes to applying for a full-time job.

Bring the right attitude, be professional, willing to learn and be adaptable

You will face with a myriad of challenges in your internship role. Accept the fact that as someone new to the working life, you will make mistakes, so just be professional and own up to them! Quickly learn from your mistakes and do not let these hinder you from bouncing back and doing your best.

Make a point to pick up new skills by approaching colleagues from other departments and forming friendships with them. This way, you will not only get the chance to learn things you might not have known previously, but also gain knowledge from senior colleagues.

Be adaptable by learning to acknowledge and accept changes. For example, if things do not go as initially planned on a task, then stay flexible and be open about thinking of another solution. Above all, do not be afraid to ask for feedback or guidance from your co-workers if you need it.

Build your network

It is never too early to learn how to network. Over the course of your internship, you will meet people who may be your superiors one day, or coworkers who can recommend you for available roles, whether through wordof-mouth or further connections.

That should not be your goal in getting to know your colleagues though. Building your network takes time and effort. Be sincere in spending time to get to know your colleagues in your team, whether over a cup of coffee or during lunch. You may never know if the relationship will develop into a genuine, valuable friendship instead. The bottom line is that having friends, allies and good connections will only bring positive results, whether in your personal or professional life.

Exit well

At the tail end of your internship, ask your superiors if they will be willing to vouch for your contribution and perhaps prepare a recommendation letter for you. Consider encouraging your superiors and co-workers to recommend or endorse you on LinkedIn for skills you displayed or picked up on the job.

Connecting with your superiors and colleagues on LinkedIn also allows you to stay in touch with them. And who knows? Those connections might just be key if a full-time position opens up at that company one day.