Overview

Make the most of your internship!

By Mohammed Abumahlula; If you are starting a new internship with the intention of making the most of it, then we recommend considering some of the ideas that will be explained in this blog. You will have a limited amount of time in your placement, therefore you must make as much use of it as possible so that you don’t leave behind your regrets and can build on the experience gained. By the end of this blog, you will hopefully have an idea on what objectives to work towards.

Development

Do your best in each task. In doing so, you are providing the opportunity to grow your skillset thus helping you achieve greater jobs later on as you display your dependability. It is harder to reflect on experience when you don’t try as hard. Remember you are hoping to evolve and learn during your time as an intern.

If you are able to spare time, ask for more work. It can get boring to wait around without something to do. You are using up your time as an intern to develop yourself, therefore use every opportunity at your disposal to learn from managing more tasks. Furthermore, no one expects you to ask for more work, going beyond their expectations will impress them. This can help you fit in better too as you become more dependable and reliable.

Use your initiative as best as possible. A great skill to have in the workplace is the ability to make effective decisions on your own rather than always asking your manager. Consider how much time you would be taking out of someone else’s time each day to check on issues that you could have resolved on your own. This would incur a greater cost to the business and also make you look unreliable and less dependable. Ultimately, you will need to reach a point where you become independent.

Enhancing your job prospects

Make friends across the organisation. Do not limit your interactions during your short stay to just the other interns. Start networking and meeting others, you never know if they connect you with someone that can get you a future job. If you find the opportunity to, invite others for lunch or help them out. Get involved with people!

Keep a diary of what you achieve each day; this can be very useful for your CV and to summarise your experiences during future job interviews. This helps you to recollect events so that you have an easier time answering interview questions such as those addressing your experience in working under pressure or dealing with problems.

There are many interns who have stayed on with their company to become permanent staff. By working hard, not only are you advancing your career prospects, but you also impress a potential employer. There are many employers who target interns through in-house recruitment; this benefits them as they are certain of your ability after seeing it, they wouldn’t be risking a failed selection from choosing someone they haven’t seen work before. Additionally, the recruiter saves time and money on filling vacancies and training. You will be able to observe the business and its culture by working as an intern, therefore allowing you to decide if you want to accept their job offer.

Hopefully you now have an idea on what you would like to aim for and how you will try to make the most of your internship. Your internship will be a great opportunity to forge your career path!