There are tons of materials on how to be a good intern and more on how to make a great intern, but how about how to be the best intern? The fact is that such types of interns – the good and great ones – have been seen one too many times. If you want to stand out, consider how to be the best intern at your place of work. Here’s how you can achieve that title.
1. Preparation
In addition to learning all you can about the company, do the same for your internship. Typically, no hiring manager will give you an internship without providing you with a thorough job description. If you have questions be sure to seek detailed answers.
2. Personal Commitment
Treat the internship like it’s your job. Stay focused on each task and keep off social media (unless your role requires social media), silence your phone, and don’t use the company Wi-Fi for personal reasons.
3. Ask for Increased Responsibility
You can expect to start on entry-level tasks, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can’t expect increased responsibility unless you ask. An internship is a great way to really get your feet wet and gain much-needed experience. If you have a supervisor, you could ask for work that is more in line with the experience you are seeking. You could also discuss how you’d like to be more involved. That shows your zeal to contribute to the team.
Read More: 5 tips for finding a great internship
4. Prove Yourself
You will not get more responsibility awarded to you if you are not able to prove yourself in the entry-level tasks. While the internship is temporary for you, it is a permanent gig for the full-time staff. Any mistakes you make will impact the team as a whole. To be the best intern, apply yourself to the process, doing all that needs to be done. If you are unsure about a task, rather than doing it incorrectly, ask for clarification. This will ensure that more trust is vested in you as a professional.
5. Don’t Gossip
This spot was intended for discussing ‘Networking,’ but you already know to do that. What you might not know is that engaging in office gossip and politics is dangerous for your career health. Don’t get caught up even if you are asked for your input and desist from discussing other members of staff.
6. Request Feedback
No one is above mistakes. Even if you feel you are following directions, feedback is a great way to improve in what you’re doing. Request feedback from your managers or direct supervisors. Ask them for insight into your work, where they feel you should improve, and what skills you need to sharpen. You will be mentally communicating with them that you are interested in learning, growing, and contributing to the company.
7. Stay in Touch
All the excellent work you have done above should not go to waste. You have done all you can to be the best intern the company has ever seen, so you should follow up for future references. You can even reach out to your managers, supervisors, and coworkers at reasonable intervals to check in and to see how the work you completed assisted the organization.