How to Get the Most From Your Internship
Whether you have an unpaid or paid internship, you have a valuable opportunity to learn, get a jump on your career goals and to learn more about yourself. Here are all the ways to get the most from your internship.
Find a Mentor
Seek out an experienced person who would be willing to be your mentor. This person can be of assistance to you long after the internship is over.
Think About Your Impressions
It’s impossible to know for certain if you want to do something for years on end until you actually get a taste of it. As your internship progresses, be introspective about your feelings about the work itself. If you want to change your mind about your career aspirations, now’s the time to shift directions.
Pay Attention
Learn as much as you can while you intern. Don’t just glide in day in and day out. Absorb everything you can about the day–to-day operations and about the business. The more you pay attention and learn, the more valuable you’ll be when you enter the paying job market.
Start Working on Your Resume
Don’t wait until your internship is over before revising your resume. At that point, you’ll have to struggle to remember all the things you did and all the new skills you acquired. Instead, make your resume a work-in-progress. Add to it on a weekly basis so you can easily track your achievements, your job responsibilities and your goals. This will make it ready to go in case you aren’t automatically offered a job when your internship expires.
Your internship is more than filler for your resume. When you take full advantage of it, an internship can be a powerful launching pad for a successful career.