Many of you are probably well settled in your summer internships now, but don’t get too comfortable and remember why you’re there.
Summer internships in college are important for a number a reasons. They give you the chance to discover what a particular field is like. It offers the opportunity to work with professionals and allows you to find out what environment you work best in. On top of that, it helps boost your resume, and give you some extra cash to cover your summer expenses.
But, when it comes to boosting your resume, what does that really mean? Just putting the company you worked for on your document template is not enough. What you are really after is tangible goals you achieved that you can share under that company name.
Here are a few tips to make sure you take away something useful from your summer internships:
1. Identify Your Company/Team’s Goals
This should have been the number one thing that the company you’re with brief you on when you first joined. Why are you there? How are you supporting the team over this 2-3 month internship. Perhaps you’re working on a project or a deal. If you weren’t initially aware of the bigger picture, it’s still not too late to find out.
Why is this crucial? Because in the future, it helps you paint the image of how you contributed during your internship. You can talk about your internship experience with context of a larger goal.
2. Identify Your Personal Goals
Think about what you want take away from this internship. Think to yourself: Why did I take this role? Is it because it applies to your major? Is it because you wanted to learn more about a specific field?
Whatever your personal goals are, write them down or vocalize it. You’ll hold yourself more accountable and not let yourself get away with not hitting your own personal goals.
3. Network with Your Interns & Managers
Much like college, your internships are a great place for you to network and meet new people. People in the firm are obviously important to speak with so you can learn more about the company, their experience and career trajectory. You might just find a mentor who can guide you through you next few years.
Don’t neglect to network with your fellow interns too! You’ll likely become good friends anyways, but remember they will likely be your co-workers or good connections for future jobs!
4. Reflect on Your Job Experience
You might already be half way through your internship. This might be a good time to evaluate how you’ve done so far, and what can you do better. If there’s anything from your goals you set out you haven’t yet achieved, find out how you can get it done.
Never be afraid to venture outside your comfort zone. If you have additional time, see if you can be of additional help to your team. This might be an another way for you to get additional work that might not have been in your responsibilities that you could pique your interest.
5. Explore The City You’re In!
Lastly, if you’re interning in a new city, make sure you actually enjoy it! Find out whether it’s a city you’d like living in post-college. What are the job opportunities available to you? What are the people like? What is the food scene like? These are all things that you should take note of, and hopefully, really get to experience while you’re doing your internship!
Hope this helps you get you wanted from this summer internship! Let us know what you’re working on in the comments below:
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