As most would know, all organisations are different – making all internships very different. And as nice as it would be, there is unfortunately no handbook on “how to be the perfect intern”. In saying this, there are ways to prepare you and get the most out of your experience.

So here are what you wish someone had told you before your first internship – you can thank me later!

 

Prepare to do the”busy” work

In most cases when applying for your internship, you’ll find in the job description something along the lines of “perform other duties where assigned”. Now this can range from administrative work, data entry, to running errands – even for those coffee runs. So don’t go into your internship expecting to be at the forefront doing all the substantive jobs, because the reality is, no matter how high your uni marks are, there’s a high chance you won’t be getting out of doing some sort of administrative tasks. In saying this, don’t just look at these jobs just as menial tasks, but take it as an opportunity to gain perspective of the organisation as a whole. It will be these simpler tasks that can help you shine, especially as the newbie – so do your best in everything you do!

 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

From my personal experience, this was one of the first and most important lessons I learnt. Remember that you aren’t expected to know it all. That’s the whole point of the internship – is to learn on the job. Unfortunately your supervisor isn’t a psychic (although that would be really cool), so it is your responsibility to ask those questions you’re not sure about. From what may seem like the “silly questions” such as how to turn on the printer, to those harder hitting questions. By doing this you are clearing up any potential confusion and preventing future errors. Trust me – you’ll be doing yourself a favour! 

To help with this it is greatly beneficial to find yourself a mentor. Whether it’s your designated supervisor or just the person near your desk – there’s always someone there to help you. In saying this, who says you can’t have more than more mentors? More the merrier, right? Right! Search for people that are willing to help and ask them for their insight and advice on certain tasks and projects. These will be the people that have direct experience and expertise, being the important connections and relationships you’ll make at your placement, and maybe even for the future.

 

Interning isn’t glamorous as it seems on the TV shows

People may often envy the glamorous lifestyles of interns that are sometimes portrayed in the TV shows and movies. However this can be slightly deceiving, particularly if you are new to the game. Although it can be fun and there may be many perks like the occasional freebie or VIP event pass, the truth is that there is a lot of hours and hard work put into a project or event behind the scenes – often making it anything but glamorous! 

So as an intern you’ve got a long road ahead of you if you’re hoping for that glamorous side of the industry – but it’ll be all worth the hard work.

 

Don’t forget – it’s okay to make mistakes!

Lastly, but certainly not least, is that it is okay to make mistakes. If you’re going to make mistakes in your career – now’s the time! You’ll be working hard to do your best, but remember that the whole purpose of the internship is to learn. Mistakes will be expected by your supervisor, so don’t be afraid to make them or not know how to do certain tasks. Ask questions and receive feedback on where you went wrong so you know for next time. Treat every failure as a learning opportunity!

 

Natalya 🙂