Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce - www.gocomics.com — Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce - www.gocomics.com

Take Advantage of Your Transition Time

Transition, onboard, ramp up - you’ll hear all of these used interchangeably when it comes to starting a new role. This can take up to anywhere from 1 month to 6 months. Since most summer internships are only 3 months long, oftentimes people consider your onboarding as the first month alone. Take advantage of being “the new person” and ask as many questions as you can. Don’t constantly apologize for “bothering” others - they understand that you’re still learning and most people are happy to help anyway! Instead of saying “Sorry to bother you,” at the end of the conversation, say “Thanks for explaining, that was super helpful!” As an intern, you aren’t expected to know everything, and asking questions will not only help you learn more and learn faster but also show your interest and passion for the job.

Socialize & Be Present

Succeeding in an internship isn’t just about focusing and completing the work, but also about contributing to the team and company culture. Socializing is one of the best ways to build lasting relationships with the people you meet throughout your internship. Attend intern events, team happy hours, all-hands, client meetings, conferences, mentorship or educational events, etc. Make sure to attend non-work related events as well. When I was an intern, I participated in painting and crafting events, any events with free food, and exclusive movie showings from Prime Video. Take advantage of your access to all of these great resources and get a sense of how it would be like if you were a full-time employee. Internships are also exciting opportunities and you should have fun with them! Make friends, form connections, figure out what you like and don’t like, and enjoy the experience.

Network

Reach out to teams that you would like to work for full-time or any other teams that interest you. Depending on the company’s hiring process for full-time roles, they may let you choose from a list of teams, interview for different teams, or throw you into a rotation program. Either way, it’s always helpful to establish your interest early on so that managers can plan ahead to participate in the new-grad placement programs if they want you on their team.

Expect the Unexpected

More often than not, your internship team won’t be exactly what you want to pursue in the long run or you may not be 100% certain, and that’s okay! Continue to come in with an open mind and go-getter attitude. This is a great time for trial and error and to learn what you like/don’t like. You can still be proactive and ask your manager for work more related to your interests or skills you want to hone and reach out to other teams to connect. This way, you can find out what the next best steps are to get closer to your career goals.

Have a Positive Attitude

Building off of “Expect the Unexpected”, one of the most defining factors of interns who succeed is their attitude. They express gratitude, are curious, and are also coachable. Keep in mind it is oftentimes inconvenient for a manager to take on an intern. It requires time to check in with the program leads and work to fill out the additional forms and evaluations, all for you to complete a short-term 3-month project. Therefore, it’s important to express gratitude and an eagerness to soak up as much knowledge as you can. Throughout the internship, ask for feedback from your manager. At the midpoint, you can ask if you are on track to receive a return offer. If you find out you aren’t, ask what you can do to put yourself back on the right path. Don’t take any areas of growth as a bad thing! You’re still a student who hasn’t started their full-time career and your manager has years of experience under their belt so they’ll be able to provide a lot of valuable advice.

Wrapping Up

At the end of your internship, you can get your manager and mentor (if you have one) a gift to express your appreciation for all their time and effort. Something around the $20-$30 range should be good with a quick card for them each. Send out an email to your team thanking them for the experience and include your personal email to stay in touch. For some teams in the past, I’ve brought in a box of donuts on my last day. It’s a good idea to send all your teammates an invite on LinkedIn to continue to stay connected and you can also ask your manager to write a recommendation letter for you on LinkedIn as well.