How to Survive the First Month at a New Internship
Hello! It’s been a long time since I’ve written. Rochester is a land of opportunities, and it has certainly kept me busy. Besides double majoring at UR, working at a local nonprofit, and freelance writing in local newspapers and magazines, I’ve recently started a new internship.
Internships can be strange, at first. You’re underdeveloped in office skills, you’re new to the environment, and you’re not making any money. They’re like your career’s awkward preteen years.
That said, internships are crucial. And once you get the hang of them, they’re actually a lot of fun.
I recommend you pursue internships at every possible chance. There’s no need to wait until you’re a junior or senior—start freshman year. Rochester has a great resource in its Gwen M. Greene Career Center, which can help you find the perfect business, organization, or research endeavor.
Wherever and whenever you begin an internship, I’ve compiled a small list of tips to help you succeed and shine bright in your first month.
1. Be humble. I know. You are a marketing superstar, a social media expert, perhaps a computer science whiz who can fix the company’s network problems if they just handed over the keys to you for a weekend. But just chill. Learn the current system before you fix (or break) it. Learn whose feet you’ll be stepping on if you start complaining all about it.
2. Be confident. When it is time for you to contribute, jump in. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Use that (above) expertise to impress. But don’t forget: work with the office. You are only there three months—they will be there long after. Still, people will be impressed with your willingness to jump in.
3. Ask questions. You have no time to be timid. Ask all the questions you need. Supervisors are impressed by workers who aren’t afraid to ask for clarifications. In fact, according to Freakonomics, the unspoken words, “I don’t know,” can bring down an entire corporation! Take notes like you would in a class and raise your hand.
4. Make jokes. Interns are a fresh breath of air (or is it, breath of fresh air? I can never remember). Besides my internship, I have a part-time job where many interns come and go; I get to see the other side of all this. The best part, for me, is that these interns brighten up my day. They change the pace, the atmosphere. I love, especially, when a new intern is funny. It’s all mental, I know, but it’s like a treat. I look forward to seeing them. My only warning: know the room and be appropriate.
5. Look for projects. In the first month, it’s common for supervisors to give a light load. They either don’t want to overwhelm you, or they are so busy that they forget to check on you. I see it all the time at my job: interns sitting around, waiting, doing nothing. Don’t be that intern! Look for stuff to do when your work is over. Ask people if you can help them with anything, even if (yes, I know), it means getting coffee.
Someone once told me that the best interns are irreplaceable.
My biggest suggestion, then, for the first month of a new internship?
Find ways to be irreplaceable.