This summer I spent 10 weeks in Portland, OR working on an internship. An internship can be a great way to make some money, make connections and learn the inside of your field of study. I was a Marketing Intern at a not-for-profit hospital. It was a completely new experience for me. I've learned a lot about living all alone, moving to a new town, and working in an unfamiliar business setting. Internships are challenging but can be an important stepping stone toward an excellent professional career. I want to share my experience with you and encourage you to get as many internships as you can before you graduate.
Here is what I learned:
1. Prepare to fill up your free evenings.
No one tells you this, but when you are doing a standard 8 to 5 office internship, your evenings get kind of empty. It's not like school where you have homework to do at night. It can get especially difficult if you're at a new place where you don't know that many people. Don't hesitate to reach out to the few people that you do know and invite them to do something together after work. You're going to be here for some time, so might as well establish some relationships that can help you not feel too lonely at a new place. If you prefer being alone then try to get out and explore the town. When I just got to Portland and wasn't sure who to reach out to, I would just take the MAX train downtown and explore all the cool places by myself. Solo exploring is really fun too! After some time, I became friends with people who were just acquittances before because I reached out to them for some support in a new place. At the end, I made many wonderful memories this summer. So don't be afraid to text someone and tell them that you're new to the town and would love if they could be your buddy and do something together a couple times during your stay. You won't regret it!
2. Don't expect it to be your dream job.
You probably know this already, but a lot of times all the excitement you build for a new internship doesn't end up being justified. A lot of jobs look really fun on paper, but end up being pretty standard in reality. Sometimes it just gets mundane and boring simply because you keep doing the same thing over and over, even though you think you like it. So don't get your hopes up too high - an internship is just an internship. It might get boring and you might end up doing tasks that look nothing like your dream job. But don't get discouraged! Keep an open mind and remember that internships are usually pretty different from full time positions. Try to get a taste of the organization and shadow your co-workers. Even if your internship seems nothing like what you thought it would be, it's still great because it can help you learn what you don't want in your future job. Make the best of whatever experience you get yourself into.
3. Be willing to do any task.
My boss this summer would sometimes joke: "Okay, I have a completely intern task for you right now... Could you grab me some coffee on your way back from the cafeteria?" Actually, all of the stuff I did at my internship were excellent and right down my alley and I never had to do actual coffee runs for my office, like you see in movies. But there were some things I was asked to do that I wasn't too sure about or didn't think I would enjoy. But I tried to say yes to everything I was proposed to do. At the end, it only benefitted me, and I learned so much more than I would if I only did the things from my job description. Doing a little extra also makes you look more enthusiastic and creates a good reputation for you at your work place. Don't miss out on any opportunity to learn more. You're already doing this internship, so make the most out of everything you get to do.
4. Ask for evaluation on your projects and learn to not take criticism personally.
If you want to get better, ask to be evaluated on how you did. Your boss will see that you're eager to improve, and you will learn how to do a better job and avoid mistakes in the future. Your boss might tell you something that could hurt your feelings but never take that personally. In professional world things get rejected or criticized all the time. People who have been working in your industry for years know not to take that kind of rejection or criticism to heart as it is a normal creative process and a standard thing in any kind of operation. It doesn't mean that you're awful at your job, it just means that there is a better way to achieve better results or that you can take a different approach to completing your task. Be open to criticism and ask for it, if you want to have a truly growing internship experience.
5. Don't hesitate to ask questions, initiate a conversation with your supervisors and learn more about the industry.
Asking questions is good and professional. Of course, do your research before you ask questions so that you don't ask something completely obvious. But don't hesitate to approach your boss and initiate a conversation regarding something you've been wondering about. It's so important because it shows you care, it positions you as a professional and growing individual and it makes your boss feel good about being able to teach your something and share his or her wisdom with you.
6. Learn to love your organization (even though it's temporary).
It's really hard to do a good job at something you don't care about. If you want to succeed, you need to care about what you're doing and have some kind of passion for the goals and values of your organization. It might not be your dream job, but you should find something inspirational about the tasks that you're doing and your role in the organization. Try to connect with your company's values and embrace your team's attitude and goals. It will make your experience more enjoyable, and you will find a lot of meaning in your time as an intern. In my experience, I didn't really care about healthcare marketing when I first started my internship. But as I kept working in my organization and learning about their values and mission in their community, I became really inspired by the individuals I got to work with. They deeply cared about being a positive presence in people's lives, and I tried to match that attitude. That made my experience really enjoyable and significant.
The bottom line is, your internship can be one of the best experiences of your life. It's all about your attitude and willingness to learn.
What was your internship experience like?
