Looking to make the most of your internship? Here is your ultimate DC intern guide.
How to Succeed at Your Internship Program DC:
1. NETWORK. NETWORK.
While being skilled in your field is very important, who you know in your industry is also extremely valuable.
2. Ask for help when you need it.
Your co-workers won’t think you’re not smart because of this. An internship is a learning experience and that is part of it.
3. Get to know your department outside of their job role. Ask someone to get coffee or grab lunch.
Sometimes it’s nice to discuss things besides work and who doesn’t love a nice coffee break?
4. Submit your projects early.
Early is on time in the corporate world!
5. Get to know the other interns.
Your fellow interns could potentially be the people you’re working within your industry in the future to get to know them now!
6. Stay up to date with what’s happening in the news surrounding your company.
For Example, if you see an interesting article that you think your co-workers could benefit from, send it to them! This shows that you value your company and your co-workers as well.
7. Write down your goals of what you want to learn throughout your internship.
It’s easy to lose track of things if you don’t have them written down. In addition, it has been psychologically proven that when you cross things off a list your mood is automatically boosted!
8. If you complete your assignments early, ask if your co-workers need help with some of theirs.
Just sitting around on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. when you’re not busy makes it seem like you don’t value your time at your internship. Your co-workers will appreciate this I promise!
9. Ask for feedback regularly.
You’ll never grow throughout the process unless you know what you need to improve on.
10. Get a few references before you leave.
Even if you don’t want to work at that company in the future, a reference from anyone you worked closely with can be valuable when applying for future jobs.
From one intern to another, I used these tactics at my internship last summer and because of this, I’m back interning in the D.C. area again this summer. I’m continuing to use these tactics this year as well, especially the combination of getting to know other interns and networking. There are almost 50 other interns where I’m working and all of our work in different departments. One of the girls in the photo above works in a department that got us a tour of a part of corporate that I’d otherwise never would have been able to see!