Over the past three years, I’ve spent four semester and two summers interning at five different places and yesterday marked the last day of my life as an intern. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved the learning experiences and people I’ve met during that time but at a certain point, you’re just ready for the next step. And I am definitely there.
As I spend the next few months looking, applying, and interviewing (hopefully!) for jobs, I know my internships will provide me with many of the skills and knowledge I need. For all of you who are the beginning of this process, here are my top tips, tricks, & smarts about intern life.
Do as many internships in as many specialties as you can. A degree in COM can lead you do many, many paths. Don’t think that because you major in magazine journalism that you can only intern for magazines or because you’re a PR major, you can only intern for PR firms. There are so many different types of communication and interning in a variety of areas can really help you learn what you like. I’ve worked for big and small companies, in digital, fashion, hospitality, and the publishing industry. All have given me invaluable skills and really helped me narrow down my interests.
Learn what you don’t like. Yes, internships help you figure out what you like to do but they also are amazing at helping you decide what you don’t like to do. Sometimes everything you thought you would love turns out to not be right. For me that was agency PR. I thought that was the perfect job for me until I did it and realized it was not right at all. I had four internships before I found one I really loved so I whole heartedly encourage you to try everything until you figure it out for yourself.
Go the extra mile. I cannot say this enough. During six internships, I’ve worked with many other interns and let me tell you, there are a lot of really sucky ones out there. And you really don’t want to be one of them. Don’t be late. Don’t say you’ll do something and then don’t. Stay late to finish something. Sit in on that meeting. People notice and they remember. Doing those little things make you stand out among the crowd and that is always a good thing.
Take every opportunity. A lot of things will come up throughout a semester that aren’t planned or part of a job description. Having the opportunity to work events, sit in on meetings, even just having lunch with your coworkers and supervisors are extra times to shine. You’ll learn a lot and it shows that you really want to be there. And that is also always a good thing.
Internships are vital to your success in the communication industry. Yes, it’s great to learn more about your field at an internship but they are also so helpful in learning how to be an employee, work in an office, and work with others. I’m so proud of my experiences and everything I’ve learned and I know that those skills will make me a very viable candidate in the job search. Wish me luck in the next era!
