1. Meet your co-workers:
Introduce yourself to everyone in your department, and try to communicate with each person and understand their work. You may like someone's work and want to take over in the future. You may not want to work with the company for long, but you definitely want to be recommended by them. The better your performance and the more familiar your supervisor and the employees are with your personality and work, the stronger the recommendation.
2. Define your goals:
It is always a good idea to meet with your supervisor at the beginning of the internship to know their expectations of you. If your supervisor does not schedule a meeting with you, you should ask them to do so, and ask what you are expected to achieve daily and weekly. So, be sure to ask for feedback from your supervisor to make sure you're on the right track.
Consider your own goals for the internship and what you would like to learn. Discuss your interests with your supervisor, and ask if there is an opportunity to participate in things that you are interested in.
3. Watch and learn:
Understanding the culture of the organization and acting accordingly is essential when you start working in a new place. So, observe and seek guidance from your colleagues. Ask about the routine of the organization, and read all items, policies, organizational procedures, etc…. If it is appropriate, ask to attend meetings or perform other staff's work under their supervision so that you can learn the finer details of the work.
4. Be professional:
Consider how you would present yourself to your co-workers and supervisor. Think what would be the appropriate dress code for your workplace? What is the proper etiquette for sending an email to the person you are addressing? If you have a concern or a problem that you're not sure how to deal with, who is the right person to talk to about it? And don't forget the basics of etiquette, such as punctuality and thanking others.
5. Keep yourself busy:
If your workload is small, let your supervisor know. If they don't assign you more work, read some trade magazines or see if it's okay to ask another employee if they need help, or you can come up with some ideas about what you can work on as a long-term project to fill your time and present it to your supervisor.
Everyone has to do tedious and painstaking work from time to time. The more motivated and willing you are to do it, the better the chance of being hired full-time and earning a solid recommendation. In addition, you may find a better or more organized way to get this type of work done.
6. Stay organized:
Take notes during all meetings, and keep to-do lists and deadlines. Tidy up your workplace so others don't stumble upon your files and work tools when you're not around. Keep an eye on data storage operations. If your organization maintains files in central locations then take notes, monitor and keep records in accordance with public policy.
7. Organize your time wisely:
Always get projects done on time. When you are done with a task, ask for another. If you are feeling overwhelmed with projects, talk to your supervisor to prioritize your work.
8. Keep track of your projects:
Make a list of all the projects you've worked on, so you can discuss your progress with your supervisor. It will help you remember everything you have worked on to update your resume, add it to your document history, or talk about it at a future job interview. Ask if you can keep samples of the projects you worked on to add to your document history. Remember that some of this information is private, so always get approval before taking copies of work with you.
9. Invite your supervisor or other employees for coffee:
Whether during or after the training period, ask your supervisor and other employees if they have 15 minutes for coffee and a little chat. People love to talk about themselves and their career. What matters here is that everyone has a different career, so try to reach as many people as possible. If you don't get a response straight away, ask once or twice, as people are very busy. Mostly when you think they are ignoring you, it's because they're tired and not because they don't want to talk to you.
10. Think about your experience:
If there is no formal review process, make sure to ask your supervisor and co-workers for feedback on your performance, so you can see what you have done well and what you need to improve. Think about the skills you have acquired during your internship and update your resume with your experiences and achievements. Even if you decide that this career field is not right for you, your experience is still valuable. Have a meeting with a counselor to discuss what you have learned and see what steps you can take to move forward in your career path.
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