The 3 things students need to know to succeed in their internship

Today, applications for PwC's 2017/2018 summer vacation program are open once again! So I thought this was an ideal time to draw on my work experiences in Chartered Accountants ANZ's Careers Engagement team, PwC’s Campus Recruitment team and my current role in PwC's Private Clients team to offer some tips on the recruitment and interview process as well as share some advice on how to make the vacationer/intern/clerk experience a successful and enjoyable one should you make it all the way.

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There is plenty of advice out there about how to excel in the recruitment and interview process (and from more authoritative sources than me). Key messages tend to focus on researching what the organisation's values are and what core competencies are sought after. For PwC, our refreshed values as we begin executing on our 2020 global strategy are reimage the possible, make a difference, care, work together and act with integrity. 

Students should also read up on the recommended approaches of how to structure their responses to behavioural based questions. I always recommend using the STAR framework to answer questions such as "tell us a time when you..." or "give us an example of when you..."

This is the basics. What I wanted to emphasise, however, is the importance of being genuine and authentic in your responses. "Authenticity" is the current flavour of the month when it comes to Corporate Management thought leadership... and that's for a reason. It does make a difference. 

Think of a time when a friend, colleague, politician or acquaintance has been disingenuous or "fake" (which we can instinctively detect...) doesn't it make you feel uncomfortable? Well it makes your assessors and interviewers feel the same about you if you're not being open and authentic. 

If you're successful in gaining a vacationer position (or internship/clerkship in other industries) here's my advice to make the experience enjoyable and successful:

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Your performance at these junior grades will not be assessed on how much you know or what you can do. Whilst basic business acumen and technical knowledge are expected, the number one thing I assess candidates' performance on is their eagerness to develop themselves and the attitude they demonstrate when completing each task. This is reflected in PwCs Learning & Development 70:20:10 model which combines learning by doing (70), learning from others (20) and formal learning (10).

For example, if you're asked to prepare an agenda for a meeting, don't simply write it off as a menial task. Why not ask your senior for a brief explanation of the purpose of the meeting and how it contributes to the overall project. Better yet, ask your senior if you may attend the meeting and offer to note down the minutes and action points.

Also, if one of your seniors is coaching you through a task, be sure to take notes of the key instructions which will reduce the number of questions you need to ask them later. Also, be sure to repeat the instructions back to your senior in your own words so they can have confidence that you have understood the instructions and if you haven't, they will pick up on this and fill in the gaps before you've commenced the task.

Approaching each task with a " learner mindset" will make a big difference to what you gain from the experience and also to how your performance is perceived by others.

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Don’t underestimate the power and importance of building closer relationships with your colleagues in more social settings. You can learn more about each other and see a different side of one another without the distracting stress of a deadline or a meeting. It annoys me when I invite new staff to join for coffee downstairs and their response is “No thanks, I don’t drink coffee”. I don’t care. I’m inviting you to come join us for relaxed 10 minutes away from our desks. Just come for the walk or buy a hot chocolate or a juice. Surely $3.50 is worth the investment in building relationships with your team. 

Every time I’ve joined a new team or company, I purposefully don’t bring my lunch to work for at least the first two weeks. This creates a bit of a ritual at lunch time where you can go for a walk, have a meal and a chat with whoever else in the team didn’t bring their lunch either, from the most junior people in the team to the most senior. I’ve made a number of strong networks and created great opportunities for myself from doing this one task.

Ultimately, building stronger relationships with your teams will help you later down the track when your performance is being assessed. Partners and managers are more inclined to offer graduate roles to employees who they have stronger relationships with and who have demonstrated a team spirit.

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By the end of your vacation placement, internship or clerkship you should know if you’ve enjoyed the experience or not. The above advice will work in your favour when it comes to you being assessed if you’re the right fit for the team. However, throughout the process you should also be assessing if this team is the right fit for you.

Have a discussion with you coach and/or HR contact at the end of the process and seek feedback about your performance and how you’ve been perceived. Be sure to also offer positive and constructive feedback about the process and program you’ve undertaken so they can ensure the experience is enjoyable for other students in the future.

What industry are you in and what’s your own advice for students undertaking a work placement program?