Be the Best Intern: Why & How

According to dictionary.com, an internship is defined as “any official or formal program to provide practical experience for beginners in a professional setting.”

In today's super-competitive world, just having a good degree is not sufficient to secure that all-important graduate job offer.?

There is plenty of research supporting the crucial role that interning at an organisation plays in a student’s life,

According to the State of Millennial Hiring Report, "Graduates who complete two to three internships are more likely to secure a full-time job."

As per NACE’s Student Survey, "81.1% of graduates say that working as an intern has helped them significantly improve their skills and career prospects."

Long story short, an internship opens new doors for students to learn crucial skills that differentiate them from their counterparts in the job market.

Here are 15 important quick pointers to be the best intern and contribute as per your maximum potential,

1. Do some additional research on the organization's history and culture. By being prepared, you will feel more confident going into the internship.
2. Focus on your communication skills, both written and verbal. Proofread your written work carefully. When communicating with your coworkers choose respectful and decent language.
3. Use professional communication when sending emails or even through online chat. Another form of professionalism is responding to messages promptly. Don’t wait for a superior to follow up on a task.
4. Be presentable even in your?virtual internships where you may have limited interactions with your supervisor and the rest of the team, there can be extra attention paid to your timeliness, personal appearance and participation in online meetings.?
5. For video meetings, show up on time and with your camera on to indicate that you’re ready to work and be seen. Keep your eyes directed at the camera so that you can show your attentiveness to the speaker.
6. Remember, your work has an impact on the organization and you're learning in an active, real-world environment. There is no harm in treating the internship like a real job.
7. Sometimes, you might have a lot on your plate, so it's important to be well-organized and practice good time management.
8. Use the 'Pomodoro Technique' for enhanced productivity. To practice this, set a timer for 20-25 minutes and work on a given task without distractions for that entire time. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the time goes by when using this technique.
9. At times, you may be asked to take on several tasks that are new to you or even take on additional work. As long as it is within reason, take on the responsibility with a positive attitude.
10. Take advantage of your student status and don't be afraid to ask questions about everything you don't understand. It shows that you're willing to learn and have a genuine interest in your work.
11. You can even create an e-Portfolio of your entire internship experience, accomplishments and learning takeaways.?
12. Do networking and make valuable connections. Take the opportunity to build as many quality relationships in your internship as possible.
13. As an intern, you may not have a formal review until the end of your internship program - so it's important to ask for feedback on a regular basis.
14. When you leave, be sure to ask your supervisor for a letter of recommendation and keep in touch so that you can call upon him/her later when you are in need of a reference.
15. And last but not the least, don't forget to enjoy your exposure and your real-time learning experience. Have fun and make the most of this opportunity.

Cover Picture (from left to right) has following Star Performers (selected on the basis of their overall classroom performance in 'Leadership and Teamwork' course),

Mansi Gupta, Vagisha Khandelwal, Sayan Das, Ashutosh Kumar Rai, Anuesh Pattnaik, Anusha Guha, Harshita Saxena, Ira Yadav, Kasturee Hajra.

Pratha V S S Sri Varshini, Khyati Verma, Silpa Suman Pati, Ashwin Samant,?Aditya Acharya, Anshika Awasthi, Deepasha Baral, Piyush Kumar, Gursheet Singh Sethi.

*School for Life, UPES offers a unique learning opportunity to students through Social Internship Program 'Srijan'. Under this, all first year students are required to go through 6-8 weeks long work internships with social sector organizations.

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