Make It Count - How to get the most out of your Summer Internship

So you snagged that summer internship you wanted, well done you! Internships have long been one of the best ways to both interview a company to see if it fits your values and get first in line for any new graduate openings. There are a few things you should keep in mind to get the most out of your time.

The first thing to remember is you are not starting a job; you are embarking on an interview that lasts a couple months. Most organizations utilize Internships as a way to identify and hire New Graduates. This is the most effective way for companies to identify and hire candidates that both meet the capability requirements of the role and fit the organizational culture. You will be measured on these things every day of your Internship, so treat it like one long interview where everyone you interact with is a decision maker because they very well may be.

Get to know everyone you can within the organization. Hopefully you have landed at a company with bright experienced people. Even in a culture of digitization, relationships still make the world go round so use your time to network with and get to know as many people as you can both within and outside of the function you are working in. Not only are these people a potential voice in a hiring decision, they are also your future professional network. Equally as important, the world does not function in silos and having a broad understanding of the companies goals, positioning, challenges and connection points makes you a very valuable employee.

Spend time on live meetings. There is an assumption with digital natives that you can build relationships electronically, but its likely you will have co-workers from many generations so have some awareness of the way they prefer to communicate. Have a coffee budget for this. Try to go to lunch with at least one new person a week and spend the majority of that time deploying active questioning and listening.

Give people more than what they ask for. Skills are trainable, initiative and character are not. This is your opportunity to go beyond what you have been asked to do and take initiative in sharing your thoughts and idea on continuous improvement. Some of the best ideas Cisco has implemented in our University Recruiting processes have come from Interns who are actively involved in that process. Companies want your fresh perspective, and if they don't do you really want to work there?

Create a plan to keep in touch with your manager once you are back at school. If you are one of the many that determine you would like to work where you are interning, don't leave without expressing that to your leader. Do this live, face to face. Let them know specifically what you have enjoyed about your time there, the biggest things you have learned and how you see yourself contributing to the companies’ long-term success. In summary, ask for the job. This is advice relevant to people at any stage in their career. Don't assume they know you would like an offer just because you completed your internship. Employers are looking for candidates who both can, and want to do the job. Let them know you are both.

Give feedback on your experience. In my observation, all organizations want to provide a positive experience to their Interns. If something has gone fundamentally wrong and your experience was not positive, you can bet someone wants to know that so they can remedy it for the next person. Insight to how these programs are working is generally appreciated, but as in all things keep it positive and result focused. If your feedback is related to your direct manager and you are not comfortable sharing it directly with them, share it with your recruiter who has a strong interest in making sure the internship experience is positive.