Maximize Your Internship

This summer, several hundred students started their summer internships with us at Ericsson. Welcoming, working alongside and staying in touch with these individuals (thousands of which I have seen throughout my career) has been a highlight in my time at Ericsson. It brings me great joy to see so many of them advance on to successful jobs and some even seek me out for professional advice, which I gladly offer my opinion and expertise on.

Reflecting on my time both as a former student and as a former intern, I understand that these internship experiences can be both exciting and daunting; particularly if it’s your first time navigating a professional work-environment while simultaneously attempting to make a great impression in hopes for a possible job opportunity in the future.

Author, Gunjan Aggarwal (second from the left) pictured here with (from left to right) University Relations Head of Ericsson Curtis Ludwig, UR Ambassador Sierra Jones, former intern, turned Ericsson Engineering Employee Laura Adametz, and former intern, Jacob Anderson, RF Engineer.

If you are an intern this semester, or plan on being one in the future, here are a few questions I recommend you strive to answer in order to leverage your experience for a greater professional return:

1. Do you know the company’s growth story?
Do your research and utilize resources such as the internal company intranet as well as on-boarding training materials to learn as much about the company’s current portfolio and customer base as you can. You should know the answer to one simple question, where does the company’s money come from today? To further this exploration, make sure you know what the company’s mid-term strategy is, and its future growth areas. This will help you identify additional areas of focus for the future.

2. Are you leveraging your network?
Once you know the areas of the company that interest you, reach out to your assigned mentor, leaders of that particular team and any alumni relations you may have that are connected to these fields of expertise. Be clear in your goals, open up the opportunity for conversations and politely request that they connect you with information and knowledgeable employees in those professional areas. Be sure to keep in touch with these networks, as they may have expertise in more than one subject.

3. Can you volunteer to take on more projects?
More importantly, just say yes. If your supervisor asks you to take on a project, odds are they trust that you can get it done and do it well. If you accept frequently, they will give you more projects, and therefore maximize your time interning at the company. Your willingness to contribute will serve you well in experience and reputation with your team and add to your professional portfolio.

4. Do the intern-oriented managers at the company know you?
Each company has some managers who spearhead (and love) recruiting, hiring, training and developing the interns each semester. There is no employee handbook that talks about them, but the informal office network knows who they are. Ask to be introduced to them, introduce yourself, invite them out for coffee, or offer to assist on a project for them! Once you make the connection, be sure to stay in touch, even as your internship comes to a close.

5. Is the company culture a good fit for you?
Observe the company culture throughout the duration of your internship (not just over a specific day or week), and then rate the culture on a scale of 1-10 on parameters that are important to you. These could be attributes that you value in a professional environment from innovation to career mobility, work-life balance to communication. Examine how people work and interact with each other and how you feel during your semester internship as a team member. All companies are constantly trying to improve their work culture, but the levels are still relative to the individual, team and typically relevant to the industry. As exemplified by the following article, company culture and intern expectations are important to align with your own personal values. Read more here.

6. Are my internship projects of value to my professional development?
Be sure that the projects you take on (or are asked to assist with) add value not just to your professional development, but your resume and overall portfolio. Ask yourself if the projects are relevant to move forward within your internship company and others of a similar nature? It’s important that you gain as much from this experience as the company does. If you feel that elements of your work aren’t adding value to your resume, make it a point to sit down and evaluate both what’s going wrong and how you propose adjusting it so everyone gains something from your time throughout the semester.

7. Is your professional profile (LinkedIn) up-to-date?
Set aside time twice during the week to update your professional profile – typically this is LinkedIn, but online portfolios are equally important. Review the content, add any new pieces or skills that are relevant, and remove items that are outdated. In addition, be sure you are adding professional contacts that you interact with during your internship. Be sure these are people you know that can speak to your work ethic, character and performance. If there are people you want to add but don’t know at the company you intern for, use these platforms as a way to connect virtually and then set up an in-person meeting. There are always ways you can enhance your professional networks and an abundance of articles to help you learn moreas well.

Your internship introduces you to a professional world full of company culture, various projects, co-workers, teams, bosses and deadlines. By reviewing and asking yourself these questions, you can further leverage your time and increase your odds of landing a job at the company you intern for, or to become a more desirable applicant for other companies in the future. What will you do to make the most of your internship this semester?