All of the above are extremely important bits of information, however, there is much more to know. Below I have compiled my top 10 tips for interning. These are the things I inevitably learned in time, but would have loved to of known from the start. Some seem obvious, but trust me, in the midst of a busy internship, you WILL need to be reminded.
Disclaimer: These tips are written from the experience of a marketing internship, but can be seamlessly applied to other areas of study.
- Emailing
- Keep your emails simple, and use bullets where you can. Short and to the point emails have a much higher response rate, swear.
- Be Direct, not rude. There is a difference. This rule also stands for emails you receive. People do not hate you just because they failed to include the term "LOL" or left out the classic "haha".
- Try to avoid words that sound unsure/weak. These are guidelines, not commandments. If you are clearly at fault, apologize, but in a professional manner! Confident emails exclude these words:
- just
- hopefully
- actually
- kind of
- sorry
- so
- Keep things moving
- Do what you need to keep the ball rolling on your projects. They are ultimately YOUR deliverables, take ownership and be assertive. Think multiple steps ahead. Who should you email to get what you need? Can it be instantly resolved by "pinging" or sending an IM? Yes? Do it.
- Get stuff done
- Think big picture; efficient solutions that live on. But make no mistake, GET STUFF DONE. Little steps produce big results. Use your time wisely.
- Ask for Feedback
- Asking for feedback is hard. Asking for feedback is critical. Asking for feedback is the best way to learn. Bottom line, ask for feedback. Take this feedback constructively, not personally. Remember to also give feedback when appropriate. Your eyes are fresh, it's an advantage to the company.
- Reach out
- DO not hesitate to reach out. There are so many quick ways to do this, especially in this instant digital age. Send a ping, send an email, be old fashioned and walk to their desk. Most big companies even have their own form of social media for employees, Yammer being one for example. Create a profile and send out those follow requests! What's the worst that could happen? People are here to help you and want to see you succeed. Take advantage of your resources and collaborate towards your goals.
- Ask questions
- People want you to ask questions, even if just to clarify. This implies that you listen, pay attention to detail, and are engaged. Curiosity indicates intelligence and demonstrates you thought process.
- Make timelines
- Make a timeline and hold yourself to it. Within that timeline, develop measurable milestones. Revisit this timeline everyday to see how you are tracking and set daily priorities. Share this information with you manager. Make use of online tools like outlook calendars or XMind programs to map timelines. You will not regret this extra effort.
- Love technology
- This tip is key to any marketing internship, especially those involving social media and digital marketing. Marketing goes where the people are, and these days, people are digital. That being said, technology is your friend. Say it with me. Technology is your friend. All together now! TECHNOLOGY IS YOUR FRIEND. Be open to building new skills and using new programs. Research innovative methods of completing ordinary tasks. Become a digital wizard. If the company already stakes claim to numerous online platforms, how can they be improved? If they are not yet there, how can you get them started? Everything in this industry is moving to online platforms, you best know how to use them if you want to be successful.
- Presenting
- Whether its a conference call, a WebX, a traditional presentation, or all three, prepare and give it your best. Do research on presentation structure and speaking tips. Practice makes perfect. Remember, everyone works differently, if you need to prepare more than others, do it. Be cool, calm, collected and confident. Remember to be you, a professional you, but do not lose sight of that marvelous personality.
- Keep it high level
- Keep your presentation material top level. Know the details to their core, but don't word vomit them. Be aware of your audience's knowledge and understanding, then accommodate to that level. Select a few impactful statistics instead of flooding the presentation with numbers.
- An internship is what you make of it. Introduce yourself. Put yourself out there. Observe and gain all the knowledge you can. This is an investment in YOUR future.
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