6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting An Internship

6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting An Internship http://engineering.case.edu 2. Work routines differ from school routines. While you may be used to waking up and going to class, doing homework, and chilling with Netflix every day, you may not be accustomed to a work routine. A work routine is where you do the same exact or very similar thing day in and day out. As an intern, be prepared to repeat menial tasks very often. These tasks probably won’t vary much and may seem boring to do day after day. Many people feel like this when starting a new job or internship. Don’t be afraid to let your bosses know that you feel you aren’t being used to your full potential and they might give you something more invigorating. 3. Task management gets more complicated. Sure, you can balance five classes at a time, a part-time job and a social life. But can you time manage an internship? While you may have lots of people working above you, this does not mean that they take responsibility for you. This means that you have things to manage at work by yourself like coordinating meetings, lunch-breaks, and the tasks you’ve been assigned. This means prioritizing and prioritizing well. You’ll likely be given multiple tasks from multiple people at the same time which can lead to more problems in trying to manage the workload. Don’t be alarmed if your minute by minute schedule doesn’t align precisely. One of the best skills you can learn is to be efficient, but flexible. 4. Employee bonding is extremely important.   Likewise, even at a part-time job or in your classes, you won’t have spent as many long hours with the same people each day of the week. You’ll begin to understand your coworkers who is talkative, who is strict, who likes the same basketball team as you. You’ll develop connections and friendships easily just by being in the same space. As a working part of a team, they’re vital in your value to the company. If they feel that you fit well and try your hardest, this will translate into good work and positive outlook. This isn’t saying that you should kiss up to everyone, but be polite to your coworkers, even the ones that you may not care for. Part of being a well-rounded employee is getting along and being polite to everyone, no matter your personal opinion of them. 5. A learning curve exists. So much of an internship is thrown at you on the first day and there is little you can do to prepare for it. It’s likely that while you may have studied a similar field, actually being and working in it is a whole different monster. Don’t expect to know everything at once. It may seem that everyone else is entirely more competent than you are, but don’t forget that they’ve been doing it much longer. Soon you’ll get the hang of the computer system and the copy machine. You’ll know not to try and chat to people before 8 in the morning. Don’t fret because it seems overwhelming. All of it will fall into place with time. Also, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Doing something wrong that seems obvious to everyone else was probably a mistake they all made at one point too. Everybody starts somewhere and don’t be afraid to ask questions rather than continuing to do things incorrectly. They won’t think you’re dumb they went through a similar process too. inc.com 6. Remember to have fun. While this internship probably isn’t your first job, it may be the first thing you really enjoy. Your past part-time jobs were likely primarily for earning money and not continuing your career. However, hopefully when you enter an internship in a field you’re interested in, you’ll realize just how fulfilling and helpful a job can be. Sometimes you may even forget that you could possibly be getting paid every day to do the wonderful things that you already love doing. Whether solving problems or equations, reading manuscripts or re-branding, discovering your love while interning is a wonderful experience that will impact your future greatly. No matter the internship, hopefully knowing these things will help you be prepared and excited for the future you’re embarking in. Remember that your happiness is crucial to your success in your career and an internship is one of the best ways to determine that. Looking for a top internship in an exciting city? Enroll in Dream Careers and guarantee yourself an internship and a fun summer in your choice of 11 cities globally. To visit our website, please click here.