Hi guys! I realized I haven't kept up with my 'Intern Diaries' series but it's mainly because I've been busy... well, being an intern. Also, Fridays are my only somewhat "free" days so it gives me a big chunk of time for blogging. Today was my last day at my marketing internship for a property management company. And while it wasn't the experience I had in mind, I certainly did my best to make the most of it. Although I wish I had a set list of tasks with directions waiting for me at my desk, my boss was a busy woman and many times I felt I found myself making up my own tasks and totally winging it. It hasn't been easy and many times I've wanted to click the opt out button. An intern isn't just a job (for one you're not getting paid), you don't just have to show up and do what you're told to do. You have to do all that as efficiently as possible while never complaining and always offering to take on more tasks. Yup.
So, I've put together an entire weekend of Intern Diaries just to share all the things I learned with you.
Friday: "What I Learned About Being An Intern"
Saturday: "What I Learned About Marketing in General"
Sunday: "What To Do When"
Ok, let's start with What I Learned About Being an Intern...
1. Getting the Internship
Everyone always asks me how I found my internship. I go to a community college where the last thing on my advisors mind is helping me get an internship. I found this internship via internships.com (groundbreaking right?). But I found some of my other internships via internmatch.com and even directly on company websites. My first tip is to apply for recent posts. Once more than two weeks have passed, chances are the hiring manager is already regretting hiring an intern because their inbox is bombarded with amateur emails. My second tip is to personalize your note to them. Research the company and the way they talk about themselves. Then, match their lingo. Third, make sure to sound as if this were your dream internship, "please let me know if I can assist you with any further information needed for your decision. I look forward to hearing your reply. *optional: I will be following up with you in ___ days/weeks. Thank you for your time." done. Lastly, reread your emails. If your emails sound like you're awkwardly rambling, they'll assume you're an awkward rambler.
2. Interview Process
Dress to your style. I personally have a very simple style. A light colored button up with slacks is ideal for me to feel comfortable yet professional when I'm heading to an interview. I make key points of what I need to know about the company in case they want to know my current knowledge on who they are and what they do. I make another set of concise answers to basic interview questions: Tell us about yourself, what skills do you have that will work for this internship, what are your future goals and aspirations. Then I make a list of things I want to leave the internship knowing: time period of internship, a typical day, when I will hear back. Be confident about what you are saying, be to the point, and natural. Anything else might make you look like you're faking it. Lastly, make sure to thank your interviewer for their time.
3. Preparing for the Internship
Congrats you got the internship!! Wooo!! Now what?! Make sure you have a place where you can keep everything regarding your internship: an agenda for tasks, a notebook for notes/drafts/accounts, and a file in your inbox just for work related emails.
4. Keep It Real
Be the person you told your interviewer you were. If you said you were positive, don't let them catch you whining. If you said you were creative, prove it. Also, as days pass you will learn what your boss likes and doesn't like and you can feed off their energy. If you won't be in the office for x reason, offer to send your work via email. This will prove you're not skipping the day because you want to but because you have to. Also, treat all your assignments like prized possessions. Give each of them your own personal touch, that's why you were hired and not someone else. If you don't know how to do something, Google it. If it's not even on the 10th page of Google, ask.. there's no shame in wanting to do the task correctly.
5. The Last Stride
Toward the end of your internship there are a couple of things you will definitely want to get done in order to make the most out of it. First, make your last assignment the best one yet. Research a little more for it, be a little more creative. Second, ask for feedback on how your boss felt you did as an intern. Take this advice for your next internship opportunity. Third, ask for a recommendation letter. This sounds hard but it's really simple, "Do you think you would be able to email me a recommendation letter on my general skills as an intern. *optional: your opinion means a lot to me and it would be great to have for future reference". That way you will already have it as a PDF in case a future employer asks for one. You can also print it. Another option is to ask if you can request a recommendation from them via LinkedIn. If they say yes, send the link right away. Then, say thank you for taking the time to do this for you and that their opinion meant a lot. Lastly, give your boss a little gift of something that reminds you of them with a thank you note of how grateful you are for the opportunity to work with them. Example: I got my boss a coffee mug that read, "this may or may not be my third coffee today", because she was an excessively proud coffee drinker.
So, I've put together an entire weekend of Intern Diaries just to share all the things I learned with you.
Friday: "What I Learned About Being An Intern"
Saturday: "What I Learned About Marketing in General"
Sunday: "What To Do When"
Ok, let's start with What I Learned About Being an Intern...
1. Getting the Internship
Everyone always asks me how I found my internship. I go to a community college where the last thing on my advisors mind is helping me get an internship. I found this internship via internships.com (groundbreaking right?). But I found some of my other internships via internmatch.com and even directly on company websites. My first tip is to apply for recent posts. Once more than two weeks have passed, chances are the hiring manager is already regretting hiring an intern because their inbox is bombarded with amateur emails. My second tip is to personalize your note to them. Research the company and the way they talk about themselves. Then, match their lingo. Third, make sure to sound as if this were your dream internship, "please let me know if I can assist you with any further information needed for your decision. I look forward to hearing your reply. *optional: I will be following up with you in ___ days/weeks. Thank you for your time." done. Lastly, reread your emails. If your emails sound like you're awkwardly rambling, they'll assume you're an awkward rambler.
2. Interview Process
Dress to your style. I personally have a very simple style. A light colored button up with slacks is ideal for me to feel comfortable yet professional when I'm heading to an interview. I make key points of what I need to know about the company in case they want to know my current knowledge on who they are and what they do. I make another set of concise answers to basic interview questions: Tell us about yourself, what skills do you have that will work for this internship, what are your future goals and aspirations. Then I make a list of things I want to leave the internship knowing: time period of internship, a typical day, when I will hear back. Be confident about what you are saying, be to the point, and natural. Anything else might make you look like you're faking it. Lastly, make sure to thank your interviewer for their time.
3. Preparing for the Internship
Congrats you got the internship!! Wooo!! Now what?! Make sure you have a place where you can keep everything regarding your internship: an agenda for tasks, a notebook for notes/drafts/accounts, and a file in your inbox just for work related emails.
4. Keep It Real
Be the person you told your interviewer you were. If you said you were positive, don't let them catch you whining. If you said you were creative, prove it. Also, as days pass you will learn what your boss likes and doesn't like and you can feed off their energy. If you won't be in the office for x reason, offer to send your work via email. This will prove you're not skipping the day because you want to but because you have to. Also, treat all your assignments like prized possessions. Give each of them your own personal touch, that's why you were hired and not someone else. If you don't know how to do something, Google it. If it's not even on the 10th page of Google, ask.. there's no shame in wanting to do the task correctly.
5. The Last Stride
Toward the end of your internship there are a couple of things you will definitely want to get done in order to make the most out of it. First, make your last assignment the best one yet. Research a little more for it, be a little more creative. Second, ask for feedback on how your boss felt you did as an intern. Take this advice for your next internship opportunity. Third, ask for a recommendation letter. This sounds hard but it's really simple, "Do you think you would be able to email me a recommendation letter on my general skills as an intern. *optional: your opinion means a lot to me and it would be great to have for future reference". That way you will already have it as a PDF in case a future employer asks for one. You can also print it. Another option is to ask if you can request a recommendation from them via LinkedIn. If they say yes, send the link right away. Then, say thank you for taking the time to do this for you and that their opinion meant a lot. Lastly, give your boss a little gift of something that reminds you of them with a thank you note of how grateful you are for the opportunity to work with them. Example: I got my boss a coffee mug that read, "this may or may not be my third coffee today", because she was an excessively proud coffee drinker.