In most cases, having an internship is typically a requirement for entry-level jobs out of college. This idea may seem daunting for underclassmen as they balance part-time jobs, schoolwork, and extracurriculars alone. In the grand scheme of things, an internship should be seen as a stepping stone for your career but can be utilized to be so much more than that.
These are a few of the things that I learned during my time at Minetum Consulting:
Set goals for yourself. Your boss may provide you with a list of projects and goals to accomplish by the end of your internship, but it’s important to set a few unique ones for yourself. These goals may be to learn a new skill, increase your knowledge about the industry, or to simply to be able to end everyday knowing you provided value to one aspect of the organization. Be sure that these goals are specific and measurable so that you can reflect on them at the end. For example, one of my goals was to strengthen my leadership skills by setting a pace for each workweek by creating a content calendar for our blog and social media platforms. While sitting in a classroom and learning critical skills is efficient, taking on this position that required planning, development and execution with our two other interns enhanced my leadership abilities.
Accept criticism with open arms. You are ultimately there to learn and grow as a professional. With that said, a key part of the learning curve is making mistakes and reflecting on them. It may be difficult to ask for negative feedback but you cannot learn from your weaknesses if you’re looking at yourself and your work with rose-colored glasses. If there is a time to push yourself and risk failure, it is during an internship. In this case, the organization is a start-up in its beginning phases and the work that we do today will be the foundation of our future. This means that while the stakes are high, the room for improvement and professional development is also high. Helle encouraged all of us to reach our full potential and was always ready to give feedback.
Make long-lasting connections. While the skills you develop and build on are essential for your resume, getting a job is greatly based on who you know. Whether your colleagues will become friends, professional connections or mentors, forming these relationships will help you excel in your current role and possibly open doors for future opportunities. In my experience at Minetum, networking with professionals is a skill and necessity that never goes away. We encourage seasoned professionals and their executive teams to build their networks throughout their entire career. This is the same philosophy that us as interns and entry-level candidates implement in our lives. At the end of the day, I had the honor of working with a great team of motivated associates that inspired me to learn and develop my skills.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Professional Coaching I Personal Development 