How to stand out as an intern
Landing an internship isn’t always easy.
However, securing one is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in making sure it is a successful experience.
Productive internships can look different for every student, depending on their goals. Stephanie Smith, associate professor and internship director in the School of Communication at Virginia Tech, believes the key to maximizing an internship experience is to clearly define expectations.
“A lot of students go into internships thinking they just need it to fulfill a requirement or get internship experience, but maybe you want to build a strong network, work there full-time after graduation, or help decide what you want to do,” said Smith, author of “The Internship Handbook,” an interactive book to guide readers through the internship process. “Being clear with yourself about your intentions for your internship is the number one way to get the most out of it.”
Smith helps students receive class credit for their internship experience by reviewing evaluations by both the student and the internship supervisors. She said some common feedback provided by supervisors for successful interns includes:
- Completing work with a positive attitude
- Wanting to learn more by asking questions
- Being a team player and reliable employee
Some mistakes made by interns that supervisors pointed out include:
- Constantly being out of town or not available
- Always leaving early and showing up late
- Complaining about job responsibilities
- Not being assertive enough
Kate Renz, assistant director of employer relations and career services in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, said her biggest piece of advice for students is to be curious.
“It is great to have an internship to put on your resume, but to leave with the best experience, ask questions and learn as much about the company and different roles as possible,” Renz said. “If someone asks you if you want to jump on a project or join a lunch, say ‘yes’ and learn.”
Reilly Egan and Mayzie McCall, both seniors graduating in May, had different experiences in their internships and shared why they believe each helped them to meet their goals.
Internship grows into full-time job
Egan, who is double majoring in property management and residential environments and design, will leave Virginia Tech with a full-time job as an engineer at Clark Construction. After interning with the company in Northern Virginia this past summer, her hard work earned her the job offer.
Egan attributes her interpersonal skills, positivity, and going above and beyond with her work to her success. Because she believes it is important to be an asset to the company while still understanding your place as an intern, Egan asked people on the team what she could do to help alleviate their workload but understood how to read the room. For example, she was able to acknowledge those with whom she could have a close connection and with whom she should take a different approach. With the construction industry being a stressful environment, Egan balanced the importance of having fun and being happy and knowing when to be serious.
While working at a construction site, Egan’s main responsibility was to create and manage a punch-out list. This meant thoroughly inspecting the building to identify all the issues that needed fixing.
She also had the challenge of standing out among a group of 100 interns, a majority of whom were engineering majors. Not every intern received a return offer by the end of the summer.
“That is when your attitude comes to play because you will always have that to maximize,” Egan said. “If you don’t know something that the others do, show that you are eager to learn and ask them to teach you so you can know.”
Shaping a path to graduate school
For McCall, who is majoring in human development, her internship at Coastal Virginia Counseling in Virginia Beach helped her determine her educational path to graduate school. She hopes to attend graduate school to study clinical mental health counseling.
During her internship, McCall handled administrative tasks, such as taking phone calls, working the front desk, and managing social media. She also shadowed therapists in different specialties.
Her internship gave her the experience and knowledge she needed before applying to graduate school. Not only did it help solidify the field she wants to study, but it helped McCall form connections with people to add as references on graduate school applications and feedback to help with future jobs. The company told her if she ever wanted to come back, she was more than welcome.
Successful internships don’t always mean getting a full-time job offer. McCall measured her success by the feedback that she received. During her internship, she would consistently check in with her supervisor to ask if she could do anything to improve the quality of work she provided.
“Usually someone can gauge if they are doing well in a position, but sometimes there are things going on that you may not know,” McCall said. “A good way to find out is to be blunt and ask how you are doing.”
Written by Brooke Van Beuren, communications intern with the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
