How to rock your internship
So, you are already in the middle of your internship abroad. Maybe you lost a bit of your motivation or are little stuck. But don’t worry, we’re still here to support you and will give you a view tips on how to get over this phase and how to keep on rocking your internship.
Remember why you came
First of all: there’s always ups and downs in life – and an internship is not an exception. So if you are not 100 % happy with your internship right now, don’t worry, everyone feels like that at some point. Maybe you haven’t found as many friends as you thought or maybe you’re still having trouble adapting to the local culture. This feeling will go away. And always remember: You made the decision to come here! If you have a down period try to remember, why you decide to do your internship specifically in this country, in this city and in this company. That way you will get more positive thoughts again.
Interact with your co-workers
In order to be a very good intern, not just your working skills count, but also your social ones. Interact with your colleagues as often as possible. Spend lunch together with them and get to know them. If you are interested in their lives, they will get a positive impression of you. What is the use of this? The purpose is clear: if your co-workers like you, they’ll talk positively about you to your boss and that way you’ll reference will be even better. And a big plus: if one day you may apply for a real job at this company, they still know you and you will have better chances getting a full-time employment.
Ask for help and feedback
Being a good intern means to constantly grow. To be able to do so you will need to ask for help, advice and feedback. Whenever you didn’t understand something, just ask again. It’s better to ask five times instead of doing something completely wrong! And if you really can’t manage the task, don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is not a sign of weakness but of knowing yourself and wanting to learn. Whenever you completed a task you can ask for a little feedback. That way, you’ll get positive input, but you’ll also learn what you need to improve, etc. In both cases your motivation will grow in order to get even better. Your co-workers and your boss will notice your constant urge to grow and will have a positive impression of you as an intern.
Be active
You’ve already been working some time in the company. You know how everything works and you may also know what doesn’t work so well. If you have any ideas on how to make the company or the workflows more efficient you should tell your boss. He/she will be very happy about this kind of advices and that way you might have also found your own personal project to work on. But don’t annoy your co-workers with too many ideas, try to focus on the best ones and present them to your team. Sometimes less is better and that way you don’t seem like a know-it-all.
Take advantage
In every business there are high and low periods. If you have a period with not so much work right now, don’t just google random stuff or chit-chat with your colleagues. Instead ask your mentor or your boss for tasks which need to be done. You’re here to work and learn as much as possible, show this intention to your superior. All this will have a positive impact on your final review / recommendation letter.
Be neat
This is a very general advice, but sometimes it still needs to be said: be neat. This refers to your appearance but also to your behaviour. Always keep your working space clean, wash your dishes immediately, etc. – generally said: behave yourself as if your mom was watching you. Of course, you should also take care of your appearance: dress yourself professionally and don’t molest others with your smell (may it be from perfume or from sweat).
Ask for a recommendation letter
Last but not least: after you already followed all these advices and showed your best side at work, you are ready to harvest the fruits of your effort. Ask your superior for a recommendation letter a week before the end of your internship. And because you have been such a good intern, it will be a very positive one, which might open you other doors in your future career.
We hope these tips helped you to get back the motivation during your internship and made it possible for you to end it like a rockstar. An internship is always a great way to learn something new, apply your theoretical knowledge and move forward in your career. And doing an internship abroad was even a better choice, as you gained cultural knowledge and practiced your foreign languages.
One last advice: Try to evaluate your internship at the end and resume it for yourself. If you want, you can write us an email and tell us how it went. We are always happy to hear about the experiences our students had. And if you are looking for a new internship abroad for the next semester check out our offers and don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
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