5 Ways To Be An Outstanding Intern This Fall
By Tanya Frid

Making a good impression at your job is always important, especially at your first internship. However, you shouldn’t settle for just good but want to be outstanding. An outstanding impression will not only look good on your resume but make your time with the company more pleasant and give you a better chance of landing a full-time position at the workplace later on. Here are some tips on going above and beyond that will really impress your new team.
1. Figure out your strengths that will be valuable at your internship.
Before going to your first day of work, don’t forget to make a list of your strengths that would be valuable to you at your new workplace. Continue to build onto those strengths throughout your internship by going to out of class workshops either in person or online. For in-person seminars, go to The Department of Career Services events section for upcoming career workshops in the Boston area. Additionally, there is also a variety of great free online seminars. A great example is alison.com, where you can find free online courses on a variety of topics. You can also find your individual workplace strengths through positive self-analysis. For example, are you a creative thinker that can come up with great “out of the box” solutions? Do you like to take the lead in group projects? Are you good at predicting the success rate of a project? Read this article written by Jacquelyn Smith in Forbes on “How to Identify your Workplace Strengths” for additional advice on figuring out your individual strengths.
2. Ask to be part of volunteer/ work opportunities outside of the office.
Sometimes a company will have an event that they need volunteers for outside of work. Make it a priority to try to make it to at least 3 of those events while working for the company. This will not only further show your passion and commitment to the company’s success, but make you a stand-out employee, even among the team members who have been at the company for longer than you. Also, try to find outside opportunities in your field and tell your co-workers about it. For example, there is a Diversity in Tech Brunch coming up in the Pittsburgh area on September 22nd, 2018 that can be super useful for people who have interests in the Tech Field.
3. Make a note of the company culture.
While it’s important to be yourself in the office, make a note of the core values of your company’s culture. By emulating it in your given tasks, you will further prove your attention to detail and communication skills to your team members. This again is great for possibly landing a more prominent position at the company or even just for references for future jobs. On top of that, it’s a great idea to strive to improve the company ’s existing culture such as improving communication skills, thinking of innovative ways to give the company more growth, build stronger team building exercises, etc. Check out this Time Magazine article by Arianna Huffington on “10 Ways to Actually, Finally, Improve Company Culture”, for more ideas.
4. Ask your manager and co-workers where you need to improve.
Although it may seem like an unpleasant question to ask, everyone has their weaknesses, no matter how good they are at their job. Constructive criticism helps us learn from our mistakes and become a better co-worker and employee. Also, encourage team meetings where the team can talk about what needs to be improved in the office both individually and collectively. Take a look at this LinkedIn article written by Nishlan Pillay for tips on how to give positive and productive constructive criticism.
5. Ask a team member for help if you need it.
In an excellent work environment, team members are there to help you, not hurt you. If you are really struggling with a project or don’t know how to do a particular task, don’t be afraid to ask your team members for help. Not only will this help you get the project done on time, but it will also improve the team’s transparency and communication skills. Check out this article written by Jennifer Winter on tips on how to ask for help at work most politely and productively.
These 5 tips will set on track to being the most outstanding intern you can possibly be. Don’t have an internship? Don’t worry, the Tech Connection is a diversity recruiting platform which helps companies with diversity and inclusion hiring and strategies. Finding companies that understand and hire diverse candidates can be challenging. The Tech Connection helps you understand a prospective employers beyond the job description and coaches you before you interview! Click here to find out more!
