How To Succeed As An Intern Without Dying
Or four things I learned as an intern at PowerPT
“Be proactive! Take charge!”
That’s the advice I’ve always heard about internships from the internet, career counselors, and even my own dad. I never worried about it though, because I thought my assertiveness in class would translate to the workplace. But after my two month internship at PowerPT, I have to admit that taking initiative in a professional setting is harder than I thought.
Though this wasn’t my first internship, it was my first time interning abroad, and frankly it was a challenge. Nevertheless, it was still one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in college because I was determined to make it that way. College students often stress about finding the “perfect” internship but ignore the most important part of any internship — themselves.
But what good is a summer internship if I don’t share what I learned? So, without further ado, here are some things I learned during my summer internship at PowerPT.
- Figuring out how you can contribute is… kinda hard.
The career services department at my college often stresses the importance of taking initiative, but never fully explains what that really means. Does it mean offering to get coffee? Is it staying in the office past midnight everyday? Is it volunteering to clean the floor with a toothbrush for no additional pay?
I honestly had this fantasy that I would impress everyone with my wit and drive as soon as I walked in on my first day. But it was harder to show initiative in a new environment than I thought it was, and my supervisor had to encourage me to brainstorm for projects to do. Eventually, I suggested that I write about the challenges and successes female founders face in Korea. Learning how to interview and write articles about such knowledgeable women helped me improve my own confidence throughout the summer.
I learned that taking initiative really means figuring out and executing your own unique talents that benefit the team. That might mean writing articles if you’re an English major or translating materials if you’re bilingual. But you should figure out your strengths before your internship so you can hit the ground running when you start.
2. Talk!
Often the best way to learn during an internship is to just talk to the people around you. While at PowerPT, I was introduced to startup founders, TV personalities, and other professionals by my supervisor, but I still had to socialize. I had to overcome the tendency to just smile and nod, and instead learn to introduce myself at networking events.
My greatest test was when my supervisor went on vacation, and I had to go to networking events by myself. Despite initially being intimidated, I learned that people enjoy talking to students about their work, and they love giving advice. Though networking is often seen as just an exchange of contact information, it’s actually about building connections and rapport. And that would’ve never happened if I had isolated myself.
3. Ask questions.
Unfortunately, at my college there is always this pressure to seem put together, and people are afraid to be seen as stupid by asking questions. But being afraid to ask questions means you won’t get access to as much information as you would if you, well, asked for it. You need to ask questions to understand your tasks and grow, and that was no different for me at PowerPT.
If I didn’t know a word in Korean, I asked one of my Korean co-workers.
If I didn’t know a startup term, I asked my supervisor.
If I didn’t know where a file was, I asked the other intern (shoutout to Lucas!).
Every intern should know that asking questions doesn’t make you look stupid. In fact, it makes you seem more invested in your internship to everyone around you. So don’t be afraid, and just ask!
4. Create your own system.
Okay, so you won’t really become your boss, but every intern needs to learn how to manage their time effectively. Deadlines can sneak up on you like a boogeyman if you don’t pay attention!
During my internship, I had to learn how to balance multiple long-term assignments while not sacrificing quality. Since my internship was centered around startups, I decided to operate like one by applying the lean startup method to my work. The lean startup method has three parts:
- Build
- Measure
- Learn
I made multiple drafts of every article I wrote, and submitted it to my supervisor for editing and suggestions. This helped me complete tasks faster, while also receiving constructive criticism that helped me improve my writing skills. Though I was afraid that using a startup model would stifle my creativity, it actually helped me focus and complete tasks.
Overall, my time as PowerPT was amazing, and I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would in ten weeks. I hope other students heed my advice in their prospective internships, regardless of the field. You might be a marketing, finance, or even a basket weaving intern, but it is still up to you to make your internship fun while being a learning experience.
