My writing internship for the Career Center during the fall 2021 semester has been a wonderful first internship experience and has given me an opportunity to develop my skills as a writer. Using my internship experience as a point of reference, I would like to suggest three ways that you too can have a successful and productive internship.
#1: Connect with your coworkers. Prior to this internship, I had never worked in an office environment, and as such, I had not experienced having professional coworkers. At the Career Center, becoming acquainted with the other staff and employees helped me to feel welcomed and secure in my place within the workspace. Building a professional relationship with my supervisor, Jillian Bradley, was particularly fulfilling. With this good professional relationship, I was able to feel completely comfortable approaching her with questions or article drafts. In your internship, try to develop good professional relationships with your coworkers and supervisor. Not only will these connections make your work experience far more positive, but they also will help to expand your professional network. You can also request references from your supervisor after your internship if you have a good relationship with them.
#2: Know when to ask for help. While I started my internship with four semesters of college-level knowledge and experience in different writing styles, I knew very little about the inner workings of career development. This was solved by frequent collaboration with Jillian. We reviewed together every article that I wrote, resulting in my final products being considerably better than they would have been if I had written them entirely alone. Be sure to reach out for help when you are unsure of something during your internship. You will have a better end result and will learn how to do your job more effectively in the future. It also makes a good impression on your supervisor, as it shows that you care about doing your job as well as possible. While it is important to ask for help when you need it, avoid being overly doubtful of your own knowledge. Do not be arrogant, but do remember that you were selected for your internship for a reason. Be confident in yourself and your skills, and do not downplay your ability or competence when acknowledging areas in which you need help.
#3: Step outside your comfort zone. As I said earlier in this article, I knew little about career topics when I began working for the Career Center. Additionally, while I had learned about blog-style writing, I had little experience with it. I had to step outside my comfort zone to write about unfamiliar topics. I also had to move beyond writing styles I was more familiar with and experiment with a writing style that was relatively new to me. In your internship, do not just stick to the skills you know. Use it as an opportunity to learn new skills from experts and to strengthen areas in which you are less confident. It is not often that you get opportunities to learn new abilities through hands-on, in-the-field experience, so take advantage of that chance to develop yourself.
These are just a few of the ways that you can make the most of your internship. My time as the Career Center writing intern has been amazing, and I hope you've enjoyed my articles. Thank you for reading my work this semester, and I wish you the best of luck with your own career journey!