Blog Post: How to Stand Out in Your Internship

Internships are great way to learn more about an industry, gain experience and network with people who can help you get your first great job. Are you taking full advantage of this opportunity? Standing out as an intern can open a variety of professional opportunities, but when you are at the bottom of the totem pole how do you stand out? 
 
Dress to impress: Always dress one level nicer than you have to, even if you work for a very casual company. You don’t necessarily have to wear a suit everyday, but you can. The idea is to start influencing management and your co-workers into thinking of you as a professional associate, not an intern. Dressing your best not only makes a great impression on others, it can help you get in the professional mindset. Some internships may require you to dress more casual. In this case, make sure you always look put together, even if it’s in jeans.

Don’t box yourself in: Volunteer for extra projects outside of your normal duties. An internship is designed to give you experience; gain as much as you can about as many different things as you can. This also shows the company that you are a team player and go above and beyond your assigned role.

Have a great attitude: Internships can be hard. No matter what your work schedule, always keep a great attitude. More and more companies are hiring for attitude and training for skill. Make sure everyone in the company sees that you are a not only a great worker, but a person that others enjoy working with.

Ask questions: You are there to learn. Don’t be afraid to ask about things you don’t know about. This shows you are serious about the internship and are being proactive about gaining as much as you can from this experience. This can also help you down the road when new projects become available. If you’ve shown that you are up for anything, you are more likely to be offered new things.

Let them know what you want:By the time you leave your internship make sure everyone you come in contact with knows exactly what you want to do professionally. This way the company can best place you in your internship role so you can gain the most relevant experience. It also puts you on the top of their mind if a position or project becomes available in that area.

Internships are a great experience and no place to be shy. You need to be proactive about gaining as much experience and knowledge as possible; and be sure to get to know EVERYONE. You never know who can help you in the future. Good luck!