A professional internship experience can be a powerful, even life-changing experience; not only can it provide you with invaluable skills and perspective, but it can potentially be a gateway into your chosen industry.

Of course, some internships end up being more valuable than others, and you’re likely to get more out of your internship experience if you make a strong impression on your supervisor. The question is, what can interns do to impress their boss, even in the short timeframe that a standard internship offers?

Here are a few tips and suggestions.

Impressing Your Supervisor

First, get to know the company. Do some online research to find out when the company was founded, how it makes its money, what the leadership structure looks like, etc. If possible, use the product or service in advance, becoming familiar with how the company operates from a customer’s point of view. Impress your boss by truly knowing and understanding the company’s dynamics.

Take a self-inventory. Spend some time thinking about what some of your strongest skills are, and how they might be useful to the organization where you’re interning. Be prepared, from day one, to suggest to your boss some ways in which you can add value.

Use your free time to further hone your skills. You might be surprised by how much educational content you can find simply by browsing YouTube. Show your boss that you’re making a real commitment, even after-hours, to becoming a more productive employee.

Don’t shy away from grunt work. The simple reality is that interns are often asked to do jobs that more tenured employees don’t want to do. Show that you can be a team player and embrace even mundane tasks with a cheerful attitude and ample enthusiasm.

Prove yourself to be coachable. Really listen when your boss offers feedback or criticism and demonstrate a willingness to implement suggestions. Also, ask for feedback at appropriate times, showing that you are really focused on improvement.

Make sure you get your work right. This may sound like an obvious point, yet many interns don’t do their due diligence in ensuring they really understand the task at hand. Ask if there are examples you can look at. And, inquire about how long the project should take, just to make sure you’re not under- or overthinking things.

Write your own reference letter. You’re probably going to want your boss to write you a letter of recommendation at the end of your internship, and to make that task easier for him or her, why not write a rough draft yourself? This gives you the opportunity to articulate your achievements and the ways in which you feel you’ve grown during your time with the company.

Remember to also be patient with yourself. Internships are meant to be learning experiences, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or if things don’t go exactly as planned. Use every opportunity to learn and grow.

Do you have additional questions about how to make the most of your internship experience? Or are you ready to sign up for an internship abroad? Either way, we welcome your email to ALZEA INDIA. Reach out to us at your next convenience!