6 Tips to Being a Good Intern
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 Tags: intern, Job Hunt, tips
Category: Moving Up, Tips n' Tricks No Comments 
For all of you who are just starting out in the industry, here are some pointers on how to be a good intern. However, these do not apply simply to interns. If you currently are employed, here are great ways for you to become a little more useful around the office! The next time you go in to work, actively take time to think about how you perform, what you do well and where you need improvement. If you are honest to yourself you will begin to understand ways to improve your work life, stand out, and ultimately, move up!
1. ASK QUESTIONS
This is your opportunity to learn. So ask questions! You may not be able to talk directly to an executive, but you can always ask an assistant about what something means or how something works. This is important because it shows that you are interested and engaged. It’s the fist step in being proactive and getting you noticed!
2. BE PROACTIVE
A lot of interns are complacent and only take on projects when told what to do. Well, get off your complacent ass and contribute! Instead of texting or surfing the internet, ask if there is anything you can do. Even if you take on a simple task like re-organizing an assistant’s files because they don’t have time, you are indebting yourself to them. Remember: More Work => More Trust=> More Responsibility * It’s important to assist the Assistants. The easier you make their job, the better you are going to look. After all, these are the people that are going to let you know about jobs in the future.
3. NETWORK
While it’s important to be a good worker, it’s also important to get to know others and let others get to know you. Get to know the assistants that you work with and ask about their past experiences. Also, try to get face time with an executive when wrapping up your internship. Try to schedule a 5-10 minute meeting with the executives to say thank you and let them know your next steps. They might not have time, but you won’t know unless you ask.
4. ANTICIPATE
To be a good assistant, or to be good at any job, you must learn to anticipate what your boss will need. While it may not make sense, you should know what your boss needs before they do. So learning to anticipate as an intern is incredibly important. How do you do this? Once you learn how the company operates, look for cracks in the system and problem solve. For example, when I was interning, the owner of the company I was working for would constantly ask for all of the most recent cuts of a TV show we had on air. The first few times, I had to burn an entire season of the show because he would lose them and ask for them a few days later. Instead of making him wait for me to burn dvds, I started to make a few sets of the season so that I could give the most recent set to his assistant immediately when he asked for it.
5. PROFFESSIONALISM
While it’s good to ask questions and network, it’s also incredibly important to know your place. While an internship is a learning opportunity, Business trumps learning. Be sure to read the situation before asking questions or making small talk. If your supervisor is in the middle of a crisis situation, you don’t want to interrupt. Look for a moment when they have down time to chat.
6. BE HUMBLE
As an intern, you should be appreciative of every opportunity that you have. It is important to be grateful. One of the easiest ways to have people become annoyed with you is if you come off as cocky and entitled. Remember: an internship is an opportunity and a privilege; it is a chance for you to learn and to demonstrate your work ethic so that if a job opens you will be in the front running.
