5 Things I Learned During My First Communication Internship

Paid or un-paid, an internship is an invaluable resource. I hate to use the cliché “you learn something new every day,” but it is completely true when it comes to an internship.

I admit, I may have been in over my head in the beginning, but I quickly found my place. Looking back on my summer, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything…even a few more days by the beach.

Before I go any further, we need to discuss the dreaded ‘first day.’ I was terrified when I pulled up to the office building in Minneapolis. I sat in my car for a few minutes and built up enough courage to walk into my new home for the summer. To my surprise, I was kindly greeted by the communications director as soon as I stepped in the door. Within five minutes I felt at home. So what should you take away from this? Nothing is as scary as it may seem.

Here are the five things that I took away from my internship:

1. Research your organization/company. This might not be something that you think about, but it is a must. Obviously you have done some initial research before accepting the job, but by the end of your first week you should be an expert. The worst thing in an internship position is to be un-prepared.

2. Ask Questions. You’ve probably heard this thousands of times by now, but I cannot stress how important it is. Asking a question not only confirms that you are on the right track but could save you hours of work if you miss-heard directions the first time.

3. Don’t be afraid to jump in. If you see something that you can help with, do not wait to be told. Whether it is a simple task, filling envelopes for example, or editing a document that was sent to everyone, make yourself useful.

4. A smile goes a long way. Do not skim over this one, as simple as it sounds, it will help you in more ways than one. Your peers and superiors will be more likely to help you, give you opportunities to grow, and work with you if you are glad to be there. No one wants to work with the person who is counting down the minutes until the end of the day.

5. Learn how to talk to your superiors. As students, we talk to other people our age almost 100% of the day. We sometimes get used to speaking in certain way-which is not professional in an internship setting. I learned quickly how to professionally address different situations with co-workers and my boss. That being said, there is always a time and place for small talk

All of us at North Dakota State University need an internship to graduate, but don’t stop there. Immerse yourself into the communications field. Land an internship in several different communications fields to expand your skills. You’ll be happy you did when applying for that ‘big girl job’ or 'big boy job.'

#Communication #Internships