Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses and organizations are offering hybrid or remote summer internships. Many students understand how crucial an internship is to their career, but they are unsure how to make it worthwhile. It can be difficult for them to get the most out of their internships if they are unfamiliar with remote experiences. Internships should be more than a bullet point on a résumé; they should be fully utilized as a step toward your professional success! The following suggestions will assist you in completing a hybrid or remote summer internship.
1. Realize the importance of remembering names
I understand how difficult it is for some people to recall names and faces. Correctly addressing your employer and coworkers demonstrates your politeness. Remote internships make it more challenging to interact with coworkers and remember their personal information. However, to succeed at work, we must remember people’s names, titles, and faces. Salutations used correctly can make a positive impression on your supervisor and coworkers. You should keep in mind who you are interacting with from the minute you contact the company. When you meet someone new, write down their name so you won’t forget it. When you have a virtual meeting on a platform like Zoom, pay attention to the bottom right corner of the screen to view names. Don’t forget to introduce yourself! Others also need a proper way to address you.
2. Be a professional speaker
Internships provide a great opportunity to network with professionals in the field you are pursuing. A talk might help enhance your connection with coworkers. It’s essential to learn how to engage in conversation. Don’t take the conversation too personally. You probably wouldn’t be able to be as laid-back as you are with your friends. As a new intern, you will be expected to join the team and communicate with your teammates, but communication will not be unrestricted. As long as you’re in the workplace, you need to be responsible for what you say. An intern should stay focused on the conversation and think carefully before responding.
3. Learn how to ask questions
Usually, we are encouraged to ask questions since solving problems leads to progress. However, it is important to ask thoughtful questions. Make sure the questions you ask your coworkers and employer are relevant to the task at hand. When a problem appears, use the resources available to you, such as Google and Quora, to fix it. If your attempts fail to solve your problem, you can share your confusion with your supervisor. Make sure you’re asking the questions at the right time and properly. Check in with your supervisor if they have time for your questions. When asking questions, focus on giving your solution and looking for ways to optimize it rather than directly asking for an answer. Good questions can help you improve while also demonstrating your competence.
4. Know online collaboration tools in advance
Technical assistance is required for remote internships. You must identify what resources you will use to assist your work before starting. These tools include, but are not limited to, email, Zoom, Slack (a Popular Professional Chatting Program), etc. Deep learning tools can save time and energy. Here are the 35 Best Online Collaboration Tools For Teams.
5. Maintain a regular schedule
Your online internship schedule should be consistent with the working hours in the office. For example, if you have an offline job that always starts at 8 a.m., you should start your online work at that time. You can be flexible with your schedule if it is allowed by your work, but remember the importance of work-life balance! Regular working hours can help you become more productive and have a positive attitude at work.
6. Regularly meet with your supervisor.
Make sure you meet with your supervisor on a weekly or biweekly basis. A three-to four-month summer internship may seem long, but it is quite short. You can expand your understanding of your skills and areas for improvement by receiving feedback from professionals. You should periodically check whether you have met the supervisor’s expectations. In addition to learning about the supervisor’s work experience during the conversation, you should also pay attention to whether the supervisor has other abilities you’d like to learn from, such as working style and communication skills. Take notes of each communication and reflect on how to improve. Maintaining contact will help you get a more precise grasp of yourself, but it will also assist your supervisor in better understanding your performance. If you want a solid letter of recommendation from your internship, this is a must-know tip!
Photo by Jess Morgan on Unsplash
