An internship is a great way for college students to get some practical experience. Many companies and organizations have internship programs. Internship programs help companies to repetitive works done at low wages and interns gain practical knowledge of their field and some money as stipend.
Companies love to retain interns as permanent employee but due to incompetence of interns they couldn’t get hired as permanent employees. So if you want to convert your current internship as full-time job then you should not commit mistakes that other interns make. So here are 6 mistakes to avoid while doing an internship.
Why are Internships important?
An internship is an experience that is expected to last for only a short time but can change the way you look at the world of work. It is a time to learn and gain experience in a new environment before entering the real world. It is also a chance to network, meet new people and make new friends.
Internships are important to companies as well because hiring a full-time employee is hectic task and they need to spend a lot of money to hire one employee. Meanwhile they can hire 4-5 interns at the same cost. So in short, Internship programs are win-win situation of both employer and employees.
Mistakes to Avoid While Doing an Internship
1.Taking the Internship Too Casually
One common mistake that you should avoid while doing an internship is taking it too casually. Internships are supposed to be a learning opportunity. You should be learning new skills while working on a project or two.
Most of the time, the internship is an opportunity to see whether or not you like the field you are studying. If you are not learning much or doing much, then you should ask yourself why you are there.
See internship as entrance test. If you perform well, company will love to retain you as a permanent full-time employee with bigger salary package.
2. Poor Time Management
When it comes to internships, time management might seem like a foreign concept. After all, you’re working in a company that’s not your own, within a team you’ve never met before, and on a project that’s not one of your own. However, time management is one of the essential skills to master.
When you’re an intern, you’re surrounded by professionals who are way beyond your level of skill and expertise. This makes it even more important for you to be on top of your game and to prove that you’re capable of being a valuable team member. The best way to prove this is to show that you can manage your time, tasks and responsibilities well.
3. Not seeking feedback
The most essential part of any internship is feedback. You want to make sure the company you are working for is invested in your development. That is why you need to make sure that you are constantly getting feedback from your seniors on your work and performance.
You want to be sure that you are performing well and that they want to keep you around. You also want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to help them. One of the best ways to do this is to seek feedback from your manager. Make sure you are doing what you are supposed to be doing and performing well.
4. Not Learning the Office Culture
When you’re going into an internship, you might only be thinking about the task at hand. You’re in the office, so you’ve got to get it done. But there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in what you’re doing that you don’t start learning about the company’s culture.
In fact, you might not even realize that there’s a culture at all. Sure, you come in, sit at your computer, answer emails and do whatever it is that your boss asks you to do. You might even go out for lunch with your coworkers a few times, but that’s about it. You’re not really sure how to be a part of the team, so you stick to yourself.
5. Not Taking the Time to Establish Important Relationships
A lot of people will tell you that having an internship is a great way to get your foot in the door. This is true, but an internship can also be a great way to get your foot in the door of a place you don’t want to work at.
If you want to go work at a particular place and have a relationship with the people there, then an internship can be a great way to get a job there. If you’re not already well known by the people you want to work with, it’s not a good idea to just jump into their office and expect to get a job.
Even if you do get a job there, it’s probably not going to be an excellent job if you don’t have the right connections.
6. Not Adhering to the Office Dress Code
One of the most common mistakes made by interns is not adhering to the office dress code. You, as an intern, are a representative of your institute and should not only be well-groomed but also dressed in a way that makes people remember you.
If you are wearing a pair of jeans or shorts that are ripped at the knees or a stained t-shirt with a picture of a beer bottle on it, you are sending out a message to your superiors that you are not serious about the job you are doing.
Conclusion :
We hope you enjoyed our article about the six mistakes you can make when doing an internship. If you are currently doing an internship, we hope that this article gives you some idea of what you can do to improve your experience and make sure you are getting the most out of it!
Remember, when you are searching for a job, you want to find a position that will allow you to build your resume with the required experience and knowledge. We hope you enjoyed our article and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us any time.
