How to make the most out of your summer internship

by Kelli Matthews | May 23, 2016 | AHPR Blog | Written by Taylor Newberry, account executive for the SOJC Portfolio Reviews account team

Internship season is officially in full swing. Summer ushers in countless college and postgraduate interns to the workplace where young professionals get a chance to gain valuable work experience and build their resumes. Make the most of your internship experience by following these simple tips:

Request Feedback

Ask your boss to meet with you periodically throughout your internship. You can use that time to touch base and receive feedback on what you’re doing well or what you can improve on. You can also establish goals with your manager to make sure you are making the most of your time during your internship.

Try introducing yourself to as many people as possible while interning. This can help you build your professional network on LinkedIn, and you can even conduct informal, informational interviews over lunch to get more insight on the industry or about that person’s career path. Reaching out to co-workers who are not necessarily involved in the same sector of the company as you are can also further your knowledge on the interworking of the company.

Ask for Recommendation Letters

It might be more difficult to obtain recommendation letters from managers after your internship is complete. Asking at the end of your internship will ensure that you have letters of recommendation to include when applying to future jobs and internships.

Track Your Accomplishments

Make sure to record specific facts and figures about your performance while interning. For example, establish objectives with your supervisor for the social media accounts you are working on. Then, record the number of followers and engagements before and after your internship based upon these objectives. You can include these statistics on your resume to show future employers how successful your social media plan was.

Build Your Portfolio

View your internship as a way to build your portfolio. Include projects you have worked on while interning. You can also offer to help work on other projects not specifically assigned to you. This will not only show initiative but also will help to further build your portfolio.

Thank You Cards

Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to thank your managers for the opportunity and experiences that helped you grow as a professional. A hand-written thank you card goes a long way!

Taylor Newberry is a junior public relations major and is minoring in business administration and comparative literature. She currently serves as an account executive on the University of Oregon’s SOJC Portfolio Reviews account. This upcoming summer she will be studying social media and marketing within Italy’s wine industry to further develop her professional skills in the food and beverage sector of public relations.
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