Every opportunity brings good or bad experience depending upon the way you take advantage of it. The same rule can be applied on successful design intern. Internships can provide you with invaluable experience and can be proved as a stepping stone in one’s career. Moreover, it has also been highly desired pre-requisite of numerous giant corporations. I am sure no one has ever heard of any entrepreneur discrediting the worth of on-job experience. Every industry has its own job criteria and requirements to hold on to it. The design industry is versatile and expects a lot from people in it. So, a person who has yet to start his career from successful design intern should consider reading or recommending the tips I am about to give.
Geared up to Get your Hands Dirty :
Majority of employers in this world want to pay less to his employees and get maximum work. In such a hostile world imagine yourself as an intern not employee working just for the sake of experience. It means you will be brutally used to execute all kinds of tasks because this is an internship, not a job. It does not really matter which kind of office you intern with, the probability is very high that you will be asked to do more than your fair share.
The circumstances are quite different for intern which means he should be ready to do small and weird tasks around the office. These tasks may include brewing coffee, running quick errands, sorting through incoming/outgoing mail, answering phones, and other mundane tasks which are not exactly come under his job description. You will feel to be misused however, don’t forget that the little things you accomplish may give you big benefits like getting a permanent job as per your qualification or some good contacts in the company.
Don’t be Amateurish :
Although you are not an employee but young college dropout intern does not mean you should look like in the same way. The intern status does not ask you to be casual, informal and non-serious. As an intern you should look for your bright career so, be sure that you carry yourself in a professional manner. It does not mean you should behave uptight; however, the best is to be in character. It is highly advisable that you maintain your personal hygiene and follow the company’s official dress code.
There is no harm in going little beyond the limit in your professionalism. Your attitude should make people comfortable and it would be good for you if you let them trust you. The trust ability can do wonders later on in your career growth. Let other feel you are next suitable person for the job.
Reveal your Good Personality Traits :
There is a fine line between professionalism and good personality traits. It is beyond doubt that professionalism is paramount to a successful internship. However, one cannot rule out the importance of personality during the internship. The preeminent advice one can give you is to be yourself and observe the rules of the game. Try to develop the sense of observing things around you analytically.
People should be able to remember you through your good traits like sense of humor, hard work and perfection. It does not mean you need to be angel or pretender. Everyone has these attributes it just some people don’t really know when and how to utilize them. Never forget to develop and value the friendships at workplace. As an intern you should be known to lower and higher management. It can be the key to your ultimate success because it’s all about networking.
Pay Heed to the Mentor :
There have been numerous stories about mean and rude your boss. The point to ponder here is why would they be mean with their juniors? It is probably because their success stories have never been told. Despite of horrendous stories that surround managers, as an intern you will be working under any one of them. In the case of an intern, the space of saying no to supervisor does not exist.
The immediate supervisor would not only important because he will be authorized to write final report on your performance but he would also be your teacher. Listening to an experienced manager is indisputably important during an internship. In a nutshell, a good supervisor can show you the right path and can give you inside information.
Motivate Yourself :
It is human nature that he cannot be focused 24/7. However, if you are used to take cue from others, perhaps you need to learn self-motivation. It is important to note that when you will be able to set, pursue, and finish your daily tasks without manager’s constant poking, the earned rewards will be splendid.
Bring Positivity to Your Work and Attitude :
As an intern your frustration would be justified which should not wear you. It happens to most of the interns. However, the successful ones don’t really let this frustration in their way. Remember that you are an intern who is there to learn, experience practical problems and perform accordingly. The day to day events like computer freeze, misunderstanding or unintentional mistakes can be the reasons of stress. Your job is to cool your nerves and let the good spirits prevail and stay positive at work.
Good Interns Do their Homework :
Don’t think homework is for school kids, because even though this is an internship you will have to do some homework. As an intern you are presumed to be knowledgeable to a certain degree in your field of study. The design interns may not be burdened as much as a medical intern. However, it is possible that big corporations, agencies or production houses have enough work to distribute it among their interns. So, while entering the field don’t think your school days are over. In order to stay in the good books of the management you should always finish your task within or before the deadline immaculately.
Keep Supervisor in Loop :
Every intern worries about his/her good recommendation report which lures him/her to have good relations with the supervisor. In order to deal with this it is highly advised to seek for a weekly evaluation from supervisor. It will give you benefit of improving during the internship as well as keeping your management informed about your tasks.
Avoid Getting Back on Competitors :
It is likely that you won’t be the only intern in the company, so stay alert and competitive. After all, you are here to further enhance your career and earn a permanent job. Now it is understood that you have several other competitors so, try to prove yourself honestly if any competition comes up. It does not mean to sabotage your competitors, but would be a good gauge of your performance in the time of challenge and excellent chance to prove your strength to management.
Take it Easy :
It should be the last but important tip. The Successful Design Intern are meant to prepare you for big challenges in career and it should be taken as important springboard. However, don’t let the opportunity to have fun during your internship. It means you should strive to get the glowing recommendations but it can be done while taking it easy. So, get most of your internship on both personal and professional level.
This article is written for those Successful Design Intern who are searching, web design school, web design colleges, web design certificate, web design class, web designer training, web design diploma, web developer courses, requirements to be a graphic designer, training for web design etc.
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Really informative.Very helpful.Thanks for sharing.