Hi there! My name is Aislinn and I am in my 4th year of Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam. I presume if you are reading this, you probably are a student looking ahead and trying to figure out the what’s, how’s and why’s of your upcoming Internship. Well, read on dear reader, as I give my top three tips for a tip-top Internship!
1. Go for what you want!
Knowing exactly how you want your Internship to go or where you are going to do it is a privilege…so if that’s you, you can skip this part. For those of you who are struggling, I suggest asking yourself a simple question; “what do I want?”
Having a good, hard think about how you want your days to look like is important. If you just take an old internship, you are going to struggle. You ultimately may hate your day-to-day life and what could have been a fantastic opportunity, could turn into a negative experience. So, let’s try and avoid that! Internships are available all across Amsterdam (and the Netherlands) in varying forms. My internship was in Marketing, and although I did not feel 100% confident in applying for the role at first, I put my best foot (and knowledge) forward. I knew for instance, that I wanted to be in a creative role where execution of tasks and helping people manage their tasks. I knew that I work well a team and I can motivate people. I knew that I cared about the companies message. So regardless of the outcome, I had tried my best. I suggest that you do the same. Writing down your list of wants and don’t wants can help you focus more on type of role you may want, or see yourself in.
2. Be wary of the ups and the downs
There will no doubt be moments during your internship where you will question whether you know anything at all. There may be moments where you are on cloud nine from the praise of a superior, only to be knocked form the height by forgetting to spellcheck an important post or document. It happens! You are fresh into the corporate scene, and you are there to learn. Anxiety will be present in your day to day as you are new on the job, but one day during your time at the office, you will do something so smoothly it’ll seem second-nature. This is a great time to be proud of yourself but also self-assess, what more can you do now to improve and help your team?
In these moments, it is important to remember that you are not the first intern to exist, and failure is the key to learning. As long as you feel you are being treated with respect, feedback from your superiors is often interesting and informative. Learning and growing is the goal for this part of your degree, so relish it!
3. Maintain Perspective
Looking back, my social-media marketing internship at Yoni was invaluable. I learned way more about myself and my skillset then I could have predicted. Keep this in mind when deciding on the roles you wish to pursue. Know that it is not forever or a role you have to adore just to gain from – you will learn and grow so much during your experience in the workforce. So I suggest, believing in yourself undoubtedly and putting your energy into it. You won’t regret it and you’ll be a better worker because of it.
So to summarise; word from the wise, don’t sell yourself short and do your best!