One of our Atrium interns shares the lessons they learned throughout their program.
When people think about internships, they often focus on the big projects, research, and presentations that will make it onto their resume. While all of this is great, I have learned that internships are much larger than completing assignments. They are an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, build relationships, and prepare your future career. This is what I have learned from my internship as a student and what can help you make the most of yours.
1. Show Up Prepared
Always come to each day with a plan. Know what you want to accomplish and what is asked of you. Something that I found helpful throughout my internship was creating a to-do list.
At the beginning of every week, I took ten minutes out of my day to write down everything I needed to complete in the week. I color-coded what was incomplete, in progress, and completed so I could easily stay organized.
2. Respond in a Timely Manner
Whether it’s an email, message, or a request from a colleague, timely communication matters. Quick responses show signs of responsibility and respect for others’ time. You don’t always need a perfect answer in seconds, but acknowledging a message and providing updates goes a long way.
3. Have a Positive Attitude
Every internship is going to come with challenges, moments of weakness, and unexpected tasks. Approaching every situation with a positive attitude can make a significant difference as an intern. People enjoy working with individuals who are eager to learn and make a difference.
4. Be Dependable
When you commit to something, always follow through. Managers and coworkers appreciate knowing they can trust you to complete tasks and meet expectations without constant reminders.
5. Follow Up
Any time something was completed, I made sure to follow up with my managers so they knew where I was with my work throughout the week. Following up demonstrates ownership and professionalism. As an intern, this simple habit shows initiative and attention to detail.
6. Actively Ask Questions and Seek Feedback
Internships are learning experiences, and no one expects you to have all the answers. I always believed that it would be better to ask a “dumb” question than spend hours completing an assignment incorrectly because I was too afraid to ask for clarification.
Actively seeking feedback allows you to continuously improve your work. No project is truly finished. There is always an opportunity to refine it, strengthen it, and learn something new. I grew the most from staying curious and willing to learn.
7. Take Accountability
Understand what is expected of you and own up to your mistakes. Every mistake is a learning opportunity. Taking accountability often earns more respect than trying to avoid responsibility.
8. Communicate Professionally
Communication in the workplace goes beyond emails and speaking during meetings. It also means building relationships with the people around you. Take the time to introduce yourself, learn what others do, and have conversations with colleagues across multiple teams.
This allows you to build meaningful connections that can become valuable resources long after your internship ends. Relationships are just as important as the work you complete.
9. Being Early is on Time, Being on Time is Late, and Being Late is Unacceptable
While it may sound extreme, the message is simple. Respect others’ time. Arriving early for meetings and work demonstrates professionalism and reliability.
Final Thoughts
At the end of an internship, people may not remember every project you complete. They will remember how you worked with others, how dependable you were, and the attitude you brought each day.
The little things like communication, accountability, positivity, and preparation may seem small, but, together they can leave a lasting impression that opens doors after your internship ends.
