8 Ways to Make the Most of Your Internship

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About the author: My name is Lucie Waring, I'm 20 years old and a 3rd year BA Digital Media and Society student at the University of Sheffield, though I'm currently on a placement year. I am originally from York, but I'm now going into my third year living in Sheffield – so I'm therefore now a self-proclaimed expert on Sheffield student life, from the best coffee shops and parks to the nightlife. While at university, I am a member of many societies that I love to attend with friends and partake in fun social events!

Summer internships, spring work experience, or even year-long placement years, are all valuable experiences and a stepping stone into the real world of work post graduation. If you're hoping to secure placement, don’t panic; there’s still time. Places of work are still looking for fresh faces to get a taste of employability and enhance their degree.

Different companies have different deadline dates, so your dream job could still be out there. You could utilise your university’s resources - often they advertise local placements or have partnerships with employers - although I looked for a placement using Bright Network, Higherin, LinkedIn, and Career Connect.

But why should you do a summer internship?🤔

Well, previous research has shown that over 70% of employers offer their interns full-time jobs, and almost 80% of students accept these offers. These statistics show how successful internships can be for getting your foot in the door and securing a permanent job in the future.

These top tips for making the most out of your internship will hopefully help you to become a part of that statistic.

Summer internship tips for students: before you start

1. Prepare

Before you start, reach out to the company you’d like to work with via email to introduce yourself and ask if there is anything you need to prepare beforehand. Often, you may have induction courses to undertake online, admin to fill out, maybe even a uniform to try on, depending on the sector you are working in. The more prepared you are for your first day, the less nerve-racking it will be.

That means, it's best to ask ANY questions you have about work timings and what you should expect on your first day. It will show you are organised and keen. Remember - there are no silly questions, and everyone has been a new starter before, so you’re most definitely not alone.

2. Research

You will be at a huge advantage if you know what to expect within your new role, so research the company you will be working with, the market, and their competitors. Think about what you want to gain from your internship - make it your own!

It's a good idea to write a list of short-term and long-term goals of what you’d like to achieve in your placement year, from something as small as growth in confidence to a major achievement of working at your dream company. Having these aims to strive towards will ensure you make the most of the opportunity and reach your full potential whilst working.

First day of your internship tips (and beyond)

3. Stand out

During your internship or summer job, make sure you make a good impression; it could help lead you to connections with people who will want to help you succeed further and expose you to other great opportunities for the future. Making these connections and being known is a key networking tactic, great for visibility in an industry and your reputation as a worthy employee. Grab those LinkedIn connections!

Be sure to complete work to the best of your ability, work well in a team, and always be punctual and professional. But remember to always be yourself!

4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

You are there to learn, and the people who already work at the company are not expecting you to be an expert or fully qualified - they're there to help you. The more questions you ask, the more knowledge you will gain and the more opportunities that may arise for you. By asking questions, you’ll show other colleagues that you are interested in making the most out of this opportunity and seeking the potential to progress within your role.

5. Be confident

It can be daunting going to a new workplace without knowing what to expect, but if you do your research and prepare yourself as much as you can, it'll make the experience easier and even more enjoyable!

During your internship, there may be times when you feel stressed and overwhelmed. In my personal experience, I initially felt a decline in my confidence. It was a new environment, working with new people of all ages, and being outside of the university comfort bubble, but once I became settled, things started to look up.

Don’t forget that you were offered a place to be part of their team for a good reason, and you deserve to be there. You’ve got this! The people you are working with want to help you learn and want you to get the most out of your time with them. Always remember to ask for support if you need it.

6. Network

‘Networking’ is the dreaded word every student hates to hear, but everyone knows how much it can pay off. Wherever you are working, you will meet amazing people who could potentially help you to get a job in the future, so make sure you know how to contact them before your internship is over. Everyone has different contacts, and the more you can get during your internship, the better!

LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected with the people you have met on your internship journey. Having these connections will ensure you stay in touch with your colleagues for any potential opportunities that may arise in the future.

Networking doesn’t have to be as daunting as it initially seems. If you can follow your course mates on Instagram, then you can connect with your colleagues on LinkedIn.

Whilst on your placement, also use LinkedIn to keep track of the tasks you’re completing so that you can reflect back at a later date. It’s also good practice to build a portfolio relating to projects you’ve worked on, what you were tasked with and what the outcome was.

Tips for after the internship

7. Look out for opportunities

Even if you aren’t offered a permanent role straight away, it's worth staying in touch with your connections and keeping an eye out for future openings - assuming you loved your time there, of course! Having already worked for the company gives you a nice little advantage when applying later down the line.

8. Reflect

Hopefully, your internship will help you get one step closer to knowing what you want to do in the future, but it is okay if it does the opposite, because then at least you know exactly what you don’t want to do.

Don’t be discouraged if your internship wasn’t what you expected, because there will be plenty of other opportunities in the future that you will enjoy. It is all about exploring different avenues of work and finding out who you work well with, developing new skills and gaining experience.

With any work experience you do, make sure you update your CV to show future employees the skills and expertise you have gained.

Sorted your internship? Sort your next step

If you’ve taken on our summer internship tips for students, we know you’ll be kept busy for a while - but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sort out your uni student accommodation while you still can. Once your internship ends, a new uni term is just around the corner, and you’ll be packing your stuff in no time…

Luckily, UniHomes takes the stress out of finding and sorting a new place, so the process of settling into your next chapter is relatively straightforward! Browse student accommodation and sort your next step today.

This post is part of the UniHomes Content Ambassador programme, where current students across the UK share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. Like these guides? Add UniHomes as a preferred source in Google with just one click by checking the box to see more expert content from our student writers!

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.