Prepare yourself for your upcoming internship

Prepare yourself for your upcoming pro domoshipAre you on the cusp of starting a new internship? If so, then congratulationsthis can be an amazing opportunity for self-discovery and an important step in your lifelong career journey. Simply put, internships are great ways to explore your professional strengths and weaknesses, and can help you target your interests and passionshopefully helping to guide you onto the career path that best suits you. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.anzeigegert(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) That said, not all internshipsor internsare created equal. While some make every effort to put their best self forward and approach the internship as if it were an ultra-important full-time job, others take a less serious approachand take a guess which type of intern typically fares better? That said, how have you decided to approach your upcoming internship? If youre smart, youll prepare yourself in advance as much as possible in an effort to make a great imp ression. Who knowsif you really nail it, you just may find yourself weighing a great new job offer at the end of itConsider using the following plan of attack to help ensure that your internship starts off strong.Do your homeworkBefore your first day at your new internship, make sure you know everything there is to know about the company youre about to join. Most companies these days have a robust online presence, so take advantage of available information online. Not only will it help you do your job more effectively, it will likely impress the folks youll be working around. It may even serve as a springboard for bold new ideas that you can use to heidewitzka your new bossand who knows what can happen from there?Also do your best to be fully aware of what your role in the organization will be, what will be expected of you from day one, and what your team or department does within the broader context of the organization (ideally, you used the interview process to have all of these q uestions answered). This will help reduce any awkward surprises on day one of your internship, and also set you up to impress your new bosses when youre able to hit the ground running when you first arrive.Know yourselfAs mentioned before, internships are a great way to learn about your strengths and weaknesses and discover what youre interested in and good at. That said, you already know a great deal about yourself and can use what you know to your advantage at your new position. Make sure your strengths are on full display while at work. Are you a whiz at spreadsheets? Then do your best to set yourself up to work on any spreadsheets that your department utilizes. Have countless presentations in class made you a PowerPoint pro? Then volunteer to work on any PowerPoints that you discover are being worked on while at your internship. Not only will you come across as a team player whos willing to go the extra mile, youll hopefully impress others with your abilities.In contrast, try to work on building your skills in your week areas subtly while at your internship. Take small opportunities to test yourself and confront new challengesbefore long youll be more well-rounded and capable at work than ever beforeGet professionalThis one often gets overlooked by interns, and they wind up paying the price when they arrive at work and arent completely ready. Get into a professional mindset before your internship starts and youll be setting yourself up for success. This includes getting an appropriate work wardrobe ready, practicing your workplace etiquette (heres where a parent, mentor, or experienced friend or family member can really help), getting any supplies you might need, and even practicing getting up early for several days beforehandyoull be surprised by how a little advance planning to get yourself into professional mode can really benefit you in the long run.If youre on the cusp of starting a new internship, it can be a really exciting timeas long as you prepar e smartly. Use the strategies and advice presented here to be your best starting on day one. Soak it inthis is the time for you to explore a profession or a company to see if its a great match. Use it wisely