In August, My Baggage hired a social media intern to join the team for four weeks, to learn the ins and outs of the online business and bag some valuable career experience.
Katy (the intern we hired) impressed us so much that we offered her a full-time role at My Baggage, so she has taken to our blog to offer other students and graduates her top advice for turning your internship into a full-time job:
Love them or hate them, there is no denying that internships look great on your CV. Not only do they make you look good, but they provide perfect opportunities for networking and getting an insight into a potential future dream career path.
When I started my 4 weeks as a social media intern with My Baggage, I found myself riding an intense roller-coaster of emotions. I was ecstatic because it was exactly the kind of opportunity I had been dreaming of – but I couldn’t ignore the anxious feelings that came with it.
Regardless, I dove right in at the deep end and gave it everything that I could possibly give, without overthinking the irrational negative possibilities. In the end, it all paid off as I, fortunately, landed a full-time position within the My Baggage team, and I couldn’t be happier.
During your time as a student, it’s highly likely that you may have to take on an internship to get your foot in the door of your dream career. So if you are feeling nervous about taking on an internship and want to know how you can make the most of such a valuable experience: here are my 6 tips for a successful internship.
1. Do your research
This comes as a no-brainer. If you want your internship to be successful, you need to turn up knowing at least a little bit of background about the company you are working for. This is key because it shows you are genuinely interested and eager about your new position. My internship focused primarily on social media and digital marketing, so I was sure to be familiar with what the company were doing in the area of student shipping. There’s nothing worse than a candidate not knowing what they are talking about, for both the candidate and the employer. So be sure to do your research if you want to impress.
2. Be efficient
In an internship, it’s important to show how efficient and hard-working you are. Aim to complete tasks quickly – show that you’re great at putting in hard work, but at the same time you’re capable of meeting deadlines. When you prove how efficient you are in smaller tasks, you’ll potentially have the reward of being asked to do something bigger and of greater importance thereafter.
3. Be willing
With an internship, it’s important to remember that no job is too little or too much. Whether you’re asked to make cups of tea for everyone in the office or you’re asked to input some data into a spreadsheet – it’s important to willingly take on all kinds of tasks. You never know – you may end up learning a brand new skill (which could further enhance your CV).
4. Build connections
The opportunities that can arise from internships are pleasantly surprising and the possibilities are endless. Most of these opportunities arise from building connections. You’ll be working in an environment full of individuals who work in a similar environment to where you hope to see yourself in the future – so don’t be afraid to turn to them for advice on landing that dream job. Building a good relationship with your employer means you could have someone able to act as your reference for future work. If you are asked to attend a meeting, show interest as this could potentially open up the door to even more connections. During my internship at My Baggage I managed to build a wonderful relationship with my colleagues and other individuals who I may not have had the opportunity to network with otherwise.
5. Embrace the job
Embracing every single aspect of your industry is so important. Keep yourself in the know with what is going on in your field of work and don’t forget to show that you are keen to do so. During my first week, my managing director gave me a book to read about social media marketing – this introduced me to a new world of knowledge about my industry. Not only will this benefit yourself because you’ll be a library of knowledge and you’ll be able to engage in conversations – but again, showing how keen you are will impress your employer.
6. Go the extra mile
In any job, going the extra mile is like the unwritten rule and this is especially true for internships. This can apply to anything – whether it be suggesting something new that could benefit the company, offering to take on a task, or even just baking a few sweet treats for everyone in the office. Yes, be that person! On my first day at My Baggage I brought a batch of homemade Oreo Truffles and I don’t think my colleagues will ever forget it – it’s always a good thing to be remembered for something wonderful that you had the initiative to do.
Although internships tend to be a lot like Marmite – you either love them or you hate them, you agree with them or you don’t – I am wholeheartedly grateful for my internship at My Baggage and am now doing a full-time job that I’m extremely passionate about.
Internships are the perfect way to get your foot in the door for your dream career – and that kind of opportunity is invaluable. Grasp it with both hands, show off your amazing skills which would have never been seen based on your CV alone and it could eventually lead to your first full-time job in your dream industry. Be confident that you have the capability of having a successful internship – and you can’t go wrong.
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