Get the Most Out of Your Summer Internship

 By Emily Young Ma ‘16

You’ve landed a summer internship, have a lay of the land, and figured out your commute; now what? Check out these tips to make the most of your summer internship.

1. Put Goals and Expectations in Writing

Once you have been working for a couple of weeks, redefine your goals and put your manager’s expectations in writing.  Having a checklist to work from will make sure you achieve all of your goals for your summer internship as well as exceed your manager’s expectations.  Having a checklist makes it easier to show progress and to request feedback and assistance throughout your internship. 

My Internship Goals:

• Put data analysis on my resume i.e. learn Omniture, Facebook Insights, and Google Analytics
• Make meaningful connections
• Leave an impact with my internship project
• Learn more about the digital component of the sport business industry

Expectations

• Weekly Facebook video data pull
• Weekly @TB Report
• Editorial scorecards
• Pull social data
• Help manage the YouTube page
• Assist in reviewing new distribution companies

2. Conduct Informational Interviews

Conducting informational interviews is a great way to learn more about the company and is an excellent way to network.  Ask your manager to help you to connect with people in different roles within the company.  Thus far, my manager has helped me set up 4 informational interviews, 1 per week.  It has helped me learn about the different components of our company and industry as well as learn the personal stories of how each person started working in the sports industry.  Before every interview, I like to review their career path on Linked In and generate some questions.  Also have your elevator speech ready.

Currently I am a graduate student at University of Southern California studying communication management.  In 5-7 years, I aspire to be a brand manager of a leading sport company because I am interested in branding, advertising, marketing, and digital media and am passionate about sports.

3. Follow your Company and Competitors

Make checking the latest industry news a priority before you leave for work every morning. That way, you’ll always sound professional and informed when talking with your coworkers and offer relevant input in meetings.  You can ask your manager to forward company-wide newsletters to you and join some industry ones as well. Also stay current on world news.  You don’t have to read the entire newspaper, but use newsfeeds to stay up-to-date.  Obama in the Palisades, guess you’ll have to leave earlier for work.  

4. Bring a Notebook

If you don’t have a photographic memory, bring a notebook.  It shows that you are paying attention in meetings and believe that your superiors have important things to say.  It’s something physical you can take with you after your internship and have as a reference.  Also, if you have a company email, be sure to write down the contacts of people you have met, that way you can contact them after the internship.

5. Solve Problems, Don’t Make Them

Instead of asking, “What should we do about XYZ?” say, “I think we should do [insert activity] for [insert project]—what do you think?”   It will show that you are taking initiative on projects and always available to help. Companies hire interns for a different perspective. Put that college education to good use.

If you make a mistake, be the first to offer a solution and remedy it.  If you have a slow day, suggest to a manager something you can do or be a fly on the wall and follow someone in a different role for the day. Always be productive and take initiative.  It’s your internship, so you have to take an active role to make the most out of it.

6. Be Positive

Be polite, be on time, be productive, but most importantly be positive.  No one wants to hire someone that drains the energy out of the room. We are interns: starry-eyed, excited to be in the real world, and ready to help with any task. While not every internship will be a perfect fit, we always need to remain professional.  As interns, we may not have the most experience, but we can still be the most positive.  Own it!