An internship is the most exciting part of higher studies like MBA. Securing one in an organization of your choice is half the battle won. However, it being an unknown territory, many unanswered questions can make it potentially stressful. This is when career counseling comes to your aid.
A fast-paced corporate environment can seem demanding as there will be some tough adjustments to be made. We have a few career counseling tips for you to tackle the stress that can help you take control of work from day one.
You will always want to put your best foot to leave a positive impression on everyone you meet and work with, in your first job with the objective of converting it into a full-time job offer before you leave. However, if you try to please everyone by saying yes to everything that comes your way, you may end up in stressful situations. Here is a career counseling tip to handle such demands. Be realistic in managing expectations from you.
Taking up extra work and delivering it timely may help you earn brownie points but it should not be at the cost of your mental health. Take up tasks that are related to what you signed up for, something that will add value to your learning. If you cannot turn it down, always communicate the time it will take you to complete the task, as there are other assignments already lined up for delivery.
While researching, mining data, making presentations or answering emails and calls, if you suddenly realize it’s been an hour since you have been active on social media browsing through your favorite Instagram accounts for the latest stories or watching YouTube videos on tips and tricks, stop.
It may seem like 15 mins but we are all aware those minutes easily turn into big hours of distraction. With productive time wasted, it may seem you were at work for long hours, but the end product is never up to the mark. When pointed by supervisors or other team members it will surely cause you stress. So limit the usage of your computer for work-related tasks only and use mobile for personal purposes, only during breaks.
As an intern, you will be excited about joining a new place to practice all that you have learned in the classroom. But remember at the workplace you will also be dealing with people. Your supervisor, colleagues will become an active part of your life for the hours you spend at work. So it is important to communicate with them well, in order to build healthy professional relationships. Being shy or nervous may prove to be detrimental, you do not need to be over-communicating either.
One should come across as open and approachable. Do not limit your interaction with one or two people in your department alone. Reach out to people in different departments such as HR, Accounts, Training, Quality and like to introduce yourself. This will help a great deal in allowing you to be aware of the bigger picture, and will also help you know where and how you fit in the system.
A general cause of stress at work is not knowing why a task has been assigned to you, particularly if you find it boring. However, if you are aware of the bigger picture, you will realize the importance of the work. Attend team meetings regularly, listen carefully and give ideas that you think can help the team or other team members. This way it will become easier for you to reach out to others when you need help.
The internship is your opportunity to learn and build skills as your foundation in the corporate world. However, it is equally important to network and builds relationships with people in your workplace, particularly with seniors. This will not only help you with references within your industry later but will also help you find mentors while at work. Finding a mentor or someone trustworthy to talk to at work can eliminate your stress to a great degree when required. If you feel stuck or are unable to manage the work pressure, seeking advice from someone experienced will help you manage work in less time, enhancing your productivity.
This is one of the most valuable career counseling advice available for interns. Keeping a track of the project assigned, with all the tasks and expected outcomes listed will save you the stress that generally interns experience at the end of their internship.
Before leaving the organization, you will be asked to share a detailed summary of all the completed projects. If you solely rely on your memory and email communication, it will be all over the place. You and your immediate supervisor may have a different point of view. To be on the same page, it is important to take a regular sign off from your immediate supervisor on all the assigned tasks, their completion dates and what you learned in the process. This way you will come across as a detail-oriented person who gets facts and figures right, to get to the desired outcome.
We understand as an intern it is always difficult to make the right impression and come out as an outstanding performer. Following the points shared above and using other online career counseling resources one can make a right start.
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Want to intern overseas? Join Manya’s International Internship Program. Manya is committed to advancing international education. We have been providing life-changing international internship programs and professional experiences for university students and young professionals.
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