You’ve landed an internship in Communication. How can you make the most of it?

Here's how you can maximize your internship experience: - Define what you hope to achieve during your internship, whether it's gaining specific skills, building your professional network, or exploring potential career paths within the field of communication. - Take initiative by seeking out opportunities to contribute and learn. Volunteer for projects, ask for additional responsibilities & actively participate in team meetings and brainstorming sessions. - As an intern in Communication, honing your communication skills is paramount. - Actively seek feedback from your supervisor and colleagues on your work performance. - Look for opportunities to showcase your skills and initiative through your work.

The classic problem of Internship is the gap in expectations. While an intern is so aspiring with a wide range of expectations,understand what’s expected of the internship. The tremendous energy which an Intern brings to the table is what every employer looks for. Add to this, is the fresh mindset perspectives that you bring along. Understanding goals involves Clear dialogue on expectations Highlighting inabilities/challenges Time Management- to scope of work Task prioritising- never assume, clarify Review frequency/mechanism Consent on feedback form (dashboard) Organisation structure Cross functional clarity It’s best to Intern in Founder’s office for a wide scope of functionality.

Take on Challenges: Step out of your comfort zone and tackle challenging projects. Learn from Experience: Treat every experience as a learning opportunity. Stay Organized: Keep track of tasks and deadlines to stay on top of your work. Be Professional: Maintain a professional demeanor in all interactions. Show Enthusiasm: Demonstrate eagerness to learn and contribute. Reflect and Evaluate: Reflect on your experiences and evaluate your progress.

a) Seek Diverse Experiences: Request involvement in a variety of projects to gain a broad understanding of different communication facets. b) Ask Informed Questions: Show initiative by asking questions that reflect your research and genuine curiosity about the field. c) Reflect on Feedback: Actively seek out feedback and reflect on it to improve your skills continuously. d) Professional Etiquette: Maintain professionalism in all interactions to establish a reputation of reliability and respect. Example : Reaching out to the marketing manager for a coffee chat to learn about integrating marketing and communication strategies, and subsequently having a chance of being offered to review their project proposals.

Approach your internship as a learning journey beyond tasks. Engage in meaningful conversations with professionals to understand diverse perspectives and industry nuances. Cultivate genuine connections by offering to support projects, sharing your insights, and expressing curiosity. Demonstrate initiative by seeking mentorship, attending workshops, or contributing to discussions. Focus on building relationships rather than merely exchanging contacts.

Learning from feedback is the best way to set yourself and your employer up for success. And asking questions is key. Find out from the start where previous interns added value to the business, how, and why. Also ask where they failed to add value and why. Then clarify what’s expected and what contribution would a bonus. The key is to be clear from the start about the value you need to bring. Then be selfish for a moment – ask what’s in it for you and your future. Ask what access you can have to leaders and mentors, ask what shadowing opportunities might be possible, and whether you can join workshops and training sessions. The key is to listen hard, learn from other people’s experiences, and then make a simple plan to keep you on track.

Even if you have put a lot of efforts into the internship, you won't be appreciated if you don't present your work to the board properly. Presentation is underrated. People keep it at the last, but we need to keep in mind that if the presentation is appealing and informative, you succeed!

If you're an intern in communication, it's best to use the platform to strengthen your communication skills, sharpen your persuasion skills, emotional skills as well, it takes a level of emotional intelligence to be able to pass your message in a way that it doesn't hurt people. You can build your portfolio by starting small with a blog, vlog, podcast that could be free and share them with family and friends and do well to get a feedback from them as well to know what areas to improve on

a) Propose and take ownership of a project or task that aligns with your interests and the organization’s needs. b) When facing challenges, come prepared with potential solutions to demonstrate problem-solving skills. c) Stay Informed: Keep abreast of industry trends and discuss their potential implications with your team. Say, an intern upon observing a gap in the company's social media engagement, can step up to propose a targeted content strategy that they had researched, aligning with current digital communication trends.

Please be mindful that internships serve a dual purpose. It's not solely about delivering results and striving to excel; it's also a valuable learning experience to determine if the work aligns with your interests and goals. Take note of any discomfort or dissatisfaction and analyze its source within the job or environment. This self-awareness will not only benefit you but also contribute to a deeper understanding of your professional needs beyond the immediate demands of your employer. While I recognize the challenges interns face in a competitive job market, investing in self-awareness now will lay the groundwork for a more fulfilling career trajectory in the future.

Improve your writing skills, if your English vocabulary is good then fine if not improvise it. And learn how to write messages by leveraging the marketing messages. Learn about internal Comms and external Comms. Focus on how you can simplify and communicate the company and leaders message. Read more about the past Press releases of that company and understand how they have written, why they used those lines, what format they are following etc. Work with your PR agency closely, be part of the meetings and observe.

Observing other experienced collegues, what they are doing in their work and what they are learning would be the best tip someone could give to an Intern. Since Intern is a baby in landscape of employees so how this baby learn from the adults make a lot difference. Don't get fearful to use your creativity and give opinions to other people. It gives you an opportunity to build your trust in team and boast your self confidence too.