How to make the most of your internship

Learn how to maximize your potential and gain valuable knowledge and experience

First of all, congratulations! Securing a marketing internship is notoriously difficult, with fierce competition for each spot. You have worked hard to get to this point, so don’t let the hard work stop – you’ve been given a chance to show your stuff, and now is the time to impress. No matter what the industry and no matter the length of the internship, you can learn valuable knowledge and skills from the people you will be working with, so make sure you give it your all.
Set yourself goals
What do you want to achieve from your internship? Defining some personal goals is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track. At the end of each week, take a look back over them to see what’s going well and what you may need to improve. Internships are a two-way street – your supervisor wants you to learn a lot and grow from the position, so feel free to discuss your goals with them too. By sharing your goals, your supervisor and team members can help you achieve them.
Learn as much as possible
Make notes in every meeting, keep up to date with projects, and listen to work discussions. Even if it’s not relevant to what you are working on at that time, you never know when the information might come in handy. It’s also a great way to demonstrate that you are engaged and enthusiastic throughout your time with the company.
Be punctual and work hard
Never be late, but when it’s unavoidable make sure you let someone know ahead of time. If you run out of assigned tasks, never be afraid to ask what to do next – your supervisor will appreciate you showing initiative. You could also try to identify new tasks or projects you can complete, such as streamlining a process, that will add value to your role within the company. Treat your internship as a potential job.
Don’t be afraid to share your ideas
Did you see a course or talk that might be relevant? Or something interesting that a competitor is doing, that you feel your company could do even better? Speak up! Even if people don’t agree, you are still showing initiative and interest in the company. Try subscribing to relevant industry newsletters and using social media to find out about meetups and courses.
Be open to criticism
Taking negative feedback is always hard, but as an intern you can’t be expected to do everything right the first time. As long as you show you take the feedback on board and learn from it, that is all that matters.

If you follow these steps and work hard you will leave your internship with valuable knowledge and experience, plus there will be a team of people who know you are intelligent and a diligent worker. There may not be a job role within the company available, but you stand a great chance of receiving a glowing recommendation that will enhance your career prospects for the future.
I was very fortunate to be selected for an internship within the team here at Different Perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and successes of the experience, and managed to secure a paid position at the end of my time. I would like to extend my thanks to the Different Perspective team, who took a chance on me and believed in my abilities. I am looking forward to a prosperous and fruitful career with you guys!