Many of us get introduced to the ‘real world’ as interns. Internships make for great learning experiences and you get to dip a toe in your favoured stream via them too. However, it’s easy to laze around and waste your internships. Today we have decided to give you a few tips with which you can make the most out of your internships. Read on...

It always pays to have a positive attitude. Even as just an intern, your enthusiasm could create a positive work environment and lead to team enthusiasm. Remember that enthusiasm is always contagious.

Find someone you look up to and want to emulate at your office. Get to know them and learn more about their career path and why they made the career choices they have. You could even take this forward and mentor a new joinee. This will prove to your bosses that you can lead and follow!

Don't use social network sites (unless it's a part of your job), converse with friends on chat throughout the day, unless there is an emergency whilst on the job. You may be confident that it doesn't affect your work, however, experienced managers may feel otherwise. It's often useful to put your personal phone on "do not disturb" mode or keep to it in your bag to ensure you are constantly putting your best foot forward.

You don’t have to fear looking young and new. You ARE young and you ARE new. However, if you show them that you have questions and are interested to learn, they too will make more of an effort to teach you what other interns do not learn. It could simply be learning how to take a photocopy or even file some accounts! Either way, it’s a win-win for you. Research says that asking questions even increases liking. There you have it. Fire those questions away...

We understand that as interns you may find company events to be boring and awkward, however, attending them is of utmost importance. They will help you network and make friends and contacts in the company, those that you would never have made otherwise. They also will tease the introvert inside of you and that’s important too.

As an intern, you may receive work from various teams and may be expected to work on a number of projects at one time. While it may seem all too much to handle, trust us when we say that it’s actually good for you. All you have to do is be organised and segregate your work. It will also teach you how to be a successful multi-tasker.

Do not be shy and before you wrap up your internship, ask for references and ask for recommendations as well. This way, you’re not only cementing your network contact, but also setting up a framework for actually asking for a reference later.

Lastly, ensure that you stay in touch with your boss and team after you leave. Get business cards or contact information, then make an effort to stay in touch. LinkedIn is a great way to do this, but it’s also good to drop an email once in a while and ask how things are going.
All these tips will greatly help you further your career.