Being an intern isn’t easy. You are pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Trying your best to manage school, internships, potentially jobs, and who knows what else! We get it! This semester we had the pleasure of having three amazing and talented remote interns that have agreed to share the biggest lesson they have learned. Without further ado, we will pass the mic to our awesome remote interns!
It’s important to manage your time wisely and plan out your day
When you have various tasks to complete throughout the day, it’s important to set aside time for each of them to make sure everything is being worked on and getting completed. Prioritize your work, but also take time for yourself by taking short breaks to go for a walk or have a snack. Zoom fatigue is real!
Hold yourself accountable
When you’re working by yourself in your room, it can be easy to get distracted or sidetracked when no one’s around, but it’s crucial to stay on top of your work and treat your work as if you were in person!
Communicate clearly with coworkers and make sure you know exactly what is needed of you
It can feel daunting reaching out or asking for clarity, but communication is key for doing your job well. Things can get lost in translation over Slack or Asana tasks, so asking for additional clarity is definitely worth it.
Actively participate, stay involved, and reach out to the team
Participate in weekly meetings, be responsive over Slack, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or speak up! Don’t let yourself feel disconnected because you’re working remotely; make the extra effort to connect with the team and be proactive. Sharing your thoughts and ideas are essential!
Still get ready/dress for success
Even though it may be tempting to stay in your pajamas all day for work, get yourself ready (even if that means just changing clothes) to put yourself in the headspace that you are actually working.
Stepping out of your comfort zone can provide massive opportunities
You’ll never know how to do something if you never try it for the first time. Internships are the time to learn and grow your skills, and a virtual setting gives you independence in trying it out for yourself. You’re not going to grow if you don’t try something new. Never be afraid to ask questions and receive feedback, it’ll only help you in the long run!
Getting to know the team can make all the difference
Even with a virtual setting, I was able to grow my relationships with the team that not only taught me but also made me feel so comfortable with what I was doing or asking questions when I wasn’t.
If you love what you’re doing, pay attention to that
I have found myself being okay with staying online after my shift ends and working on assignments on the weekend because I love what I am doing. It has shown me that I really chose the correct field and makes me more excited than stressed about the future. I found a field that I want to continue growing my post-grad career with and I couldn’t be more excited!
There’s always more to do
If you finish assignments early, find out what else you can learn how to do. Some of my favorite assignments were one’s I wasn’t even initially assigned.
Digital Communication is Key
While being remote interns, knowing how to use different channels of communication to reach out to anyone on the team or as you’re pulling content for clients is necessary to reach your goals as a team.