Ace That Internship: 6 Things To Do Before You Leave

It's the end of summer internship season, and here is a list of things to do your last week!

1. Get coffee/lunch with your supervisor: Make sure you continue to build your relationship with your supervisor. They can be a great mentor, reference and sounding board in the future. One day you can even repay them for their kindness!

2. Compile your portfolio (ask for permission) : Start putting together samples of what you did during your internship. Ask your supervisor what is appropriate to bring with you, and whatever you get permission for make sure to take a digital copy for future portfolios. Try and find your best work, as well as pieces that show you can do the more common tasks.

3. Update your LinkedIn, professional website and resume: Take an afternoon or night to update all three of these items and make sure they reflect what you did. It takes a lot of editing and rewriting, but use your task list to make this easier.

4. Finish any projects: Even if you can't finish them, make sure you stop at a place that others can pick up at. Keep your supervisor updated on your progress, and leave a description of where you left off.

5. Ask for a review: If your internship doesn't already schedule a review at the end, ask for one for two reasons. One, you get to hear how you did, and can make goals for yourself to improve. Two, you can give your supervisor feedback on your experience.

6. If you feel comfortable, ask for a reference: If you feel as if you have a great relationship with your supervisor, ask for them to be a reference or for a letter of reference. They are the best ones to ask because they worked with you directly.If you connected with other people in the company and worked with them closely, ask them as well to be a reference. It's important later on when you're applying for internships, awards and scholarships.

Bonus:Write a thank you card! Alicia and Elana reminded me of the most important tip, write a thank you note to people you worked with! Both remarked how it had left an impression on them. I can't believe I forgot about this, since it's normally my number one tip!


What did/do you do to end your internship on a positive note? If you had an internship, how did you think it went/?

xoxo

Ace the Internship Posts:
Ace That Internship Part 1: Find the Right Internship for You
Ace That Internship Part 2: What to Wear
Ace That Internship Part 3: Interviews
Act That Internship Part 4: The Follow-Up
Ace That Internship Part 5: During Your Internship
Ace That Internship Part 6: How to Gain the Most From Your Internship Part 1
Ace That Internship Part 7: How to Gain the Most From Your Internship Part 2

Work Desk Essentials

Working at two internships this semester, and still being in school is going to mean a lot of time at my desks. Here is what I plan on keeping at both of my desks this semester in order to be the best intern I can!

Coffee Mug// Travel Mug/Tea///Lined Post-It Notes//CamelBak//Gum// Kind Bars// Cardigan//


I have a mug and a travel mug because I love to bring coffee with, and have tea when I want something warm. Those lined post-it notes keep me sane by giving me a place to write down my to - dos and thoughts for the day. I have a Camelbak for each office (a little excessive but..) because I want to keep up on my daily water intake! The gum is for after I eat to make sure no one has to smell what I just ate. Kind bars are the perfect energy boost for me, and I keep a box at my desk and a couple in my backpack. Finally I really need a cardigan when the office is inevitably chilly. I also picked out a  cheaper version  from Old Navy! This one from Gap matches pretty much everything, and is thick enough to actually keep me warm.


These are my office essentials! What do you have at your desk? What do you love about your job?


xoxo

Ace That Internship: How to Gain the Most from Your Internship Part 2

Here is the second part of Ace That Internship: How to Gain the Most from Your Internship! Check out the first part here! This part is all about the people you meet and work with. These tips will hopefully help you make lasting connections and make it a little less awkward.

1. Schedule Lunch/Coffee: Throughout the duration of your internship try and schedule lunch or coffee with almost everyone you work with, your boss's boss and even upper management in the company. Simply send an email or stop by their office and ask if they would be willing to sit down with you to discuss their career journey.

2.Follow Up: After that coffee or lunch, make sure to follow up with a thank you card for their time. Make sure to stop by periodically to check in with the, and don't be afraid to ask follow up questions if they seem to be open to it. You'll have to read their body langauge, and even ask point blank if you would be able to follow up with them. Time is precious, but many professionals are open to mentoring!

3. Connect on LinkedIn: Send a personalized message to your co-workers and supervisor, as well as anyone that you had lunch or coffee with. Connec with other interns as well! In your message include who you are, and something personal you may have connected about. They're a lot more likely to connect with you that way!

4.Remember Details: Do they have a kid? What about their favorite sports team? Make an effort to remember one thing about every person you have a conversation with. It's one of the easiest ways to get to know people and build relationships!

6.Keep a Contact List: Depending on who you have contact with during your internship, keep a list of people you've met. This can be done in an Excel spreadsheet. It's a lot easier than you think! A little googling or using the business card they gave you should give you the information you need.



Remember not to force relationships, sometimes you might not just click! But don't be afraid to reach out to people, always be polite, and work your hardest!

What do you do to make the most of your relationships? What do you do to go above and beyond at your internship?


xoxo

Here are the links to my other Ace That Internship Posts!
Ace That Internship Part 1: Find the Right Internship for You
Ace That Internship Part 2: What to Wear 
Ace That Internship Part 3: Interviews 
Act That Internship Part 4: The Follow-Up 
Ace That Internship Part 5: During Your Internship 
Ace That Internship Part 6: How to Gain the Most From Your Internship Part 1

Ace That Internship: How to Gain the Most from Your Internship Part 1

It's a very long title, but the two posts cover two different subjects! In this post I'll be discussing how to document your experiences at your internships!

1. Be Observant & Ask Intelligent Questions:  Observe your co-workers! Look at how they complete tasks, interact with clients, complete their to do lists and what they say during meetings. Ask questions about their relationships with clients, how they execute tasks and where they gain inspiration!

2. Take selfies: This is a weird idea, but take selfies at cool events, at your desk, and before big meetings at different places. You can use these on your professional website to illustrate all the fun thing you were able to experience.

3. Save Samples: Ask your supervisor if you can save some examples of your work. Always ask because your work is probably considered property of the company or business you work for. Save some of your best work, especially of projects that are already completed. Try and show a progression of work, from the beginning to the end. Save an electronic copy so you can print it multiple times as well as uploaded to your portfolio!

4. Keep a Task List: After each week, set aside some time to write down all the tasks you completed at your internship. Try to associated numbers with it, such as wrote this many press releases that were picked up by this many news outlets or increased page views by 10% with new blog posts. This is also helpful when you tailor your resumes because you'll know what you did at each internship!

5. Keep Track of What You Learned: Keep a list of what you learned throughout your time as an intern! It's a great way to refresh your memory when you need it later on down the line. Some ideas would be what you observed during the set up and take down of an event.



What do you do to gain the most from your internship? Where are you interning? If you have a full-time job, what did you do in your internship that helped you get a job?

xoxo

Favorite Business Casual Pieces

My summer internship is business casual, and I was really excited and a little nervous about dressing every day for work. My girl friends and I were talking, and men have such an easy job when they dress for events. Business casual for a woman could mean anything from a cute pencil skirt, white tee, and denim jacket to a pencil skirt and nice collared blouse. This past weekend my mom and I went shopping, and here are some of my favorite picks from Loft and The Limited!

Blouse 1/   Shell 1 / Tank Top  / Blouse / Heels

Pencil Skirt 1/ Pencil Skirt 2/ Full Skirt / Pants / Wedges

These are just some really cute business casual ideas. You really only need two pairs of heels, but if you don't like heels, then flats in nude and black. I would also grab a white, navy and black cardigan to throw over your blouses if your office is cold!

What are you wearing this summer? What are your favorite stores for work clothes?

xoxo

Ace That Internship: What to Bring Your First Day

It's been awhile since I posted an Ace That Internship blog, but since summer internships will be starting soon I wanted to post something. Here are some ideas as to what to bring your first day on the job.

A Notebook// Write down everything! Passwords, simple instructions and complex instructions. Even write down who does what. Bring either a legal pad or notebook just for your internship!

A water bottle// You may or may not be doing  a lot of talking, but a staying hydrated will help you stay focused. Bring one you can leave so that you don't forget to have one at the office!

Paperwork// If you have a paid internship, or you are taking one for credit make sure to ask if there is any paperwork you need to bring! This could include your social security card, passport or drivers license.

Positive Attitude// Remember this is your first day. Even if it isn't exactly what you wanted, make sure to still be positive about it. It's a great experience, and you should really try to make the most of it.

Listening Ear// The first day is probably going to be full of a lot of information, so make sure you are ready to listen. Try and remember names, important times and even what to do everyday when you arrive.

Snacks and/or a Lunch// Depending on what you might need, bring food if it is going to be a full day! You don't want to be concentrated on your stomach when you're in an important meeting or getting to know your new co-workers!

Where is your internship this summer? What do you always bring?

Book Review: Welcome to the Real World

Here's another career book review for your Friday reads!

Welcome to the Real World: Finding Your Place, Perfecting Your Work, and Turning Your Job into Your Dream Career by Lauren Berger is a great read for any young professional, especially those who are just graduating or about to.

This book is definitely more tailored towards women. Even though I have a year and a half until I enter the "real world" I have found her tips to be immensely helpful in my current internship.

I would also recommend this book to anyone who is taking a full-time internship during the summer months, because she gives helpful tips on how to balance work and life. Apart from the actual advice, Lauren gives you the most important points at the end of each chapter, making it easy to reference over and over. (Which for a Type A personality for myself is perfect!)

The most helpful part of this book was the networking section. I always feel awkward about networking because it's so out of my comfort zone. What I'm most nervous about is approaching upper level positions to ask for their advice and help. However I'm quickly learning I just need to bite the bullet.

Lauren gave great advice on how to stay connected, with holiday emails and Google News Alerts. I don't want to give too much away because I'm pushing you to go out and buy this book!

If you are going to be a freshman or sophomore in college, read her book All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship Building Your Resume, Making Connections, and Gaining Job Experience  with me next week! (I read her books in the opposite order, whoops) 

What helpful and inspiring books have you read this summer? Let me know in the comments please!

xoxo

Ace That Internship: During Your Internship

Now that you are over half way through your internship, what can you do to really stand out and use this position to your advantage? Here are some of the most important tips that I've heard throughout the past couple of years!

Ask questions: At this point in your internship you should be asking lots of questions. Not just about the assignment, but more "critical thinking" questions! Show your supervisors that you've been picking up on things and want to know more about the industry. This also shows that you're invested in the job and are planning on actually doing something

Ask your boss to lunch or coffee: Once again at this point you should feel comfortable around your boss to ask them to lunch! You can start to build a relationship and learn about how they go to their position. It's a great networking tool and a great way to create a reference for your next internship or job. They may even help you get a job.

Keep a list of everything you do:By keeping a detailed list of what you do at each internship, you are able to use this for your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile. This can also come in handy if it's your job to update an intern folder or database.

Connect with co-workers on LinkedIn:If you feel comfortable enough start connecting with co-workers and your boss on LinkedIn! Make sure to personalize your message though! Just a simple greeting and opener and "I would appreciate connecting with you on LinkedIn", then sign your name!

What are you doing in the last couple of weeks in your internship? What are your go-to tips for your internship?

xoxo

Ace That Internship Part 1: Find the Right Internship for You
Ace That Internship Part 2: What to Wear
Ace That Internship Part 3: Interviews
Act That Internship Part 4: The Follow-Up
Ace That Internship Part 6: How to Gain the Most From Your Internship Part 1
Ace That Internship Part 7: How to Gain the Most From Your Internship Part 2