Hi everyone!
Considering that this is our last week of semester/internships I thought it was appropriate to share some of the things I have learned from my internship experience.
Check, Double Check, and Triple Check!
If there is one thing I have learned in my internship experience it is that you must triple check all work you produce. If your supervisor doesn't find a mistake in your work, the editor definitely will! It may not be grammar mistakes either, failing to stick to the style guides can also trip you up and it can be incredibly frustrating getting your work back with red lines all through it.
Don't be scared to ask questions!
Although it may be daunting to ask your supervisor questions all the time, it is the only way you will learn. Everyone has been in our position at the start of their career and they got to where they are now by asking questions and learning. Plus, asking your supervisor questions is much better then just guessing how to do something and doing it wrong.
Research all avenues before asking questions!
Although you should ask questions if you need, it is also important that you make sure you check that you haven't already been given the information. It is frustrating for your supervisor and embarrassing for you if you are asking a question that you either already have the information for or should know where to find the answer.
Take notes on anything and everything!
Lastly, make sure to take notes on anything and everything at your internship. This includes when your supervisor is dictating tasks for you to complete (so you can come back to it later), how to complete hard-to-do tasks, and just any interesting points you may need to look at later on. This has proved invaluable to me and saved me from having be taught how to do things more then once.
I hope this helps! Thanks for reading and good luck with your final reports.
Kate
3 comments:
Hi Kate,
I really liked this post! You made some good points.
I always asked questions on my internship, I kept apologising for my practical lack of knowledge at times but was told not to be sorry, that they prefer things to be done right the first time.
And also, looking back at some emails I sent during my internship, I have noticed a few typos, even though I swear I checked them!
Can never hurt to triple check!!
Hope you have enjoyed you internship and good luck with your report!
Verity
Hi Kate,
It sounds like you had a wonderful placement and learnt a lot! I agree with so many of your points and mentioned them in my own reflection. I think checking your work was one of the most valuable things I learnt, even though it should be an obvious one! I can be terrible with attention to detail. During my placement I feel like I improved a lot through initially making mistakes but then becoming more aware of what to look out for and identifying my own strengths and weaknesses.
Great post. Its nice to hear someone else who has experienced the same things! Good luck with your final report!
Kait
Hi Kate,
I couldn’t agree more with the points you have raised!
At the start of my placement I really dreaded having to ask my supervisor questions. But after a little while, I learnt to speak up, and by the end of my placement I was asking my supervisor an exhausting amount of questions.
I think asking questions helps to clarify whether you are on the right track or not, allowing you to work out exactly what is required. The first couple of days of my internship I didn’t ask a lot of questions (as I was still trying to settle in) and I often found myself on the wrong track. I cannot emphasise the importance of asking questions enough!
Also in regards to the other point you made about always taking notes. This is something I also strongly agree with. It can be very embarrassing having to re-ask questions. Therefore I always kept a pen and notepad handy when visiting my supervisor. There is nothing more disappointing than realising you have forgotten parts of what they have told you and having to go and ask again!
Thanks for sharing this!
Regards,
Sarah Koch
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