Technical Skills for Internship

I have learned a lot and I have been exposed to so much in the past 4-5 months at Year Up. I have improved my technical skills in the areas of providing technical support. I have been introduced to the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Python) by some of the best programmers in the Silicon Valley. I earned high grades in my Computer Networking and Information Technology courses and I received hands on experience and training using the entire Microsoft Office Suite, Google applications such as, Google Docs and Google Groups. As a Quality Assurance student I have learned a lot about the Software Development Life Cycle, testing software and websites, as well as, creating websites using HTML and the LAMP stack. I believe that all of the above will be skills that I will use daily at my internship and possibly on the very first day. 

As I am approaching the end of Learning and Development phase and entered the Internship phase I am getting really anxious. Now that I know which company I will be interning at and what my role will be, I have to opportunity to research the company and speak with my tech instructor about anything I am unclear on.

Top 12 Keys to Internship Success

I recently read an article from Quintessential Careers called Making The Most of Your Internships by Randal S. Hansen. This article discusses the 12 ways that college students can maximize their internship experience. I have decided to rank these 12 tips according to their importance and I will offer a short explanation of my thought process.


1. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

I ranked this tip number one because asking questions is so vital, especially in an internship. We are not expected to know everything about our roles, but what will make the difference in our performance is asking questions. Internship is supposed to be a learning experience and a closed mouth will not get feed.

    2.  Leave with Accomplishments

This is very important because your accomplishments are something that can go on your resume. In the future, when I am seeking employment I want to be able to have two or three accomplishments from my internships that will show employers that I had a really meaningful internship experience. I will be sure to keep a journal of the tasks that I completed while at my internship and in my off time I will try to improve those skills at home.

    3. Set Personal Goals

I ranked this 3^rd on my list because when you work with a goal in mind your work has a purpose. My personal goals for internship is to learn as much as possible, and pursue every opportunity to learn more about the company, and grow my network.
4. Tackle all Tasks with Enthusiasm and Positivity

It is very important to be excited about your work, otherwise your managers will get the idea that you don’t like the work that you’re doing and that you are not open to learning more. Showing a positive attitude and enthusiasm about your work will show and people in the office will be excited about your performance and trust you with more work.
5. Schedule Regular Meetings with Your Supervisor

I wish I could have ranked this tip higher, because this is extremely significant. I plan to schedule meetings with my manager to check in and get feedback about my performance.

    6. Avoid Negativity

Point-blank, no one wants to be around a co-worker with a negative attitude about their work or their life. I know for a fact that I am a positive person, so I don’t think I will have a problem in this area. 
7. Find A Mentor

I have heard from many different sources that having a reliable mentor is key to on the job success. A mentor is a good person to bounce ideas off of, and a mentor can introduce you to the right people and grow your network.

    8. Get Exposure

I am still new to the technology career and it would be really beneficially for me to get as much exposure to the field as possible. I will be meeting people outside my department, and in my downtime trying to gain more experience in all areas of technology.

    9. Network

I decided that Networking was not one of the top tips to make the most out of an internship. I feel as though this would come naturally. As long as you do a great job and show reliability, your reputation will open up these networking opportunities. I will be sure to seek out career advice and guidance in the form of a mentor, and meet people in the technology industry during internship.

    10. Learn about the company

In my opinion learning about the company during an internship is not very important. But after reading this article I decided to rank it a little higher. I believe that employers will see your eagerness to be involved in company policies and business; also other employees may grow to see you as a member of the team already.

    11. Enjoy Yourself

It is important to me that I enjoy myself while I work. I believe work and fun should go hand and hand in an ideal world. I will try to make the tasks that I am presented with fun, educational and meaningful.

    12. Take Initiative

I ranked this last on the list because I truly believe simply by showing up to the internship that we will be taking initiative. To me, taking initiative means going above and beyond to get the job done with quality in mind. I am not a slacker, I am a hard worker and I plan to take this mindset with me to whichever company I get placed with.

Here is a link to Randal S. Hansen’s article: www.quintcareers.com/internship_success.html