Things have been so crazy (but extremely fun) at work. So happy to have a job that doesn't make me want to look at the clock every 5 seconds!
Garment bags, tag guns, spreadsheets... oh my. ;)
It's safe to say that I love where I'm at. I, Jonna Hyatt, am having a "I'm feeling freakin' blessed" moment.
It's okay, you can have one too! <3
For today's post, I'm going to discuss some tips with you all that are also doing internships! Internships are the perfect time to LEARN, while working hard in the process.
I recommend every college student to take part in an internship. Whether it is in your field of study or not, it is always great to explore your options.
Me? I went into college thinking I was going to follow in my family's foot-steps and join the ever so lovely field of education (that wasn't sarcastic) to become a high school counselor.
While I'm not shutting out the idea altogether, my point is this: I'm in NYC working with fashion, PR, marketing, and merchandising... and I'm having the time of my life.
I'm working my tail off, and I'm soaking in every fabulous second of it.
I'm going to stop talking about how fantastic my internship is, and I'm going to turn to the subject at hand. I'm going to throw down some tips here for those of you who have yet to experience an internship.
Here we go...
1) Be open-minded!
- Be willing to do whatever it takes (within your moral code, of course) to get the dream internship you want. Where that is putting together a portfolio, a personal interview, or showing off some of your latest work. Employers are looking for people who are willing to go the distance, so when something is asked of you... brainstorm and take it a step further.
2) Prepare for it like you would for any other job interview.
- The word "internship" does not make it any less of a "job." An internship IS a job, but it is also a learning experience. So yes, get together a resume, cover letter, and dress your very best, because internships are extremely important!
3) Be okay with working for free.
- The majority of internships pay you with knowledge and experience, and that is ultimately the best payment you could ask for. Because once you leave the internship in your field of interest, you're ready to conquer a full-on career (with $$$ involved). ;)
4) Understand that the ultimate objective is to learn.
- Referring to what I said above, understand that you're going to take so much from the experience of an internship. From learning that it isn't the right field for you, or if you want to look into a career exactly like it, by the end of your internship you will have grown as a career-seeking individual.
5) Expand beyond your home state.
- Do what I did! Come to NYC! Just kidding. Well kind of, since it's the place for me, it might be for you too. But my point is: don't just look in your surrounding area. You'll be limiting yourself more than you realize! There are so many opportunities and occupations you probably haven't even heard of, so get on Google and explore a little. ;)
6) Keep your social media profile appropriate!
- We've all had that fun, happy-go-lucky night that somehow made it's way to the Facebook news feed. Well, if you are fortunate enough to see it before everyone else does, delete it, block it, report it... whatever you have to do to keep your profile looking squeaky clean!
7) Understand that you're probably going to have to do a lot of the stereotypical intern "grunt work."
- Don't get me wrong, you'll probably have a great time at your internship, but have a good attitude when you're asked to do unappealing things (take out the trash, clean, watch someone's kids, etc.). If you suck it up and put a smile on your face, I promise you, it will give you good karma!
8) Don't let your major define your choice of internship.
- I managed to change my major just enough for it to make sense with what I'm doing, but don't let your field of study determine everything. If you're feeling a little uncertainty about your major, use an internship outside of it's circle to help you explore what is out there!
9) Be open to constructive criticism.
- This is the part most of us struggle with. We feel that if our boss tells us that we need to re-do or change something, that they hate us and our life is over. This is not true. Your boss is only saying these things for the benefit of the company, and for you. If you're boss just went around and didn't tell you what you were doing wrong, you would, essentially, learn nothing.
10) Remember: Internship bosses are important people. They will be who your next employer reports to for when you are in the interview process for a job.
- One mistake that is usually made: "Oh, I'm not getting paid, so I can work like it." FALSE FALSE.... mega FALSE. Work your tail off, because your internship boss is actually your BOSS, so work like you're getting paid $100,000 a year... because trust me, the reward will be sweet!
11) Work hard without expectations.
- Don't go into a project thinking, "Oh yes, I cannot wait to get praised for how well I did on this!" You'll be setting yourself up for disappointment. I'm not saying you won't ever receive a compliment from your boss, but they are extremely busy people. The last thing they have time for is to ensure that your ego is at an all-time high. So settle down, and work your tail off for the benefit of yourself and the establishment you're working for.
12) When looking for internships, explore other avenues for finding them (*cough* social media *cough*).
- Well, for example, I made contact with my employer via Twitter. This could be the case for you too! Just check out profiles of influential people who are working in a field you're interested in. Or if you're like me, just check who has followed you recently. You'll be surprised! So case in point: social media is NOT a bad place to look for job. You never know until you try it!
13) Make sure that it is a field that you are interested in.
- If you're not interested in you're internship and you're working for free? You're setting yourself up to do rather poorly and frankly, you'll probably be in a bad mood the majority of the time. You don't want a job where you are always waiting for 5 o'clock to roll around. Look for your PASSION!
14) Understand that not every day is going to be a "walk-in-the-park."
- Sure, you'll have good days. Great days, for that matter. But prepare yourself for when things are hectic, no one is making sense, and you have no clue what you are doing. Learning comes with struggle, so understand that you are new to the field that you're working in, so there is no way that you can know the answers to everything. Just breathe, learn, laugh it off, and work even harder.
15) HAVE A FABULOUS TIME!
- This is the best part of doing an internship! You get to learn, grow, and have a blast while doing it. If you find a occupation that truly inspires you... I promise you, you will not be disappointed.
So, my dears, go out there, explore, and get yourself one heck of an internship! Oh, and come visit me out in NYC while you're doing it ;)
Much love, dream big.
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