6 Tips to Maximize Your Internship

Many organizations are changing formats for summer internship programs due to the COVID-19 crisis. According to a survey administered by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 42% of 350 employer respondents indicated that they are moving their internship programs to a virtual format, and 40% are reducing the length of their internship programs (data available as of April 29, 2020).

We talked to former CONMED interns about their experience at CONMED in the summer of 2019, and how they recommend interns at CONMED and elsewhere can make the most of their experiences.

Here are 6 tips to maximize your internship experience this summer, no matter what form it takes.

1. NETWORK

During your internship, it’s important to network and build professional relationships with employees on your team, and those working in other departments as well. When meeting someone new, ask them questions to learn more about their role. According to Alex V., who interned in Quality Engineering, “When you’re in college the best thing you can do is to network with different people because the more people you know, the more opportunities you will get.”

If your internship is virtual, you may be wondering how you will network and form professional relationships within the company without being onsite. There are many ways to interact virtually! For example, you can set up virtual coffee meetings with your team members and other employees you’ll be working with. This is great way to get to know everyone and learn more about their role.

Another great way to network is via LinkedIn. Connect with employees and send them a thank you note after they’ve helped you with something.

2. WORK HARD
If you dedicate yourself and work hard during your internship, you’ll likely get a lot out of it. It’s important to put forth your best effort, whether you’re working on your major project or another assignment. Be thorough in the work that you do and be willing to go the extra mile. Several former CONMED interns told us that time flies by during the internship and it’s important to give it your all so you can leave a lasting impression.

During a shortened or virtual internship, it’s especially important to remain diligent and focused on your assignments – whether that’s something general like completing optional training sessions, or more specific like a task your supervisor asked you to complete. Remember that even a virtual or shortened internship is a chance to showcase your abilities and commitment to learning, growing and making a contribution.

3. BE ENGAGED

Make sure you are focused and actively listening during meetings to ensure you understand what’s going on. Audrey S., a former R&D intern, suggests, “Be available and open to the opportunities those around you provide, by letting everyone know that you’re following along and are interested in what’s happening around you.”

If your internship is virtual, make sure to be active and engaged during virtual team meetings and be willing to share your ideas. If you’re not sure how to speak up during a virtual meeting, ask your supervisor or a team member for feedback and advice.

Another way to show your engagement during virtual meetings is to volunteer to take notes for the group and save them in a shared location so people can refer back to them later.

4. EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Your time as an intern is limited, especially for shortened programs, so it’s important to take advantage of the time you do have to take in as much knowledge as possible. While it’s important to learn about your specific role, it’s also important to learn about the broader workings of the company and how a business works in general. Ask your supervisor if you can sit in on meetings or shadow different members of your team to learn more about other roles within the company.

Many former CONMED interns also advise to take advantage of the resources and trainings that are provided throughout your internship to maximize your learning experience. Resources may include professional development workshops, webinars, panel discussions, or online trainings. Take time to incorporate what you learn from these resources into the work you do throughout your internship.

5. ASK FOR MORE

There may come a point during your internship where you finish an assignment and you’re unsure of what to do next. Take the initiative to reach out to your supervisor or a team member to ask for another assignment. Volunteer to work on projects or assignments where you feel you’ll be able to contribute. Be willing to take on an assignment or project that’s a bit different than what you’re used to. Thien V., an R&D intern, suggests, “Ask around and take anything for work. The more you work on, the larger your knowledge of your role you'll have.”

During a shortened internship, you may work on many smaller parts of bigger projects. As you take on small scale projects and assignments, remember that doing many of these throughout your internship will still add up to a lot of great experience. At first, you may not understand how what you’re working on fits into the bigger picture, and that’s okay! Keep taking on assignments and you will start to build a better knowledge and understanding of your contributions.

6. ASK QUESTIONS

Throughout your internship, you will be introduced to new topics and concepts that you may not be familiar with. It’s completely okay if you don’t understand something because the important thing is that you learn. While your supervisor poses as a great resource for your questions, Jenna R., a Manufacturing Engineering Intern, explains, “If you don't understand something, you can ask people in any correlating department, not just your supervisor.”

If your internship is virtual, ask your supervisor to identify other team members who you can reach out to with questions, and what communication platform they recommend using (e.g. Skype, Email, text, etc.). You can also schedule a daily call with your supervisor, mentor, or another team member and dedicate the call as a time for you to ask any questions you may have.

While asking questions is very important, it’s also important to be resourceful. If you do have a question or run into something challenging, try to come up with a few solutions on your own before asking someone else for help. This will show that you’re capable of brainstorming your own answers to your questions and you don’t only rely on others to figure it out for you.

Internships are an exciting opportunity that allow you to further your professional development and plan for your future career. In order to maximize your internship experience, you must be willing to put in the effort. By trying out these six tips, you'll increase the likelihood that you will get the most out of your internship, no matter what challenges you face!

To learn more about internships at CONMED, check-out the Internship Section of our Career Site. We encourage you to also join CONMED's Talent Community to learn more about the company and receive job updates when positions open that match your area of interest!