asking questions + paying attention: It will often start with no one explaining you anything. If you don't ask questions, you won't learn. So start making notes of things you don't understand, and then LATER when your manager has time asking them. And then take notes on the answers too. People like explaining things, but not multiple times.
being curious: take an interest in how the work gets done, what people other than you do every day, how what your group does plays into the larger picture, etc. it'll help you do your job better.
being preemptive: looking for work and picking it up instead of being idle and waiting to be assigned because no one gave you anything to do. Assigning work to an intern can be tricky because people feel it has to be a not too easy not too hard goldilocks. Show that you're made of sturdier stuff.
Overall, interns are not infrequently more work for employees than they're "worth". Don't feel self conscious about this at first though (they knew what they were getting into) but make it clear and obvious that you're doing your best to learn the ropes and to become net positive helpful before the end of the whole thing. You'll gain more respect by being humble and being seen doing the work than being boastful about your skills. That'll also mean you might get an offer to come back as a full time employee.
As long as you're roughly following these, there's no need to be stressed. And you'll ensure that you're maximizing your experience, which is worth more in the long term than whatever measly pay they might be providing, because it'll help you get your next gig.
I'm sure you'll do great! Good luck!
5d ago
Related Recs
š
be early, dress like business casual until you know what the vibe is, ask people to get coffee with you and tell you about their jobs, bring lunch but maybe donāt plan to eat it. youāre going to do great
6d ago
š
Caveat is that Iāve only been in academic and nonprofit work settings but I hope this is generally useful:
If someone asks if you want to get involved in something, say yes! Even if you Donāt think itās quite up your alley. Worst case, you confirm itās not. Best case, you gain new skills/connections. An internship is a great time to try stuff on.
Other advice: take notes. Write down what youāre trained on (if possible), write down your questions, write down things that get mentioned that you want to know more about. If you have formal supervision, prepare a bit in advanceā bring your questions there!
Good luck, Iām sure youāll do great.
May 31, 2025
š
Not only could that mere 10 minute lunch be breaking labor laws depending on where you live, but the implication that you don't have value a couple months in is a huge red flag. They hired you, therefore you have value to them, and they are invested in your success. Either they're trying to play mental games early on to squeeze more out of you than is reasonable, or they're not doing their job in providing enough resources to get the job done under healthy conditions. Itās worth noting whether this is a company-wide culture issue, or if itās just your direct manager too.
I don't know the job or what the boss meant by 'work harder,' but it can take anywhere from 1 to 2 years to truly learn a job. Given that it's also your first 'real' gig, there's a whole other dynamic of getting used to a workplace environment, and it's their job to help acclimate you to it. Keep your options open, "manage up" (give honest feedback to your manager about how you feel), connect with your colleagues in the meantime to put pressure on management to change their ways, have your resume updated. If you're starting to burn out and you need to jump ship, it's best to have things in order already, so that stressful situation isn't made worse by feeling like you have to do even more stressful tasks in order to find something else.
tl;dr thatās ass.
May 11, 2024
Top Recs from @umbertogecko
Itās just a game I play. āHave you tried the monkey bread?? Itās sooooo soft on the inside and crispy on the outsideā. Not to brag but I win often :-)
May 25, 2025
1d ago
May 27, 2025