Make it a point to meet with as many people as you can at the beginning of your experience. Set up short half-hour meetings or coffee breaks, and use this time to learn about people’s roles and how they got there. People will want to learn about your background, too, so make sure you have your elevator pitch prepared. Ask if you can connect with them on LinkedIn and then send a note thanking them for taking time with you. Talk to your manager about shadowing people in other parts of the office or business.
You can also ask co-workers for advice on how to best secure a full-time position or move forward with your own goals. Asking for advice has the dual benefit of you receiving some helpful nuggets of wisdom and letting people know you hope to stay with the company. Also take advantage of professional and social opportunities. For example, go to company picnics and industry happy hours, and invite other interns and entry-level full time employees to lunch.
Identify a go-to person
This might be your supervisor, or it could be a previous intern or someone in an entry-level role. Your goal is to find someone accessible, friendly, empathetic and willing to answer your questions about culture, politics, and protocol. For example, how to handle the fact that someone hasn’t responded to your email, what to wear for a particular meeting or event with clients, and questions about social norms or behavioral expectations. This person might also help identify good people for informational chats.
Observe the culture
In meetings, watch how people discuss sensitive topics. Take note of how your supervisor problem solves. Determine who runs the best meetings and what you think makes them effective. Who impresses you and who doesn’t? Decide that you want to learn from watching these people and think about how you’ll handle similar situations later in your career.
