WRITTEN BY SAM BUSEKRUS
ASSISTANT EDITOR, BOOM BOX POST
In case you didn’t know, doing internships are GREAT. Not only are they a great way to get your foot in the door, they are also a great way to find out what you want to do. Last year when I was an intern at Boom Box, I always knew that I wanted to come back and work at Boom Box down the road. Luckily I got the opportunity a lot faster than I expected and now run the internship program! How full circle, I know! I think a lot of students in college and recent graduates know the importance of internships, but don’t know how to be a good intern. So, I’m going to give some tips on what I think makes a good intern.
Socialize!!! I know it’s hard….
You’re the new guy/girl at your company and it might be a bit awkward at first because you don’t know anybody BUT it is important to get to know your colleagues. One, it looks good when you’re genuinely interested in getting to know the people you work with. Two, being an intern isn’t just about getting your work done and doing that well. One of the most important things is to build relationships! Here at Boom Box, we always tell the interns how important it is to sit in with editors and watch them work. Go watch their work flow and ask questions if they have time! It’s a great way to learn.
Be a Sponge
This is a phrase that I’ve used my whole life in all aspects but especially sports. It piggybacks off my last point of sitting in with editors. As an intern, there is so much to learn. Everyone at your company is going to offer something different to learn. It might not always be about how to do a skill for your job. It might be how they communicate with their colleagues/clients or how they handle stressful situations. As an intern, you are going to get hopefully plenty of feedback. Make sure to take notes and put those tips into practice.
On another note, being a sponge means that you want to learn always. Do NOT be that intern who thinks they know it all or thinks that they have nothing else to learn. Even the most experienced employees are still learning!
Figure It Out
Asking questions are great. As an intern, you should be asking plenty of questions! However, don’t be that intern who keeps asking the same questions or asks things that you could figure out yourself with a little bit of effort. As an intern, you need to be able to problem solve on your own because once you’re no longer an intern, your bosses don’t want to be asked a million questions. They don’t have the time. You need to be able to do YOUR job because it is your job. Sure, there are cases where you need to ask questions but the first step is to see if you can handle it on your own.
Attention to Detail… PAY ATTENTION
You know how in life people say that it’s all about the little things? It is about the little things. Small details matter just as much as the bigger details in my opinion. Do you know how happy your boss is when they don’t have to remind you of something twice? SO HAPPY! Even if it is something super minor, it is important. Write things down, make notes in your calendar, whatever you have to do! Not just that though, I appreciate interns who get tasks done on time (which should be obvious… but here we are) and who are on top of things! In sound editing, you HAVE to pay attention to the small details so you might as well start that trend as an intern!
Enthusiasm
Being an intern sometimes sucks because you get stuck with tasks that you don’t want to do such as taking the trash out or running to get lunch. But, everyone has to start out doing these kind of things so your best bet is to do the best that you can at these tasks and do them happily. Be that intern who asks, “what else can I do to help?” I really appreciate interns who come in with a great attitude and bring positive energy to the office. This quality makes you very marketable for future jobs. Employers want positivity and team players!
I hope that these tips can help those reading this blog who are looking for internships. With these qualities, you will make a great intern candidate! Just remember that an internship is a job interview essentially. So, you want to give it 110% effort. If you are looking for a great intern program (and supervisor, that’s me…) feel free to apply at any time via this link to our internship.