This July, I began my journey as a Digital Content Creator intern on my first ever digital internship at a small company based in London. The company, TG Consulting, are an independent consultancy who specialise in breaking down barriers for young people in employment and education, with a focus on social mobility.
My experience so far has been such a great one, so I want to share with you my five top tips on how to make the most of your virtual internship experience.
1. Make good use of your university’s careers service when looking for remote opportunities
Your university will always want to help you find your first opportunity and get your foot in the door, especially in the current job market. If there aren’t any opportunities available, try contacting someone in your careers department for advice or for help crafting a future application.
Having a knowledgeable mentor for your journey will make it just that bit more bearable.
2. Work on your emotional intelligence
Depending on your role, working remotely will most likely mean relying heavily on virtual communications. This could include emails, Zoom meetings or WhatsApp group messages.
You’ll be surprised how much your body language, facial expression and tone of voice will have an impact on your team productivity. So, keep this in mind for any future video calls or virtual interviews you may have and consider taking a course on Lynda.com. First impressions count!
3. Pay close attention to your actions and others
Whether this is during your initial interview or on a virtual team meeting, the on-screen barrier that remote working brings can often mean missing small social cues. It can also make us less aware of how we are presenting ourselves.
By switching your focus between yourself and the camera, this will help raise awareness of your actions as well as those on the receiving end. It will feel unnatural at first, but I promise it will feel much easier after a week or so.
4. Listen to your body and mind
Working from home on a long-term basis is a new experience for most of us, providing an unclear division between what is work and relaxation. This can lead to us overworking ourselves at the expense of our mental and physical health. So always make sure to give yourself breaks throughout the day when you think you need them.
Find out what time of the day you’re most productive and make the most of it, leaving the rest of that time to relax and put your laptop away. It is more than likely that your employer will be open to flexible working outside your traditional working hours, so if this is something that you think might benefit you, bring it up to your employer.
5. Keep in regular contact with your colleagues/boss
Being an active and open member of a team has always been a valuable trait for any employer, as well as hugely benefiting those who are isolated working from home. It is now more important than ever to keep in contact with those you are working with, whether that’s keeping each other updated on the projects you are working on, checking in mentally, or asking for help when it’s needed.
Effective team communications are proven to be more valuable than ever right now, so take this as an opportunity to really develop them.
Are you interested in doing an internship? Find out more during one of our live sessions this September!
Sign up today!
About the Author: Katie Watson is a Digital Content Creator Intern at TG Consulting