5 Skills Every Intern Must Have

You have landed your ideal internship and are about to start work (or may have already started). You’re super excited, yet nervous about what to expect. 

Concerned about what to prepare? 

Yes, of course, you should do all administrative tasks the HR department has provided.

Although, how are you going to demonstrate the skills you so proudly spoke about in your interview? 

First, don’t fret.

Your employers have hired you because they believe that you’ll do great in your role.

You’re smart and competent. 

But, you still want to go in prepared and capable of handling any task delegated to you. 

These skills will compliment your existing skills (think cherry on top) and help you approach tasks the right way. 

It’s been about a month since I started my internship. I had a great learning curve. In this post, I’m going to share with you how I enhanced basic skills you need to succeed in an internship. Based on my experience so far, I will share 5 skills every intern must have.

What are we waiting for? Let’s get into it!

1. Administrative Abilities

As you’re  an intern, your role is comprehensive and all-rounded.  You will be asked to perform day-to-day tasks to support your team. Knowing how to efficiently work around deadlines while completing ad-hoc tasks is required.

How exactly do you do this?

You need to be able to anticipate needs and be detail-oriented. The sooner you familiarize yourself with company procedures and processes, the better off you’ll be. Be sure to remember instructions given the first time, synchronize yourself with your team.

When given instructions, always take notes! Just have your laptop open or you can even go old-school with a pen and notebook.

You also need to learn where you can find information and who to contact for specific tasks/documents. This way, you can effectively deliver on your tasks. You can always ask a colleague and make note of it for future reference.

These professional abilities will help you become more effective and organized, in turn facilitating a smoother work-flow for you.

2. Microsoft Office

Intermediate Microsoft Office proficiency is expected. You don’t have to be an “excel god” or a “slide master.” But, you are expected to know enough to efficiently perform your work tasks.

All companies use Microsoft Office products. More often than not, Outlook is used as an email platform. Learn how to navigate through the application, book meetings, manage a calendar, etc. Trust me… it will help! Remember to brush up on your Excel skills by attending free workshops offered by your school. If not, you can always turn to your next best friend, YouTube (because Google is your BFF and has acquired YouTube anyway).

Another great resource is LinkedIn learning. Check with your school for free courses. You can find a whole course dedicated to the area you want to master and some videos are even available offline!

If you’re skilled at the Office applications, work on efficiency.

To be efficient, you need to step away from using a mouse. There is a keyboard shortcut for everything.

I repeat…

THERE IS A KEYBOARD SHORTCUT FOR EVERYTHING.

I always find myself using keyboard shorts on Excel. It’s the best thing making your workflow seamless. Here’s a link of 54 shortcuts to help you get started.

Try to learn at least 2 keyboard shortcuts per week and ACTUALLY USE them. Practice makes perfect. The more you implement them, the better you will get at recalling them. It will become an instinct!

3. Problem-Solving

Don’t be a problem creator, be a problem-solver –  but NEVER be afraid to ask questions in the first place.

I understand, that’s easier said than done. So, how are you going to demonstrate your problem solving skills?

Brainstorm some possible solutions before you consult with your manager on the problem at hand.

This will not only help you practice your critical thinking and analytical abilities, but will also show initiative.

However, if you think ever there is a problem, it will most likely be a minor inconvenience – don’t even stress.

4. Communication

Communication is so important. Those who think communication is overrated, uhm… I got news for you, communication should never be overlooked in the workforce.

As an intern, managing your work load, asking questions, and learning is all derived from communicating effectively.

You may be given assignments from different departments and managers. This may also overlap quite often. How do you prioritize?

First, don’t make assumptions. Ask.

Communicate your workload with both managers/departments and ask for advice on prioritization. This is not a sign of weakness, rather a strength. This shows initiative and demonstrates your ability to ask for guidance when required. It also conveys that you’re keeping the company’s timelines and best interests on mind.

Additionally, always reiterate when given instructions to ensure that you’re on the same page. Remember to double check your work as well.

5. Data Analysis

In this day and age, data is everywhere. It is easily accessible and can be easily manipulated. No matter what your role or field is, you will ALWAYS come across data. You need to have those analytical skills in order to make sense of all those numbers.

To help gain some perspective, start with these questions:

• What are information are looking for?
• Where can this information be found?
• What databases should I use?
• Is this data reliable?
• Does this data make sense?
• Is this piece of information unique or is it consistent with other sources?
• What units is this data in?
• How can this data be best represented?
• Is this information relevant to my topic?
• What findings can I actually implement?

Again, practice makes perfect. The more you are exposed to data, the better you will get at analyzing it.

And that brings me to the end of this post.

Remember to enjoy your internship. It’s your opportunity to learn about the workforce, pick-up new skills, and explore career pathways! Always remain professional and ask questions.

So, how did you like this post? Are you an intern? What is your mantra for a successful internship?

Please share your thoughts with me in the comment section below or contact me on instagram @_reallifewithrainee.

I’ll leave you with that.