Posted by John Vinson

Summer internships can be some of the greatest experiences you’ll ever have, or the worst. Many times the factors which decide the outcome are outside your control. This article isn’t simply meant for those taking part in an internship, but also bosses who have interns working for them. Whether you’re an intern, or have an intern on your staff, you have to make the most out of the experience. As you might just be surprised with how fortuitous the outcome can be.

For the Interns

If you’re an intern, you’re probably reading this while in your late teens or early 20′s. Life is ahead of you, and the sky is the limit. You might be looking at your summer internship as just something to get past, or simply slap on a resume. Alison Green, of USNews,provides some wonderful tips on how to make your summer internship more than just something to get through.

When you’re going through your last day, be sure and leave thanking everyone you worked with. Establish ties which can later be used in your favor. You never know when planting a seed will help you in the future, so be sure to keep all the work relationships you established healthy upon departure.

Being young, you might think you know everything. However, you have faults and strengths just like everyone else. Talk to your manager, and receive criticism about your time working at your internship. Discovering faults and improving upon them can be one of the greatest blessings you can receive from an internship.

Finally, always be sure to list everything you were responsible for at your internship when writing up a resume. Much of the reason you’re at your internship is to receive real-world experience. Use this experience to your utmost advantage. You never know what a potential employer might see on your resume, that could lead to a potential hire.

For the Bosses/Managers

Grooming, teaching, and even learning from an intern can bring about some benefits you never imagined possible. Of course, there’s just as good a chance some glaring negatives will come about from a summer intern as well. The important thing to remember is keeping an open mind, and being patient. Try and remember these important tips.

Interns are young. Being so, brings about a long list of positives in negatives. Young people are impetuous, gung-ho, impatient, and many times will think outside the box compared to your paid employees. The key for you, as a manager, is to groom your intern by accentuating their positives while rebuking their negatives. This can be a tight rope to walk, as addressing faults with young people can become tumultuous. Just remember – be patient.

Just as the tip listed above for the interns, keep the lines of communication open after an intern’s time is up. Valuable resources can come from all sorts of places in business, and interns can become a part of that equation. You just have to make sure you are able to utilize that resource, and draw upon it in the future.

Whether your an intern yourself, or a boss hiring an intern, be positive about the experience. There might be little to no money being paid out, but that doesn’t mean there’s no investment in the endeavor. Keep an open mind, be patient, and keep communication lines open, and you might just have an awarding experience for years to come.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 am and is filed under Career, Employers, Jobs. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author: John is a staff writer for WebProNews.