Internship, The Final Countdown

The technical skills that I've learned at Year Up that will add value to the company are my abilities to think on my feet with troubleshooting and to assemble and reassemble a computer with ease.  The skills that I'll probably display first are my tech skills.  I would need to show off my troubleshooting abilities and my knowledge of hardware.  Those are probably the most important skills that I've learned in tech class.

I'll probably work well under a really chill friendly manager.  One that doesn't talk down to his employees or isn't too strict.  I'm a pretty laid back person so if I had a manager that acted the same then things would be really smooth and would take a lot of pressure off of me.  

The soft skills I wish to develop are my speaking abilities.  I want to become more charismatic and confident when I talk and not come off as awkward.  It's something that I've struggled with at Year Up, but I believe if I'm put into an environment where I have to talk to people a lot then I should be fine.  The only anxieties I have are not knowing what to do during a problem or running into a situation where I feel pressured and I choke.  I'm not really one that does well under pressure.

I plan to stand out during internship by going above and beyond with my work.  I want to be the guy that people can rely on and turn to when they need help.  I also want to take every opportunity that comes my way so my work will be noticed. 

My plan for after internship is to try and earn a job.  If that doesn't work out then I'll try and find a job using my network at Year Up.  After I do find a job, I want to learn as much as a can there to gain actual work experience.  When I feel confident enough, I want to move to San Diego to work at Sony.

Internship tips

1)  Time management:  This is pretty self explanatory.  While being an intern, you'll either be really busy or have lots of down time.  What you do with your time is really important.  This leads to my next point.

 2)  Work fast yet efficient: This is something you learn in retail but it also applies towards internship.  You want to work at a good pace so people dont think you're a slow worker.  But, you also want to be efficient  and not miss any details.

3) Taking initiative: This will show to your manager and other colleagues that you're there to work and that you're hungry to learn more.

4)  Networking:  This is at utmost importance.  After your internship is over, you want to have established a good network in case you dont get hired. Making a large network during your internship can potentially lead to more job oppurtunities.

5)  Ask questions:  Dont be afraid to ask questions about something you dont know or something you're curious about.  This is how you learn more about your job. 

6)  Always have a notebook handy:  Keeping a notebook on you will be life saving.  You shouldnt rely on just your memory to remember meetings or what tasks need to be done.  Having a notebook on you will help you stay organized.

7)  Make yourself known:  Attend meetings and any social event that may be going on during your internship.  Make yourself known to your colleagues.  Also, making yourself known through your work isnt a bad idea either.

8)  Be enthusiastic about getting work:  Dont get mad if you're getting tons of work.  All it means is that your manager or colleagues trust you with handling the work so you better be appreciative. 

9)  Ask for feedback:  Asking your manager or other colleagues for feedback will greatly improve your work performance.  By knowing what you need to work on, you can make yourself a more well rounded intern.  Also, asking for feedback can help create professional relationships with colleagues.

10)  Learn from your colleagues:  Try and learn as much as you can from who you're working with.  You should be like a kid in a candy shop during your internship.  Learn as much as you can from whoever you can.  This will make you more valuable towards the company in the long run.

11)  Keep an open mind:  Try to keep an open mind about learning new things.  There may be some tasks that you may not like but after learning about it, you may end up loving it.

12)  Dont be a negative nancy:  Always come in with a smile even when you're dead tired or in a bad mood.  Don't let a bad day or anything affect your work or how you interact with your colleagues.