Congratulations! You’ve landed a remote internship! Now what?
Internships are a great way to transition from going to classes and participating in lectures, to getting hands-on experience in your field and applying what you’ve learned. As a college student, an internship serves as a steppingstone to your dream job and exploring different industries within your field. Working remotely does not have to sound like a boring task. There are several things to keep in mind throughout your internship to ensure that you get the most of it while still working remotely.
Communication is Key
Communication is important in any job but even more important when the internship is remote. Make sure to establish preferred methods of communication with your supervisor early in the game. There are a number of ways to keep in touch; whether it be a phone call, texts, emails, or zoom meetings. If email is the source of communication, ensure that you are replying in a professional manner and within a reasonable amount of time. As an intern, you will be learning many new things, so you must communicate with your supervisor if you have any questions on a project or if you need an extension on something because life happens.
Have a Designated Workspace
Something you should consider while having a remote internship is creating a designated workspace. Remote internships can be new and stressful at first, but it helps if you can separate work from home and still have your own space where you can relax after getting work done. This could mean upgrading from sitting on your bed to sitting a desk or kitchen table; somewhere where you can have space for your stuff with a comfortable chair to sit in. If the kitchen table doesn’t work for you, try something else, that is the beauty of working remotely. Not everyone works the same or gets work done the same way so just do what works best for you.
Create a Schedule That Works for You
One of the benefits of a remote internship is that you have some freedom when it comes to when you need to get your work done. Procrastinating is something we all do; creating a structure that works for you will ensure that you will stay on top of deadlines/assignments. If you have a part-time job, design a schedule that works for both your job and your internship, that way you can make the most of both.