NullOffer

For those that have received an internship offer, this is a HUGE milestone.

It does not matter if it's a small or big company, tech or non-tech, it is a internship that will teach you how to work in a professional environment.

In the following sections, I want to cover what are some of the biggest lessons I learned during my internship / Co-op and how you should strive to make the best out of it.

Numero Uno: Return Offer opportunity

It's best to figure out if the company do return offers. Some companies unfortunately might not for the season and that's okay.

Why is this important? -- Because it will affect your mentality and approach to the internship.

No Return Offer

In this case, you want to focus on resume building and networking. Don't worry too much about deadlines and rather focus on the impact and quality of the work.

Since there's no return offer, why would you work so hard? Value your time and effort and focus on the long term goals. What are tech-stacks you can work on, numbers you can steal, network events you can attend, etc. Really try to beef up your resume for the upcoming seasons.

And lastly, do not forget! Simply enjoy your time there. If this is away from your hometown or school campus, make the most of it by exploring the city, meeting new people, and trying new things. You most likely won't have this opportunity again and you are probably still in your youth.

Mentality Shift

So you do have a chance for return offer. What are the top things we need to focus on?

1. Completion of project requirements

You MUST advocate for yourself and get a internship / co-op long project. This has to be something that takes multiple weeks to complete and impacts the business in some shape or form.

Annoy your manager if you have to, make sure to make it clear that you want a structured learning path and something meaningful to contribute towards.

2. Mentorship

Not all companies will offer an official mentorship program. In these scenarios, you want to LOOK for a senior member that you can vibe with and annoy to get you the best learning experience.

You will learn nearly 5x faster by simply just asking questions and getting answers. Staying silent and working on docs is good at the beginning but you need to unblock yourself as soon as possible.

"What if I'm being annoying?" -- You need to setup logical boundaries and communication. For beginners, I always recommend minimum 30minutes of self studying / problem solving before starting to write down your questions and concerns. "what is blocking you?", "what have you tried?", "What is something you should magically know that will help you make a decision forward?"."

3. Adhereing to deadlines and reasonable status updates

You MUST setup a weekly update with your manager AND mentor. They serve different purposes and you need to keep both in the loop.

Your manager is the main decider if you are coming back. You want to make sure you make a good damn impression to make that happen.

This means, you need to make their lives easier, give frequent updates, be proactive in getting things done, and overall creating a neutral or positive impression on the team.

Your mentor is an ADVISOR to your manager. You want to ALSO impress them as well. But compared to your manager, they are focused on your technical capabilities and learning capacity.

Can you take critism well? Do you ask the right questions at the right time? Are you able to pivot when needed? -- Yes, pivoting is a skill and happens quite often in the workplace.

Your manager decides your return based on your performance, your results, and your metrics. Your mentor will support that notion by providing feedback on the technicality and dynamic you provide to the team. Things your manager don't see day to day.

Internship / Co-op side quests

Networking

Yes, attend that networking session. You have nothing better to do. Meet new people, learn about the company, and understand the culture. -- Maybe the culture is shit and you don't like it.

If you are legal age, yes go drink. It's not that crazy

Events | Fireside chats | team-bonding

Attend the ones you are interested in. But no matter what, do not sacrifice your time that may jeopardize your project work. Your project work is the number 1 priority.

However, team-specific events should also be attended. This is a great opportunity to bond with your team and make a good impression.

Recruiters / HR

If you have the capacity and you are extroverted as hell, go talk to your recruiter here and there. They are still employees and can give you some valuable insights.

End of the internship

As you wrap up your internships, make sure to do a debrief with your manager and mentor. This is a great opportunity to reflect on your learnings and show your "learning capabilities".

Don't over-glorify, but things like "Kubernetes was so weird to get a hang off", "The Graphql subgraph wasn't too bad to setup", "I wish these docs were more detailed".

Lastly, a gesture goes a long way. In eastern culture, it's common to kiss ass by giving gifts. While this can be looked upon as cheesy and bribery, but a small box of chocolate (or alcohol :P ) for the team can create a strong impression.

Make sure to enjoy your time and also make the best of it outside of work hours. You are most likely paid hourly and you should be given ample time to complete your project. Go out and explore the city, try new food, go to the gym, and make sure you are not just working and staying home afterwards. That is so boring and reflects poorly on your health and mental state. At the same time, do not bring "too much energy" to the office. It's still a work place environment and you need to respect everyone's privacy and boundaries.

Back to Hell

As you go back to school, make sure to create a brag sheet of the project you did. Update your resume ASAP or minimally write down details so you do not forget. Add everyone's linkedin if possible and back to dumpster of a school you go. Do not show off your company swag if you went to a big boy name. Just wear it once in a while.