Making the most of your placement

How to make the most of your internship abroad

When travelling to a different country or a different place to undertake a work placement, it is vital that you make the most of the time that you have there, as you will not have that same opportunity again to do so.

I know that it can be a very daunting moment stepping into that work building for the first time, as it is normally something that you have never really experienced before. In my case anyway, I had never worked in an office space and was not used to working for such a large company. Granted, I have had jobs in the past, but these have been part-time jobs where I was comfortable and knew exactly what I was doing.

When enteringTimes of Maltahowever, I was completely thrown in at the deep end and I didn’t quite know what to expect.

Don’t expect to know everything straight away. I had never worked in editorial before so had never used any of the software or knew the terms for certain aspects in the industry, which often left me one step behind. But, do not be afraid to ask. People are there to help you and would not have chosen you for your internship if they did not think that you were capable of learning.

If you are struggling or want further guidance on something then ask.

I made sure that every single day that I went into work, I would work upon something new or try and better something that I had done the previous day.

This is where feedback is vital to your internship.

Don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor for any feedback on work that you have done. The best way to improve, is through the use of feedback. This is a great way to also establish a relationship with your supervisor and understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Every week, I will ask my supervisor the things I have worked well on and what could be improved for next time. This constantly allows you to better yourself and the work that you are doing. After, all you want to make sure that your voice and presence is heard, so what better by than by being proactive and ensuring that the work you are doing is up to their standard?

This will also show to your employer that you are keen to strive to achieve better. Team morale and focus is something that employers and businesses love to see evidence of. It means that they can have confidence that you will come to work every day and want to constantly improve and work to their best of your ability.

Always ask what you can be doing. You don’t want to be sat around waiting for inspiration to strike. Sometimes the best opportunities that I have had at the Times of Malta is by asking my supervisor what else I can be doing. When I know that I have completed all of my tasks for the day, I will look for something else to do. Again, this will show you as a proactive individual and make you seem more approachable for new tasks. If you never ask for something new, then your employer or supervisor may think that you are uninterested, or satisfied with what you are doing. They key is to never just be satisfied. Always push for more.

If you are with an agency and don’t feel like you are getting enough from your internship then let them know. It’s important that both parties are happy with the internship. Don’t be afraid of speaking up about something if you feel that the company you are working for isn’t providing you with the tools or work that you need

Try and explore as many avenues in your work place as you can.

As I was assigned as a features editor, I get the opportunity to look at a lot of content and get inspiration. But, by asking for more work to do, I have been given the chance to write my own content for the newspaper.

I can now say that I have been published four times so far in theTimes of Malta, which is something that I never thought I would be able to say.

This was down to me being open and honest at the start of my internship as to what my own strengths and weaknesses were. I said that I had a passion for music journalism, and within a week, I was given my first piece to work on – The Hottest French Music Artists of 2018.

This article was the first piece of writing I have ever written for a newspaper and I was incredibly nervous. However, challenges are something that you will face a lot during your life, so why not embrace them and turn them into something great? I can now use this piece as evidence of the work that I have done and I can build this into a portfolio,

I would never have had this opportunity had I not given them explicit areas that I enjoyed.

I didn’t want to settle and knew that I was capable of creating print-worthy content. Which I was right about.

Ask for a reference. It is vital at the end of your placement that you receive some form of feedback from your employer and the best way to do so, is to ask for a reference from either your supervisor or mentor in your department. This again will give you something tangible that you can give to future employers about the work that have done during your internship, rather than just giving them how you thought your internship went. Speaking to your employer and see what form of reference they can provide and how much feedback they can provide. Always ask for the most. You want to come away with the most evidence to build a future portfolio or curriculum vitae around.

Try and build relationships whereever you can. In my department there are a lot of us working towards the same goal, so try and make conversation or ask questions to them whenever you can. This will help to also break the ice on the first day. I met every single person on my team on my first day, which allowed me to get to know them as a person and let them also get to know me.

I also try and make conversation whever possible and also do not be afraid to join in conversation. Sometimes in an office environment, everyone is glued to their screens, so when someone strikes up conversation - utilise it and try and create a bond with the team. After all, you will be working with them for a very long time.

Because of the bond I have made with some of my team, they have decided to take me out for a leaving do during my final week in Malta.

I can truly say that I have met some amazing people in my internship and I think I have made a lasting impression.