Tips for a Successful Internship or First Year - Reach for Greatness as You Build Your Skills!
Today employers look for more than just education when they recruit individuals for internships and full-time positions with their organizations. Here at Belden, we look for high academic achievement, demonstrated leadership abilities, and outstanding work experience.
It is not only important to you that you secure internships throughout your academic years, it is also important that you do well in those roles, approaching them with enthusiasm, an open mind, a willingness to learn and explore while producing results. Belden looks for successful interns to join the organization in full-time roles after graduation with the same mindset – you achieve goals and step outside the box to make decisions.
But you don’t have to start your Belden career as an intern. Our new graduate hires show demonstrated leadership during their educational years, high academic achievement, enthusiasm for our opportunities and our organization and want to continue learning and growing as they advance with our company.
In order to make the most of your internship and first year at Belden, here are some tips we would like to offer.
- Enjoy the opportunity to learn something new or to build on your education by applying skills you learned in the classroom to real on-the-job work projects.
- Meet regularly with your Assignment Managers, Leaders and Mentors.
- Set achievable project and assignment goals, along with personal goals to help you visualize and work towards end results that will give you a sense of accomplishment.
- Look forward to tackling all of your project deliverables and their associated tasks – every opportunity is a learning opportunity to stretch, and grow your skills.
- Don’t turn down an opportunity to learn something new – if you are offered a project or task outside of your normal comfort zone or outside of your function, grab the chance.
- Never be afraid to ask questions!
- Network and meet as many people as you can and showcase your accomplishments to your Assignment Managers, Supervisor, Mentors, and Senior Leaders. Networking can be very valuable as your career progresses through the years to come.
- Start strong, work hard, take the initiative to begin tasks without being approached first. Don’t wait for your supervisors and assignment managers to come to you with projects, tasks and projects. Go to them with ideas.