Reflections on My Internship Experience
Beginning this internship felt overwhelming, especially as it was my first exposure to a professional work environment. Here are some key lessons I learned that may help others navigate this experience confidently and effectively.
1. Embrace Imposter Syndrome
It’s normal to feel imposter syndrome. Many interns enter a workspace filled with experienced professionals who seem established and confident in their roles. This transition felt especially daunting to me, particularly as I was moving from an academic setting where myself and my peers were on a similar level.
How to manage it: I found the best way to overcome and manage this was to use the wealth of experience around me to my advantage. Observe how professionals operate, interact, and manage their workloads. These insights will be invaluable when you start your first full-time role. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. When having conversations with people within the organisation, I quickly realised that they were human just like me and were most likely in a similar position to me at the beginning of their career. Therefore, people will be more than happy to offer guidance and advice. Even if a question feels basic, it’s worth asking.
2. Be Open-Minded and Say “Yes”
As an intern, there will be many tasks and skills that you either won’t know or won’t feel comfortable doing. It’s important to not let this self-doubt hold you back. Remember that as an intern, your number one goal is to learn as much as possible in a short amount of time. Others within the organisation don’t expect you to be perfect and will understand if you make some mistakes as, ultimately, this is the best way to learn and improve.
My experience: Before starting my internship with Future First, I had never used platforms such as Canva, CapCut or Mailchimp and felt unqualified to complete design and editing tasks. Initially, this was overwhelming, but I found that the best way to develop these skills was by practicing. While I made mistakes and had to redo some designs, I quickly became comfortable with these platforms and started to enjoy tasks involving them.
3. Overcome the Fear of Online Meetings
I initially felt some anxiety regarding online meetings, likely due to the unfamiliarity of them and brief negative experience of them during COVID. However, I soon realized that there was no reason to be intimidated. These meetings are simply opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share ideas. The more you engage, the more comfortable they become.
4. Adapt Your Mindset: Work Is Not School
The biggest initial mistake I made when beginning my internship was approaching it like university. At university/school we view work as something that is going to be marked and judged by others and something that has to be finished and submitted in time for a strict deadline. Approaching work like this also made me feel like I couldn’t ask for help and that the best way to learn was to try teach myself everything independently
What I learned: I quickly realised that work shouldn’t be approached this way. Instead, the professional work environment thrives on teamwork and that working together with people around you to complete tasks and asking for help/ideas is not only encouraged but expected. This collective work attitude was new to me and taught me the distinct differences and changes when leaving an academic environment and stepping into the working world. Ultimately, understanding this shift reduced my anxiety and helped me see that success in the workplace is built on collaboration, not solo efforts.
Final takeaways
This internship has given me the valuable opportunity to uncover key insights into the charity sector and understand what a career within it may look like. Through hearing and learning about the varying career paths and journeys people have taken both within the organisation and outside of it through our incredible alumni and employer volunteers, Future First has connected me with relatable role models that have equipped me with the knowledge and inspiration to pursue a career inside the charity sector and also various other exciting sectors. I’ve learned that the charity sector is filled with some of the most hardworking, selfless and kind people who truly believe in their cause and purpose. The work within it is both rich and fulfilling, knowing that you are part of a vital network contributing and fighting towards making a long-lasting positive change and impact on the world.
I leave this internship with a strong sense of excitement for what is next in my career and for the exciting possibilities awaiting me in the future. Starting out on your early career journey can feel daunting and overwhelming, but Future First has shown me that pursuing something you truly believe in and setting big aspirations for yourself can be deeply rewarding and fulfilling. The key is to seek out and speak to as many relatable role models as possible, be open-minded, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and say yes to as many opportunities as possible – especially the ones that feel outside your comfort zone.
