What are the most important skills (business/technical) and people that you have discovered in your internship? Is there a skill that you didn’t have before but realize that you absolutely need? Is there a person that you discovered that you definitely want on your side (besides your boss of course)?
I think the most important skills to have is the ability to take initiative, be a team player, and be open-minded. When I say take initiative, it means taking the first step to reach out to others whether it be for your work, personal goals, etc. Sometimes when you’re in a team with so many moving parts, there are times when you’ll have to manage upwards. Coming into any meeting, I have a prefilled document with recent accomplishments, updates, things I need approvals for, and questions. I had every document pre-linked to save time and make it easy for my boss or coworkers to find. Even though doing this meant more work for me, it let me stay ahead, show my manager I was a driver of progress, and made it easier for those around me which is my next point. If there’s any advice I have for an intern who doesn’t know what to do, just figure out a way to add value to someone whether it be asking a teammate if they need help with a big project or small task. People value those who take the time to help others, and they will do the same for you. My previous coworkers reached out to me when I started school again, advocated for me, and treated me as an equal, so I believe that being team-oriented helped me make the most out of my connections and summer.
I think the most important skill is the willingness to learn. In many jobs, you will constantly encounter something new or unfamiliar. It often comes down to the individual’s ability to figure things out and take initiative. For example, if it is a new software or tool, you have to be proactive by watching videos, reading tutorials, and asking questions to fully understand it. In several of the coffee chats I have had with MIS professionals, they always emphasize how valuable this skill is. Seeing it firsthand during my internship really helped me understand why they consider it so important. It showed me that being open to learning allows you to adapt quickly and grow in any environment. Over time, this mindset not only helps you perform better but also builds confidence in tackling challenges independently.
I think that one of the most important skills is to be able to ‘roll with the punches’. In the work that my company does, there is a lot of back and forth between us and the client. There are often things that need to be changed last minute, miscommunications, or things that simply do not work as they were supposed / expected to. I think it is very important to be able to be fine in the event that things are going unexpected. A lot of people tend to get wrapped up in what was supposed to happen, but in the professional world, it’s not really worth anyone’s time to be upset about the fact that things went wrong. It is important to just be able to collect your thoughts, and make a new plan of action in order to get back on track. This skill is one that I possessed before the internship, but it has given me a new perspective as to how important it is in a business.
I think that one of the most important skills I have learned over the course of my internship would be attention to detail. Sometimes, when working with multiple accounts, a lot of them look the same. It can be very easy to type something wrong or mess something up, so it is important to pay attention to your work. One skill I had to learn at my internship was Vulnerability Management skills. I did not have any prior work dealing with vulnerabilities, so I had to learn the basics once I started. One person I discovered that I would like to be by my side would have to be the other intern who ended up staying. I feel like we both relate well since we are both new, so we can definitely learn from each other sometimes.