A Guide To Starting Strong: Beginning Your Internship
Did you know that nearly 70% of internships can lead to full-time job offers (National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2025)? Starting strong in your internship is crucial to making the best impression and maximizing the opportunity ahead of you. As you step into this new role, understanding what to expect during your first week and how to request necessary workplace accommodations can set the tone for your entire experience. In this guide, we’ll cover practical tips on clarifying expectations, navigating your workplace effectively, and ensuring that you utilize your internship to the fullest. We’ll give you the essential tools and insights to kickstart your journey with confidence and clarity.
Understanding Your Role
Before your internship begins, make sure you have clarifying information regarding your position, including your job title, responsibilities, working hours, and length of the internship. This ensures that you have a clear understanding of what will be expected of you. This may be in your initial contract, or may be something you need to request or align with your HR team or manager.
Preparing For Your First Week
Your first week can be overwhelming as you acclimate to the new environment. However, preparation can help ease this transition. Here are some strategies you can implement:
Research the Company: Familiarizing yourself with the company culture, mission, and values can give you a better sense of how to navigate the organization.
Connect with Future Colleagues: Before day one, try to connect with your supervisor, manager, mentor or other team members to establish rapport and ask any initial questions.
Organize Your Essentials: Create a checklist of items to bring, such as notebooks, a pen, your laptop, your access badge, and other necessary documents. This preparation minimizes chaos and ensures you're ready to tackle tasks.
Orientation and Training: Once you start, many companies will provide an orientation to help you understand the workplace dynamics, policies, and expectations. This will also allow you to connect with other interns and new hires.
Setting Your Goals
Consider your personal and professional goals for your internship. Having a set of achievable objectives in mind can create a sense of direction during your time with the company. Here are some examples of goals:
Enhance my skill set by adopting new tools or technologies.
Network and form connections with other interns and employees.
Network with colleagues to learn more in my field.
You might also consider meeting with your manager to align on short-term professional goals and ensure your daily work is supporting those priorities
Regular Check-ins
Establishing regular check-ins with your supervisor, manager, or mentor can help clarify expectations, effectively prioritize, and provide an opportunity for feedback. This can also ease any concerns that may arise as you manage your workload. Determine the best frequency for these discussions, whether weekly or bi-weekly, in person, over video conferencing, or with an asynchronous status tracker.
Communicating Needs
If you require accommodations to perform your best work, don’t hesitate to ask for them. Organizations typically have resources available, so communicate your needs as early as possible. However, it’s important to note that disclosure is always a personal choice based on your own needs and preferences. For more information on knowing how to disclose, check out our blog: Disability Disclosure: What to Know and How to Share.
Approaching HR: Familiarize yourself with your company’s ADA policies and contact your Human Resources department if necessary.
Be Direct and Honest: Clearly state how any necessary accommodations enable you to work more effectively.
For more information on how to request accommodations, check out our blog: How Do I Request Workplace Accommodations?
Building Relationships
Establishing titles and roles is only part of the equation; the connections you build during your internship can significantly enhance your experience and also build your network when the internship ends. Here’s how you can effectively build relationships:
Attend networking events or social gatherings organized by your workplace.
Ask your mentor or manager to shadow them in order to better understand their role and what your future roles could look like.
Follow up with LinkedIn connections to maintain relationships post-internship.
Learning to Adapt
Internships often involve a learning curve, and flexibility is crucial for success. Be open to giving and receiving feedback and adapt your approach as necessary. Here are some tips on how to adjust:
Stay proactive by asking for support when challenges arise. You can ask for resources, examples, or collaboration when needed to overcome the obstacles you are faced with and continue your learning and growth.
Approach tasks that may seem overwhelming one step at a time. Break down tasks into smaller pieces with time estimations and deadlines to make them more accessible. For example, breakdown a project over a week into smaller chunks with 30–60-minute increments and tasks.
Embrace feedback and keep refining your skills. Oftentimes, feedback can help us grow- if you’re not receiving feedback as frequently as you can, you can always request this from your manager or mentor.
Reflecting on Progress: taking time to reflect on your journey regularly can help you identify areas for improvement and acknowledge your accomplishments. At the end of each week, consider what you learned and how you can apply that knowledge moving forward.
Completing Your Internship and Next Steps
As your internship comes to an end, it’s important to exit on a positive note. Thank your supervisor and colleagues for their support, and express your interest in possible future opportunities. Finish any projects and prepare for an exit interview, if applicable. This could be a great chance to gather feedback, network, find out about full time job opportunities, and leave a lasting impression.
Reviewing Your Experience
Following your internship, jot down your thoughts on the total experience. What did you learn? What challenges did you face? This reflection helps cement the experience positively, shaping your future career pursuits.
Final Thoughts
The start of your internship is a pivotal moment that can shape your career. By addressing necessary accommodations, preparing for your first week, and continually clarifying expectations, you can maximize this opportunity. Now it’s your turn to take action! Prepare for your internship journey today and set yourself up for a successful and rewarding experience. Don’t forget to reach out and ask for help when needed, and enjoy the journey ahead!
References:
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2025, March). 2025 Internship & Co-op Report. NACE. https://www.naceweb.org/store/2025/research-reports/2025-nace-internship-and-co-op-report-and-dashboard/
