Internships can help build your resume, give you valuable experience, and allow you to network with people in your field, both established professionals and fellow rookies. At Sachs Media Group, we welcome dozens of interns each year. Each individual brings something unique to our team, and we love helping them find and polish their strengths during their time as a “baby rhino.”

Here are five tips we share with our interns to ensure that they get the most out of their experience at Sachs Media Group:

1. Challenges Are Expected, But Come with a Solution

Interns aren’t expected to be able to solve every issue they run into, that’s why they’re here – to learn and gain valuable experience. However, when an intern brings a colleague a problem but no suggestions for a solution, it’s a missed opportunity for them. That’s why we encourage our interns to take initiative and seek out creative solutions to challenging problems – it’s the best way to learn.

2. Learn All You Can About Our Industry

An internship is a great jumping-off point to start a career in your chosen field. So while you’re here, take some time to get to know people in different departments and learn how they all work together to create a finished product. See how the industry functions in real life, not just as it’s described in a textbook. This will give you valuable insight when you become a fulltime member of the workforce.

3. Move From a Task-Oriented Mindset to a Goal-Oriented One

Sometimes an internship can seem like a pile of unrelated tasks that don’t add up to a bigger picture. That’s why we encourage our interns to shift that task-oriented mindset to one that is goal-oriented. In practice, this can mean learning how your news release or media pitch fits into the larger communications campaign and strategy. Whether the goal is to help pass favorable legislation or to generate more positive media coverage for our clients, every element of every project counts.

4. Be Available for New Opportunities and Projects

For many students, an internship is the first experience with the working world. It can be easy to get bogged down and overwhelmed with your assigned tasks. However, it’s important to be available to lend a helping hand wherever you’re needed. Practicing good time management and organization allows you to be available to take on more projects and become a greater asset to your team. For instance, when asked the question “are you busy?” by a colleague, responding with “yes, but what can I help you with?” opens the door for new learning experiences and opportunities.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Offer Insights

As a new intern, it can be easy to stay quiet during brainstorming discussions. However, one of the most valuable things an intern can do is be bold and offer insights. Our firm is never complacent about what we’re doing or how we are doing it, and we select interns with diverse backgrounds and experiences so we can benefit from their unique perspective on different topics. Sharing your ideas is a great way to show your interest and value to the team.

An internship can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a student’s budding career. And it’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to stop there – the ranks of Sachs Media Group professionals are filled with talented individuals who got their start here as interns. So take advantage of every opportunity, and keep these tips in mind! To learn more about our internship program, check out our Internship Brochure.