Intern Series: 5 Ways To Be Successful In A Hybrid Internship

Welcome back to the intern series! In my last article, I shared 4 practical tips to help you in preparing for your internship and the article before that, I spilled all my secrets on how to actually go about getting an internship.

This week, I’m getting into the subjects of remote and hybrid work.

Remote/hybrid work… This might be one of the biggest buzz words of recent after the many changes our society has gone through within the past couple of years. And whether you enjoy working from home or would rather be in the office, there are always ways to improve life in the office or working from your home “office”.

In this article, I’m sharing 5 ways to be successful in a hybrid internship based on my personal experience of conducting two rotations of fully remote and hybrid work as well as insights from other interns.

1. Build A Routine

As humans, we are habitual individuals and constantly seek “normalcy” or in other words a routine. And working in a hybrid work setting can in a way throw your routine off as you’ll have to interchange between your at home routine and that of the office.

What I have found to be helpful is finding those similarities within the differences.Everyone has those “must haves” throughout the day whether that be walking the dog in the morning, grabbing a coffee at lunch, or chatting with coworkers on break.

Just because you’re in a different environment doesn’t mean everything changes.

Check out Coach Nadia’s article on three things she learned about working remotely from home this past year.

2. Stay Organized

Nothing is worse than forgetting a document at home when you need it in the office or vice versa so be sure to stay organized. Whether you use physical folders, a digital planner or sticky notes–organization is key to success.

Check out the Beyond Discovery Coaching free Professional Development Plan eBook to help you get organized.

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3. Intentional Networking

Networking can seem so seamless when in the office as everyone is constantly bumping shoulders as they go from one meeting to the next or have lunch in the break room. But once you’re working from home it seems as if this connection is lost like your wireless signal (sounded much funnier in my head).

When working from home, don’t hesitate to ask colleagues to talk over a zoom “coffee chat” or even have a “zoom lunch”, it’s not the in-person contact that makes it normal but the people themselves!

Need some networking inspiration? Check out our 4 Simple Ways To Becoming Empowered In Your Networking Journey.

4. Ask, Ask and Ask Some More

When working remotely it can be daunting to ask that question that’s been on your mind but I assure you your managers and colleagues are seeking your questions to ensure understanding and engagement.

At times you may be the only one asking questions and you may feel behind the curve but actually you’re embodying leadership!

In a book I recently read it stated “ask questions yourself. This exhibits humility, a key leadership trait, and encourages others to join in” so ASK AWAY! (Becoming A Data Head by Alex J. Gutman)

5. Take Breaks

As I’m sure you're aware, sitting at a desk and staring at a screen for 7-10 hours is not ideal whether at home or in the office. So be sure to build those breaks into your routine. Whether that’s a 5-minute stretch with air squats (my favorite) or listening to music for a short amount of time, give that brain a break!

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