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The Construction Intern Survival Guide: Seven ways to begin a successful internship

Summer is here and, for most students, that means a break from school and some fun in the sun. For others, it represents a dress rehearsal for the working world that starts with participating in an internship. If you’re reading this, you are most likely the latter, and the following guidelines are for you.

You only have one shot at a first impression. By considering the following seven guidelines, you can position yourself to get the most out of your internship and your future career in the construction industry.

Here at Cupertino Electric, we host a handful of interns at our three California-based offices every summer. After years of helping driven students jumpstart their careers through internships, we’ve learned a lot about what makes a successful intern:

1. Come prepared

Teddy Roosevelt had it right when he said, “It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself. But he can put himself in such shape that when or if the opportunities come he is ready.” Your internship is an opportunity, and, like any opportunity, it’s up to you to make the most of it.

You have to be ready for varying work environments. On any given day, you could be in the office or on a jobsite, so dress accordingly. Bring everything you need for touring an under-construction high-rise project, as well as attending a last-minute business lunch with your superiors. Always keep a pair of boots with you—they are essential when visiting a jobsite.

2. Don’t assume

Your perception of the industry may not align with the company culture you experience during your internship. You may think the construction industry is more laid back or informal, but that isn’t always the case. Before you drop your guard and start calling everyone “dude,” make sure to get a feel for the company culture and conduct yourself accordingly. (Think Steve Carrell in the famous Office episode where he insisted on meticulously “mirroring” the behavior of those he wanted to influence).

3. Give respect, gain respect

Going out of your way to show respect is one of the easiest things you can do to make your internship a success. You can learn something from everyone you encounter throughout your summer experience. You may not know it, but the person next to you may have 20 years of experience and can be a wealth of knowledge. Being disrespectful to those you don’t think are important may be the most damaging mistake you can make as an intern. An easy way to garner the respect of those around you is to remember first names. It’s an easy way to show that you take people seriously and care about your interactions with them.

4. Don’t get overwhelmed

The amount of information you are expected to process is going to be overwhelming. Take good notes. No one is expecting you to know everything right off the bat.  It’s all about your willingness to learn, not your knowledge up front. That’s why you’re an intern. Use Google for all it’s worth, if you hear terms or ideas you don’t know or understand. Keep a list of terms and, at the end of each day, use Google to research any puzzling items you have encountered.  By employing this simple trick, you can get all the information you need, learn more specialized information while with your superiors and keep from wearing them out with a million questions. Which brings us to our next point...

5. Ask questions (but don’t overdo it)

Once again, no one is going to fault you for not knowing everything about a given task. Ask questions when you need to, but make sure the questions you ask aren’t something you couldn’t find yourself through a bit of research. The full-time, construction professionals you work alongside during your internship are very busy. Respect their time and try to make your interactions as valuable as possible.

6. Own your mistakes

You’re going to make them. Whether big or small, it’s always good practice to fess up quick and work through issues. You’ll learn a lot and gain more respect than you might think by being honest and humble about any mistakes you make.

7. Every experience is a learning experience

There will be things you may not understand or may not particularly enjoy while going through your internship, but don’t let that define your experience. In most cases, interns don’t fully realize the impact of their time spent until later in college or until they start their careers. Internalize everything and enjoy the experience for what it is.

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