You Still Need to Shine in Your Virtual Internships
|
Posted By: Dr. Marcia Robinson on September 11, 2020 Written by Dr. Marcia F. Robinson at http://www.thehbcucareercenter.com Kudos to you for landing a summer internship during this pandemic. In all fairness, we wouldn’t have held it against you if you had not. It has been a trying year and having to abruptly leave campus, many HBCU students did not even get the chance to work with career services on campus on internship applications. Many companies also pulled back their internship offers or scrapped plans for internships all together. Others, like Bank of America, quickly envisioned and deployed virtual internships. As you jump into your virtual internships you might be asking yourself the question – What do I need to do to excel? Know that if you do the right things and be outstanding in your virtual internship, there can be several potentially great outcomes. The big benefit of your virtual internship? You are going to build your digital skills, your communication skills and your overall time management skills. All of which will be a boost for your resume! Even in a virtual internship you will still have opportunities to build a professional network, identify mentors, leave with letters of recommendation for a job well done or even get the ultimate prize – a job offer or the opportunity to return as an intern. To stand out and really excel in your virtual internship consider the following tips. Take your internship seriously and treat it like it’s a real job. The fact that you are in a virtual environment does not diminish the employer’s expectations. Sometimes interns forget that these opportunities, like campus jobs, are real work that offer non-trivial real work assignments. Employers expect real input. Impress your manager as if you were already an employee. Don’t think of yourself as ‘just” a virtual intern. Follow company guidelines especially for technology. Pay attention to company culture, dress code, virtual meeting protocols and company policies. Use time management tools. It’s appropriate to put ideas on the table. Despite how it might appear, most companies do not have all the kinks out of virtual internship programs. If you have suggestions to improve the process, put them forward. Use your initiative to ask for new assignments and to work on project teams. Remember, you are not in their line of sight daily, so someone might need a little prompting if you have time free to move on to the next project. Do your best work during your internship. Ask questions to clarify assignments and work longer hours if necessary to come up to speed and get your work completed on time. Be mindful of your time during your virtual internship day. Demonstrate your willingness to learn new things – video tools, virtual meetings, channels – and set stretch goals for yourself. Use the virtual internship to understand the business priorities for the organization especially during the pandemic. Internships are a great way to build a professional network of people in your preferred industry. Meet people and do informational interviews to learn about career paths from people who are doing what you want to do. Set up a LinkedIn account and virtually connect with the professionals you meet. This way you can maintain these contacts well after the internship ends. It also ensures others see you as an emerging professional with interests and goals. As your virtual internship winds down, do not be shy to ask about jobs in which you might be interested. If you excel in your internship, don’t be surprised if the employer approaches you about returning or with a potential offer for regular employment. Virtual internships can be a tremendous opportunity to get a foot in the door and find internships anywhere, but only if interns know how to really excel during the experience. Create Your Unique Email Alert for Jobs or Internships! If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Dr. Marcia Robinson
From Greater Philadelphia, PA Wilmington University class of 2019 Member Since May 2019 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Career Content
 |
FREE Spring E-Cards Available! 🌷Happy Spring! 🌷
🌷 Free Spring E-Cards Link: https://www.pinterest.com/shykerialifleur/spring-greetings
🌷 What to Write in Spring Cards for Professional Relationships Ar ...more
Shykeria Lifleur • 59 Views • February 20th, 2026 |
 |
What to Write in Spring Season Cards for Professional Relationships 🌷Happy Spring! It’s the perfect time to show appreciation to those around you. Spring is all about renewal, making it a great moment to send thoughtful messages to colleagues, clients, mentors, or your ...more
Shykeria Lifleur • 75 Views • February 20th, 2026 |
 |
Free Black History Month E-Cards 🌷Happy Black History Month! 🌷
🌷 Free Black History Month E-Cards: https://www.pinterest.com/shykerialifleur/black-history-month-greetings
Let’s Connect:
▶Website - https:// ...more
Shykeria Lifleur • 133 Views • February 16th, 2026 |
 |
Spending time in a GARAGE Build it Guard it Design it Man Cave itHow many different types of Garages are under construction as we read?
👷🏽♂️Architects
“ How much does an Architectural Intern make in Columbus, Ohio?
As of Feb ...more
How May I Help You NC • 482 Views • February 12th, 2026 |
Popular Career Content
 |
PAID, federal internships with the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative!The Washington Center Federal Diversity Internship Initiative Now is your chance to apply for paid fall internships with the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative! This is your once-in-a-lifetime op ...more
Reginald Culpepper • 41,966 Views • June 14th, 2017 |
 |
Today's Success Tip: Joachim de Posada says, Don't eat the marshmallow...yetWe were invited to the National Association of African Americans in Human Resource's reception held at the
Atlanta Marriott Marquis during the SHRM conference, and the gift/tip we walked away with w ...more
How May I Help You NC • 41,066 Views • June 29th, 2012 |
