There’s a time to show off what you’ve got. There’s a time to admit your nervousness. There’s a time to accept responsibility for your action, even when you crossed a line you didn’t know was there. There’s a time to ask for help.
There’s a time to put on your big girl pants the morning after a rough day and do it all over again.
Some quick tips to remember while interning:
You can’t expect to know everything and be perfect the first day.
Mistakes help you learn.
Sometimes when you’re not confident, fake it.
Don’t fail to communicate.
For those who like specific examples, I have been juggling a couple writing jobs, one of which I land some pretty big interviews. It can be incredibly intimidating when you land an interview before you really know what direction you want to take the piece. It can be very scary. Working in forms you’ve never done before, starting something new and/or being thrown into situations you never thought you would is how you grow.
Don’t be scared. You will make mistakes. Show your boss or supervisor how you handle the mistakes you make with grace and professionalism.
If you’re still feeling nervous, learn to intern from Snoop Dogg (he wasn’t Snoop Lion yet).