8 Things Every Intern Should Know: Insights from Experience to Experts

            Though most summer internships have wrapped up, fall co-op students are still going strong, and the race to secure next summer’s opportunities has just begun. The grind never stops!

            After months of applications, résumé revisions, and rounds of interviews, it might feel like your work is done once you finally land an internship. But that’s just the beginning! Once you get your foot in the door, it’s time to capitalize on the opportunity. It’s not just about having the internship on your résumé—it’s about the big picture: everyone you meet, the skills you learn, the professionalism you develop, and, most importantly, the connections you make.

            Surrounded by veteran employees while you’re most likely the youngest one there, your first day in any office is guaranteed to be daunting and it’s easy to feel lost. Working in a small branch with only one other intern, the feeling of intimidation and unfamiliarity was something I had to navigate on my own. As I tackled different projects, I remained flexible, learned on the fly, and am so happy with how things turned out—but I wish I had started with more defined professional goals and advice on how to make the most of the experience.

            After completing my four-month term, I wanted to share the knowledge I wished I had before stepping into a corporate environment for the first time, so you can start your next position more confident and less overwhelmed! Plus, as a first-time intern, there’s obviously still so much for me to learn. That’s why I partnered with my Branch Operations Manager (BOM), Meghan Kennedy, who mentored me throughout the summer and positively shaped my experience, to pass on her advice to future interns as well, after having to work with (or deal with, ha-ha) me all summer!

            By way of introduction, Meghan has more than 10 years of experience in the financial industry as a People Manager leading retail branch teams and most recently, as the BOM leading a team of more than 20 associates within RBC Dominion Securities. She has led teams across Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, and has a passion for assisting clients to achieve financial success and coaching her teams to reach their career goals. Meghan is a UofA Alumni, having earned a Masters of Science in Coaching and Athlete Health, and she also completed a MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads University. She is a lover of running, mountain adventures, pretty pumps, captivating books and early bedtimes!

My Manager, Meghan’s Advice:

1. You will get in what you put out. 

            Your internship experience is an opportunity for learning and development, and it requires you to put in a level of effort. The level you put into learning and growing is what you get out. When you take on a challenge to learn a new skill and be engaged, you will quickly learn the tasks and complete the projects which is rewarding for your employer and for yourself. 

            On a different level, the effort output into networking in the office, meeting new people and making valuable contributions will be matched by those around. A tale of two Interns… a former employee only did the tasks they were asked and did not make connections with other colleagues around the office was only afforded the opportunities on the task list, whereas a recent employee took completed tasks on the list, was creative in those seeing how those tasks would benefit others, and then made the connections around the office has colleagues knocking on the door looking for this employee’s time.  

2. ‘No’ is the worst that can happen.

            I know… being vulnerable and putting yourself out there to ask is hard, but if you don’t ask, you will never know. If you need to write it down or practice in the mirror before you ask, do so. You are a new set of eyes and bring a different perspective, so employers are looking for your ideas. It could be as simple as asking to show your colleagues an efficiency in how you do a task, asking to update the business’s marketing platform, or creating a new newsletter for the team. One of the attributes I appreciated most about Camryn was her willingness to make suggestions and bring new ideas to the table. Because she asked, several Advisor teams at the branch were able to benefit from her creativity and expertise with our marketing tools.  

            Your original idea or suggestion might not be the outcome, but it will kick start the proverbial juices flowing and bring in the right stakeholders to make adjustments or changes. And yes, sometimes the answer will be no. If that’s the case, ask why… maybe it’s not in the budget, or this is the trial run of a new process, or your idea has already been presented. Get some understanding and go back to the work because the next idea or suggestion is only an “ah ha” moment away. So, go ahead… ask!

3. Feedback is your friend. 

            If you are here, you probably took the time to read Camryn’s previous blog about perfectionism and how difficult it can be to accept criticism. First, feedback should rarely be considered criticism. Criticism focuses on disapproval or faults or mistakes, and by no means is supportive to an Intern in the infancy of their career journey. Feedback, on the other hand, has 2 parts: (1) the positive feedback because you have done something well, learned a new skill, or your work was greatly appreciated; and (2) the constructive feedback, which is meant to help you become more effective in your role and will likely come with the offer of support in getting there. While it can be hard to hear something wasn’t great, it should take a moment of reflection and then move forward. Remember, they took the time to give you feedback because they want you to be better!

            One of my priorities for Interns at RBC DS is a bi-weekly check-in to understand their experience–what are they working on, what is going well, and what is a challenge. It is also an opportunity to provide feedback. There is only one purpose for this feedback, positive or constructive, and it is to improve their experience and support them in meeting their goals and developing skills they can take back to school and to future employers.

4. Be mindful of the professional (or type of) environment. 

            While most of my experience comes from a professional financial industry environment, I know there are so many different types of work environments, so adjust this to match yours. The environment includes a number of different elements in which employees work and impact them. Some of these conditions may be obvious or laid out for you, and others may be unspoken and require a watchful eye. The company’s values are a great place to start–does the company put clients first? Do they prioritize diversity and inclusion? Is collaboration a foundation? 

A few more places to take your queue on the environment would be the company’s policies and procedures, and the social behaviours of other office colleagues. An example of the company’s policies could be receiving a dress code policy before you arrive–while seemingly a simple ask, it is being sent for a reason and needs to be respected. 

Social behaviours may take a little more time to digest and understand. These can range from leaving early on Fridays, to inter-office politics, to getting involved in giving back to the community. Watch and listen to gauge what seem to be the norms, what you are comfortable with, and to be safe, you can always check with your manager. 

My Advice

1. Balance freedom with accountability.

            An office environment is vastly different from the fast-paced environments most youths find themselves in, where first jobs are often in fast food (like mine), retail, or landscaping industries. Everything is heavily scheduled, and freedom is few and far between. When I worked at A&W, I only went on break when told to by my manager, usually when it was slow or when my coworkers came for their shifts.

            On my first day in an office, I couldn’t shake the habit of waiting for a break to be scheduled. I mistakenly skipped my lunch break, expecting to be told when to leave instead of realizing I could go on lunch whenever it suited me. 

            The realization my manager fully trusted me to manage my own time took me a while to comprehend after working strict, regulated hours with set breaks. Whether it was going for a midday ice cream with my coworkers, stepping outside for a breath of fresh air, or grabbing a coffee, understanding that I was trusted to use my workday wisely was more challenging to grasp than I had anticipated.

            However, this trust needs to be earned—if you disappear for 45 minutes every day, your manager might start to restrict your freedoms. Know that your right to manage your own time comes with the responsibility of getting your work done!

2. Ask for help when you need it, but pride yourself on being independent.

            There is nothing more overwhelming than being assigned a task you have no idea how to complete. One of your first challenges will be learning how to use company-specific programs that may be unlike anything you have used in the past. Things get more complicated when you realize any questions that arise using these programs usually can’t be answered by Google!

            When you don’t know where to start, other Interns, teammates, and coworkers are a great first resource to lead you in the right direction. Also, there might be self-help resources on internal websites to guide you, or different employee forums where the same question might have been asked before. 

            There were many tasks I didn’t fully understand until I completed them! For me, learning hands-on while searching for resources along the way helped improve my understanding of the task, and saved my coworkers from answering questions I could find the answer on my own. Try your best to navigate things independently first, but always ask for help when you need it. Your manager will appreciate not receiving a Teams message every five minutes!

3. Take initiative when completing tasks and projects.

            I saw a lot of Tik-Toks this summer of Interns bored at their desks because they finished all their work and weren’t being assigned more. This is usually inevitable–every job has a busy and a slow season, and summer typically leans towards a slower pace. However, your manager is not a mind reader, and your other coworkers do not intrinsically know when you finish big tasks and are ready to take on more responsibility. It’s always good to reach out when things are slow to see where you’re needed and where your expertise aligns with the needs of the team. Your proactiveness and initiative will be appreciated! 

4. The best networking is probably natural.

            The term ‘coffee chat’ almost became stressful for me. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the constant advice to network, network, network. Coffee chats felt too forced, and it just wasn’t my style to strike up conversations with anyone who would listen. My anxiety only grew when I saw how intensely other Interns approached networking—it just didn’t seem like something that would work for me.

            But that’s okay! I’m not a coffee-chat kind of person, and I still met plenty of people in my office and across different avenues of RBC by being open to collaboration and branching out. I got to know my coworkers naturally by working together on various projects, and I also connected with those outside my office through online collaboration with internal experts in the consultant sector and marketing department.

            In fact, the team I worked with most closely in my office was one I met during an ice-cream run with coworkers. For me, making connections felt more comfortable and genuine in these kinds of situations, where nothing was forced. Networking is a huge aspect of any internship, but it doesn’t have to feel fake, stressful, or overwhelming!

            Even though the fall semester is in full swing, the race to secure next summer’s internship starts now. Whether you’re like me and fairly new to the corporate world, or you’re a seasoned pro in the office, it’s always good to keep in mind how to make the most of the opportunity at hand. 

            A special thank you to my Manager, Meghan, for being a fantastic mentor and supporting me throughout my internship and beyond. Her advice helped shape my internship experience and will stay with me as I continue to launch my career. 

            I hope you can take these insights to heart and step into your next role with confidence. Your future self will thank you for the dedication you invest today.

Beyond The Blog

A place to find hyper-specific media recommendations focused on highlighting our favourite female-centric books and music.

Here are Meghan’s recommendations!

Books

1. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: I bought this book at the shop after touring the home Anne Frank hid in. It’s a powerful account of Anne’s experience during WWII.

2.  Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor & Michelle Hamilton: Your mind is your greatest asset, and cultivating positivity can make big changes.

3. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: Elizabeth Zott is the perfect amount of ambition, charm and resilience.

4. The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn: A great pager turner about a powerhouse female sniper!

Music

Meghan says: While this was really hard to narrow down, I went with motivating female artists on one of my many playlists… one song for each decade of my life!

1. The Man – Taylor Swift (2020s)

2. Level Up – Ciara (2010s)

3. Work That – Mary J Blige (2000s)

4. Everything is Everything – Lauryn Hill (1990s)

5. Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper (1980s)

Check out these songs and more on our Internship Essentials: From Desk to Success playlist, now available on our Spotify account!