27 Feb 7 Tips to Succeed in Your High School Internship
More than half of students pursue an internship to get a head start in their chosen industries. While many associate internships with college students, they are actually also an incredible opportunity for students in high school. Hands-on experience, a professional network, and real-world skills all before college? Sounds like a huge win to us!
Do high school students really need internships?
While internship are not mandatory for high school students, they do undeniably offer you significant benefits.
First of all, an internship can strengthen your college applications by a mile. Competition for top colleges is tough, and a student who has worked in a professional setting, gained valuable skills, and adapted to major challenges can definitely stand out.
Internships can also help you narrow down your career path. The founder of Absolute Internship, Fredrik van Huynh, actually pursued his dream of becoming a banker by completing an internship in a bank—only to realize it wasn’t for him. A sneak peek in the industry as early as high school can help you decide better on your college major.
Long term, early exposure to workplace etiquette and industry-specific skills can be a huge advantage. Whether you pursue future internships or your first full-time job, having this experience will help you feel more confident and prepared.
That said, let’s get into how you can succeed and make the most of your high school internship.
Tips to succeed in your high school internship
Set clear goals
Before starting your internship, think about what you want to achieve. Are you most interested in building a network? Perhaps refining specific skills? Having clear goals can help you focus better and stay motivated.
Goals can also help ensure you make the most out of your internship. If you want to gain or improve on specific skills, ask for projects or tasks that can help you. If you want to expand your network, take the necessary steps to build one—introduce yourself to three new people everyday, or attend company networking events.
Communicate your goals with your internship supervisor, too. They can help you grow where you’d like to grow, while keeping your contributions aligned with the company’s needs.
Stay organized and manage your time
Your internship may require you to work on multiple projects or tasks. (And that becomes an even bigger challenge if you’re completing your internship alongside schoolwork.) Pay close attention to your time management skills so you can balance things with ease.
Keep track of deadlines, meetings, and daily tasks to stay on top of your responsibilities. Use a tracker, whether it’s a physical notebook, a calendar app, or task management tools like Trello or Notion. Set reminders and create to-do lists. Break large tasks into smaller steps so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
You also need to learn to prioritize your tasks. Identify critical tasks first and ensure that you can complete them on time. When you manage your workload this way and meet your deadlines consistently, it shows professionalism and reliability—qualities that supervisors value a lot.
Communicate clearly and often
Effective communication is crucial in any internship—and pretty much everything, to be honest. Communication makes collaboration way smoother, establishes trust, and clears up possible misunderstanding, which can really blow up in a work environment!
At the beginning of your high school internship, you may not be familiar with some of the company’s terms and processes. That’s totally understandable, and asking questions shows that you’re being proactive and willing to learn.
Practice your digital communication skills, too. Check your emails regularly and reply to messages promptly. Corporate jargon does exist, but many professionals appreciate emails and messages that are straight to the point. Of course, do still maintain a professional tone at all times.
Take it all in
While communication is extremely important, you must also leave space to just listen. As an intern, you are there to learn—and being observant can really help you build that foundation as you get to know the company and its people better.
When there are issues, look at how your teammates handle them. Observe how they behave during meetings, interact with each other. This is a good way to learn proper work etiquette, and get a good understanding of the work culture.
Of course, you can always ask questions, but many will appreciate the skill of proactively listening and learning. Imagine surprising your supervisor with something they haven’t taught you explicitly, and them going, “Wow. How did you know that?”
Be proactive and take initiative
While it may be enough to just do what you are expected to do, if you really want to stand out and leave a great impression, you need to be proactive.
Instead of waiting for instructions, take the initiative to identify areas where you can contribute. This could mean offering to help a busy team member, suggesting solutions to minor challenges, or even offering fresh ideas. Volunteering for tasks is also a great opportunity for you to learn more and make the most of your internship.
Being proactive shows that you are engaged, resourceful, and enthusiastic. Supervisors appreciate interns who don’t just complete assigned tasks but actively seek out ways to add value to the team. Don’t take on additional work when you already have too much on your plate, though!
Don’t be afraid of failure and feedback
Here’s a secret: interns are expected to make mistakes. An internship is a learning experience, and making mistakes is perfectly normal—even for full-time employees. What matters is that you learn from them, and do your best not to make them again.
If you want to become the best version of yourself, be open to feedback. Instead of viewing criticism negatively, see it as a chance to improve. Take time to reflect on what people say, and incorporate their suggestions into your work.
Accepting feedback and doing what you need to do to become better shows that you are adaptable and committed to doing your best.
Network and build lasting relationships
To make the most of your high school internship, make connections with professionals. Take every opportunity to engage with your teammates. Participate in meetings, ask questions, and introduce yourself to colleagues.
Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice, too. If you need help with a task or want guidance on your career, colleagues are actually often happy to offer insights. You can then get a better understanding of your industry and what to expect.
The connections you make during your internship could also lead to future opportunities. These relationships may lead to job offers, references, or even mentorship. Networking now will give you a head start as you move forward with your career path and explore new opportunities.
Now, onto the next most important question: Where do you find a high school internship?
Where to find high school internships
There are many companies and organizations that offer internships for high school students. Start with local businesses or non-profit groups in your community. You can also tap your personal network—your teachers, family friends, alumni—for possible leads. Attend your school’s career fairs and networking events, too.
You can also explore remote internship programs. Remote internships won’t require you to report on-site, which means you can choose to intern even with companies too far from home. Absolute Internship’s High School Internship Program can connect you with opportunities from all over the world—internships that will not only give you a unique real-world experience, but also exposure to a remote work environment.
With Absolute Internship, you can pursue an internship in these thriving Internship industries:
- Business Development
- Entrepreneurship
- Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Non-Profit
- Information Technology
The program includes a guaranteed internship, a personal internship coach, an internship supervisor, a certificate of completion, and access to Absolute Internship’s exclusive e-learning platform.
Apply today and take the first step toward an exciting career path!
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