Tales of a summer intern: Asking the right questions

Ed. Note: We continue our multi-part series highlighting the experience of Meghan Delaney, CareerBuilder’s social media intern. She’s sharing her experiences as a job seeker and intern.

Asking questions can be a hard thing to do for some people. Some guys don’t like to ask for directions – we all know how that usually ends up — while some girls would rather be stubborn and ‘figure it out on their own.’ Well, whether you’re a guy or a girl, young or old, asking questions seems to always land you at a quicker solution than trying to do it on your own. So why does it seem to be such a difficult task?

Internships are a very interesting period of time. You are learning new skills, meeting and networking with a whole new group of people, making sure your list of daily tasks gets completed and dealing with plenty of other curve balls the day usually tends to throw your way. They’re also a time for you to prove yourself. You want your supervisors to feel confident in the fact that they chose you over other prospective candidates, therefore you try your best to look like you know what you’re doing. But let’s be honest, it’s almost impossible to walk into a new work environment and really know what you’re doing from day one.

Observe and ask from the beginning
That’s why it’s important to have a sound strategy for asking questions when starting a new internship. Before you go in on day one, make sure you’re well rested–and do whatever you may need to stay focused (drink coffee or meditate before you arrive) because this is a day when a lot of information will be dumped on you. Don’t be afraid to carry around a pen and paper to write things down. Trust me, you’ll be very happy you wrote down your new account logins and passwords and any other information you don’t think you could possibly forget. You will forget. Though the first week is usually a sponge week where you’re absorbing information at every turn, remind yourself that you’re new! You know it, your supervisor knows it, so if they ask, “Have any questions?” take that opportunity to fire away.

Rely on your colleagues
As you begin to settle into your new position, life around the new office becomes a lot more comfortable. You’ve memorized the bathroom code, found the best nearby lunch spots, finally know how to fix a jam in the copy machine — you’re seemingly nothing short of a full-time employee. But the next day, you’re handed a big project that will require a lot of attention and possibly require you to learn some new skills. This is when you need to start planning for larger questions.

There’s nothing worse than sitting in front of a computer, or beginning a project without a clear understanding of how you need to get to your end goal. So instead of raising your stress levels and wasting extra time trying to figure how you’re going to get started, reach out to your co-workers. First, get your work organized — take what you’ve already learned and know to get started. When you have some notes taken down, and a clear direction for where you want your next project to go, it’s a lot easier to conduct a productive meeting. Assess the situation and decide whom you need to ask to answer your question. If it’s a software question, go to the IT department. Going straight to the source to figure out a problem shows that you are capable and assertive, two important qualities during a successful internship.

After getting yourself organized, set up a time that works for you and your co-worker to sit down together to get some answers. If it’s a project that may take more time, break the meetings down into shorter, more focused sessions. This way, you will be able to keep yourself on track and tackle each task efficiently. On the other hand, if it’s a simple question about a new program you’re using or just need help on a small detail you forgot about, pick up the phone, run over to their desk or shoot them a quick email. Don’t waste time wondering whether or not you’ll look stupid for asking a question — just ask, get your answer and be done with it!

One of the best things you can take away from an internship is all of the knowledge you learned from asking for help. You never know what you’ll be able to take with you to your next opportunity, and possibly even share with new co-workers. Just remember — people want to help you, all you have to do is ask.

Read part 1 of this series here!
Read part 2 of this series here!