The work-life balance around the world has changed tremendously due to the recent Covid-19 situation. The new social distancing norms have led companies to allow employees to work from remote locations to prevent the infection from spreading. The remote working methods have decreased international travel and increased the opportunities to experience collaborative online international learning or COIL.
As the existing workforce move to an online base, the new interns are also allowed to work remotely with companies around the world. It is more beneficial at gaining work experience and accessing better opportunities than a physical internship. Here are some tips to become widely successful in an online internship:
Benefits of online internship
Before you learn how to reap the full advantage of a remote internship, you must decide it is the right thing for you. Let’s talk about the benefits of a remote internship first.
• Broader access
In your professional life, you obviously want the best opportunities even if it is in another part of the country or outside the country. But with an offline internship, it is not possible to travel that far away always. But with remote working facilities, you can join any company of your choice without worrying about the limitations of travel. You will be able to obtain international work experience at the convenience of your home.
• Helps to obtain better skills
An online internship with a top-level organization will help you acquire newer and more proactive skills that were not possible before. Due to the ongoing pandemic, more and more companies are now opening up to offering remote internships to workers from all around the world. That way, you will be able to get quality exposure and experience with the company of your dreams. And it will be a valuable asset for your future.
• Offers global connection
It is very crucial to establish a broad network to flourish in your career. With remote working, interns will be able to work with top international companies, gaining global exposure and connections. While working with an international team, you will gain a lot of knowledge on their cultures and work methods. It will help you develop better communication skills in your professional life.
The best ways to succeed in working remotely
The remote internship is fairly a new practice in every industry. You will have much to learn along the way. It is quite important to achieve success so that you can utilize the experience to grow further in your career.
Perfect your communication methods
Communication is a vital aspect of internships in both physical and online work environments. Different organizations have different communication methods. Some workplaces use verbal communication and others use written ways to stay in contact. As a remote working intern, you won’t be able to learn the communicating ways of your company from your colleagues like the old times. You have to figure that out on your own. Here are some points that can help you with that:
• Do they use some kind of messenger? If you see your colleagues or supervisors contacting you through it, you might want to keep it open all the time so you are available always. You must also learn how to use it properly if you don’t know already.
• Do they use email for communication? Some companies like to communicate the old fashion way. That is through emails. Observe what kind of tone your colleagues use in their emails. You must adopt their style while constructing one yourself. Always fill the subject line and start them with a greeting. Add your signature at the end of the email.
Introduce Yourself
When you physically attend office there are multiple opportunities for you to introduce yourself to the other employees. But in online internships, you have limited opportunities to do so. There are a few ways you can make your presence known. You can reach out to your fellow employees through a chat, email chain, or a virtual meeting. Be polite and take your time with the introductions.
Set up check-ins
With a virtual internship, all your work is done digitally. You must have regular connections with your colleagues and supervisors. If your administrator fails to set up check-in weekly or at least bi-weekly, don’t be hesitant to reach out and request one yourself. Not everything can be done via chats or emails. You can learn how you are doing and what is needed to be improved through the check-ins. It can not only help you progress but will improve your communication skills as well.
Let them know when you’re available
In an offline work environment, your supervisor is able to keep track of when you are coming in and taking off, as well as what you are working on. But with online and remote working it is quite impossible to keep track of these things. That is why you must let them know when you are available. Greet them when you start your work. At the end of the day, give them a report on what you have worked on that day before signing off.
Take initiative
You can build a better image while working online by taking the initiative to be more proactive by reaching out asking what more you can do.
• Reach out to your supervisor and ask them if you can do any additional tasks after you are done with your existing work.
• If they have no additional work for you, you can ask permission to reach out to your colleagues and help them in their work. That way you will make an impression on both the administrator and your colleagues.
• After you are done with the additional works, use your time to evaluate your progress and make improvements where needed. Learn more about the industry and sharpen your skills.
With these tips, you will be able to ace your remote internship and develop excellent communication proficiency along the way.
