Unexpected Internship Realities, Part III

This is the final installment of the series discussing unexpected situations that could arise during your internship and how to persevere and handle them professionally.

Suddenly a wave of panic hits you. You blink a couple times and look at your work again. There’s no denying it – you’ve made a mistake at your internship.

No one is perfect. Especially as an intern, you should be prepared to experience a few learning curves. You’re in a unique, somewhat insulated position because the internship is a “training wheels” experience of sorts, and your supervisor understands that.

In fact, if you don’t make a mistake during the course of your internship, there’s a good chance you’re not taking full advantage of the opportunity. You don’t want to approach your work so tentatively that you forfeit any value you might take from it. The point is to dive in and learn by doing.

With that said, make sure you pay attention to detail and directions as you work. Ask questions when you don’t understand, and work efficiently, not sloppily. If you make a mistake, make sure it’s not one out of pure carelessness.

If it’s a mistake that you realize before anyone else, it’s important that you inform your supervisor right away. Ignoring it is bad. Covering it up is even worse.

If it’s a mistake that is pointed out to you after the fact, own it. Listen to the feedback your supervisor provides you and implement that as you take on other projects.

A mistake on the job won’t define you. Don’t sweat it; learn from it. The true measure of your capabilities is how you handle the situation to limit the impact of the consequences.