Remote Internships

     Interning is a large part of the college experience. They are preached to you the moment you unpack your freshman dorm pretty much until you secure a full time position post grad. Most students consider internships to be summer time affairs in the big city working at large firms for long hours for little pay. However there is a subsection of the internship world; working remotely.

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     Remote internships offers a unique experience that comes with a variety of pros and cons, like being flexible on hours and trying to balance work with other aspects of your here. Here are some tips on managing a remote internship.

 

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Tips for the remote intern:

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1. Communication is key 

E-mails, texts, and phone calls may be a safe form of communication, but when working an internship remotely, it’s helpful to utilize innovative communication and task applications such as Slack, Zoom, and Trello as well. These tools can help you to stay on task and stay in touch with your team. I use all of these applications to communicate with my team, boss, and/or with clients. 

 

2. Find a space that works best 

Everyone works best in their own unique space. It is important that the space you work remotely from is comfortable. Make sure that it’s a space you will be the most productive in. Find what space works best for you. 

 

I find it fun to change up my workspace location once in awhile; It keeps my ideas fresh and keeps me engaged in my work. Sometimes I'll work remotely from a coffee shop instead of my usual space. However, be sure you know your schedule for the day before you decide to change up your workspace location- you don’t want to be in a loud coffee shop trying to take phone calls. 

 

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3. Stay focused 

When working remotely, it is easy to become sidetracked, especially if your remote workspace is your home where there may be distractions like a load of laundry that needs to be done. To avoid distractions when working from home, I set a timer while I’m working on a project. I’ll set a timer and make sure that I work through that block of time without any distractions. When the timer goes off, I give myself a 10 minute break. This helps me to stay on track when my environment can get distracting. 

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4. Stay Relaxed

I love my internship as much as the next day, but there are days when frustration takes over and I find myself smashing my head into a door over instagram SEO and copy and there's nothing I can do because I am a mere intern; powerless. Finding a way to stay relaxed and keeping calm is a great way to remain successful.Me personally, I use the gym or grilling out. Even just stepping away from the computer for ten to fifteen minutes can work wonders.

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5. Ask questions! 

Most importantly, NEVER be afraid to ask questions. It can be tricky to be briefed remotely and it may lead to miscommunication, therefore it is very important to clarify and ask questions if you are not certain what is being asked of you. Sometimes I will ask my boss if she can brief me over the phone or via video chat if the project I’m going to be working on is more complex.

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     Internships are a great way to gain experience and get a little taste of how real life works. Whether it is paid or unpaid the experience you will gain will take you a long way. Internships are something that every college student should look forward to and work hard for one. These can take you a long way in the real world and could possibly lead to a job offer for the company. Remote internships allow students to work on the go and in their own space which is nice and convenient for them. It is important to have fun with these internships and make it a great experience while being professional in the work setting.