AUP Internship Starter Pack
I have been working remotely for the past 3 months and the experience has been eye opening. With the government of France declaring new restrictions amid fears of a third wave of COVID-19 last week, schools and essential shops, including bookstores, will remain open but we shall continue to work télé-travail.
Through my current internship with the AUP Communications office as the Social Media Coordinator, Graduates Programs, I have developed this essential starter pack guide with 5 ways to improve your internship télé-travail experience.
1. Morning Meditation
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Start the day the right way, with a good morning ritual. This may vary for individuals, some may start with an activity: a run, yoga, or working out at home. I personally wake up and start my day with meditation. I sit quietly and listen to audio affirmations by Loise L. Hay. I have also done some online Yoga once in a while with Yoga with Adrienne but am not as consistent with it. Next, a morning coffee with writing in my journal before I hit the shower and get ready for the day.
Daily Goals. Image Credit: Stella Sangini
Every morning dedicate at least 10 minutes to plan your day out. Think of all the workload requirements or assigned duties from your manager. Make a list of all of the duties and highlight just 3 main priority tasks from the most important or urgent to the least. During this period of confinement, we can quickly get unmotivated, lethargic, or more prone to procrastination. A short list puts your mind at ease. While working throughout the day, I listen to some lofi hip hop radio, it keeps me focused on my tasks.
2. Rule of 3's
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Accountability is a huge part of télé-travail. While your team doesn’t want to know the ins and outs of your whole day, they would quickly need an overview of what you have accomplished. A game changer is using the rule of 3’s. Psychologists mention that humans can retain at least 3 things from interactions whether in a PowerPoint presentation, a talk, or in an online meeting. Keeping your overviews brief with the team and arranging them in 3’s helps the team understand your work better. I have also realized that I can accomplish more goals in the day when my list is more focused and divided into 3’s. I keep my points short and clear.
3. Tech-Organized
Use several tools to keep yourself organized and remind yourself of important meetings, deadlines and follow-up tasks. Firstly, use Microsoft calendar or Google calendar and fill in all your weekly meetings. Ensure to go over them every Sunday night to prepare for the coming week. Use Microsoft Notes or Google Keep holding all your meeting notes. Use a checklist to tick off all your daily tasks or Google Sticky Notes. Keep an eye on your email inbox and Microsoft Teams chat (if applicable)
Each company may have different ways to check in with others. You can quickly learn to use some tools like Trello, Slack or Monday.com , you can also suggest one of these tools to your direct line manager for ease of communication in your team. At the communications office, we are currently in the process of researching and subscribing to Monday.com to stay in touch with team members.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
4. Ask for Help
Working in a new environment can be exciting and also overwhelming. It will take some time to understand the company culture and lingo, but don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Discuss your internship goals with your line manager and and ask for extra time to discuss items that are unclear to you or new ideas you would like to implement. Request help from some of your team members as well, whether on a certain task or quality checking your work. Always be mindful of others’ time, there are certain tasks you can do by yourself or get the answers by researching online. Only bring forth the most pressing issues or try and show how you have tried to solve the issue by yourself first. I have been fortunate to find a very helpful team at AUP, they are always responsive with information or pointing me to the right direction.
5. Self-Learning
The internship process also requires some self-learning on your part, so use already available resources at your company to improve your knowledge on subjects around your internship. Currently, I have completed a social media marketing foundations online class on LinkedIn Learning, available for free to all AUP students as well. Ask your line manager for other learning resources or opportunities that you can learn from and even earn certificates that can be part of your resume or added on your LinkedIn profile making you a more competitive job candidate. Your time as an intern is limited, keep in mind you have your workload and internship report to complete. Ensure you choose self-learning topics that improve your internship experience and can be included as learnings in your report. Be careful with your time, so as not to spread yourself too thin.
To all my colleagues starting their télé-travail internship soon, bon courage! It's what you make of it, a very rewarding experience if you choose to be organized and clear on what you plan to learn.
A big thank you to the AUP Communications team for a great internship experience thus far.
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