Written by Es Inocencio

Leveling up your internship game means doing things the OrCom way!

Doesn’t it feel like the hands of the clock are ticking twice as fast this pandemic? After a quick blink, tada, here we are, adulting as hard as we can. You can find some of your friends lining up to register for legal IDs, filing long complicated documents for taxes, and the most daunting of them all — suiting up for internships.

It can be terrifying to finally venture out into the professional sphere, but it’s time to cast those worries aside because two of our OrCom Ates and Kuyas have some tips for you to be the best intern you can be.

So…where do we start? 

Work up the basics.

You can never detach résumés and interviews from the application process of an internship program so, with that, Ate Alex Guerrero says be prepared!

Résumés and LinkedIn. 

“Put every project/activity you did in your orgs, freelance activities, or businesses. All of them count!“ – Alex Guerrero

A great resume, as said by Alex, showcases your greatest skills, and we could source those skills from our BS Org experiences. Most of us invest our time in doing tasks for our student organizations because we are asked to do so. Surprisingly enough, the skills that we hone while carrying out school org tasks are actually useful in a workplace setting. With that, make sure to “materialize” your accomplishments and skills by using concrete descriptions for them rather than opting for beautiful adjectives.

“Made publicity materials that generated an average of 100 reactions, 100 shares, and 100 comments” is more impactful than “made great publicity materials that showcased the organization’s brand.”

In today’s digital setup, most companies no longer ask for resumes, but go straight to the applicants’ Linkedin profiles instead. With this, Alex stresses the importance of creating a LinkedIn profile that’s just as good as your resume. 

Interviews.

Interviews can be dreadful, but trust Alex when she says that you can fight those nerves by keeping these tips in mind. First, do your research on the company you’re applying for. List down their values, mission, and vision so you can air out the right answers that would give you a “you’re a fit in our company” message. Next, never treat the tips from career coaches as a read-and-do manual. Remember that interview flows are not set in stone, and they may differ per interviewer. 

Top up your technical skills. 

Yes, our =SUM(A1:AE) skill in Excel still has a long way to go. Refining your knowledge in using Microsoft software is useful in becoming more efficient in your interning hustle, Alex can totally vouch for this. After a few rounds of practice and a few inquiries to her coworkers, she was able to make use of the software in accomplishing her duties as an intern. A bonus point is that you can list down your proficiency in using office and data software in your resume! 

Aside from honing your productivity software competence, you can also develop more industry-specific skills. If you want to venture into the field of marketing or advertising, for example, Kuya Jared Salvador suggests going on a deep dive into the technical side of social media which entails knowing how algorithms shape an industry or how ad spaces are crucial when doing marketing campaigns.

Be firm about the experience you want to gain. 

To start on the right foot, you need to know what kind of position you’re applying for. If a position’s description is still vague for you, Jared suggests clarifying the specific roles and tasks of the positions within the company you’re applying for and assessing which aligns the most with your personal internship objectives. He also adds that it would be better to experience working in all departments, but you should be resolute with the role you actually want to immerse yourself in. 

Congrats, bestie! You were hired! But how do you navigate your way around the workplace as an actual intern? 

Ask, ask, ask!

It might be terrifying to voice out your “clueless-newbie” questions to your colleagues, but Ate Alex and Kuya Jared are here to remind us that everything is a learning opportunity when you’re interning. Just like what Ate Alex’s boss said, it’s better to ask for help about your problem at work before your uncertainty could turn that problem into a dilemma. 

What’s OrCom got to do with it? 

Bring out the OrCom in you.

In your whole internship venture, you’ll be pulling out your OrCom cards more often than you think! Our curriculum is filled with a variety of communication courses which can be applied in practical professional settings. For example, in OrCom 110 we learn how to communicate professionally by studying how to write effective resumes, cover letters, and even memorandums.

Since she needed to constantly communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds, Alex realized the importance of being well-versed in intercultural communication which we learn in OrCom 107. Jared, on the other hand, mentioned that building rapport with his colleagues required competence in interpersonal communication which we studied in OrCom 104. 

“When I applied for an internship I always imagined myself to be confined in a cubicle minding my own business pero in our field, need mo talaga ng people skills or interpersonal skills.” – Jared Salvador  

It’s tough to kick off another chapter in our lives. Yet here we are today, prepping for the world outside our university’s walls. We might be scrolling through this article with a shaky hand and a mind bringing up all the insecurities we never knew had, but know that we believe in you – Ate Alex, Kuya Jared, and the entire OrCom community believe that you can nail your internships! 

Take a deep breath, throw on your most aesthetic outfit, and let the confidence ooze out as you click that apply button. Now, that’s very OrCom of you!

All the hugs to Jared and Alex for extending internship tips for our blog. Alex Guerrero is a 4th-year OrCom student and was a Talent Acquisition intern at ADA, a data and artificial intelligence company that operates across 10 markets in South and Southeast Asia. Jared Salvador is a 3rd-year Orcom Student, and is currently a Creator and Accounts Intern at PGAG Inc., a marketing company that creates localized digital content for Millennials and Gen Z, particularly memes and videos reaching over a few million Filipinos weekly through our four content distribution channels.