Learning Objective

Understand the typical stages of an internship.

Interns typically go through a number of stages during their time on the job, starting with orientation and working their way to becoming fully functional, skilled contributors. The more you understand the internship stages, the better able you will be to successfully navigate each one. Michael True (2018) suggests four developmental stages of a typical internship experience.

Entry
Initiation
Competency
Completion

Entry

A four-part progress bar with the first section filled in.

During this stage, which may last anywhere from a few days to two weeks, you will probably find that:

It works best to go slowly—don't try to learn everything at once.
You're allowed to ask "dumb" questions.
The office routine, procedures, and people are new.
You are learning the ropes, so mistakes are expected and tolerated.
This is the only time you will see things as a client or customer would on a first visit, so be sure to write down your initial thoughts and impressions of the site and your coworkers.
You are shown how to do things without necessarily being asked to do them.
You may experience emotions such as eagerness, hope, and anxiety.
Bridges with coworkers begin to be built.

At this stage, you don’t really know what to do yet, so it is not uncommon to feel underutilized and even a bit lost as you look forward to what is ahead. It is important to be patient with yourself and others.

Initiation

A four-part progress bar with the first two sections filled in.

This stage usually lasts from one to four weeks and is marked by the following:

You'll gain greater insight into the organization's culture.
Expectations for your work performance will increase.
You will experience more critical reviews of your work, as well as praise.
Coworkers may try to draw you into office politics; try to remain neutral.
You may experience emotions such as disillusionment and tension.

By now, you will likely be more familiar with your internship setting, your day-to-day activities, and the people you work with. Although you still have much to learn, you are getting used to this type of work and the organizational and industry setting. Supervisors and coworkers understand you have much to learn and will expect you to reach out to them with specific questions.

Competency

A four-part progress bar with the first three sections filled in.

Often happening by about the sixth week, in this stage you'll likely find:

You are no longer asking "Can I do it?" but "How will I do it?"
You should start feeling more confident in your abilities, role, and place in the organization.
You are beginning to raise questions about your ideas. You may see possible solutions to problems, propose them, and be prepared to help with their implementation.
You're becoming more of a participant while at the same time trying to maintain a balance between that role and that of an observer.

You will likely understand your job responsibilities better and need less hands-on guidance to carry them out. However, guard against overconfidence and continue seeking help as needed.

Completion

A four-part progress bar with all sections filled in.

The time of your departure draws near. You now need to focus on the following:

Wrap up your projects and leave them ready for your successor.
Get performance feedback from your supervisor and others.
Assess and reevaluate yourself and your career.
Conclude your experience well, including thanking your coworkers and supervisors in meaningful and appropriate ways.
Ask to stay connected to your colleagues.
Ask for letters of recommendation or if coworkers or supervisors are willing to serve as a reference for you.
If interested, ask about future opportunities with the organization.

A critical activity as your internship concludes is determining how you will shape a meaningful story about the experience for potential employers or graduate programs. Possible elements of that story may include:

What internship activities and accomplishments might you include in your resume or on LinkedIn?
What experiences and achievements should you include in future interviews?
Do your internship experiences, work samples, and accomplishments lend themselves to inclusion in a portfolio presentation for future employers?
Are there any remaining skill or competency gaps in your story moving forward? If so, how might you address them through other activities?

Finally, reflection can be a very effective way to examine your internship experience from the perspectives of work culture, content, and supervision. For example, the following questions might guide that reflection:

What new knowledge, skills, competencies, and professional insights did you gain from the experience?
What did you most and least enjoy about the internship and why?
How did you change professionally as a result of your internship?
As you dealt with difficult questions or issues during the internship, what did you learn about yourself that may be helpful in the future?

Practice: Typical Stages of Internships

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