Johnny C. Taylor Jr. is working on your HR questions as part of the USA Today series. Taylor is the world’s largest HR professional society and the president and CEO of the Human Resources Management Association, author of “Reset: A Guide to Leaders to Work in an Era of Trending Times.”
Do you have a question? Please send it here.
Question: I’m taking part in an engineering internship this summer. My supervisor doesn’t take me aggressively or do enough work for me. How can I take initiatives to become more involved in my internship? – Miles
Answer: First, praise you. The fact that you are trying to get more from your internship speaks volumes about your drive and mindset. This kind of initiative will serve you throughout your career, and it really transforms a good intern into an outstanding future expert. Now, here’s how to take the next step:
Start by starting a transparent, respectful conversation with your manager. Let them know that you are eager to learn and are preparing for more responsibility. Believe it or not, some managers may not understand that you can do more. Help them see it. “I’m excited to be here, and I want to get engaged even more – what else can I do?” This little step allows you to open the big door.
Next, take ownership of your growth. Come up with ideas and learning goals for several projects. Present them as suggestions on ways to contribute more meaningfully. Talk to others on your team and ask what they are working on and how you may support them. Often, your most important opportunity comes from going outside your first role and building relationships beyond functions.
Don’t stop there. You can either cover your team members up or ask them to explore other departments. An internship is more than just filling in time. They are about closing your skills, expanding your perspective and discovering what will light your fire. Find training, workshops, or internal resources that you can add to your skill set.
Focus on creating win-win scenarios for both you and your organization. Find opportunities to align your interests with your company’s goals. For example, you can support research efforts within the department or work with cross-working teams to gain broader business exposure while promoting results. It can also support project management initiatives, analyze data to uncover insights, streamline internal processes, enhance documents, prepare presentations and reports, and prioritize your organization. The key is to position yourself for growth while identifying areas where skills can make meaningful differences.
When you are in a situation where you feel your time and skills are not fully utilized, see it as a space to grow and explore. You are there to learn, and some of the best learning happens through hands-on experience. With the right mindset, you can find your learning path in any direction. Learn about operation and culture. Improve your technical skills. Develop your people’s skills. Try to understand, analyze and evaluate everything that’s going on around you. Being smart and curious can help you in any environment.
HR is an incredible resource for finding learning and development opportunities and discovering paths to contribute more effectively to the organization. HR understands the talent needs of an organization and sometimes promotes these conversations in ways that drive them forward.
Own your experience. Take charge of your growth. And you’re not just an intern. You are a future expert in training.
The opinions and opinions expressed in this column are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of USA Today.
