How to add value as an Intern or a Young Professional?
So you finally landed your dream job/internship but now find yourself lost in the corporate maze of daily meetings, stand-up calls, status updates, weekly catch-ups, team building activities and are unsure how to “add value” through your contributions?
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Volunteer: Whether you are assigned to a team or just floating around, volunteer to help someone who is overloaded with work. Even if it is just helping them crunch numbers or doing tedious tasks. Your help will be appreciated and you would in turn get to learn a little about the company and the work they do.
Ask Questions: In some companies you may already have a buddy or a mentor or both. Take it as an opportunity to ask all the questions you have about the business, the company culture, dos and don’t, best places to eat around(Haha) etc. However, if you are at a start-up or the company has a different structure and do not have someone assigned to guide you, do not let that be an excuse. Find opportunities to talk to other employees. Get to know them and what they do. If you ask nicely, some of them would be happy to clear your doubts. So Ask!
Take responsibility: Whenever you are assigned a task, or you voluntarily take up a task, ensure that it gets done. Check with your manager/TL in advance what resources you will need to get it done, when it needs to be completed and then ensure that it gets done on time.
Participate in discussions: Whether you are new to a team or a project, if there is a discussion going on, participate. If you do not have any ideas of your own just yet, listen to everyone and at the end summarize.
Participate in team building activities: I know some of the team building activities feel like unnecessary time eaters. However, if you change the perspective, they are a good way to observe your team in an informal setup. You might find like minded people who would be happy to share their ideas with you.
Initiate conversations in the cafeteria: It can be intimidating for a lot of people but a lot of friendships are built in the office cafeteria over tea and coffee. So its ok to strike up a conversation, talk about work, different departments, the city, the weather, whatever comes to your mind.
Get to know the work culture: Some places are formal and need their employees to act a certain way, however, many workplaces these days are moving towards an open office casual culture so it's ideally good practice to enquire and understand the work culture so that you can act accordingly.
Educate yourself: In your free time, read/watch videos/attend seminars or webinars or even sign up for courses related to the field you are working in. It helps you put your work into context.
Experiment: If given a task, try different ways of doing it. I once worked with a trainee who was very persistent in terms of trying out new ideas. Initially it felt like a nuisance but once he stumbled upon an idea and that reduced the time taken to do a particular task by half. When I met him two years later, he was leading a project.
Give Ideas: If you feel that something can be done in a better way, or if you want to bring about a change in your workplace, let the concerned people know. If put politely with clear ideas, you might get the change you wish for. Even if you don’t, it makes people notice you and realise that you care about the organization and how to make it better.
Bonus Tip: If you make a mistake, take ownership and rectify it. It shows courage, maturity and the ability to fix a situation when needed.
