CHALLENGES At Your Internship

While we hope that your internship experience is smooth sailing, an important part of the learning experience is in how you confront difficulties. Below are some issues that many interns face in the workplace with some suggestions on how to tackle them. 

When setting your own expectations for your internship, keep in mind that you are entering the company as, well, an intern! You can't expect to be running their marketing department and managing payroll. 

You have only a few weeks or months at this job, and the company hosting you needs to onboard and train you. You may need to prove that you are capable of taking on more by doing a great job at the small tasks assigned to you first. 

If your supervisor doesn't think you have the skill set under your belt to do some specific tasks you were hoping to do, ask if you can shadow the person doing them to learn along the way. 

It is also helpful to acknowledge that each meeting with your supervisor means they are taking time from their busy schedule to guide and mentor you. Show appreciation for their time and enthusiasm for your tasks, no matter how small. 

This may seem silly, but the first thing you need to do is identify exactly what it is that isn't going well. Sometimes all the emotions linked with travel, jet lag, language learning and a new culture can make clarity a challenge. Are you having difficulty understanding the tasks assigned to you? Are you not getting the feedback you need? Are you having issues with scheduling? Sit down and spend 20 minutes journaling about all your feelings and frustrations and then identify the root themes.  

At the beginning of your internship experience, it is important to stop for a moment and assess the big picture. In one of your first meetings with your supervisor, ask them to help map out a plan with you. Some things to discuss: 

• What are the expectations your supervisor has for you over the next few months?

• How does your manager foresee your assignment contributing to the company? What is the larger big picture impact? 

• Share your own goals and expectations for your experience. 

• Are the projects and tasks reasonable for both of your expectations? 

• Is there any training or support you predict you will need in order to take on some of the tasks assigned to you? 

Tell your supervisor that you are completing the tasks assigned with time to spare. Ask if they have any additional work or any more challenging tasks you could take on. Come prepared with some suggestions of things you think you could do. If they don't have anything for you, see if anyone else in other departments could use a hand. Start each day asking coworkers if there is anything you can help with. 

If all else fails, take advantage of the time. Read articles related to the field, browse through the company's communication (web, social media), become more familiar with the products your company sells and find out what the competition is doing. You may also notice that there are some skills you can self-improve like learning excel tips or trouble shooting some IT programs.

While your supervisor is likely very busy, you should be having at least one meeting per week with them. If this isn't happening, be proactive and ask them if there is a time you could meet more frequently, or if there is anyone else in the company that you could meet with from time to time. 

Remember to come to your meetings prepared with any questions you have. Take notes during the meeting and ask for feedback on how you are doing. These meetings are really your time to clarify your tasks and address any issues that have come up. 

This is very common. Keep in mind that companies are constantly going through change and the needs at each moment may shift and adapt - especially in a small start up. While at first you may feel disappointed, flexibility and the ability to adapt to change are skills that are highly sought after and will serve you many times in your professional life. 

That said, you may want to talk to your supervisor about this in one of your meetings. Tell them that while you understand the need to do ..... (and mention that you are happy to take on this challenge to support the team), that you are disappointed to not be working on x, y and z which you had discussed before. Come to the meeting with some suggestions for projects you could work on when your current tasks are completed. 

Remember that your internship is not permanent, you have a few weeks in which to show your abilities, one of which should be the willingness to roll up your sleeves and get the job done.

Make a habit of asking your supervisor in your weekly meeting for feedback. "Do you have any feedback on how I'm doing? Is there anything you think I could improve on?" This gives your supervisor the opportunity to be honest with you. When you receive this feedback remember to be gracious, "thank you for letting me know." Avoid at all costs the urge to cut in with "but I don't do that!" Show that you've heard them by implementing changes as soon as you can. 

This is the root of 99% of the problems we see. The ability to articulate and communicate issues as they arise is one of the best skills you can develop, but we know it isn't always easy! 

Remember that your supervisor wants you to have a positive experience and is there to mentor you. That said, differences of opinion (and ways of doing things) are a fact of life and happen in every workplace. Be mindful of your supervisor's goals, their limitations and remember that you are there to support them while you are learning. 

Communicating discontent gives your supervisor the opportunity to make changes, but try to keep positive in your feedback. Employers really respect employees who show initiative and present solutions along with problems. Ask your supervisor if you can speak with them for a moment. If you are nervous, practice a bit before your meeting. Try starting your sentences like this: 

• I've been confused about one of the tasks assigned to me and before I continue further I'd like to show you what I've been working on and get your feedback... 

• I'm really interested in learning and doing more within the company, do you think I could help out more with x, y, z....

• I'm having some difficulty working my class and study schedule around the internship hours but I really want to be able to give this internship 100%. Do you think it would be possible for me to do a few hours a week remotely so that I can schedule them around my classes? 

As part of the Barcelona SAE program, you have a Cultural Mentor who is here to help you out. Whether you're looking for tips on the best beaches around the city or are having difficulty communicating with your supervisor, your mentor is a great person to reach out to. Contact your mentor directly or write to internships@barcelonasae.com

If you've already spoken with your supervisor and are still having difficulty in your internship, please fill out this "Internship Program Concerns" form which will notify our internships team and they will do their best to help guide you.