It’s quite possible you’re reading this from a shared cubicle, or your break room getaway, or a strange storage room-turned-office. You’re a summer employee and you’re not exactly pressed for deadlines or stressing about closing a strong financial 2013.
In fact, you might even be, dare I say, bored. But despite those days all student internsand temporary employees experience – where they find themselves feeling the strange feeling of wanting something to be assigned to them – there is always something to do during summer work. You just have to go and find it rather than let it come to you. Here are five thoughts on making the most out of a summer job.
Don’t be invisible
As a summer employee, it’s easy to get lost in the shadows. But don’t get blinded by the established ties and friendships that your coworkers already have in place. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, telling them your position and whom you are working with. This will give you a better presence and make it more likely that you get asked to return in the future.
Help yourself
When you’re at work, you’re in work mode. But truth be told there won’t always be as much work to go around as you’d like. Interns and temporary workers are often brought in over the summer for “back up” during unpredictable business months, and as a result have their fair share of down time in between those influxes. Bolster this by using the extra minutes to catch up on reading, prepare for the classes you’ll be taking, and filling out paper work that needs to be done for housing, financial aid, and enrollment.
…But don’t forget about others
That said, it is still important you make it known that you’re ready to work even when there are lulls. Once a week or so go around to your team to remind them you’re happy to help and can give them a hand on any projects or small tasks they have. Even if there isn’t anything to be done, you’ll make a better impression on your coworkers. (Hint: to make sure you don’t end up fetching too many cups of coffee, make it known that you want tasks that build experience and a strong resume).
Gone, but not forgotten
Build ties, get email addresses, add coworkers on LinkedIn, and ask if you can use reputable people as references in the future. You may not want to do these things, but just bringing yourself to take five minutes a day to build a few bridges and put yourself out there will make it a lot easier to fill out applications and write cover letters/resumes next time around. Who knows, your efforts may even land you a permanent job at your business in the future.
Maximize utility
Lastly, check back with an advisor at your school to see if you can get any credit for your summer toils. You may even want to do this while you’re still at work in case your supervisor needs to verify anything with your school. Even if it’s just one unit, you know as well as I do that every one counts.
Wondering how your summer job is panning out? You can always ACI for advice on Twitter at @ACISpecBenefits or on facebook, Google+, Pinterest, or YouTube. Also feel free to contact ACI Specialty Benefits at (800) 932-0034, or email info@acispecialtybenefits.com.
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