No pressure, but picking a company that will help launch your career and define who you are as a professional is the most important decision you will make. Scanning job openings on the internet or walking around a career fair might be where you start, but it’s where you end up that takes some serious assessment. I didn’t know what I was in for when I first found Vydia, but over the course of a year, I have been able to expand my skill set and grow as an individual, way more than I thought was possible. So from fall intern to full-time, here are the four most important things I got out of my time as an intern.

Forget Everything You Know

I’m not saying discredit what you learned at school or previous jobs you’ve had, just acknowledge that this experience is going to be different. A highly valuable part of an internship is that it puts you in the field and allows you to interact and learn from industry professionals. The faster you can soak up the insights your new team has to offer, the sooner you’ll be a valuable part of their tribe. I was originally slated to work on video content (my specialty and college major) but after a few weeks of writing scripts and trying to schedule shoots, I realized there were many other things the team needed help with. As part of the Marketing team, I started managing Vydia’s social media accounts, writing blogs, answering client questions, and designing email – none of which I had learned in a classroom. As I took on more responsibilities, I had the opportunity to collaborate with other departments and gain even more insights from the fields of Software Engineering, Digital Rights, Finance, Operations, etc. Working with my team at Vydia has helped me become a more well-rounded and confident employee.

Every day Should Challenge You

Not all internships are made equal. Find a program where interns are entrusted with valuable responsibilities and are evaluated with high expectations. From day one, my plate was always full so there was never a day where I left not feeling like I accomplished something. I met my daily task lists head on, and due to performance, I was asked to assist in planning our South by Southwest (SXSW) exhibition. For the event, I was primarily in charge of organizing live performances and wrangling talent. This field Marketing project required a new level of leadership as I had to reach out to talent and their manager to schedule performers based on availability. The day of the event, I learned logistics like I never had before: setting up and running the audio equipment during their live performances, while simultaneously live streaming the event on two different social platforms. The entire experience taught me a lot about event planning and executing a trade show from start to finish. I was truly fortunate because not all internships have this kind of opportunity, but the experience has given me insights to help plan future events and prepared me to be agile and overcome obstacles that we faced when executing field events.

Having a Mentor is Must

I didn’t expect to get a mentor out of it, but fortunately, my supervisor immediately made it clear that she would be there to help and guide me. I quickly learned that a mentor that genuinely cares about you is an invaluable asset for anyone at any level. In the year that I’ve been here, she has become someone I look up to and whose opinion and advice I truly value. Vydia is a company where my all my coworkers want everyone to succeed. Every player is willing to share their time and knowledge to help each other and that had directly led to my success here. Make sure you are engulfed in people you respect and care about what happens to you.

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

One lesson that will never end is that responsibility and accountability are crucial in the workplace. The definition of responsibility will change when you enter an internship. In school, you’re responsible for showing up to class and having your work complete. A job expects this in addition to a hundred other tasks. It can definitely be overwhelming at times, but learning to stay organized and focus on prioritizing tasks will make you incredibly efficient. The more efficient you are, the more responsibility you can take on, which translates into bigger, more creative projects that stand out on any resumé. Spoiler alert: at some point, you’re going to screw up. When that happens, the best thing to do is admit your mistakes and learn from them. Making mistakes is one of the most important things about an internship because failing fast and hard before you even start your career, teaches you more than if you always succeeded.

If you’re looking for an extraordinary internship, check out our career page to submit your resumé today.