You ve arranged the internship that you want and have a good idea about what you ll be doing. Now it s time to think more fully about what you want to get out of the experience.
Concrete objectives are important.
The clearer your learning goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. Learning new work skills, such as counseling the elderly, newspaper reporting, computer graphics, the use of laboratory equipment, costume design, grassroots organizing, the use of new software, etc. Observing first-hand the daily routines and tasks of people in your field of interest, knowing about job opportunities, and being familiar with the organizational structure and literature. You may want to conduct informational interviews with co-workers in your own or other departments to learn even more. Understanding, for example, how the legislative process operates, how social programs function, or what societal role an organization plays and what values it holds.