Successful International Interns- 7 Traits They Have

Interning is never easy, especially when you’re doing it abroad. There’s a lot of dedication, time, and passion you’ll need, and you also need to make the most of it before you go back to school. Although some internships are easy, some involve insane hours and little to no compensation. International internships are the best choice when you would be getting little to no pay for your job. Although there are so many tasks attached to becoming successful international interns, it is the secret to increasing your potential to get hired. Internship abroad doesn’t just provide you with the experience you require in your field. It also ensures you gain experience in a different regional location.

Now that you’ve decided to carry out your internship abroad, that’s great. Now, to getting hired. Employees look out for specific traits when choosing interns; these traits help them decide if they’ll also learn to be a great addition to their team or not. To help you appropriately prepare, below are the 7 traits of successful international interns for you to prepare.

Positivity

A top trait that makes for successful international interns is positivity. As an intern abroad far from the comfort of your home and in a new country, you can quickly feel discouragement. When you go through your day with old friends or family, your day can seem terrible. That’s why employees lookout for interns that are brimming with positivity. An intern with a positive outlook can easily overcome struggles and adversities abroad. They’ll find it much easier to shake off the anxiety instead of letting the challenges of living abroad weigh them down. To be a successful intern, you need to maintain a good attitude and try to discover the sweet comfort outside your home. 

Interns with a positive attitude also don’t try to blame other people. They realize when there’s an issue, it isn’t always the other person’s fault. These interns also look within to determine the problem. They also respond to challenges and tasks in front of them positively and focus on the positive parts. They’re more interested in improvements and are always ready to put in the extra effort at work.

Perseverance

As an international intern, you need to possess perseverance to be successful in your internship. Perseverance is necessary for the learning process. You should be ready to make mistakes in the new city and at your new job. Without determination, it can be easy to choose to quit over pushing on. Successful international interns need a thick skin to get past annoying moments when they might be scared or inept. The best part about interning abroad is that it is only scary at the beginning. Perseverance makes for a good intern because it makes you stronger. After the internship, it will also prepare you to tackle future challenges at school or a future job. 

Successful International Interns are Excellent Communicators

Right up there with positivity and perseverance is excellent communication skills. You need to possess some excellent communication skills to be able to excel in your internship. Without learning the art of effective communication, you might find it hard to learn appropriately during your internship. Without an effective communication trait, you will find it difficult to ask the right questions during your internship. Also, you might have a problem with networking because you won’t relate appropriately to people in your field. Developing practical communication skills will come in handy in your career as you bond better with peers at the workplace. However, it is essential to remember that communication is a two-way street. You need to listen attentively as much as you talk to learn correctly to be among successful international interns.

Reliability

Successful international interns are reliable. They’re available when you need them to be, and they’re often on time. A reliable intern is someone you can turn to when you need help. When you possess reliable qualities, more people will look up to you in the workplace. Employees are continually looking for dedicated people to hire. When you show reliable traits in your internship abroad, it increases your chances of landing a job. You can show that you’re reliable while interning abroad by showing up at work early and completing tasks on time. Successful interns are focused on keeping their words and do not let people down. A reliable intern will always be successful and will receive high reviews from employers. 

Adaptability

Successful international interns are always willing to try. As an international intern, you should always be ready to give things a go. Remember that the internship is a part of your education and is a period to learn. You’re in a foreign city, and you need to remember that the country wasn’t designed for your comfort. That’s why you should always keep your mind open and accept reality. Learn to adapt, don’t complain or judge the lifestyle in your new location. Be willing to embrace new ideas, remember the idea is to learn, and live there is part of the education. 

In the workplace, you have to be ready to adapt to new trends. Maybe picking coffee was not part of the job description; you should prepare yourself to adapt to your new task. Whatever your new mission is, whether it’s something tedious, you should be ready to adapt. Do whatever you need to do; adjust to your new life, and you will find the experience valuable in the future. In a way, the more you adapt, the more you’ll be ready to face whatever comes. Interns with adaptability traits complete tasks even if they’re not sure it’s the right fit for them. You might not like jobs at first, but adapting will build you up mentally. Successful international interns adapt quickly, and so, they can face adversities.

Confidence

This is another trait that employers also look out for in an intern. Also, confidence helps to create successful international interns. Even when scared, a successful intern works through the fear and gets the job done. The confidence trait allows interns to confront their fears, and they would be able to learn from the process while at it. Of course, a popular belief is that people are born confident, but you can continually develop confidence. To create this trait, you only have to continue taking steps to lead you towards your set objective.

Continue to improve your confidence skill by taking actions in the right direction. It is an essential quality for successful international interns abroad. It will make it easier for you to work through your schedule and try some daring activities you might have been scared otherwise to try. Confidence also attracts people and will help you network better and make new friends in the foreign city.

Successful International Interns are Team Players

A trait that is also well sought-after and makes for a successful international intern. As an intern, your supervisor might require you to work in teams. You will have to get along with people from different backgrounds, and you have to be ready to make things work. As a team player, an intern is prepared to go out of their way to ensure he/she achieves results in the team. They’re not scared to put in extra work to ensure the team gets over the finish line. If you don’t possess this trait, you might find yourself left behind many times. You would also find it hard to learn in your workplace when working on a team project.

However, when you learn to be successful for others, you will advance in your new workplace and internship. It also opens you up to learning about different cultures and personalities and increases your adaptability skill. Although this list isn’t definitive, it represents vital traits that successful international interns need to possess. With these traits, you would find your international internship a walk in the park. Knowing that you can develop and improve these traits is also essential.

Tips to Successfully Intern Abroad

When you accept an international internship, it is always exciting. You’re looking forward to the exciting experiences and opportunities in stock for you. However, you can also get nervous about the new opportunity. You’re about to discover what your future career hold for you. You need to be prepared to be able to get the best out of the experience. Below are some things that will help make your internship a successful and memorable one.

Learn to Relax

When you get to a new city, it is easy to get uptight about everything. Nervousness sets in, and you could make a mess of every tiny detail. Learn to take a deep breath and relax. It’s okay not to remember everyone’s name immediately. When you mess up some things, people won’t hate you. The first few days at a new job can be difficult. Put on a smile, and remember it will all be okay.

Express Curiosity

Successful international interns abroad always ask questions. The only effective way to learn is by asking the right questions, so don’t hold back. Ask about things you don’t know, like where to locate items and the office vocabulary. Remember that you’re here to learn, so you need to know how things work. Also, talk to your supervisor or leader about ideas you have. Find out if they would like it and ways you can make it better. When you learn to ask questions, it doesn’t portray you as stupid. Instead, it shows you’re willing to learn and intelligent enough to want to know how things work to adapt.

Successful Internation Interns Don’t Get Bored

While interning, you could get so busy that you don’t have enough time for yourself. However, there are times when you have some hours to yourself, and you don’t know what to do with your time. Instead of going through your phone, take the time to carry out extra things at work. You could start an online course, learn more about software, or work on your resume. You could also use the time to work on ideas you have for the company. While interning, don’t ever stay and have nothing to do. By staying busy and keeping boredom at bay, you could make yourself a great asset to the company.

Learn to Speak Up

If you have some input or opinion about the way they do things, learn to speak up. If there’s a process in the office that you think is backward, you should say something about yourself. Don’t be scared about how people will look at you. Project your confidence by sharing your ideas and opinion. Chances are, your teammates and employees will think more positively for you. It will also show that you’re more observant. It gets even better if you know how to fix the issue. Remember that you’re a new set of eyes at the workplace, so you should use this to your advantage.

Be Conversational

While interning abroad, you need to be conversational. Learn to talk to your teammates, your leaders, and any other person in the office you feel you can learn from. You can go for lunch with teammates and learn to know them. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone so you can meet people every day. Being able to converse will help you with networking. Instead of sticking to a couple of friends, widen your horizons. Being conversational will make people think of you as a friendly face in the office. It will also open up various opportunities for you and allow you to achieve new learning heights while interning.

Successful Internation Interns Position Themselves as Leaders

If you’re not the only intern in the office, chances are you will be required to work closely with other interns on projects. During the first few meetings with your fellow interns, volunteer to take responsibility, show confidence, and offer to schedule the appointments. It projects you as the project manager and makes other interns look to you. Your leader will also note this and come to you to find out about how progressive projects are. Employers are constantly looking for people with leadership skills. Doing this will make you more employable and make you look good in front of your leader.

Final Thoughts

As an intern, your job is to complete tasks at the workplace that will help build up your experience. It gives you a taste of the work environment and, as a foreign intern, gives you a taste of a new culture. You would face different challenges while adjusting to your new environment. That’s why you need to acquire some traits that will help you adapt quickly. With these traits, you’ll be able to work through anything that comes your way. We’ve also provided tips to help you enjoy a fantastic, enriching, and rewarding time while interning abroad.

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