Vous débutez un stage. Comment pouvez-vous cultiver des relations solides avec vos collègues et vos superviseurs ?

Active Listening: Pay close attention when colleagues or supervisors are speaking. Show that you value their input by nodding, maintaining eye contact, and responding thoughtfully. Clear and Concise Communication: Whether you're speaking or writing, aim to communicate your ideas clearly and succinctly. Avoid unnecessary jargon and ensure your messages are easy to understand. Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re unsure about something. This shows your eagerness to learn and ensures you perform tasks correctly. Provide Updates: Keep your supervisors informed about your progress on tasks and projects. Regular updates help build trust and demonstrate your accountability.

During my clinical rotation at one of the top hospitals in the country, I made it a priority to impress by taking a comprehensive approach. I consistently sought opportunities to do more, see more, and learn more, avoiding downtime at all costs. Seeking feedback regularly allowed me to refine my skills and become more efficient. I respected boundaries by understanding my role as an intern, refraining from giving input on work-related matters unless appropriate, and avoiding personal opinions in conversations. Most importantly, I practiced self-reflection during my hour-long drive home each day, evaluating what I did well and identifying areas for improvement. This helped me continuously grow and adapt throughout my rotation.

During my internship, I will actively seek opportunities to communicate regularly with colleagues and supervisors. This will not only help me avoid mistakes at work but also aid in developing my critical thinking skills and professionalism. To ensure effective communication, I will prepare by listing questions and making notes in advance, respecting their time and avoiding random inquiries. Additionally, I will remain open to all feedback, viewing it as a valuable learning experience that extends beyond what I can gain through academic study.

Be Proactive: Look for opportunities to contribute beyond your assigned tasks. Volunteering for additional projects or offering to help colleagues can showcase your initiative. Express Enthusiasm: Show genuine interest and enthusiasm for your work and the company. Positive energy can be contagious and makes you a pleasant colleague to work with. Seek Feedback: Actively seek feedback on your performance. This not only helps you improve but also shows that you’re committed to personal and professional growth.

Stay in Touch: Keep in contact with the colleagues and supervisors you worked with. Maintaining these relationships can lead to future opportunities and valuable professional connections. Update Your Network: Share your achievements and progress with your network. Letting them know how their guidance helped you can reinforce the relationships you've built.

While it’s natural to aspire to build long-term relationships or friendships with colleagues, it’s important to recognize that these relationships take time and trust to develop. In a professional setting, everyone has their own working style, which may sometimes lead to conflicts. It’s crucial to be sensitive to different personalities and respectful of these differences. Therefore, it’s essential not to overthink if colleagues reject your suggestions or if conflicts of interest arise. Respecting boundaries and maintaining professionalism will help foster healthy and productive working relationships.

Embracing diversity includes generational differences. Someone beginning an internship is often younger than many of their colleagues. The responsibility to meet each other where you are is bi-directional. Humility is required for all. There is so much to learn from each other across generations, particularly at this time. While the host organization and its likely millennial/Gen-X/even boomer team members should welcome the new perspective(s), tech savvy, etc., so too should the Gen Z intern respect the amount of experience already resident in the particular industry. Come excited to learn and offer ways to use your more recent experience and knowledge to modernize processes and innovation.