4 Personal Core Values to Flourish as an Intern
Aloysius Wong Jing Jie
Background
After a series of interviews, you’ve landed the dream internship you were yearning for. Now you want to make sure you live up to the expectations you promised your employer.
In order to succeed, you have to not only possess the relevant skills and expertise to excel in your line of work but also personal values and traits that spell success. Your personal values are the guiding principles that form the foundation for an exceptional employee.
Internships provide an excellent opportunity for you to showcase to your employers that you possess the characteristics they value in their employees. An internship is a ground for learning new skills and values that are imperative to succeed in the workplace.
What is this article about?
Introducing key fundamental workplace values one should possess to build healthy relationships and succeed in the world of work.
Keep in mind, there is a difference between workplace/personal values and company values. Company values may differ from company to company, while workplace/personal values should be the key traits you possess wherever you are.
In this article, we’ll look at the 4 core work values one should possess to succeed.
Values
1. Integrity and Honesty
Most employers value integrity and honesty above all else. This is because relationships are built on trust. Your employer and fellow colleagues want to know if they can trust what you do and say.
It is essential for one to be honest in their opinions and ideas. While being honest sometimes could be brutal, it empowers others to refreshing ideas and perspectives. Do also give others the freedom for honesty as this would foster an environment where he/she will feel willing to express their ideas/concerns openly.
Overall, being someone your colleagues and employers can trust goes a long way in ensuring success in your workplace.
How?
The next time you feel the need to express how you feel about a certain subject matter regarding work, do sound out so you will be heard!
Even if you do not agree with a colleague’s assessment, leave the judgment at the door! Everyone has their own ideas and deserves to be heard.
2. Love of Learning
Studies have shown that amongst all the reasons employees choose to leave their employers, a lack of career development opportunities ranks as one of the top reasons. It is essential that you constantly aim to improve yourself as curiosity plays an enormous role in ensuring success in the workplace.
Through the love of learning and being curious, one would be able to pick up new skills, methods, and techniques which would aid in their professional development. This would also enable one to excel in their work which is vital to stand out as an employee.
How?
Whenever possible, ask your employer questions regarding the company. It is important to understand your company’s business operations, competitors, market share, etc.
Always ask yourself “why?” as this would allow you to find purpose in the things you do and allow you to gain a greater understanding of those around you.
Be observant and pick up from those around you. For instance, observe how your colleagues present themselves during a presentation and perhaps you could learn a thing or two!
3. Dependability and Responsibility
Being dependable and responsible does not only mean coming to work on time and being early, it also means that one should be responsible for their behavior and actions. This means that with every action you take, your supervisor should be informed and aware of your tasks.
By being responsible and dependable in the workplace, it would show others that you take pride in your work, value your job, and that you are responsible for keeping up with projects.
How?
Always keep your employer/supervisor informed of the things that they should know about. For instance, let them know what tasks you have completed and which areas your will be handling the next day.
Always do your best to ensure quality work and to adhere to the deadline given to you. Should you need more time or resources, immediately let your employer/supervisor know.
4. Initiative
In order to learn more as an intern, one must always take the initiative and be motivated to go above and beyond his/her normal job scope.
By taking initiative, you are creating an environment of goodwill and showing those around you that you are enthusiastic about your job. This positive attitude is highly valued by colleagues and employers, and most importantly, would make the job more fun and pleasant.
How?
If you are done with your daily tasks, simply checking in with your supervisor and offering to do more will go a long way.
If you do not feel that you are working to your fullest potential, let your employer/supervisor know and ask for more challenging tasks.
Conclusion
By practicing these 4 core values, you would not only stand out as an exemplary intern but also allow yourself to absorb as much as possible and pick up skills and knowledge that would benefit you in the future.
