Onboarding is the process that you go through when you first start an internship. Onboarding familiarizes a new intern with everything that they need to know to get started. An intern will need to read through informative and instructional packets, watch relevant tutorial videos, complete any required training quizzes and boot camps and download any necessary applications. It can be a very overwhelming process, so here are some guidelines and tips to ease your onboarding stress here at the DME.
You have finally gotten an email detailing your login information for the DME website. This important email also contains your onboarding packet, which explains the process you must complete to officially start actual internship work. Read through this packet carefully; all the information detailed in the packet is there for a reason! Make sure you are able to login correctly to the DME website; download and join the Slack channel (while also ensuring you set up your profile correctly); and begin your department’s boot camp. Links will be included within the packet to help you with this. One tip that may ease any overwhelming feelings from reading the packet is to save useful links somewhere you can always access them, such as on your laptop’s notes application. Furthermore, write down bullet points of anything you may need to be reminded of while first starting the internship.
After you complete your department’s boot camp and the general boot camp, send a screenshot of your completion to your department heads. Make sure you have everything set up to get started on actual work. Download and save any documents that you will have to reference later. This will make starting new work easier and ensure you are correctly doing your work. Most importantly, do not forget about completing your weekly report. Throughout the week, make sure you are updating this report to reflect all the work you are doing. You will need to send these reports every Thursday (by midnight in your time zone) by email, so do not forget about them! As a new intern, you are not expected to complete the required 10 hours right away. Just make sure you are noting all the onboarding requirements in your weekly report to show your department heads where you are in the process!
All interns must go through the onboarding process, so do not be afraid to ask questions in the Slack “onboarding” channel or email fellow interns. Ciedelle Estipona, a current DME intern from the Web Content department, recommends “being proactive and asking leadership” about any questions or concerns you may have. This will make the onboarding process easier and can get you acquainted with the new network of interns working alongside you. Podcast Translation intern Paulina Riffey agrees with this piece of advice. She also believes that not being afraid to reach out to your department heads, whether through Slack or email, can be helpful during the onboarding process. Lastly, one of the current Writing interns, Ryan Beane, makes the point that new interns should be sure to “read through all the resources available to understand what the internship can offer.” Even though this can be a lot of information to take in, ensuring you have read it all thoroughly will help you once you finish onboarding and start actual work!
Overall, the onboarding process is crucial to ensuring you are equipped with the necessary tools and skills to begin internship work. Read through your emails and the onboarding packet thoroughly and pay attention to both boot camps you complete. While completing this process, take notes! Reach out to your fellow interns and department heads. Watch tutorial videos on the DME website. Ask questions on the Slack channel or in your weekly reports. Onboarding does not have to be an overwhelming experience; it can get you excited and prepared to begin your internship journey.
Writer: Madison Eberhardt
Editors: Nathaniel Scott, Annabelle Colton
Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley
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