How to Intern Successfully – Insights and Actions to Optimize Your Experience

Laura O'Connell, The Internship Companion: Guiding You Through Each Phase of Your Journey. (2024). Kendall Hunt Publishing. ISBN: 979-8385127399. Print: $44; Ebook: $22, 99 pages. This book is also available on Amazon in a spiral-bound version.

In my role as both the internship course instructor and departmental internship coordinator, I'm often searching for a student-friendly text to support interns through their experience. The Internship Companion fills that gap beautifully. The books I previously assigned were solid, but they lost their effectiveness over time as students began recycling papers from past interns. In response, I tried piecing together a variety of articles and resources to help students prepare for the realities of the workplace. While that approach had its merits, it was also time-consuming and inconsistent. This book streamlines the process, offering comprehensive guidance in a format that's both accessible and relatable.

Emphasizing communication as a foundational element in successful career exploration, this 99page text provides a structured, practical roadmap for students preparing to enter the professional world. Organized into 11 concise chapters, the book offers thoughtful guidance and strategies to succeed in an internship. It addresses the common anxieties of firsttime interns while encouraging self-reflection and personal growth. Whether the internship ends up being amazing or just "meh," the advice here helps students find value and take charge of their own early career growth.

The book starts with explaining what an internship involves and reminds students that their internship is a learning experience, emphasizing that they are there to learn through observing, talking and working. Chapter 1 also highlights the value of personal and professional growth that interning provides and concludes with an exploration and reflection activity.

Chapters 2, 3, and 4 instruct students on preparing for an internship addressing topics that include ways to find an internship, resume and cover letter writing, and how to prepare for an internship. While the advice and instruction have an elementary vibe, the message is on-point and simple for any-level student (high school through college) to comprehend.

One of the book's standout features is its attention to workplace culture and its candid discussion of the often-overlooked topic of sexual harassment. Through thoughtfully designed scenarios, students are encouraged to assess and respond to challenging situations, helping them recognize potential red flags and explore appropriate ways to handle them. Relatedly, there's an entire chapter devoted to workplace conflict-an area past interns have admitted they felt unprepared to navigate.

O'Connell closes the book with practical advice on wrapping up an internship, offering thoughtful parting tips and a reflective final activity that prompts students to revisit and consider the key takeaways from each chapter.

While The Internship Companion delivers valuable insights and engaging activities, there are a few minor drawbacks worth mentioning. I appreciated the textbooks concise, user-friendly approach, but I found myself wanting more depth-especially in the form of personal perspectives from former interns or internship supervisors. Including those voices could have added meaningful real-world context and made the material even more impactful. Additionally, the print edition is a lightweight, spiral-bound volume that feels more like a supplemental workbook than a textbook. Given these factors, the book's price point feels somewhat high for what is essentially a practical guide.

Drawbacks aside, if your goal is to equip students with the tools they need to navigate their internships with confidence and professionalism, The Internship Companion delivers. It prepares students for real-world challenges while giving educators the flexibility to design discipline-specific assignments that align with their course objectives.

Dr. Cessna Winslow is an associate professor of public relations & social engagement at Tarleton State University where she also serves as the internship coordinator for the Department of Communication Studies. In addition to teaching internship courses, Cessna recruits and advises employers on creating positive internship experiences. Dr. Winslow can be reached at cwinslowOtarleton.edu.