Undergraduate Blog / Defining Your Babson

What Taking Notes Can Do For You

One of the most important things I learned while doing my first internship is to be organized and to communicate effectively. One of the most simple and efficient ways to do this is TAKE NOTES. Whenever talking to a supervisor, take notes on the most important things that they are saying, even if you have your phone out, tell them that you are taking notes. This helps with organization a great deal and it shows your supervisors that you are always listening and being attentive. Taking notes ends up being so helpful, because you’re storing important information and you do not have to ask twice. Supervisors like attentive workers, who are willing to learn, who listen to them, and organize their thoughts and their time. Pay attention to detail and be calm, organized, and neat, everything else will fall into place as long as you do not rush through your work, or your day. Taking notes from meetings and making to do lists is what separates good interns from bad ones. Many people have not mastered the art of paying attention to detail, people rush through their work and try to get it done the fastest way possible. As we all know, the fast route never proves to be beneficial in the long run.

Throughout the day I would go to several meetings, have independent chats with my supervisor, and even through the course of my work I would have a thought that I would write down for later. Communication is also important within how you talk to your different co workers. You have to have to have different levels of communication with your co workers, your supervisors, as well as the CEO of the company. Understanding your relationship with them is important because that determines how you talk to them. Sometimes you don’t have to be so formal, and sometimes you have to have a big formality in how you communicate. Always know who you are talking to, how you can talk to them, and take notes of important things they say. Also, ASK QUESTIONS, if you do not understand something do not let it just pass by, stop them and tell them to explain. These are the keys to a successful internship!