Leaving a lasting impact: tips for a successful internship

Starting the internship at Baringa can be an exciting time. New people, a new environment, and new challenges. It might be your first internship or one of your first corporate experiences. While you do not have anything to worry about, it is always great to get a few tips and best practices at hand from someone who has been in the same position.

The following outlines three guiding tips from past interns. Adapt these when starting your internship and build a good foundation for a successful experience.

Be curious in everything you do

Be curious in the conversations you have, in your project team, client engagements, and internal Baringa initiatives. Do not shy away from asking lots of questions, as these will help you to learn. Your curiosity about the whole business can help you understand the direction Baringa wants to take in the future and help you define your potential role in it. Asking questions signals your interest and ambition to learn and integrate, which always leaves a great impression. It's good to know that you are not expected to know everything as an Intern. You are free to ask about matters you do not understand from the beginning. Do not hesitate to use your wider network for this too. You can reach out to your buddy, Project Manager, intern cohort, colleagues, etc. This way, you avoid overwhelming one person with a lot of questions.

Build your network early and across the business

Building a solid network is the key to a successful consulting career. An extensive network allows you to spot opportunities early and to approach experts in fields you are not an expert in. It can also act as a support system in situations where you might need one.

Start with your intern cohort. Be interested in fellow Interns' backgrounds, their BUs, and the projects they are placed on. You all are at the same starting point and can help each other learn more about the different Baringa practices and offerings. The first few days of training, lunch and learns, and socials offer great opportunities to exchange.

Another way to build your network is to identify the different practices and expertise within your BU. Contact representatives and introduce yourself. Tell them that you are interested in learning more about their job and their field of expertise. This way, you have exposure to different specialisms and can figure out what skills you would like to develop.

Feeling like an imposter is nothing bad

As an Intern or a Junior Consultant, you can often feel like an imposter as you will be sitting in meetings about subjects that are completely new to you. Please remind yourself that you are learning and know that real growth happens when you are pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Embrace the feeling and be confident that you will know much more as time goes by. Your focus should be on building an ability to adapt and to learn rather than on your current state of expertise.

As a Consultant, you will also have to learn that you will always face challenges and situations that are new or that you might not know the solution to straight away. Try to see this as part of the job and focus on understanding what strategies more seasoned colleagues use to acquire an understanding of a situation quickly.

The internship at Baringa offers you the opportunity to learn what the day-to-day of a Consultant looks like and what it would be like to proceed with a career in consulting. You will learn about Baringa as a firm and gain knowledge in different subject matters along the way.

Relax and enjoy the journey!

We hope these tips help you during your internship. Have an amazing time with us at Baringa!

Find out more about early careers at Baringa