How to Ace Your Nutanix Internship

You’ve read all the blogs about how to make your application stand out, practiced interview questions and made it through several nail-biting interview rounds to secure your internship. Congratulations! But what happens now?

Suddenly the interview process feels like a distant memory, and it’s the night before your internship is due to start. You’ll probably have lots of questions going through your mind. Will my manager be nice? Will I make any friends? What if I don’t understand anything and can’t keep up?

Starting any new job, especially an internship, brings with it excitement and uncertainty. You might not have work experience  in a corporate environment but you still want to make an impact and show that we made the right decision by hiring you. How do you do that?

Here are some tips to ace your internship at Nutanix.

Build your professional network

Your internship isn’t just about learning new technical skills. Whether you’re physically in the office, doing a hybrid internship or a virtual one, make sure to dedicate time to building your professional network. Networking might sound like a scary concept, especially if you’re not an extrovert, but it doesn’t have to be.

Does your team have regular get-togethers? Make an effort to attend and ask the team some questions. Notice someone sharing interesting insights on one of your company Slack channels? Send them a private message to introduce yourself and see if they’re open to having a virtual coffee with you to share their career journey. If your internship includes time in the office, join your colleagues for lunch. Some of the most interesting friendships, conversations and ideas occur away from the desk.

And engaging with others  doesn’t just have to be work-related. Are there employee resource groups you identify with? A volunteer opportunity you are passionate about? Do some of the staff go for a run together after work?

Socializing with colleagues, even those from different teams or countries, is a great way to understand more about the wider organization and learn about jobs you might not have considered. It also gives you access to different opinions, experiences and insights to broaden your understanding beyond your immediate team.

Finally, get to know other interns, too. Learn about their background, interests and the projects they’re working on. They can be a fantastic support system during your internship. After all, you’re all in the same boat.

Summer interns at our UK office

Understand expectations

A good manager will let you know early what their expectations are of you and what they hope you’ll achieve. However, it’s great to be proactive and drive the conversation yourself. Ask questions to show your new boss that you’re keen to get the most out of your internship.

Some questions you might ask: What do you expect me to achieve in my first month? How will you track my progress? What qualities do the most successful interns you’ve hired share? What can I do to improve my impact?

It's also okay to discuss your expectations with your new manager, as well as any technical skills or interests that you hope to develop during the internship. While they might not have any projects that align, they’ll make an effort to help you develop in those areas where possible.

Pay attention to details

It might sound tedious but being organized and paying attention to detail makes a big difference. It’s also a way for you to stand out, demonstrate your professionalism and show you care about doing a great job.

A few pointers on how to do this:

• Take notes when tasks are explained to you so you don’t forget anything.
• Observe deadlines and keep your manager updated if there are unexpected delays or challenges.
• Keep track of your projects and their priorities.
• It is important to accept meeting invites and respond to emails promptly.
• Use Nutanix corporate templates for presentations and email signatures.

Ask for feedback and keep a record of your achievements

Instead of waiting until your internship is over, gather feedback about your performance and achievements on a continual basis. Internships are about learning and it’s important for your development to understand what you’ve done well and where you can improve.

You may even find some new skills or accomplishments to add to your CV for the future. Being proactive about asking for feedback shows you have a growth mindset, which is a desirable quality in any employee. Don’t just ask your manager. Valuable feedback also comes from those you’ve worked alongside or who have trained you.

Note any achievements or positive feedback you receive. It’s easy to forget them when you’re busy with your next project or when you’re applying for your next job. A log of your wins and positive feedback will come in handy. You can reference it to refresh your memory and help you highlight your impact at Nutanix on your CV and in future hiring conversations.

Welcoming winter interns in Pune and Bangalore, India

Take the initiative and ask for support

When you ask managers why they enjoy working with interns, their response is often “their enthusiasm.” Interns bring a unique energy, fresh perspective and innovative ideas to the workplace because they see things differently than more tenured employees.

If you have ideas, we encourage you to share them. It may be a way to streamline a process, a project idea to fill a gap or a way for the company to save or make money. Do your research, take notes and share it at an appropriate time. It will definitely be noticed. While not every idea may be implemented, you’ll be seen as someone who is innovative and cares about the success of the company.

Also, if you’ve finished the tasks you’ve been given, let your manager or team members know and ask if there are ways for you to contribute. If it’s a quiet day, work on your soft skills, improve your coding or set up a networking coffee chat with a coworker.

As a Nutanix intern, it will help your career path to take advantage of the courses and certifications available to you on LinkedIn Learning. If you have a structured training plan, look ahead to get a head start on next week’s topics.

It’s important to strike a balance between taking initiative and accepting support. Try to learn as much as possible from experienced individuals and ask lots of questions. Speak up if you’re stuck and having difficulty finding a solution. It’s better to ask questions to complete a task correctly, than to not say anything and have to redo the work. Asking questions also demonstrates you are curious, another beneficial characteristic.

Seize every opportunity to learn

As much as internships have moved away from the days when your main task was making coffee, there will be times when you must work on something that you don’t enjoy. Everything you’re being asked to do is valuable to the team or the organization.

Challenge yourself to approach your internship as an opportunity to learn. Tackle it wholeheartedly to demonstrate your flexibility, perseverance and work ethic. If for some reason you’re not feeling challenged, be proactive and discuss it professionally with your manager.

Beyond gaining valuable experience, an internship is the perfect opportunity to test your preferred career path. Even if you finish the internship deciding that this field isn’t for you, it’s still a valuable experience that gives you insight into other potential areas.

Finally, our best advice for a successful internship is to be yourself. Nutanix cherishes the richness that comes from people with diverse backgrounds, unique perspectives and different experiences. Don’t feel you need to pretend to be whatever it is you think we want you to be. We’re not looking for the perfect intern. We’re looking for unexpected talent to help us disrupt the industry with a new approach.

Want to learn more about internships at Nutanix? Head over to our careers page to find out more or follow @LifeAtNutanix on Instagram or LinkedIn.

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