Published: September 3, 2020

 
Across the country, students are gearing up for an unusual fall semester, with virtual classes, clubs, office hours, and jobs. This past summer, all 31 Chegg interns worked 100% remotely, and Rachael Murdock, our content development intern, interviewed them all.

In the final part of our series sharing our interns’ perspectives and experiences, Rachael asked everyone for their best advice on interning and working remotely.  

 
A quick reminder: you can also read Chegg summer interns’ tips for landing your dream internship and their advice for their past selves.
 

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“Treat it as if you were working in the office . Create a workspace for yourself and take real breaks. Communicate consistently with your manager and team. Schedule one-on-one’s to continue building those relationships.”  

– Elisa L., Content Marketing Intern

 

“I would say to go into it with the same mindset and work ethic that you would have for an in-person internship. It’s easy to see a remote internship as less legitimate, but you have the same opportunity to grow and learn during remote work as you would with in-person work. At the end of the day, what you put in is what you get out. In addition, it’s easy to get burned out with Zoom meetings, so whenever appropriate, try to have a laugh or two with your co-workers. A light mood really helps with fatigue.”

– Ben V., Marketing Consumer Insights Intern

 

“Being successful at a remote internship definitely requires putting in extra work to make yourself known and get the most out of it, but it can be a great experience. You need to be able to make a name for yourself. It’s all about putting your best foot forward and making an even greater effort than you would in an in-person setting.”

– Kira M., CRM Marketing Intern

 

“Make an effort to get to know the people you are working with as much as possible! Zoom can be awkward, but it can also make it easier to quickly chat with different people in the company to learn as much as possible. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out when you are stuck, confused, or bored. It may feel scarier to send an email or Slack message than quickly ask in person, but your supervisors and team members are just as willing (if not more willing) to help you.”

– Cameron P., Corporate Strategy Intern

 

“Make sure you find an area where you can concentrate because it’s pretty easy to get distracted at home.  “

– Charley H., Software Engineering Intern

 

“If you get distracted easily or find it hard to concentrate, make a space for yourself that is just for work. Make sure to have a schedule that resembles a normal workday, and have hard cut-off times. That way, you won’t have to mix your personal life and work life, and you’ll be less likely to get burned out and lose your enthusiasm for this opportunity.”  

– Sydney S., Human Resources Intern

 

“Set up a comfortable workspace in a quiet part of your house so you don’t have to worry about family members or roommates distracting you while working or making calls.” 

– Donald T., Business Analyst Intern

 

“Add structure to your day. Not being able to have that physical distinction between work and home can be really tough. I highly recommend sticking to routines that mimic what you do normally and establishing a dedicated space to be your work-from-home station. It’s not perfect but doing so can help keep you balanced by adding some mental and physical distance between your internship and your personal life.” 

– Kalea M., Data Science Intern

 

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to your boss or team. Don’t feel like you are bugging them or being annoying. Communication is key to a great internship, so ask all the questions you have whenever you have them, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. Also, reach out to employees outside of your department to chat! It’s a great way to learn about other roles within the company.”

– Kara Q., Marketing Consumer Insights Intern

 

“Make a daily schedule and to-do list with times and deadlines. Stick to those deadlines as much as possible. If possible, avoid working from your bed, as it will make you want to go to sleep/relax. When you get stuck, try to figure it out for about 30 minutes, then reach out for help.”  

– Omar H., Security Engineering Intern

 

“Try to create a routine and make sure that you are prioritizing boundaries between your work time and your personal time.”

– Kelsey W., UX Research Intern

 

“My advice is to set up a nice desk area since you’ll be there a lot. Maybe put your desk by a window or decorate the wall you’re looking at! If you feel good in your work area, it makes a big difference in your motivation!” 

– Sarah K., Sales Intern 

 

“Find a routine for your day and make sure you go out for walks when possible.” 

– Rouge Y., Content/Partnerships Marketing Intern

 

“For getting the internship, apply to everything relevant to your interests! Eventually you will get a response. For doing the work remotely, make sure you take time to get outside and away from the computer. Humans were not meant to sit in front of a screen all day, so go for a walk and get fresh air whenever possible.”

– Rachael M., Content Development Intern

 

“Make sure it’s with a company that is very dedicated to its interns, like Chegg. If you really put the same amount of energy into your remote internship as you would in-person, you will still learn a lot and enjoy the experience.”  

– Spencer P., Corporate Strategy Intern