Internships are more than just a way to impress on your résumé: they’re opportunities to develop your skills, expand your network, and build your reputation. But the way you show up matters just as much as the work you’re assigned, if not more.
Whether you’re interning at a pro team, brand, agency, or your school’s athletic department, here are three tips plus real-life examples to help you stand out in all the right ways:
1. Be Transparent About Your Career Goals
If you know what you want to do long-term, don’t keep that to yourself. Share your goals with your supervisors and mentors – at the appropriate time. You never know when they might advocate for you, connect you with someone in your dream field, or give you the kind of projects that align with your goals.
People love helping those who are driven and clear about what they want. Let them know how they can help you grow.
Example:
A student interning with an NBA team in the community relations department let her supervisor know she eventually wanted to work in player relations. A few weeks later, when a player appearance was scheduled, she was invited to help manage the logistics and even got to speak directly with the player’s rep. That experience – and her initiative – later helped her land a postgraduate role with a player marketing agency.
2. Bring Ideas – and Ownership
If you see something your organization could improve or try, speak up! But here’s the key: don’t just point out a problem. Come with a plan.
Suggesting improvements without solutions can come off as complaining, especially in busy, fast-paced environments. Instead, try saying something like:
“I had an idea I’d love to try. I’ve thought through how it could work, and I’m happy to take the lead on it.”
That mindset of initiative and accountability is the kind of thing people remember (and often reward).
Example:
An intern with a minor league baseball team noticed that their TikTok account had gone quiet. Instead of just flagging the issue, he pitched a content series focused on behind-the-scenes game day moments. He storyboarded ideas, edited the videos himself, and ended up doubling the account’s followers in six weeks. That effort led to a freelance offer to keep running the team’s TikTok after the season ended.
3. Seek Feedback Often
One of the most powerful tools you have during your internship: feedback! Don’t wait for a final evaluation – ask your supervisor if you can schedule check-ins throughout your time there.
Be proactive about asking how you’re doing, what you could be doing better, and where you might add more value. That feedback can help you improve in real time, and it may even become a great quote for a recommendation letter or LinkedIn endorsement down the line.
And when you do get constructive criticism? Don’t take it personally. Take it as a challenge. Someone cared enough to tell you how to get better – that’s a gift.
Example:
A sponsorship intern with a major sports agency asked for biweekly check-ins with her manager. During one session, she learned she wasn’t formatting client decks in the agency’s preferred style. Instead of feeling discouraged, she took the feedback, reviewed examples, and nailed the format going forward. Her improvement didn’t go unnoticed. She was complimented by the VP during a meeting and added to a client call the next week.
Whether you’re a first-time intern or on your third rotation, these habits will not only help you grow, they’ll make you the kind of intern people want to vouch for. That’s how careers get built: one great experience (and reputation) at a time.
