As much as we all love interning, not every internship is equal. In fact, some are downright disappointing. Rude bosses and too much of downtime make every day at the office feel like an utter waste of time. But you don’t have to leave it at that. Here are some tips to make the most of a disappointing internship.

Talk It Out

Have an honest conversation with your boss. If it’s a matter of not having enough work to do, let them know that you feel underutilized and are anxious to be of real help to the team. If you’re dealing with disrespect, speak to HR if possible, and have specific examples ready. Check your emotions (hard, I know), and keep it professional - otherwise it will dilute the impact of the message you’re trying to get across.

Get social

When you’re down in the dumps it can be very tempting to recede into an anti-social bubble of self-pity. But I’m here to tell you that friends make everything better! Some of the best friends you will have are made at work. You’ll find that you have quite a bit in common working in the same field and choosing to work at the same company. Bonding with your fellow interns can not only bring some laughs to a dull moment, it is also a great networking technique. One day these people will act as invaluable connections that can lead to prospective jobs.

Make an offer

Downtime seem to be taking up most of your day? Ask your supervisor if it’s ok for you to help out other departments, and offer to help out. All it takes is one person in the company with whom you develop a productive relationship with to amp up your workload. Not only will it get you moving, helping out another department and forming that relationship with office employees offers an invaluable reference. A good intern is valuable to the entire company, not just their department.

Meetup

So, your position is lackluster, and so is your boss. Good news – he or she isn’t the only one in the company! Reach out to those around you and ask for a few minutes of their time to sit down with them and ask for advice (aka pick their brain about the industry). Making those connections and gaining their knowledge is sure to bring some value to your experience.

12 Weeks

The good news is you’re not married to the position. All you have to do is get through three months (12 weeks) and then you are scott free with experience on your resume. Stay positive. We all need to vent, so get it out of your system before you enter the office.

Can’t tolerate it? If you spoke to your advisor, and nothing has changed, quit. Just be professional about it. Schedule a meeting, let them know that it’s still not working out, and that you feel it’s best to part ways. Since you already addressed these issues with them in the past, it won’t come off as a complete shock.

Just don’t be immature and ghost with no explanation. You’d be surprised what an honest and professional conversation can accomplish.

Need more advice? Check out our on-demand course on how to score the internship of your dreams here, or schedule a one-on-one session with Carla.