How to make the most of your internship abroad in Colombia

For many, an internship represents that rite of passage from being a student to becoming a young professional. The way in which you decide to make the most of your internship will be specific to your values, needs and expertise. These tips and practical improvements on how to make the most of your internship abroad in Colombia are just a starting point.

Self-discovery.

An internship abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to learn a lot about yourself, such as;

• Who are you?

• How do you treat people?

• How well do you work with people?

• How do you get projects completed on time?

• How do you react to challenges?

• Are you capable of adapting successfully?

• Are you teachable?

• Are you accomplishing your goals?

• Are you exceeding expectations?

• Are you learning new things?

• Do you listen effectively to others?

• Do you have an attitude and work ethic that make an environment better?

• Do you have the confidence to use your Spanish skills in a professional settting?

By the end of your internship, you should have a clearer idea of your strengths, your weaknesses and the areas you need to improve upon.

Understanding your goals.

Before you begin your internship, write down a list of goals you want to achieve by the end of your internship program in Colombia. Consider the following: Why do you want to do the internship, what skills are you trying to build, what do you want to learn from the experience, what do you want to accomplish by the end of your internship, how do you plan on contributing, what questions do you have, etc.

An internship is just as much about what value you can contribute to the company as to what you should be gaining and learning from the experience.

Understanding expectations.

It is a great idea to schedule at least one meeting each week with your supervisor. This will help you to understand what is expected of you during your internship. These meetings are also a great way to align your interests and expertise with their needs and help ensure a good outcome for everyone.

During the meetings, note down what you discuss and re-confirm everything with your supervisor to ensure you have understood what was covered.

Staying focused.

During an internship abroad it may feel like there is so much going on all the time; being in a new country, perhaps speaking a different language, socializing with locals and other international interns, and generally just getting comfortable with your new surroundings. So, it might be difficult to remember you’re also there to get things done, accomplish goals & have a fulfilling experience. Your work at your internship will have an impact on the organisation and your new colleagues. Take on tasks, no matter how small. Your supervisor and colleagues will notice if you take your work seriously and do your work well and this will most likely lead to more important & more challenging tasks and projects.

Be the go-to intern your supervisor thinks of for a project.

Treat each day like your first day.

You will want to make a great first impression on the first day of your internship, by dressing professionally, arriving on time and asking intelligent and thoughtful questions. Keep this level of self-discipline up for the entire duration of your internship. This will demonstrate your commitment and professionalism, increasing the level of trust and confidence your new colleagues will have in you.

Celebrate the small wins.

Acknowledge the progress that you are making throughout your internship abroad in Colombia. Whether its navigating local public transport, having conversations in Spanish, learning some Salsa moves or figuring things out for yourself. Recognizing your achievements will keep you motivated, help push you further outside of your comfort zone, and self-reflecting on how far you have come since your first day will boost your confidence.

Feedback.

Asking for continuous feedback is one of the best ways to make the most of your internship abroad in Colombia as it is crucial for you to improve and to learn. It is a great way to recognize what you have been doing well and not so well. Consider the following:

How am I doing, what else can I work on, what are the other areas I may need to improve on, how am I contributing, how can I make more of an impact, am I doing well, etc.

If you find that you are getting to the halfway point of your internship and are not receiving continuous feedback, reach out immediately to your supervisor and set up a meeting.

Speak up.

Don’t be afraid to communicate your ideas and opinions. Organizations highly value the input of an intern, as they will not just see you as part of their working team, but also an opportunity to provide useful new & fresh insights into their organisation. That makes your ideas & opinions extremely valuable, and your new colleagues will want to hear them. Use your voice and share your opinions and ideas.

Step up.

If you start to get comfortable with your day-to-day tasks, you might want to start looking for additional projects or opportunities that you can get involved in. The most memorable and successful interns are those who strive to go above and beyond their defined set of responsibilities. Don’t wait, be pro-active and find out if there is anything more you could be doing or helping with. Once you have finished a task, inform your supervisor & ask for new projects.

Ask questions, and lots of them.

It can be easy to spend all your time absorbing new information and listening rather than asking questions. But from day one, ask questions, questions, questions and more questions! This will help you both stand out and succeed and continually understand what is expected of you.

Network. Network. Network.

It might be tempting to just stick with a couple of other interns you’ve made friends with or the person you end up sitting next to at your internship but be aware of the talented and interesting people all around you. There will be people who have very different careers & backgrounds. It’s invaluable during your internship to understand all the different career paths that are possible and recognize that your own future is limitless!

Intern Colombia will always be at your disposal to give you more advice and recommendations before you arrive, during your internship program in Colombia, at the end of your internship, and even afterwards!

---

Are you ready to do an internship abroad in Colombia? Connect with our expert team & explore internship programs in your preferred career fields.

This blog post was written & published by Intern Colombia on 01 December May 2025