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[quote=Anonymous]Here's how ChatGPT answers your question.

That's a thoughtful question—and a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Here’s advice that many professionals say they wish they’d received as rising college seniors, particularly in a general business context and a smaller private-sector company:

💡 Advice to Share with Your Intern (What Many Wish They Knew Sooner)
1. Get Curious About How the Business Really Works
Encourage them to:

Ask how your company makes money and what the margins are.

Learn who the actual customers are and what success looks like for them.

Understand what key metrics matter most to leadership.

This turns them from a task-doer into a strategic thinker.

2. Learn to Write & Communicate Clearly
In smaller companies, the ability to write clear emails, summarize findings concisely, or put together a good slide deck often outweighs technical business knowledge. Give them feedback on their writing and presentation style early.

3. Ask Questions That Go Beyond the Task
Instead of just asking how to do something, teach them to also ask:

“Why are we doing it this way?”

“What happens if this doesn’t get done?”

“How does this fit into the bigger picture?”

This builds context, which is priceless.

4. Build a Reputable Work Style
Let them know that how they show up matters:

Are they consistent?

Do they follow through?

Can people trust them to own a task and circle back?

Small company environments especially reward people who are dependable and take initiative.

5. Relationships Matter More Than You Think
Encourage them to:

Introduce themselves to people outside of their team.

Ask someone to coffee or a 20-min chat about their role.

Build a network inside the company.

It’s an underrated professional skill that often leads to jobs or mentorship down the line.

6. Understand That No Job Is “Too Small”
In local or lean companies, everyone wears multiple hats. If they show humility and excellence on even the small stuff, it builds trust that they can handle more.

7. Reflect Weekly
Suggest they write down:

What they learned

What surprised them

What they did well

What they’d do differently next time

This kind of self-awareness is rare at that stage, and sets them apart.

👥 As Their Manager: Ways You Can Amplify Their Growth
Expose Them to Strategy or Leadership Conversations (even briefly)

Give Them Ownership over something meaningful, with guardrails

Let Them Present Their Work, even in a low-stakes setting

Give Candid Feedback with encouragement and direction

[/quote]

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