-: In addition to basically having a good attitude
coming into it and being open to learning,
because there is a lot to learn in the city.
The rule of thumb is usually after you've been there
for a year, you might know some stuff.
Internships are rarely that long, and so you're
cramming in a lot of knowledge about the city
into a very short amount of time.
The more you know, the better you can do your job.
That being said, there's not the expectation
that you will automatically know all these things
as an intern.
But seeking out opportunities to learn these things
are what will set you apart, so networking with people
in other departments, informational interviews,
asking people to lunch, learning about what they do
and where their role is within the city
helps you get a better sense of the city as a whole
and where your department and your role fits into it,
how it can interact with other departments, other people,
and how you can be more efficient and more collaborative
with the city.
So taking that initiative is really what happens
with the best interns.