Week 1 is about orientation and setup. Don't just passively attend — ask questions about the company's tech stack, workflows and what success looks like for your role.
Weeks 2-3 are your execution window. Pick one meaningful project and go deep. Document your process, ask for feedback early and iterate fast. Quality work in 2 weeks impresses more than scattered tasks in 4.
Week 4 is for wrapping up, presenting your work and networking. Send a thoughtful thank-you message to your mentor and team. Ask for specific feedback on what you could improve.
The interns who get return offers aren't necessarily the most skilled — they're the ones who showed initiative, communicated clearly and treated every week like a job interview.