Whether you have been assigned to a project from your experience administrator, have selected a project yourself, or have successfully applied to and been accepted to a project, your next step is to actually start the project and begin engaging with the employer.
Here are the best ways you can prepare for the start of a project.
Research the project and the company
Read the project description in full. Make sure you understand the problem, goals, and deliverables.
Research the company. Visit the company's website, search for them on the web, look them up on LinkedIn. Try and understand as much as you can about them and how the project might fit in to their needs.
Research the employer. Look up the individual associated with the project on LinkedIn or other sites. Try and understand where they fit into the company and what knowledge they may have that can help you complete the project.
Schedule a kickoff meeting
Schedule a meeting between yourself or your team and the employer. During this meeting:
Everyone should introduce themselves.
Have the employer introduce the scope of the project and the expected deliverables.
Ask as many questions as you can about the project ensuring you fully understand the expectations and what you will need to deliver.
Confirm any milestone and final submission due dates.
Establish any recurring meetings if necessary or set a date for a future check-in meeting.
Document what was discussed and follow up with the employer in writing.
Remember that first impressions mean a lot and the kickoff call is your chance to really get things started on the right foot.
Remember to be professional
If you are shy, make a strong attempt to come out of your shell
Go and start the work
After your kickoff meeting, you should have everything you need to begin work on the project, so get to it!