Internships are the beginning of the harsh reality that is the real world. More often than not, these include menial and tedious tasks that cause exhaustion by the time the eight-hour workday is coming to an end. Internships are valuable for connections as well as experience and help you get a foot in the door. Here are some keys for success in your summer internship.
1. Never, ever be late.
This is such a simple thing. No matter what it is, a meeting, a simple day at work, whatever, be on time. Your boss won't care if you had to stop for gas or if your hair wasn't cooperating. Anticipate these things and be on time. Always wake up earlier than you have to and leave yourself room for some delays.
2. Dress appropriately.
Never wear something you would wear to the bar to the office. Your cleavage should never be out and when you bend over in a skirt you shouldn't have to be conscious that your butt is hanging out. Buying nice slacks and dress shirts will be worth it in the end.
3. Always take notes during meetings and presentations.
No matter how young you are or how good your memory is, you will forget most of what a presenter says once you leave the room. Always have a pen and paper to reference in the future when you need to remember something important.
4. Do things even before you are asked to.
After a measly two weeks at your internship, you should know some of the things you will be asked to do. If you're pulling files and you notice there are some stragglers that need to be put away, just do it. Don't wait for someone to ask you to when they notice that it's the only task left to do. It may go unnoticed at first; however, it may be the thing that pushes you over the edge as an intern.
5. Take advantage of every learning opportunity.
Being afraid to ask questions just means that you'll never know the answer. If your supervisor offers to look over your resume, always take that opportunity. It will only benefit you and give you a better chance of being hired and referenced in the future.
6. Never act as if a task is above your skill level.
97 percent of interning is labeling, alphabetizing, filing and more filing. No one wants to hear you complain about filing. If you can't file correctly, you'll never be given a more challenging task. Always preform to the best of your ability, no matter how small the task.
7. Be kind to everyone in the office.
As silly as this sounds, it's a big one. Within my first week as an intern, someone made a rude comment about another "intern" and it ended up being an assistant district attorney, also known as our bosses. Not cool. Just be kind to everyone and this will never happen.
8. Always follow orders.
Don't try to make a statement. It's not worth it. Just follow orders and do what you're told to do.
9. Treat your internship as if it is a paid job.
So you're getting $500 to work 40 hours a week. You won't be swimming in money, but remind yourself once a day that it's about experience and connections. If you act as if it isn't worth your time, you will not even benefit from the experience. Work hard and it will pay off.
