Some of the most important advice professors can give is to encourage their students to go out and get some real life experience. The best way you can do that is rock an internship.
The scariest part of being an intern is trying to figure out all the dos and don’ts. But how do you figure out these rules as a newbie? This list compiles everything I’ve learned as an intern in the last year.
- 1. Don’t be a pain in the a**.
Make a point to be helpful without being burdensome. You don’t want to bug your mentors, but you do want to offer your assistance. Start by announcing your availability for the day via email and see who responds. Going forward you may want to make an in person visit to let them know you’re looking for something to do. The best thing you can do is not become bothersome.
- 2. Introduce yourself.
Making yourself known around the office can never hurt. The more people you meet, the more work you can potentially have a chance at working on. You also want to work on making connections. The more people you know, the better your chances are at landing your dream job in the future.
- 3. Go to lunch.
Maybe it sounds silly, but get to know the people you work with. Going to lunch will give you an opportunity to get to know more about your mentors in a less stressful and more personal environment. It will help you to find some middle ground between work and play.
- 4. Show up early. Stay late.
No one likes the person who only puts in half an effort. Get there early, be eager, and stay until you’ve finished your work.
- 5. Connect on LinkedIn.
Facebook is great after your internship has ended, but LinkedIn allows you to connect professionally with your colleagues. These connections will help you meet other professionals in your field.
- 6. Never be afraid to ask for clarification.
I think the worst thing about starting an internship is feeling like you’re supposed to know everything. But in reality, you won’t know much. You will have to ask questions. You might even have to ask where the bathroom is, but don’t feel bad. This is normal, and everyone goes through a learning period.
- 7. Offer to help with anything -- even if it’s something that might not seem beneficial to you.
The important thing to keep in mind is that your colleagues don’t know you. They don’t know your work ethic, what you’re capable of, or how responsible you are. They aren’t going to trust you with the huge project that had a lot riding on it, on your first day in the real world. Proving that you can manage making copies, running errands, printing and stapling papers will give them confidence that you’re not a big mistake.
- 8. Be confident, but not cocky.
You want to be confident that you can do this. But you don’t need to be annoyingly overly confident. Nobody, especially your wiser and more experienced coworkers, wants to hear how you’re oh-so-good at everything. Admit your strengths and weaknesses. Work to use your strengths to your advantage. Work on improving your weaknesses and learning from your mistakes. No one is perfect, and they know you’re bound to have a few hiccups.
