If only I’d known then what I know now…! From punctuality to dress code, I will provide some intern pointers for your first internship.
Internships are a rewarding experience. As much as we try to do our very best, we will make some mistakes. I’ve made my share of mistakes however, I’ve always taken ownership of them. With this in mind, I’ve come up with eight attributes that will be discussed in order to increase your own level of success as an intern.
When we talk about a career, whether the person’s position is to that of an intern, mid-level, experienced, or seasoned professional, success is mostly achieved through trial, error and experience. So what measures can we take in order to establish a competitive edge before the experience begins?
This is for the motivated individual who is beginning an internship for the first time. Take heed to the advice that follows.
1. Know what to expect.
As an intern, you probably won’t be doing substantive work; you’ll likely be making other people’s lives a little easier. So you may get stuck photocopying, filing, arranging meetings, or doing other menial tasks. In exchange, you’ll get exposure to the field and experience for your resume.
When you come in as an intern, you’ll have to prove yourself in the work world. You’ll need to show that you pay attention to detail, follow instructions, care about quality, and do a great job even when you’re handed boring tasks! Eventually, someone may let you try something more interesting.
Observe how others in the office act, and mirror that. If employees modulate their voices when others are on the phone, modulate yours. If they’re compulsively on time for meetings, you should always be on time, too. These details may sound trivial, but they’ll help you stand out compared to other interns.
2. You could be an intern for awhile.
Internships are a stepping stone to the next stage of a career, but these days, that stone’s throw from flunky to full-time is a much longer distance. A job offer is never guaranteed, and even if it does come along, it could be months or years before a company hires you. The more competitive the industry, the longer you could spend hopping internships. To avoid confusion, interns should ask what the specific start and end dates are before starting work with a company. As an intern you should also try to find out if they might consider hiring an intern, whether it’s full or part-time.
3. Busy work comes with any job.
Take a look at the base of any expected set of responsibilities. Do you see the spot where it says, “Perform other duties as assigned?” These duties could range from conducting research to recording important notes in an essential meeting, and regardless of how high your GPA is, you won’t get away from some administrative tasks!
There’s an upside and down side to the working scene. Every job comes with some administrative tasks, and having a perspective on how those tasks help the company overall is important.
Go for “incredibleness!” Regardless of how unremarkable the task might be. There’s great work to be done and in between, there’s average and messy occupied work.
4. It’s OK to make mistakes.
Continuously try to do your best, yet recall that internships are intended to provide advanced knowledge. The intern is obviously not going to know every detail, and undertakings will be messed up a period or two. That is normal, and the employer will understand this. Always ask questions or for assistance when you are facing some trouble. Input is constantly useful to avoid committing the same error twice.
Supervisors expect interns to be on a learning curve, and more learning comes from failure.
5. Your ideas are encouraged.
It’s regular to be meek to start with, however it benefits the intern to talk up, take an interest in gatherings and offer new tasks. This is the means by which the intern demonstrates their worth. Managers appreciate representatives who take activity and look for opportunity to benefit the company. Also, one reason organizations like to have interns in the workplace is on the grounds that they provide a fresh viewpoint.
6. There’s a difference in responsibilities for paid and unpaid interns.
Some interns say that you should always be compensated, while other say it’s not required, but rather as per the law, it depends. The U.S. Bureau of Labor frameworks six criteria that a business in the private area must meet to have unpaid assistants:
1) The duties assigned must be like those given in an instructive environment.
2) The temporary position must be to the formal of the understudy.
3) An intern must not displace a regular employee.
4) The business gets no prompt point of interest from the intern’s obligations.
5) The intern isn’t vital qualified for work offer.
6) Both intern and employer comprehend that the former isn’t qualified for wages for the span of the entry level position.
Amid the meeting, the hopeful might get some information about the employment obligations. On the off chance that the position offered is an unpaid entry level that doesn’t keep these guidelines – especially the standard of the temporary job being an educational experience – consider turning down the open opportunity.
7. A high level of quality is more important than the level of production.
Undergrads have taken in the importance of meeting due dates, and it is genuine – due dates are critical. Yet, it’s not effective to work swiftly and afterward leave a few important details out of the picture. Interns have a tendency to think speedier is more important, and that they appear smarter if they work quicker. Yet, it’s OK to stop, request input and make a careful showing. Learning requires significant investment.
8. Work casual and campus casual are not the same thing!
Numerous workplaces now have tolerant approaches concerning clothing standards. Yet, you have to dress slightly better than the full-time representatives do. Here is a basic guideline to follow:
- More of your body should be covered in fabric than isn’t, regardless of season.
- Individual clothing should be spotless, pressed and reflective of the company culture, not too short, not too tight – not too anything!
- Dress the part you want to play.
Every internship will be different. The more you know going into the experience, the better prepared you will be. Remember, your first internship is the jump start for your professional career. Use this internship to learn new skills, gain experience, and build relationships with people in your field. By having enthusiasm and dedication, you will be able to have a great first internship, which will become a solid foundation for your future career! Interested in interning at Optimum7? Email us your resume here.
