The summer is here and it provides the greatest opportunity to complete an internship. What better time of the year will you be able to take 20, 30, or 40 hours than the summer? This will allow you time to get some hands on experience in your future career field. Some internships can be paid, while others are for the benefit of gaining new knowledge. Some internships are for a short period of time (1 week) up to the entire summer (3 months). Some internships result in job offers, while others produce letters of recommendation.
How well you perform during an internship depends on your performance from day one. Below are 8 tips on how to be successful during your internship.
- Dress for success. Each day you should come dressed for the position you hope they offer you full-time. Take time to give attention into your appearance:
- Press your clothes each day.
- Stay away from trends and pick more classic looks when making fashion choices.
- Stick to natural hair colors.
- Avoid bright nail colors and distracting nail lengths. Go to the salon for biab removal if you still have bright nail colors on.
- Arrive on time each day. On time is to arrive 15 minutes early. Prepare for the unexpected during your commute.
- Do your research. Learn as much as you can before and during your research. If there is something you do not know, look it up. Ask questions and take notes on new information you obtain.
- Ask how you can help. Part of you obtaining the internship is to learn, but the other part of you being there is to help out around the office. You should be able to help with projects, clean-up around the office, and lighten the load for the staff.
- Be thorough in all that you do. When working on projects, be sure to cross every “t” and dot every “i”. Follow-up on projects and complete projects in their entirety.
- Leave the drama at home. Do not bring drama to the office. If you are having personal problems, you should try to not allow it spill out at the internship. Workers are filing a hostile workplace complaint when discrimination is present in the workplace. You want people to get to know you, your knowledge, and your skillset, but you do not want them to know about the fight you had last night with your partner.
- Avoid your cellphone and social media. You should avoid mobile devices unless directly associated the internship.
- Bring a positive confident attitude each day. Come to the internship each day confident and positive about the experience, the day, and each task that is given to you.