6 Ways To Rock Your Internship

Congratulations! You sealed the deal on an internship and you are ready to get to work. Now what? How do you make a lasting impression? What should you wear? Who are you going to refer to if you are stuck on a project? What if you end up not liking the position? Look no further my friend. I have 6 tips that are going to help you knock this internship out of the park. 

Wear a suit on the first day

Yes, it is that important. Even if you know the office culture encourages ‘business casual’ attire, do it anyway. I cannot stress this enough. Wearing a suit will signify to your boss, co-workers and executives that you are taking this position seriously. They will recognize that you came prepared and alert, ready for your first meeting or assignment. Now, let me be clear that you do not need to go spend $500.00 on a designer suit. Invest in something that fits your body and that works within your budget. My favorite suit is from Target. It fits like a glove and was on sale for $20.00. I wear it to every ‘first day’ and every interview.  If you look sharp, people will recognize that you put in the time and effort to walk in the door looking your best. I promise you that your boss will be impressed. 

I remember wearing a suit on my first day interning in New York City. I wore that outfit with confidence walking down the street towards Times Square. I pushed open the shiny revolving door with a gush of pride, went up the elevator and through the door. No one was wearing a suit, not even the VPs or Executives. The office promoted a functional ‘business casual’ dress code. Everyone was staring. The embarrassment lasted a few seconds. Then I brushed it off, and I owned that Target suit. 

Always carry a notepad and pen

I have heard some interns complain about ‘shadowing’ their bosses all day shuffling from meeting to meeting and not learning anything. This mindset will get you nowhere in your internship. How are you going to do well completing your assignments if you don’t have situational analysis? Where else are you going to meet everyone in the office if you are not engaging in daily tag-ups or conferences? Taking notes is an understatement, jot down everything. Always leave your desk with something to write with and a notepad. You never know when someone may give you a nugget of useful information or life advice.

Ask for feedback

In your daily or weekly meetings with your supervisor, ask for feedback on tasks. Asking for feedback is confirmation of your intent to deliver iterative value to the company you're supporting as well as focusing on your own growth. This helps you identify mistakes early, accommodate course corrections, and confirm that what you're delivering is valuable. Asking for feedback does not need to come off as repetitive or insecure. You can say something like, “Is there anything I can do to improve this document?” In another instance you can ask, “What do you think about this approach to my research? Do you think I should do a deeper dive?” or “Did I address this correctly?” Ditto if you are working on an assignment with another department. Ask the person you are reporting to if you are on the right track and progressing the assignment effectively. 

Remember that early is on-time and on-time is late

Be early to everything. If your boss expects you to be at your desk every morning ready to roll at 8:30 a.m., be there at 8:20 a.m. If you have a few minutes before a 3:00 p.m. meeting and the conference room is open, walk in early and mingle with people as they roll in. Introduce yourself, ask them about their day, and find some common ground. Going to a networking event or happy hour off-site? Get there early. This philosophy will showcase your eagerness to be present with individuals in the organization and will also prove that you are enthusiastic for every meeting, event, morning tag-up, guest speaker, happy hour, etc. 

Stay off of your phone

This one is self-explanatory. You would think that more people in the work-place would resist the temptation to scroll through their Facebook feeds at their desk, but it happens often. The last thing your boss wants to see is you on your phone tweeting or editing a selfie before posting it on Instagram. Just do not do it! Reserve checking your texts, missed calls, and social media binging for your lunch hour. This will help you be more present and also allow you to be a more active listener. 

Also, never bring your cell phone into a conference room. Even if everyone else comes into a meeting staring at their phone. Do not do it. Engage in conversation with people while waiting for the host to begin, “Hey Justin, I heard you were preparing to present that Marketing proposal last week. How did it go?” If you see someone in a meeting that you haven’t met, introduce yourself! “Hi, I do not think we have met yet. I am interning in the Finance Department. My name is...”

Do Not Burn Bridges

In some scenarios, college students are interning with a competitive mindset. They are trying to out-perform other co-workers and interns by diminishing their work, placing themselves on a pedestal, and having an ‘every man for themselves’ attitude. Your leadership will see right through that attitude and they will not like it. Be kind to everyone you encounter, tell people “Good morning!” and offer up a smile. Ask Lauren in Marketing how her weekend was on a Monday afternoon. If you see a fellow co-worker looking stressed or out of sorts say, “Hey, I know you are really busy today. Can I help get something off of your plate?” or “Listen, I am free at 1:00 p.m. today. I can sit in on your meeting with Merchandising if you want to get some fresh air for a few minutes to clear your head.” These simple acts of kindness go a long way. 

Also, it is very important to remember that this rule applies to everyone, even people you do not like. There is going to be someone that you work with that will get on your nerves, do not take it personally. Treat that person with the same amount of integrity and respect as you would your office bestie. When we are developing careers in our early 20s, we cannot afford to burn bridges. We just can’t. Who knows? That person you aren’t particularly fond of may connect you to a dream job.