With Interns in Mind
With a national unemployment rate hovering above 8%, young people must get their feet inside employers’ doors. Summer internships can be educational and fun. They can also lead to a job. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, businesses converted about 60% of the Class of 2011 interns into full-time hires, a record high.
Interns, summer associates and new hires can show they are ready to start work by following these rules:
Do a First Day dry run. It’s absolutely critical that interns arrive at their internship on time every day and especially on the first day of work. If necessary, arrive a little early and walk around the block. Never arrive late. Before the first day of your internship, take public transportation, walk or drive from wherever you live to the location of your internship. Determine how much time you must set aside to move from Point A to Point B.
Dress appropriately. Even where an employer specifies business casual attire, your clothes should be office-appropriate, neat and clean. They should never be torn, tattered or sexually provocative. Leave your jeans, tee shirts and party clothes at home. Shoes should be comfortable and, if leather, they should be shined. Don’t wear sneakers or flip-flops to work. Check your clothes the night before and confirm they are clean, pressed and don’t need mending.
Carry a small pad of paper and pen throughout the workday. Use it to write down assignments you are given, names of people you are asked to contact, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other important information. Each morning, before your workday begins, create a to-do list of what you need to accomplish that day. Cross off items as you complete them. Make a new list the next morning.
Treat everyone you encounter in the workplace respectfully and professionally. No matter how brilliant you are, assume others know more than you do. Support staff can help succeed. They can also withhold their assistance and let you fail. Give them every reason to want to help you. Ask lots of questions. If someone gives you an assignment, make certain you understand it. Don’t be afraid to repeat it back to them: “You want me to . . . .” Be curious, ask questions and learn all you can.
Know basic table manners. Interns are often invited to lunch and sometimes dinner. After you scan the menu, avoid ordering the most and least expensive items. Match the number of courses your host or hostess orders. If they order an appetizer and entrée, you should, too. If they order an entrée only, no matter how hungry you are, you should order just an entrée, too. Avoid ordering any menu item that is messy to eat or that you don’t know how to eat. Treat wait staff with respect.
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