You’re bored out of your mind sitting at an empty desk under bad lighting. If you’re lucky, you get sent out of the office to fetch bagels. Your friends regularly text you from Bonnaroo, Barcelona or the beach while you’re stuck in a cubicle next to the lady who’s covered her desk in plastic figurines devoted to her love of Pomeranians.
Yes, you are on Planet Intern.
But wait! Before you resign yourself to eight weeks of surreptitiously playing Spider Solitaire, check out these handy tips and learn to survive.
1. Be Professional
Think of your internship as a summer-long job interview. According to Brad Karsh, author and founder of JobBound and JB-Training Solutions, 85 percent of companies use internships to make full-time hiring decisions. You might be there to check out the company, but at the same time they’re checking you out. So, be on time, don’t goof-off and leave the iPod and cell phone in your pocket. And if you’re getting funny looks from senior management, it could be because of the flip-flops and belly-button ring you’re sporting!
Karsh says that seven out of 10 companies he works for cite business etiquette – specifically the company dress code - as the number one problem they have with interns. You can slouch to class in a tank top and shorts, but in the working world you must dress professionally. When in doubt, cover up. And that includes your toes and tattoos.
2. Don’t Get Bored, Get Better
Make the most of your time as an intern because you’re in a unique situation. People want to like you – you’re not a threat to them. You can gain rare access just by being an intern and learn some really cool, useful things along the way. Some simple hints to remember:
- Ask questions. You’re there to learn, right?
- Don’t wait to be told what to do. Be proactive and look for jobs.
- Spend as much time with as many people as you can. Seek out the respected superstars of the company and talk to them.
- Accept criticism. You may be head of the class at Ivy League U, but a cocky intern not only makes a bad impression, he also misses out on valuable opportunities to learn.
- Be aware. Read as much as you can about your chosen industry. If you’re interning at CNN, for example, you’d better know Kinshasa from Kansas.
3. Leave the Attitude at the Door
“Business Week” lists “The Entitlement Syndrome” as the number one mistake interns make. The sooner you realize you’re the low man on the totem pole, the better. That means filing, fetching coffee, filing, making copies, filing, going out for bagels and uh, filing, with a positive attitude and a smile on your face.
The positive attitude extends to company social events. This is where your bosses can really check out your interpersonal skills and see how you fit in with the office dynamic. Are you a team player? Are you outgoing? Are you willing to give it a go? So ducking the community service day or weekly softball game is not advisable.
4. Follow up
Whew! You’re made it through your summer internship without breaking the copy machine or revealing your party-girl Facebook identity. You’ve made some good connections and you’ve learned a lot about marketing, consulting, accounting and/or broadcasting.
So follow-up when the summer ends – send handwritten thank you cards or letters to people who helped and impressed you over the summer. They’ll remember that.
Similarly, don’t burn your bridges. Resist the urge on your last workday to tell off the lady with the Pomeranians. She just may be doing the hiring when you apply for a job next year!
And finally…
5. Eat breakfast
It’s going to be a long time till lunch hour!
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