What advice can you give me while I'm doing my internship?

Sheryl Swingley

Ball State University

Question: What advice can you give me while I'm doing my internship?

Answer:

Internship supervisors who I have worked with sometimes make the following points when completing interns' midterm and final evaluations.

You must show up to work on time. Showing up to work on time means getting there far enough in advance that you're ready to answer the phone at 8 a.m. if that's when work starts. Walking in at 8 a.m. is not acceptable. You're late. If you will be late (don't let it happen more than twice), call and let your supervisor or another staff member in the office know. If you're sick and won't be in at all, call. Showing up late or not showing up at all without notice is grounds for firing – even during an internship.

You must show initiative. When you're done with whatever you've been assigned, get up from your desk and ask your supervisor what he or she wants you to do next. Don't wait or expect your supervisor to check with you to see where you are on a project. If your supervisor is asking where work is, it probably indicates you are missing deadlines – something you want to avoid.

Also in connection with initiative, pay attention to what other projects co-workers are working on. Ask your supervisor questions about those projects and how they relate to the organization's goals. If you learn about a project that interests you, ask how you might get involve.

Go beyond what is expected of you. Provide answers before your supervisor has to ask. Always be a self-starter.

You must ask questions. If you don't understand something, ask questions until you understand. It's good practice to ask a few questions to clarify and confirm what your supervisor has asked you to do. It let's your supervisor know you understand before you go off and waste several hours doing a project wrong.

But, don't expect your supervisor to give you all the answers or direct you every step of the way. As a young professional, you're expected to demonstrate problem-solving abilities.

You must take notes. When you meet with your supervisor to discuss details of a project, you need to take notes on what is discussed. Interns who don't take notes irritate their supervisor with unnecessary questions later. When you take notes, you'll increase your chances of successfully completing assigned projects. Overall, it's not a bad idea to carry paper and pen with you at all times. Some supervisors are always on the run and will even say, "Let's 'walk and talk.'" If you have paper and pen, you can easily capture and remember instructions that are given to you on the run.

You must slow down. In an effort to do a good job, interns oftentimes rush through tasks. For some reason, students think the faster they get something done, the better. That’s not true. You need to take the time necessary to do the best job possible. Take a few minutes to think through the project or to draw thumbnail sketches. Slowing down could help take a project in a more creative direction and eliminate silly mistakes.

When you think you're done, step back and review your notes regarding what it was that you were to do. Also copyedit your work carefully before giving it to your supervisor. Does your department have a style book it follows? If so, check for style issues in your work before you turn it in to your supervisor.

You must admit mistakes. If it's your error, admit it, learn from it and move on. Professionals who supervise students say too many young people deny that they have done anything wrong or, worse yet, blame someone else for their mistakes, errors or problems. Taking responsibility for your actions is part of becoming a professional.

You must exhibit professionalism even when you don't think those around you are being very professional.

Professionalism includes a variety of behaviors.

First, you must be reserved in a new environment. You must learn what is acceptable and what is not. As harsh as it sounds, some environments want interns to be seen, not heard. In such environments, the professionals might blatantly say to you that they don't care what you think or have to say. Fortunately, few interns find themselves in such restrictive and inhibiting environments, which usually make the student very uncomfortable and overly cautious about what is and what isn't acceptable. If you find yourself in such an environment, you need a supervisor who will outline for you in advance of activities what is expected of you and what is not acceptable behavior. If your supervisor doesn't provide you with such guidance, you need to initiate such conversations.

Secondly, professionalism includes the following:

–Check out how people in different job positions dress. Dress for the position you aspire to have after you graduate. Also, make sure your clothes fit properly and aren't revealing. Improper dress can cause people not to hear what you have to say, not to take your work seriously and to talk negatively about you.

–Speak respectfully and formally to everyone you work with. Use courtesy titles until others give you permission to call them by their first name. If someone calls you honey, babe or sweetie, consider politely responding that you would prefer to be called by your name. Calling people honey, babe, sweetie – or dude or man – is not professional, but you'll run into some professionals who do this in the workplace.

–Ask what the chain of command is. Ask if you are allowed to discuss projects with your supervisor's boss and others in the department. Some environments require that you only talk with your immediate supervisor about projects. Be careful not to overstep your bounds. Such informally might cause you problems at your internship – and jobs in the future.

–Avoid talking about your personal life and what you do after work. It's good to avoid talking about religion and politics, too. Don't share off-colored stories or jokes of any kind in the workplace – or with co-workers after hours. Overall, avoid engaging in nonwork conversations at work. Others might engage in the behavior described, but you should refrain from joining in. Oftentimes such conversations are used in evaluating an intern's performance.

–Put your cell phone away. Don't leave it on the desk while you work or on the table at a meeting. Avoid personal calls during work hours. Texting your friends while working also is viewed as inappropriate in most workplaces.

–Facebook also is blocked in many work environments. Text and update your Facebook page before or after work hours. Your experience with Facebook and other social media, e.g., Twitter, might serve you well, though, because a growing number of interns are asked to share their expertise in social media with their supervisor and co-workers during their internships.

–Blogging about your internship experience may or may not be allowed by your internship site. Check with your supervisor to see if it's OK to blog about what you're doing during your internship. If it is OK to blog, keep it positive. Otherwise, it could backfire on you and hurt your future career. If the company says no blogging, then don't blog or write about work. If you go against your internship site's wishes, then you'll be fired and your future career could be damaged.

–Always knock before you enter a person's office, even when the door is open. Also, if you have to get information from a supervisor's office, ask if it's OK that you come and go to retrieve such information when he or she is in the office. You also should have prior permission to be in the office when your supervisor isn't in his or her office.

–When you're asked to do something, immediately stop what you're doing. Start taking notes, follow your supervisor to wherever it is he or she wants you to go. When you're asked to do something, do it immediately. Don't ever put your supervisor off or make your supervisor wait.

–When you have a meeting with your supervisor, bring your projects list and be prepared to update him or her on your progress. Be prepared to discuss any needs you might have to accomplish your projects. If you have problems with any of your projects, share with your supervisor some ways you think the problems might be solved. Your supervisor might not like any of your ideas, but at least you're trying, and your supervisor will appreciate your efforts. I once had a supervisor tell me to bring her solutions, not just problems.

–If you serve on any committees, always be prepared to report on your part of the project. Take time before the meeting to figure out what you will say. What you have to say also should be concise. Avoid rambling or getting off topic.

–When you don't like something your supervisor or a co-worker has said to you or done to you, don't get angry. Stay calm. If there is a problem, wait to express the concern after you've had time to collect your thoughts and get your emotions under control. Always discuss your concerns one-on-one and in private with your supervisor or a co-worker. Another piece of advice is don't express your anger in an e-mail. In fact, don't put anything in writing that you wouldn't want to see blasted all over the front page of a newspaper or leading the nightly news.

–When you think you're done, you're probably halfway there. Learn to accept the fact that you'll have to redo work or alter work several times. It's normal. It's part of the process. Don't take it personally. Usually such changes make your work better in the end.

–Be aware of how much time you spend talking to other interns or other staffers. The less you talk in the workplace, the better. Socialize after work.

–If you are at a special event, stay focused on your responsibilities. Avoid talking too much with attendees or other special events workers. Don't joke. Remain formal. Familiarize yourself with the event operations handbook or operational information sheet, which should be a part of any well-organized event. Observe how your co-workers conduct themselves.

Overall, I've shared with you is a lot of information beyond the marketing and advertising skills and knowledge you will need to employ in the workplace during an internship. If you follow these guidelines, however, they'll help you be more successful on your internship.

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What advice can you give me while I'm doing my internship?