Internships
How
to be a Professional in the Work Place
- Dress Appropriately. Inquire about the expectations
of dress during your interview so you can arrive the first day and
every day in the professional manner your business expects.
Baseball caps, flip-flops, chewing gum, and smoking are generally
not considered professional.
- Be Punctual. You should always be on time, alert,
and ready to work.
- Ask Questions. Your employer knows you are a student
intern so they realize you are there to learn. They hired you in order
to aid you in this experience. If you are curious about an assignment
they have given you be sure to have it clarified. Your employer
would rather spend a few minutes explaining rather than having you
waste a few hours redoing the project. The first two weeks are generally
considered an "adjusting" time so feel free to ask anything.
- Be Positive. Communicate a desire to learn. Be
respectful of your co-workers and clients. Your contributions to the
atmosphere of the workplace speak a great deal about the value of
you as an employee.
- Do not talk about your social life. While it is
important to develop relationships with your co-workers, do not talk
about the fight you are in with your boy/girlfriend or what club you
went to last night.
- Take Initiative. Be sure to fulfill all expectations
of you in a timely manner. Then if you have extra time demonstrate
your eagerness to learn by coming up with more projects or asking
your co-workers how you can assist them.
- Use Good Judgement. Know when a question is worth
asking and when you should find the solution on your own. You should
be able to pick up on the atmosphere of the worksite, model your behavior
around that of your co-workers.
- This is a real job. Remember your future employers
will go further than just reading about your experience and inquire
about their experience with you. Make this time worthwhile, both in
what you learn and also in helping your future career.
