It’s now officially the start of summer, and while some are taking classes or working, others are getting ready for their first day at a new internship --hoping to leave an impression that screams professional and prepared.
During the beginning of a new internship you need to not only dress the part, but also make sure you are knowledgeable of the company’s work, organized and never say no.
Here are a few tips that I have learned and experienced that can help you have a successful first day at your internship:
1. Test Run
Make sure you know how and when you will be getting to your internship. The worst first impression is being late. Establish your form of transportation in advance and make a trip to the office or location a day before your start date and secure your route and timing. For my current internship I drove the day before my first interview to eliminate the chances that I might get lost or not find parking. During the day of the interview, I had no problems and was on time. The best advice I can give anyone starting a new internship is to be on time. Having your supervisor think you are irresponsible can limit your chances to work on other important tasks later on. You don’t want to be fetching coffee and lunch the entire summer.
2. Prep
The cliché is true, just dress to impress. Ladies, avoid clothes that are too short or revealing and heels that are too high. Gentlemen, ties are nice, make sure your socks match your slacks and shoes. Also, leave your baseball caps at home. While what to exactly wear depends on your industry, you should dress formally and comfortable for the first day. To look poised and confident, make sure you look and feel rested. Go to bed early the night before and wake up early the morning of because you don’t want to skip out on a healthy breakfast.
3. Act the part
How you come across to your supervisor and office peers can potentially have a lot to do with the amount of work you will be doing throughout your summer internship. If your supervisor thinks you can’t handle a certain task for the week, it’s always helpful to have co-workers who can vouch for your professionalism and work. On the first day you should always have a smile on your face, ask lots of questions and never turn down an opportunity to work a little extra. Remember keep the long personal conversations and text messages to a minimum, all the talking you should be doing is showing off your knowledge of the company and how you’re ready to leave your mark.
