Tips and Tricks to Acing the First Day of Your Internship

AMA Professionalism Picture

You’ve successfully built your resume, gave a killer interview, and you finally landed that internship you’ve been going after! Mission accomplished, right?

 

Not quite. Actually, your mission is just starting. Now that you have your foot in the door, it’s your time to shine and show this company exactly why you earned the internship, and might even make a good employee. Now, here are five tips to making sure that the first day, and every day, make a lasting impression.

 

1: Arrive on time

 

This might sound obvious, but it’s so so so important! This means making sure you know where the building is beforehand, and taking a practice drive there during rush hour. There’s nothing worse than showing up late because you didn’t know where it was, or traffic was a nightmare. It will show to your employer that you took the time beforehand to plan this. This also means actually arriving on time, and not half an hour early. Give your supervisor time to come in and prepare as well. The earliest you should show up is 5 minutes before your scheduled time.

 

2: Dress to Impress

 

Again, obvious, but in the words of Oscar Wilde, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” The best way to know how to dress is to take notes during your interview on how your mentors/supervisor dress, and match their level of professionalism. Although you might just be an intern, it’s best to dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

 

3: Ask questions!

 

The first day at an internship can be overwhelming. Most likely, you’ll leave with your head spinning with so much new information you won’t know what to think! However, as you start to settle into your new role, seek out new information by asking questions. This shows that you’re interested and that you take your job seriously. Even more, it show’s you’re thinking in-depth about the project, and not just doing tasks to get them done. My only request is that you don’t ask questions that have an obvious answer.

 

4: Stay in the moment…

 

…and off your phone! Whatever’s happening in the group messages, on social media, or in whatever game you might be playing, it can wait. Don’t check it every 10 seconds. Show these employers that you’re excited to be there and that it’s your main priority.

 

5: Have fun!

 

We can all hope that the internship you’re about to embark on is the internship of your dreams! Whether it is or not, you’re learning from professionals, building yourself professionally and personally, and setting yourself apart from your peers. Use this to your advantage, and enjoy it! This can have such a large impact on your future goals and profession, take the most you can out of it, and with a smile on your face!

 
Now, with these five tips, you’re ready for your internship! Just remember to put you best-dressed foot forward with an eager smile on your face, and it will be one of the best experiences of your life.

 

Posted in Tips & Advice and tagged , , , , , .

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *