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How to be a kickass intern: the dos & don’ts for newbies in the professional workforce

Is staying late a thing?

college student job interview

You landed your first internship, which is a huge deal. Congrats! Now the first day on the job is approaching and you're starting to wonder exactly what's going to be expected of you. You've probably heard internship horror stories from friends and upperclassman already so you're properly spooked, not to mention just naturally nervous for your first day. Here's some basic tips on how to be an intern and totally wow your coworkers.

Do: be punctual

Blow your boss away from the get-go. Make sure you've cleared with him or her what time you should arrive. Sometimes interns will be asked to come in a little bit later on their first day just so the person in charge of you has a chance to get their day going. Be on time, but like going to an interview we'd wouldn't be more than a few minutes early. You should definitely plan your commute in advance so you know how long it's going to take to get from campus to your office.

Every day from there on out, do your best to be on time. If you can figure out what time your boss gets in and arrive just a few minutes before, it looks great. When they walk in and see you already at your desk getting started on some work, it's mad impressive.

Do: hit the ground running

Dazzle your boss with your enthusiasm from the word, "go." We'd recommend bringing a pen and little notebook in so when you're given instructions you can write them down. It looks super studious in the moment and you won't have to ask for someone to repeat it to you if you forget. You should treat your internship like it's a real job. Approach each task you're given with professionalism not matter how small or silly it may seem. Companies are relying on their interns more and more.

Don't: wait for assignments

If your boss asks you to do some of the same tasks every day, then get to work on them before he or she even has to ask. They may not want the info everyday, but it gives you something to do and will show your manager you've been paying attention. If you run out of work to do, don't wait for your boss to assign more work. Ask or send them a message politely checking in. "I finished X assignment and was wondering if there's anything else I can help out with?," is a nice way of letting your supervisor know you're ready for more work.

Do: ask for long-term work

Unfortunately, there tends to be down time at some internships. Your boss might be too swamped with work to give you something new to do. We'd try asking around for a longer term assignment. If you've got something that's not due at the end of the day, it can be your go-to assignment when things get slow.

Don't: stay late just because you're asked

Some companies might try and take advantage of the cheap labor interns bring. If your boss is asking you to stay late, we'd evaluate on a case by case basis. A special event or project might be a great oppurtunity to showcase on your resume so we'd totally consider it. However, you should be compensated in some way for your additional work be it through time off or additional pay.

If you feel like you can't handle the additional work or like they're asking too much of you, you should first thank your boss. They clearly thought enough of you to ask, which is really flattering. Explain to your supervisor that while you'd love to help out or stay late, you've got a lot of schoolwork that demands your attention. They should be understanding about it and if not, at least you know where you stand. You're just an intern and not a full-time employee so you should have limits.

Do: get to know your co-workers

If you're not the only intern, you should chat with them. They're the people that are literally in the same position as you. See if you can grab lunch with them and get to know them better.

We'd recommend trying to have sit down with your boss occasionally throughout the length of your internship for lunch or coffee. It will help them get to know you better and help you get a sense of how your doing. If you're reporting to more than one person, it might be hard to socialize with all of them. You should be chatting with them as you turn in assignments though. See if they're ever free for an afternoon chat or morning coffee meeting. It'll show your superiors you're engaged with the company and want to form long-term relationships. It's an ideal way to start networking.