During the Internship
Tips for Successful Interns - Basic Do's and Don'ts
- Do be punctual. Constant tardiness could be held against
you.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- Do keep a daily journal or unofficial record of your
assignments (for your eyes only), how you accomplished them, and
what you learned. This will be useful in assessing what you have
learned from your experience.
- Don’t play on the computer or make personal phone calls. Be
sure that your cell phone is off - it may ring at the most
inappropriate time.
- Do try to engross yourself in company material or information
pertinent to current projects. Be alert and aware of new things
that the company is trying to achieve and see if there is a way
that you can be of assistance.
- Do understand the company culture, and dress and behave
appropriately.
- Do steer clear from giving your opinion on politics and other
sensitive issues. Office politics can be sticky!
- Don’t complain or slack off your assignments. You might feel
like you are doing unimportant tasks, but if you work with a good
attitude, you might eventually get bigger opportunities.
- Do take responsibility for your work, even if you make a
mistake. Learn from your mistakes and demonstrate that to the
person who will be evaluating you.
- Don’t take things personally. Assess the situation objectively.
Furthermore, if you receive criticism, don’t get defensive. Know
when to speak and when to listen.
- Do NETWORK. Professionals in a field of your interest surround
you. Take initiative and try to learn as much about them as
possible by asking or joining them for lunch. Talk to them about
your interests and aspirations. Find someone within the
organization with whom you may want to conduct your Informational
Interview - you may find yourself a valuable mentor!
- Do get feedback and take interest in projects around you. This
will help you understand how you are doing, and your interest might
help you attain similar jobs.
- Do remember that the Career Center is here to help.
Contact us at (718) 990-6375 on the Queens campus or (718) 390-4438
on the Staten Island campus if you have any questions.
After the Internship
- Talk to your supervisor about what you have achieved, and if
possible, make a portfolio of the work you did so that you have
concrete examples.
- Send a thank you letter to your sponsor and to other people at
the organization who made a difference to your overall experience,
and try to stay in touch with them on a regular basis. This will
ensure your name does not fade away and it might come up for other
job or networking opportunities.