Internships are one of the greatest challenges and opportunities fresh graduates or college students often encounter. Strict professionalism and ethics of the workplace are all new for young interns; so, they often take a backseat to the company’s operations.
This can evolve into the formation of bad career habits for young adults if these mistakes persist. It is true that most of these mistakes are simply due to lack of knowledge, practice and mentorship. Nonetheless, companies often do not see these issues and often do not care.
So if you are starting a fresh internship, then this article is for you. Here is a list of the most common mistakes interns make, so you can be sure to avoid them before it limits your career opportunities.
Arriving late
This is a cardinal sin in a working environment; arriving late to work is not acceptable even in the case of plausible excuse. Most companies do not take kindly to late comers and often issue warnings in order to make it clear that they do not accept this behavior. Other employers do not address this type of unprofessionalism directly, yet it influences their long-term decision making when it comes to evaluating your performance.
Sure, young adults partying and hanging out is a normal thing, but try to get your adrenaline-filled body to sleep on time so that you wake up on time. Planning ahead to allow for extra time to get ready in the morning (until you have a well-established routine), having breakfast or coffee, and adjusting your time for a commute, will all help you avoid being late.
Forgetting names
The first skill that you will have to work on when applying for internships is remembering names. Not only is it the most embarrassing experience to forget the name of a co-worker, editor, or worse your boss, but it can also leave a bad impression of you in the eyes of your superiors.
Even if you have to take notes or write down their names in a diary, remember that this will help you in the long run. Interns can score extra points by remembering personal details about their co-workers, such as their weekend plans, family members or other interests.
Taking the internship for granted
The most common misconception every intern has is that the company is proud to have them; this leads interns to not take work seriously enough or to become overconfident.
This, however, could not be further from the truth. Even if it is a start-up company where you are interning, you should never take an internship for granted for two important reasons:
First, most companies have many options (despite the fact they picked you, there were likely many qualified candidates.) While it may be true that good interns are a rarity that few organizations can get their hands on, a company would choose an average intern who is obedient and professional over an overconfident or lazy intern any day.
Secondly, the company can issue a letter of recommendation for stellar performance, or otherwise in the case of poor performance. A letter of recommendation can either sky rocket your career into the stratosphere or bury it into the deepest depths of the earth. The latter can stop you from getting another internship or even reduce your chances of getting hired.
Not asking for clarification
Most superiors are very caring and are open to suggestions or ideas that you may have. They understand that part of an internship is helping the young candidate learn about the organization and the field. Therefore, use your time to ask for help, clarification or more direction when you need it.
Moreover, they are very humble and open to your questions and will sometimes go out of their way to explain something to you. Never be afraid to ask your superior a question even at the risk of sounding childish.
Avoiding menial tasks
As an intern you lack both the skill and experience for tasks that other employees on a higher pay grade own. Keeping that in mind, every task that you do is a reflection of how serious you are towards your current job.
No matter how menial or redundant the task may be, you must take it seriously. Companies often give interns tasks that are incredibly boring or dull just to see how devoted they are to their internship.This in turn, becomes the driving force that can propel your career in the form of a future job or a good letter of recommendation.
Not following the office dress code
For people born and raised in the U.S. or other well developed countries, a dress code is something that most students are familiar with, yet many find challenging to adjust to. However, in an internship or a job, this is in no case acceptable for those with greater career ambitions.
By dressing casually, you will not only look unprofessional, but the company will also think that you do not take the internship seriously.
“Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”, this quote by Austin Kleon sums up the aforementioned point succinctly. If you are unsure what you should wear, ask someone in human resources or simply ask the person for whom you are interning.
Exploitation
While many will agree that internships hold great benefits for the interns in the form of experience, exposure, and insight into the professional world, exploitation is usually the other side of the picture. True, exploitation in the workplace is not limited to interns, but they are often the easiest to exploit.
Try to avoid exploitation by keeping a keen eye on what the job application requires you to do, and what your superiors ask of you.
You can also avoid exploitation by refusing any vague job offers that your superiors make to you, and by clearing any and all confusions that you have about the job, timings, and assignments. If you feel you have been asked to do something unprofessional, unethical or unsafe, then by all means, speak with someone in human resources.
Not staying in contact with former employers or supervisors
Another mistake that most interns make is not staying in contact with their coworkers after the internship ends. The core purpose of the internship is to give you insight into the professional world for the industry of your choice.
An internship gives you valuable experience and a chance to forge connections with veterans and pioneers of your chosen field. Keeping in touch with coworkers and superiors will not only help you find a job, they can also offer advice in situations that would otherwise be troublesome to you.
Not appreciating feedback
Finally, the most important thing that most interns do not pay much attention to is feedback. Think of internships as smaller linear levels before you get to the boss at the end of the game.
Mistakes are inevitable while interning, as it is your first time in a complicated business and professional world. However, not learning from these mistakes makes the past experience a waste of time.
Conclusion
Internships are valuable experience for people who take their career seriously and can make the overall process of getting a job comparatively easier. You get the chance to make important connections along the way and gain experience on how companies work and function.
In conclusion, interns are prone to make many mistakes during their internship, which is why it would be in your best interest to do some research about professionalism before your first day. Above all else, do not be afraid to ask for help and advice along the way.