This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
So you’ve gotten past the hardest part, securing the internship. You should be proud of yourself for making it this far, but don’t forget the road ahead of you! Getting the internship is one thing, but actually participating in it is a whole other. Ahead of you is an invaluable experience waiting to happen that will be memorable, fun and even hard. Here are some pointers on what NOT to do on your first day.
- Arrive late. Hopefully this is a no-brainer for you. On your first day, arriving late will probably be excused, but it just doesn’t reflect well on you. Leave extra time to travel to your internship whether it is down the block or a 45-minute train ride away. You never know what traffic or other obstacles you may hit. If you want to be extra prepared, take a trip to your internship location before the first day to gauge how much time it takes you.
- Dress inappropriately. Though dress attire differs from internship to internship, it’s usually better to be overdressed than underdressed. When you went to the company for the interview, how were others dressed? As a general rule, whether you’re interning for a Fortune 500 company or a local newspaper, don’t wear open-toed shoes or skimpy articles of clothing like spaghetti strap tops or short skirts, even though it is summer. If you’re interning at a large company, check to see if they even have a dress code.
- Have a bad attitude. Your first day at a big magazine comes and you realize it is not what you expected as they have you seal envelopes while you thought you’d be frolicking in the fashion closet. Remember Heidi’s first day at Bolthouse on the Hills? Don’t openly express any discontent you feel with your internship, especially on the first day. Your employer will not be too impressed with you if it is 10:30 a.m. and you are already asking when your lunch break is. You were picked out of a handful, if not more, candidates for your position, so you should feel grateful that you get to be an intern.
- Come unprepared. You’re probably going to be given a lot of information on your first day most likely including instructions for specific tasks that will may or may not be new to you. Bring a notebook and a pen so you can scribble down any important tidbits of information that you think is important to remember. You may even have to fill out a bunch of paperwork on the first day so bring any necessary documents like your passport, just to be safe.