The days leading up to your first internship can be filled with mystery. What will it be like? What should I wear? What exactly will I be doing, anyway? (Will I have to go on coffee runs all the time and come up with two unpublished “Harry Potter” manuscripts à la “The Devil Wears Prada”?) We’ve got you covered with six Her Campus-approved dos and don’ts to nail your first gig.
1. DO ask about the dress code.
Depending on where you’re interning, most places won’t just come out and announce their expectations. The line between business casual and business formal has always been blurry, particularly for women—so reach out and ask! If the answer is still unclear, spend the first week dressing on the more formal side to initiate a good first impression (which is a must!), but save your shopping until you’ve had the chance to observe the style culture of your office.
2. DO realize that professional clothes don’t have to be expensive.
If you’re in a business formal setting, a classic pair of solid-colored dress pants or a knee-length skirt will go with almost any top, and can be worn over and over again without anybody noticing—all while maintaining the appropriate level of professionalism. You can get these staples at places like Kohl’s for less than $30 a piece, and they’ll remain useful for years to come for future interviews, internships, and even your first jobs.
3. DO keep a sweater in the office.
It’s the middle of the summer, and it’s hot as anything outside! However, the office you’re about to spend up to 40 hours a week in is very likely going to be air conditioned, and your first day will be a real bummer if you’re distracted by how freezing your bare arms are. No matter where you work, you’ll likely get a space to keep personal possessions, so just leave a warm sweater there for the chillier days. As an intern, it’s important that you’re prepared and focused.
4. DO bring a notepad and pen everywhere you go.
This is the easiest way to appear prepared, and it really helps. No matter what your internship is, this easy trick will come in handy. Whether it’s the password to get into your computer or the schedule for the next staff meeting, staff might relay to you valuable information that you might be expected to spit out later on. If you write it all down, you won’t forget, helping you to avoid the embarrassing questions later on. It’s not the best first impression if you can’t remember your own computer password two days in.
5. DO take advantage of this (awesome!) opportunity.
Let’s say you’re working in the marketing department of Comcast. Maybe you love it, maybe you don’t. Either way, you have some kind of “in” to an entire corporation. Even if you’re working for a small business, there’s likely to be a human resources rep or a financial coordinator that you might be able to shadow, even if it’s just for a few hours on a Friday afternoon. Your boss will likely appreciate your initiative to learn more about the company. Regardless of the outcome post-internship, this experience will provide insight on what you do and don’t want for the future of your career path.
6. DON’T let it take up all of your time.
Internships are great opportunities, and they are important: you should aim to complete at least 1-2 before graduating. That said, you have the rest of your life to sit in an office all day. Full-time internships will have you rolling out of bed even earlier than your 8 a.m. classes, and you might not get out until late in the evening. By then, the sun’s too weak to get a tan, the day’s heat and humidity have been growing all day, and you will be too exhausted to really enjoy the outdoors. Internships will teach you to appreciate why working parents come home every day, change out of their office attire, eat dinner, and then fall asleep an hour later on the couch. Make sure you take some time for yourself: whether it means taking off a Friday to spend a long weekend home, or interning during a portion of the summer, you’ll need to strike a balance. Internships can be an impressive addition to your resume, but this time in your life is precious!