Be Professional
Paid or unpaid, remember an internship is a JOB that can start you on the path to a great career.
Show Up Prepared
Do your best to contribute to your company’s mission every day
Have a “Can Do” attitude and be positive even if there is a little grunt work
Ask questions, take initiative, and write notes!
Record your daily activities in a log
Be Reliable
Be on time to work and to meetings
Don’t leave before the end of your work day
Don’t take long lunches or breaks
Don’t post to social media sites during work hours
Reserve personal calls, texts, or emails for lunch breaks
Need to be out? Sick? Communicate this to your supervisor as soon as possible
Dress the Part
Unable to find the dress code? Dress as if you were interviewing on the first day
Learn the dress code and adapt your attire for the second day
If all else fails, take cues from your supervisor’s clothing or simply ask
Mind Your Manners
Check out websites devoted to personal and workplace etiquette
Learn how to properly address people
Use “please” and “thank you”
Be courteous and friendly
Be Positive
Strive to be friendly, polite, respectful, humble, flexible, and kind
Avoid negativity, complaints, rudeness, disrespect, arrogance, and stubbornness
Don’t gossip
Connect!
Set yourself up to understand the organization and cultivate a network for continued career success!
Learn people’s names—show you care
Attend the organization’s trainings, meet and greets, or team social events
Request short informational meetings with colleagues from your department
Follow up with short emails of thanks, any needed information, or questions when you connect with someone new at meetings, trainings, or events
Get out from behind your desk—invite colleagues and other interns to join you for lunch
Ask your supervisor if there is time for a meeting to discuss your career goals or resume
Discuss the potential for an introduction by your supervisor if there is someone you want to meet
Inquire about mentorship programs, or if an individual would be willing to remain in contact for career questions
Inquire about recommendations for conferences and professional organizations in the field
Be friendly and use phone or face-to-face contact instead of just email or Slack
Be prepared to introduce yourself with confidence, listen closely, and ask follow-up questions to your supervisor if shadowing a meeting
Update your LinkedIn profile and connect with team members
Be a Team Player
Very few people work completely independently. Organizations look for people who can collaborate.
Get to Know Your Team Members
Get to know everyone’s name, position, and something about them
Invite people to lunch or coffee (if coffee breaks are a part of the workplace culture)
Understand Organizational Structure and Work Style
Find out who is in charge of the team and the department; how does the department interact with other departments?
Model your participation to fit the work style of the team
Identify if you have tasks specific to you or if work is accomplished totally within the group
Ask questions of individuals, rather than take group meeting time to get up to speed
Communication is Key
Request a regular check-in meeting with your supervisor if one does not happen regularly already
Be open and honest
Discuss problems within your team
Bring forth as many solutions as you do problems
Ask questions: you are there to learn
Contribute
Don’t just sit there! Get involved in the project and do your part well
Ask for more tasks or propose tasks if you do not have enough work
Be Open to Praise and Criticism
Praise and criticism are opportunities for growth
Assume a negative comment comes from a person who wants to help you
Ask questions for clarification
Use those comments to become a better employee
Be Dependable
Meet your deadlines; your part affects others
Keep everyone informed of your progress or needs
Step up to help other team members–you succeed together
Tips from Interns
In order to take negative feedback gracefully, I always start by recognizing that my supervisor is sharing this feedback with me in good faith and so that I can improve as an employee. This allows me to not take the feedback as a personal attack, and I know that my supervisor is having the conversation with me because they want me to improve, not because they think I am a bad worker.
Elisa, Career Peer Advisor
Make the Most of Your Internship
Manage Workplace Challenges
I do not have enough work to do!
Take initiative. Ask if you can propose solutions to team or organization challenges
Be honest with your teammates and ask how you can help them
Tell your supervisor by reiterating your excitement to be there and brainstorming solutions:
Ask for more projects or to help another team one or two days a week
Learn a technical skill to help with future projects/tasks (UI Students have free access to LinkedIn Learning through the UI Libraries)
Ask to shadow meetings or people on other teams in order to learn more
My supervisor is giving me too much work!
Identify the problem—is it you, your supervisor, or the work culture?
Are you managing your time appropriately?
Are you inefficient because you lack a specific skill?
Do you need training in project-management techniques?
Is it normal for people in the office to work late or on the weekends?
Communicate with this formula:
Reiterate your excitement to be there
Articulate the challenges you are experiencing
Propose solutions or ask for help in adapting or skill-building
Still too much? Contact the Pomerantz Career Center for coaching!
How do I get along with a difficult coworker?
Treat the person politely and kindly
Consider what makes the relationship difficult:
Do you have different communication styles, core values, or personalities?
Did they have different expectations for a task or project?
Ask for feedback if you sense that they think you have made a mistake
When possible, set boundaries if they are treating you poorly
Does it feel extreme? Track the negative behavior to discuss with the Pomerantz Career Center, your supervisor, or a human resources manager
How can I get more guidance from my supervisor?
Supervisors won’t know your needs unless you speak up—explicitly ask for the guidance you need
Politely, assertively request a short weekly or bi-weekly meeting for questions, progress, reports, and feedback
Ensure you know the timeline, tasks, methods, and expected outcomes for projects
Ask clarifying questions when given expectations
Ask when is the best time of the day for questions
Is there another colleague you should ask if you have small technical questions or want additional mentorship?
Participate in evaluations to discuss strengths, weaknesses, and your career goals
How to Turn Your Internship Into a Job Offer
Time to Get Serious: Ethics
What is ethics?
- Well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do.
The study and development of one’s own ethical standards. You may have already found yourself in situations where you had to decide what is right and wrong or where you felt pressure to behave in a certain way that you believed was contrary to your personal standards.
Definitions: The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Possible Ethical Dilemmas:
Ethical issues in the workplace usually involve money, confidentiality, honesty, or relationships.
| Example 1: Financials | Example 2: Labor Law |
|---|---|
An intern working at a financial services company is feeling pressure from her supervisor to reach sales goal. She also knows she must fully inform clients about the risks of particular investments. If she prepares a graph for her supervisor that shows impressive long-term returns for a specific investment, it will help convince the client to place a great amount of money under the group’s management. Providing the client with information showing short-term losses will probably convince the client to allow a competing institution to manage his money. How can she meet her supervisor’s expectations and be honest with the clients? | An intern works at a for-profit organization and accepted a position without pay because he was told by his prospective supervisor that the position met all of the requirements of a legal internship which exempted the company from paying interns. After two weeks, the intern realizes that he was chosen to replace a full-time employee and the firm should provide compensation. The intern needs the experience and a good recommendation from his supervisor, but knows he’s being used. Can the intern resolve the situation? How? |
| Response | Response |
If the intern feels comfortable, she could discuss her concerns with her supervisor and present graphs for both a short-term and long-term returns. If the intern does not feel comfortable addressing her concerns with her supervisor and is continuing to feel pressure to withhold or alter information, she could seek guidance from the human resources official who helped in the hiring. There may be an organizational ombudsperson who the intern could talk with. All organizations should have a written ethics policy which should be provided to new employees during orientation. The policy should guide interactions with clients and require fairness, honesty and accurate information. | The intern’s options include: |
Tips for Your Virtual Internship
A virtual internship is a great way for you to gain experience without leaving home. They allow for unique opportunities to engage with employers while gaining experience in your field of choice. While you will not be leaving your home, virtual internships still require increased planning by both the intern and the supervisor. The tips below are a great place to start when embarking on a virtual internship.
Create a plan with your supervisor that lays out your work responsibilities, schedule, and communication cadence. If necessary, ask for assistance with setting up the technology needed to work virtually.
Maintain a regular work schedule and find a comfortable location free of distractions.
Schedule regular virtual meetings with your supervisor, and don't be afraid of over-communicating.
Take initiative and communicate with colleagues to learn more about their roles through Zoom meetings.
Request more feedback than you typically would if working face-to-face.
Keep track of your accomplishments no matter how small.
Spend time reflecting on skills you're using and and learning. Communicate this to supervisors and update your resume.
Start every day by making a to-do list, schedule breaks every few hours, and learn the cadence of meetings and project time that works best for you.
Build in time for exercise, creative pursuits, or social contact. It is easy to become isolated or burn out when 100% remote.
Ask your supervisor about being a positive reference at the conclusion of your final meeting.
LinkedIn Learning
Don't forget that LinkedIn Learning is FREE for all University of Iowa students. Take professional development courses to learn new skills to bring to your internship and add to your resume.
