Don’t falter on your internship

Internships are jumping boards that launch you into your career. They can be inconceivable acquaintances of practical learning. But if you do not take them seriously and fail to display an inclination to learn, your name and standing will take a nosedive.

How do interns falter? How can they fare well? These questions and their answers are knowingly or unknowingly acknowledged by all, yet people falter. Some major blunders committed by them and methods to preclude them are:

·   Violating dress norms: If you think that you can dress as you like, a wrong message will go out that you have a casual approach. Hence it is necessary that you observe how your seniors dress up at work and use your prudence to emulate them. If there is a dress code, you should not violate it. Remember that the clothes that you wear are an extension of your personality.

·   Mingling excessively with buddies: You may like to mingle and move around with your buddies. But concurrently you should also make efforts to be acquainted with other staff - those who are elder and more experienced than you. In doing so, you will always stand to gain because you can fall back on them in times of need. Senior employees will help you hook up with prospective openings and also serve as good references.

·   Disregarding office traditions:  Office traditions are unseen powers that manifest the manner in which things function there. You can learn about them by evaluating the conduct of others. For example, if everybody is punctual, there is no reason why you should be late. Following office traditions help you in being assessed as a person who can play responsible roles in a professional environment.

·   Being garrulous rather than thoughtful:  You may feel that you know a lot, but prudence demands that before you open your mouth, you should be know the maximum about the company and how things function there. This way you will be able to make worthwhile contributions and get to be appreciated.

·   Adopting a laid-back approach: A workplace may appear to be relaxed, but the working environment there could well be stricter than a college. Out of college therefore, you should adjust yourself. The flippant attitude of collegians should be shed; use of slang, exclamations and gestures that are typical of students should be a thing of the past.

·   Ridiculing mundane assignments: Imagine this – your responsibilities also include checking that all lights are switched off before you leave the workplace. The task may appear menial, but if you take it on with devotion, you will be assigned important jobs in due course. As an intern, you have to establish your credibility and if you do humdrum tasks well, you will be recognized.

·   Disregarding issues not concerning you: Turning a blind eye to assignments where you are not directly involved them will deprive you of valuable information about how things move in the organization. You should keep your ears and eyes open to what is happening around you, even in fields where you have no role to play.

·   Not acknowledging help: There will be occasions when others – fellow interns and employees will come to your help. You should recognize this and make it a point to express your gratefulness to them. Remember that anybody who is valued by you will be always ready to extend a helping hand.  

·   Refraining from seeking opinion: It is likely that your line manager does not interact much with you and also not be offer any view or advice Well, he could be a silent observer. You should take initiative and ask him how he feels about you and your work. You should be open to suggestions, criticism and counseling because such a disposition will strengthen your foundation.

·   Failing to maintain contact: Once you complete your internship, you should not put it out of your mind. You must leave on a positive note and continue to maintain contact with everybody you have been associated with. An occasional communication exchanging pleasantries is a good way to stay in touch.

You should remember that you will never be able to succeed in your life and career by being happy brooding your past because that amounts to being lackadaisical. You can succeed only by learning to shoulder your future responsibilities. And internships offer you an opportunity to learn doing that.