First day of internship – The Dos and Don’ts.

Remember the first day of school and how whiny you were? You would have never thought that any day can beat it on scale of the mess you created. But the first day you actually start to work in an organization can get messier if you commit a few faux pas. Here are some tips to get it right first time itself.

1. Do the necessary research.

This is something you will never regret.  Spend some quality time surfing the company website and familiarize yourself with the official policies and the philosophy of the company. This will help you to get a better idea of what your manager expects from you. This may also help you figure out some of the common lingo and jargon used in the company.

2. Familiarize yourself with the physical surroundings.

If you are interning in a new city, make sure that you will get a couple of days to check out the place. Visit the firm and surroundings in the peak time itself to get an idea about the traffic and the nearest eateries. This will result in fewer surprises on day 1.

3.Dress appropriately

When in doubt, push away all that you have ever worn to college. Chances are that your boss doesn’t share a taste in clothing with your girlfriend/boyfriend. Girls – no flashy colors, no extra-make up and nothing too revealing. Guys – clean up well, tuck in the shirt and empty a bottle of product onto your head if that’s what takes it to keep your hair from shooting up. You should look smart, classy and elegant. But do away with  three piece suits, you are not the CEO yet. Ask your HR manager about the dresscode and what they mean by casual Friday if there is one. Believe me, it has been more of casualty of late because of the lengths to which people take ‘casual’.

4.Be yourself

So you have been bitchy all your life and want to show your boss that you are the sweetest person ever born. Most people just can’t pull it off in one day. If you can, you are destined for greater things. You can not put a charade for too long and certainly not for 2 months. If you would like an improvement, work hard for one in your personality and start early. There is nothing like an overnight success when it comes to people skills.

5.Be attentive

Pay attention to what your boss and others say on the first day and take as many notes as possible. The first day will mostly cover the basic guidelines to adhere to and most companies are very particular about sticking to them. Also, the first day may also cover all the trivial-looking information such as how to solve a paper jam in the photocopier. If you don’t want to be the laughing stock for the rest of your term, learn them fast.

6.Do NOT start acting like you belong there unless you actually start doing so.

You managed to get a Google internship. Whoa, lets take the Rottweiler along. While it is true that Google allows dogs and it is perfectly ok for anybody who works there to take their dog along with them, it would be a good idea not to experiment with the little quirks on day 1 or  even in the first week. Stick around to observe how everyone is doing and start imitating only when you have learned the rules.

7. Smile

You can make or break your career with what you do with the set of brilliant white teeth that your orthodontist has worked so hard for. Smile genuinely so that it reaches your eyes. Don’t appear as if you have gone into shock with your cheeks pulled from both the sides. Use it judiciously and appropriately. IF there is one thing that can win over the heart of your boss, it is a good smile.

8. Be inquisitive

Ask as many questions as you can. But with an objective of learning rather than trying to show off how smart you are or to pull the other person down. Being genuinely curious about how things work and why do they work the way they work is  a great way to build up your knowledge and to also get noticed by rest of the team. Everyone loves to have a thinker among themselves.

9. Observation before Objection

Yes, you have the tag of the most premier education institute in the country on your shoulder and you have tons of new revolutionary ideas that you think the company must implement. But before you start dishing those ideas out to everyone or  start complaining about how inefficient or outdated company’s systems and policies are; try to understand from your manager or colleagues on why the things are the way they are. More often than not they would tell you some practical considerations which only experience can teach and which would make 90% of your ideas unfeasible from implementation point of view.

10. Have fun

While this a golden rule to live your life to the fullest, it can be applicable to internships also.It was completely your choice and you should apply only for ones that you are truly interested in.Don’t reach a judgement about how boring your internship/company/work/manager/colleagues are on day 1 itself. Even if you find the work boring, find ways to make it fun and intellectually stimulating.

Remember, everybody in your office had a day one in their lives. Don’t get upset if it didn’t go as well as you planned for. An internship is all about learning and the one who doesn’t make mistake would not learn a thing in his/her life. But be sure that you don’t commit a mistake that could have been avoided by a little effort from your part. Follows the three Ps to make most of your first day – Prepared, Patient, and Pleasant. All the very best for a successful first day and a successful internship.

So after your first day, you have this uphill task of making yourself an invaluable asset to your boss. Read the 10 winning ways to wow your boss!

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