So you found the internship but that’s only the first battle of the war. That sounded really ominous and intense but I’ve been watching Game of Thrones lately and I couldn’t think of a better metaphor. Basically, don’t be too comfortable. Yeah, they liked you enough to give you the internship, but you still need to prove yourself and make a good first impression.
Anyway, starting an internship is a very exciting and stressful time but these things to do before starting an internship will help you be a little more prepared and organized before you dive into the intern life!
1. Ask about the dress code.
Is it business casual, totally casual or professional? This is important because you don’t want to show up the first day being very under-dressed or overdressed. If you’re not sure about the dress code and don’t want to ask, you can never go wrong with a blouse, black jeans and flats. It’s right in between business casual and if you add a blazer it can be professionalized.
2. Make sure your wardrobe is internship ready.
Have at least a few outfits or pieces that you know you’ll be able to wear to the office. If you’re feeling extra preparatory, a helpful things to do before starting an internship would be to lay out your outfits for your first week. Be sure to check out my post on Young Professional Wardrobe Essentials if you need some ideas of what pieces to wear or purchase.
3. Figure out how you’re going to get there and where it’s located.
If you’re extra ambitious you can visit the office or location before the internship starts so you’re more confident in yourself when you need to get there. Doing a test run of your commute is always wise if you’re unfamiliar with the area.
If you’re interning in New York City be sure to check out my Tips For Commuting in NYC before heading out into the city. Also be sure to leave extra early on the first day so you don’t have to rush and you have time to accommodate for potential traffic an delays! If you end up getting their early you can grab a coffee nearby or walk around a bit. Avoid being more than 10 minutes early, it’s common courtesy.
4. Look up your boss and co-workers on LinkedIn.
It’s like creeping on the cute dude in your class but with more purpose and professionalism. It’s good to know your stuff. Don’t add them just yet, but definitely skim their profiles! It’ll help you get a better feel and might even help you start conversations and understand who you’ll be working with. Also, try to stick to LinkedIn. I don’t think your boss would like it if on the first day you creepily mentioned her Facebook photos of her dog or her trip to Peru last year.
5. Make sure your social media profiles are extra clean.
Also be sure not to tweet or post negatively about your internship or the company. This is a good rule of thumb in general, but just avoid “Ughhh my internship starts tomorrow” or “Dreading waking up to go to my internship.” You never know when your employers could be checking your social media. This is one of the things to do before starting an internship but this also should’ve been done before even applying for the internship, so you might not need to worry about this one.
6. Pack your bag.
Decide which purse you’ll be using and be sure to pack all of the essentials. Having a pre-packed bag will make the day of less stressful and you’ll be very prepared! For me, a phone charger, tissues, my wallet, sunglasses, a Metro Card, a mirror, mints and business cards are some of my most important essentials. Also, bringing a stain remover pen is perfect just in case you spill coffee last minute. You want to look as polished as possible. Also, avoid coffee breath and pop a mint/brush your teeth. Coffee breath is not cute. Also choose mints over gum because you might not be able to find a way or place to gracefully dispose of gum because sticking your gum under your desk is definitely frowned upon. Additionally, chewing gum can be perceived as rude or unprofessional.
7. Ask if you should bring your own computer.
This is something I forgot to do, but luckily my employer reminded me to bring my laptop. Some office spaces don’t have computers and require you to bring your own. If such is the case, make sure you also bring your laptop charger! Even if it seems like a dumb question, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
8. Check the weather.
This is sort of common sense, but be sure to check the weather so you can prepare and plan your outfit accordingly. If it’s going to rain you might want to wear your rain coat and umbrella. If it’s going to be really warm, you might want to opt for a nice dress instead of slacks and a blazer. You definitely don’t want to be covered in rain or sweaty on your first day. Also, pro tip, make sure not to wear jeans if it’s going to rain because sitting all day in wet jeans is a truly satanic ordeal. Not pleasant.
9. Look up the company & learn more about it.
So you probably already did this before applying for your internship…or maybe you didn’t and kind of fudged your way through the interview…but either way you have to make sure you know the company’s basic goals, mission statement, big clients, etc. Read up on the company and remember the important things about it, it’s good to know what you’re getting into before starting your internship. Even though you totally should have done this before accepting the internship but I won’t blame you if you didn’t. I think we’ve all pretended to know more than we actually knew at one point or another in the internship hunting process.
10. Read up on the current events & pop culture happenings the night before and morning of.
This will be perfect for small talk later on in the day. Who doesn’t love discussing what’s been going on in the world, especially if it’s something crazy or interesting that a celebrity just did? Current events are a great backup plan when it comes to lulls in conversations with people you’re not very familiar with. Stay away from politics when coming up with current events to talk about in the office…unless you have an internship centered around politics, of course.
What are some things you do before starting an internship?
