During Your Internship
Practicing Professionalism
A large part of your internship experience includes practicing and strengthening professional behavior. Here are some tips!
Dress
Dress professionally and appropriately for the work environment where you are interning.
Preparation
Show up to meetings with a notebook and pen, always take notes to remember information and instructions, and have your part of the project prepared.
Confidentiality
Consider information and projects confidential. You may be asked to sign something.
Attitude
Stay positive and maintain a good attitude :) People notice and remember the intern with the friendly demeanor.
Schedule
Adhere to a work schedule determined by you and your supervisor and be on time!
Focus
Keep phones on silent and avoid doing personal work. Remember, you are there to learn and absorb everything you can. Be fully present and avoid distractions.
Policies & Procedures
Understand the company’s policies and procedures, and ask for clarification if needed.
Initiative
Take Initiative! We hear this advice from employers all the time.
Ask to be on a project that interests you.
Ask to attend meetings and events.
Ask questions! You are not expected to know everything!
LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN WHILE YOU ARE THERE.
Wrapping Up Your Experience
After being immersed in an organization for 3 or 6 months, it’s nice to get closure once the internship ends.
Here are some things you can do to wrap up your experience.
Schedule a closing conversation with your supervisor.
This allows you to get feedback on your performance, learn about where your strengths are, and identify areas you may want to continue developing.
Send a formal thank-you email.
Show your supervisor and others at the organization your gratitude for the internship experience.
Ask for a letter of recommendation.
If you have a good relationship with your supervisor or another colleague at your internship, ask them if they would be willing to provide a letter of recommendation or request a recommendation on LinkedIn.
Ask to use work in your portfolio.
Have a conversation with your supervisor and clarify what work, if any, you are able to show.
Complete necessary paperwork.
Fill out any forms that the company requires in addition to the forms you need for CPD if you are receiving credit for your internship. Review the Grading Requirements for more information.
Update your resume.
Add this internship experience to your resume while it’s fresh in your mind. See our Resume Writing resources for examples.
Don’t slack off.
Even though your time at your internship is coming to an end, still give 100% and leave your colleagues with any information they may need to continue your work.
Return any company property.
Make sure anything you’ve used during your internship is returned to the organization before you leave.
Collect business cards.
Ask members of the organization if you can stay in touch with them even after the internship. Ask to connect with them on LinkedIn. Add these contacts to your Research Strategy template.