5 Summer Internship Mistakes to Avoid

Starting an internship can be pretty intimidating and make you feel out of your element. Your work should speak for itself, but there are other factors of your behavior that can impact your employer’s opinion of you. In order to make your experience run more smoothly, here are some tips on how to avoid some common internship pitfalls.

1. Dress appropriately

Unfortunately, first impressions are lasting, and in the professional world, they matter even more. If you want to be taken seriously, dress professionally and appropriately. Depending on the office you work in, more casual dress could be accepted, but it's never acceptable to wear clothing that shows cleavage, too much leg, tattoos, or body piercings. When possible, keep your shoulders covered with a cute cardigan, don't wear a skirt or shorts that aren't at least knee length, avoid flip flops, and never wear gym shoes.

2. Remember your place

Whatever experience you may have had before starting this internship, keep in mind that your boss and co-workers were hired for a reason. You may get frustrated if what they do doesn’t make sense or if their methods aren't as modern as you like, but no matter what, try to keep your mouth shut. There's a big difference between expressing an opinion and overstepping your boundaries. As an intern, you do not want to cross this line. Offer your two cents when asked, but otherwise zip it.

3. Timeliness is a virtue

In the real world, time is money. Professionals often have many meetings in one day and you showing up late could throw off the balance and organization of their day. Often times, people will allot a certain amount of time to speak with you in their day. For example, if someone allotted 20 minutes to speak with you and you show up 10 minutes late, your meeting is already halfway over by the time you get there. Being on time goes hand in hand with being respectful and the last thing you want is for your employers to see you as disrespectful.

4. Watch your mouth

Even if you make friends with fellow interns, keep your chatter to a minimum, especially if you work in common areas. Nobody around you wants to hear you blabber on about your drunken nights or sleazy boyfriend. On another note, keep the workplace gossip to yourself. Every office has some sort of drama going on, but you do not need to be involved in it.

5. The Internet is your frenemy

Do not blog, tweet or Facebook mean comments about your employer. One way or another, it will come back to bite you. If you wouldn’t say it to their face, then don’t type it. Anything you say on the Internet has the capability to be around for years after you write it, so be cautious. The best way to avoid any conflicts from your social media accounts is to not write about your internship at all. You never know who could find what you say through a search engine.