15 Amateur Mistakes You Can Make During Your Internship - TheJobNetwork

15 Amateur Mistakes You Can Make During Your Internship - TheJobNetworkYouve scored a summer internship. It feels like a vacation Youll be in a cool place, it will look good on your resume, and youre notlage getting paid, so you dont have to worry too much about being perfect and distinguishing yourself. Right? Wrong. At least the last point. Just because its only an internship doesnt mean you shouldnt treat it like a job. In fact, you should use this time to set the bar for your new professional lifeand set it high. That means not falling victim to some easy blunders. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Here are the 15 biggest mistakes interns can makeand how to avoid them.1. OversharingYou may think this one part of your personality is super interesting and funny. Or your intense obsession with your insert hobby. But behauptung topics are much better kept to your friends and relatives. Spare your employers and co-interns.2. ComplainingYour internship is not the time to air your complaints and grievances. It is a time to shut up and learn. Remember, you wont be there long, and the good impression you make here could pay off big time over the course of your career. Whatever gripes you have,hold on to them(if possible). Dont become a problem employee before youre even hired.3. Making assumptionsIf you dont know somethingmake sure to ask. The last thing you want to do is assume (makes a** of u and me) you know what to do and end up doing the wrong thing. You wont look like an idiot for asking. You will look like an idiot for not asking and then screwing up.4. Not being proactiveNot taking initiative might be the worst mistake that you could make. As an intern, your only job is to distinguish yourself as eager and proactive and as a future asset to that company/field. Act accordingly. Dont just wait for someone to give you a taskfind something useful to do without being asked or coached.5. Treating the office like your pl aceOnce you leave the office for the day, dont go back. Dont show up drunk, and dont sleep there. This shouldnt have to be said just never do it.6. Ignoring boundariesRudeness is never okay. No job is beneath you. You are an intern. You dont get to make chummy jokes with the CEO, no matter how nice she is. Know your place. Be respectful. Do your job. And leave your selbst at the door.7. Cutting and runningIf youve accepted an internship, shown up, and started working. Youre now stuck there. This isnt speed dating. Keep your commitments. And dont make anyone have to scramble to replace you when you leave them high and dry. Burning bridges is not something you can afford to do at this very early stage in your career.8. Working for freeOnly take an unpaid internship if you absolutely have to. Otherwise, youll end up feeling exploitedor worse, going into debt to feed, house, and insure yourself.9. Wearing inappropriate clothingDress for the career you want, not the job you have. T-shirt s and scrappy clothes just wont cut itno matter how casual the office. Make sure to act like a grown-up if you want to be treated (and paid) like one.10. Communicating poorlyMake sure to say what needs to be said at the right time. Answer emails in clear and punctual fashion. Communicate your needs to avoid being misunderstoodespecially when asking for favors. Be respectful and concise. And dont talk circles around your point, particularly if its a controversial one.11. Not sweating the small stuffGrammar, punctuation, formatting these things matter. And make sure you never misspell someones name. Take the extra three seconds to double check the spelling from their email address.12. VacationingAt most, your internship is four months. Dont try and take a two-week vacation. You dont need one. Do your job and do it well, and vacation when its done. Summer or no summer. Have fun in your evenings and weekends instead.13. Being lazy or disrespectfulThis should go without saying. Dont be l ate, dont shirk work, dont be rude, dont be annoying. Dont be cheeky and take long lunches thinking no one will notice. They will. Work hard and be courteous, rather than obnoxious.14. Lacking professionalismThis is a professional opportunity. If you play your cards right, you could set yourself up for real success. Dont risk blowing your chance by treating this like a whimsical little stint. Treat it instead like your first job and act as though you could be fired at the end of every day if you dont prove your mettle.15. Not being presentIf youre sent an email, or asked a question, or given a task, dont lau into the background. Dont disappear. And dont fail to respond. Answer respectfully in the affirmative, get the job done quickly and well, and remember you are an intern. No job is beneath you. You are there to learn.