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28 Jul, 2018

6 First Day of Internship Mistakes to Avoid

You've probably been looking forward to your first day of internship for ages already, but it’s also nerve-wracking when your brain just won't stop going over all the things that could possibly go wrong at work. Of course you want your first day to be perfect. Hence, you need to know what kind of mistakes that rookie most likely do first. Check out these six internship mistakes to avoid during your first day!

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Over Excited

We get it. You must be very excited in your first day of internship. But make sure your excitement will not get in your way. Over excitement may make you only focus on yourself and forget to pay attention. Your boss or coworkers may teach you the basics in the first day and you better pay attention to it. Bring a notebook with you to write everything down if it’s necessary. That way, you can review things you were taught.

Being Quiet

While some people might be excited for their first day, there are people who become quiet in a new environtment. Being nervous is normal but it can be troublesome. You couldn’t even greet your coworkers, let alone get involved in conversations. But this was a huge mistake because it will be hard for your supervisors or fellow interns to get to know who you are. During your internship, you always want to showcase your best, authentic self, because those connections will help you get a job later! 

Dressing Unprofessionally

Another internship mistakes to avoid is how you dress. Each company has its own dress code, and you don’t want to stand out by either dressing up or down too much. Not dressing appropriately will not only make you stick out and feel uncomfortable, but will also make others feel uncomfortable as well. In order to dress appropriately, email your contact at the company and ask him or her what the dress code is if you don't already know. Professionalism is crucial and your outfits should still be modest, clean and well-put-together.

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Not Asking

You won’t be an expert in your first day, so it's totally okay if you find yourself a little or, very, lost during your first day on the internship. However, it’s not okay to just sit and pretend like you know exactly what's going on. When you have no idea about something or how to do something, it’s okay to ask for clarification. This is much better than feeling overwhelmed and completing the task incorrectly because you are too embarrassed to ask. In fact, your coworkers and supervisors will expect you to have lots of questions on your first day, so ask away while you can!

Not Having a Good Attitude

Maintaining a can-do, pleasant attitude on the first day is a great way to make a good, lasting impression. Don't complain about work or gossip about your coworkers, even to other interns. If you're asked to make photocopies or file papers, take these mundane tasks seriously and willingly, even if you know you can contribute in a greater way. Some of the tasks of an internship may seem basic but there are opportunities for you to make the most of your internship. People will notice and appreciate you that much more.

Giving Up After Few Mistakes

Though it’s about internship mistakes to avoid in first day, you need to remember that it’s completely okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are proof that you’re trying something. But it’s not okay to give up because of few mistakes you’ve done. It’s your first day after all. Keep working hard to produce results then the internship will be worth it. Even if at the end you may realize that the internship was not what you hoped it would be, you’ll be grateful that you could find these things out during a 'trial' rather than in a committed full-time role.