Golden Rules of Internship Etiquette

Excited for that internship you’ve secured for this summer? If you’ve had an internship before, or if you’re a rising senior looking to get a return offer, here are some key internship etiquettes to keep in mind.

1. Be attentive

Being an intern is like a rite of passage. You comb through endless excel spreadsheets, build tedious lists, and buy a lot of coffee. Think they’re just boring tasks? Well, yea - they can be, but there’s always an opportunity to stand out. Whether it’s small details like knowing your team’s coffee preferences, or taking the initiative to get lunch ready before a meeting can go a long mile. At the end of the day, you want to leave an impression, and be helpful in any way you can.

2. Take Notes

If you’re invited to sit in on a meeting, don’t pass up on the opportunity! Better yet, if you know someone on your team is taking a call, ask if you can sit in on it. Chances are you won’t be participating, but it’s great experience to be able to sit in and pick up on meeting etiquette and sales strategies. Take notes on anything you find interesting or have questions about.  

3. Do Your Homework

Whenever you come across something you aren’t sure about, do your research. Look it up and read up on the terms and case studies that your team is working on. Make sure you have a good understanding of what everyone around you is working on. If you have additional questions, ask someone on your team to walk you through it.

4. Take Initiative

Got an idea? Let your team know! It’s important to demonstrate your creativity and higher level thinking. If you’ve been following the above points, you should be prepared and contributing ideas that could be helpful to your team’s work.

5. Anticipate Needs

If you’re going to take away anything from this blog post, I hope it’s this one. Anticipating the needs of your team is key in terms of proving your worth. You understand the needs of your team and you’re able to provide that level of support. If you are able to follow through the above points, then anticipating needs should come naturally.

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About The Author

Frances Wong

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.