An internship abroad is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn real-world, professional experience abroad and grow your international network. Making mistakes as an intern in inevitable - you're learning! But here’s what not to do in the workplace as an intern to avoid as many as you can. Consider these fatal internship mistakes and avoid them at all costs at your next internship.
1. A poor attitude
Aside from being violent or explosive, being negative is the worst thing you can do at an internship or any job. Negative attitudes are toxic and can be easily spread among coworkers, weighing down the entire company culture. Being frustrated is OK, but don’t use those feelings as an excuse to complain or be negative with others. Stay positive and look for solutions instead of making yourself – and others – feel bad.
2. Not making personal connections
One of the most important benefits of an internship experience is the opportunity to network. If you don’t put any effort into making connections with your coworkers and expanding your professional network, you’re missing out on a huge benefit of the internship. That said, it’s intimidating to be “the intern” and introduce yourself to a bunch of older, established professionals you don’t know. That’s why it’s important to always say “yes” to invitations to lunch, dinner, networking events, water cooler conversations…etc. You can't afford to be shy during an internship, as you have a much shorter time to make a great impression on your team and managers. Make it your job to get to know people and express a genuine interest in learning about their lives inside and outside of the office. Don’t talk too much about yourself – listen and ask questions. You’re here to learn.
3. Being overly needy
Knowing when and how often to ask questions at an internship can be tricky to navigate. On the one hand, you’re giving up your time to volunteer for a company in exchange for training and feedback. On the other hand, the rest of the office is trying to get work done and meet deadlines – doing what they’re paid to do. You don’t want to prevent them from getting their work done. A good way to avoid asking too many questions is to keep a notebook from day one and take down notes during training and introduction days. Use the notebook as a reference so you don’t need to ask anything you’ve been told before and waste your supervisor’s time. Your supervisor will appreciate that and likely be more forthcoming whenever you have new questions.
4. Not speaking up
On the flip side, if you don’t ask enough questions or express concerns or doubts, you may make mistakes that could have been avoided and simply not learn the right way to complete your work. If you need to know something, assert yourself and find an appropriate time and place to ask. Make it quick and professional, but speak up. It’s better than the alternative – not asking and doing it wrong and possibly causing a butterfly effect of negative consequences. It is imperative that you know exactly what you are being asked to do, so speak up! This will allow you to perform the task to the best of your ability and work efficiently, a skill that your manager will appreciate.
5. Taking on too much
Interns often come into temporary positions with big aspirations about what they hope to accomplish in the coming weeks. However, what’s more important than getting tons of work done is learning how to do the job right and mastering your duties. So be realistic about what you can handle, both with your boss and yourself. Be patient and recognize the instances when you need to say “no” to a task to make sure your work can be at its best.
6. Poor time management
Time management will be one of the most important parts of succeeding during your internship. Make sure you write down everything you have to do, giving yourself detailed instructions and estimate how long it will take you to complete them. This will allow you to plan your day and ensure that you get all your work done on time. Another aspect of time management is knowing your managers. Try to get a good read on who wants their work done immediately and who will give you extra time (it might be a good idea to ask your co-workers about this). These details will help you manage your time more effectively. Time management takes, well, time to learn. If you’re not sure that you can get a task done in the allotted time, say something. It’s worse to make a commitment you can’t keep. Understand that as you learn, you work slower and that’s OK. Doing it right is more important than doing it quickly.
7. Underdressing
Don’t be a sloppy dresser at the office. As an intern, you’re already the least experienced and likely the youngest person in the office. If you’re dressing like a college student, it will be even harder to earn the respect of your colleagues. Understand that how you dress will affect how others view you and your competence. Look to your boss or other high-ranking employees for inspiration.
8. Using your phone often
It can be tempting to open your favorite app or check messages during working hours if you're feeling a little bored or out of habit, but do what you can to resist the temptation. Spending a lot of time on your phone in the office can look rude to managers and make you look like you're not interested in the work you're doing. You might even come across as someone who can't be trusted to do the work, so make sure you only check your phone during your breaks.
9. Oversharing on social media
Whether it’s a drunk picture or a rant about the office, millennials need to censor their social media feeds if they don’t want it to affect their professional success. Employers will often check Facebook, X, and other feeds to see what kind of person you are before hiring you. Once hired, your online reputation will also represent that of the company where you intern, so keep this in mind and think before posting.
10. Devaluing the grunt work
Millennials are quick to want to really “make a difference” at their internship. They feel entitled to start immediately tackling big ideas while they miss the chance to perfect their craft. Repetition and grunt work are part of the process of becoming an excellent professional. Thinking that you’re above that is one of the biggest mistakes millennials make. Of course, it’s good to be eager and enthusiastic to grow and move on. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to do some repetitive tasks at your internship or even entry-level job.
