Internship Behavior You Might Live to Regret!

Denning McTague, the 40-year old intern who stole more than 150 Civil War documents -- including the War Department's announcement of President Lincoln's death – from the National Archives of Philadelphia is a shining example of what NOT to do while on internship. Not only was he brazen enough to think he could walk away with a nation’s treasures, he thought he could sell them on E-Bay without anyone knowing.

As internship season for college students kick into high gear, it’s a good time to reflect on how to avoid the negative internship behaviors that could get college students into trouble.

• Don’t get too personal or think you are one of the guys. You’re not. You are still in test mode and the relationship can still be terminated mid internship.

College interns need to understand that as much as the company wants them to feel comfortable they are not yet, officially a part of the team. College interns should be very cautious about getting into conversations that are too personal and avoid becoming a knot in the office grapevine or become a part of the rumor mill. Interns should keep all interactions professional.

Try the following to exit a conversation that you think is heading in the wrong direction:“I need to get a packet over to xyz department by…”“I want to put some more time in on the xyz project today, nice talking with you”“I wanted to speak with xyz before lunch”

• Don’t answer your cell phone every single time it rings. We get it - You’re important.

Some companies have guidelines that attempt to curb the use of personal cell phones or even the appearance of cell phones in the work place. Today's college interns stay very connected and the tendency is great to answer a ringing cell phone at anytime or any place. One recent college student intern with whom I worked would continually ask me to hold my thoughts while she answered her calls. This continued even after repeatedly being told that her personal cell phone needed to be off or on vibrate during work time.

• Don’t drink like you are at a keg party in a frat house or on spring break. You’re not!

Many organizations plan team building activities for their group of college interns. These intern trips could run anywhere from a trip to the ballpark, a museum or a concert hall. Many such outings will include the opportunity for interns to have meals and drinks with employers or other staff. Over indulging with the alcohol is a definite no-no. In fact, interns should be very aware that these social events are just another opportunity for hiring managers to observe the interns' behavior in a group and make note of their level of social savvy.

• Don’t refuse assignments you perceive to be beneath you.

One of my first interactions with a college intern several years ago was with a Graphic Design student. When the Art Director asked the intern to clean up a work area, the intern responded, ‘I’m an artist and I don’t file. Someone else can do that”. Needless to say he was relieved of his internship by the end of the week.

No one who understands the value of the internship to the student and the organization wants to abuse the intern’s energy and time. However, refusing to do certain work that you might consider menial is not acceptable. A better approach might be to do the assignment when asked and check in with your college career center for advice, if you think you are being abused. Also observe if the behavior you think is beneath you is part of the office protocols for others.

• Don’t correct your boss in public, and think seriously about doing it in private also.

One very bright college junior with whom I worked, received a prestigious internship with a major pharmaceutical firm. The intern had an extremely difficult and uncomfortable time after pointing out a supervisor's error on a spreadsheet while in a meeting with senior managers. Although the intern was lauded publicly for catching the error before the client did, the rest of six month assignment was unbearable.

• Don’t get involved with an office romance. This is not the time or the place.

In Vault's 2003 Office Romance Survey, over 1,000 professionals at companies nationwide were asked to say under which circumstances an office romance would be unacceptable. Eleven percent said that an office romance with an intern would not be appropriate. We all probably still have vivid memories of a very public office romance in Washington DC between an intern, a very senior official and a little blue dress. It is so much better to be remembered for your contributions rather than to be the talk of the office.

Fortunately for most college students, an internship can produce real value for organizations and great career opportunities. In the case of McTague, who has helped officials recover most of the missing items and plans to plead guilty; his internships led to jail time.

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Guest post by: Marcia Robinson of BullsEyeResumes College Blog. Robinson coaches, trains, and writes on career, workplace, and education issues for students and career professionals.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

| Subscribe by Email or RSS Feed | Check our Free Resources Posted by Ronnie on 6/02/2008

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