First Day at Your Internship? What You Need To Know!

Hello there!

*All views are my own and not of my employer*

I have definitely talked about my internship struggles on the blog before. I applied to over 37 internships this summer and was feeling very lost heading back home from my University. Yes, I did say 37, until one finally worked out! I’m working for an amazing company three/ four days a week. 

I completed my first three-day week and am incredibly happy and so thankful to be there, but before my first day on Monday night, I was completely panicking. I searched online for articles titled, “What to expect on your first day at an internship” and “first-day internship outfits.” I wanted to give my two sense into this subject as I know that we’re all going to have many first days and we all need a little encouragement.

My biggest tip is to do a dry run before getting to the location. In a city? Take the subway to get there beforehand. If not, drive during the hours you would normally leave to ensure that everything will go smoothly on your big day. This made sure I knew what the traffic would be like and it would be familiar to me when it was time for me to start my job. I figured out which door I needed to go in and where I would park. With all the unknowns of what the first day would be like, that was something I knew exactly how it would go and made me feel a little more at ease when approaching my first day.  

The second thing I was worried about was lunch. What was I going to do for lunch? Go out? Eat in a kitchen? Sit alone? None of these ended up turning out to be true. I ate outside in a courtyard with a co-worker for a few minutes. Getting out of the office and sitting outside was a pleasant change in my day to which I was not at all expecting. I highly suggest going outside and taking a walk during your lunch break as this will allow you to clear your mind before you start for the next few hours.

I am notoriously known for asking a lot of questions in all types of settings, including at work. This job was not going to be any different. When you’re new, people expect you to have a lot of questions and want to learn a lot of things. Take advantage of being the new kid on the block and ask people you meet about the company, about why they like being in their department, and what types of work they do. Ask your boss more questions about an assignment, if you have them. I’m an advocate of advocating for yourself. There’s nothing worse than being uncertain about details on a task. I asked a lot of questions this week and I think that I now know more about my expectations for the summer which helps me a ton in the long run.

On my very first day, I met with HR for the majority of the morning. Just talking with the HR Director really helped to put my mind at ease and helped me to really learn about the company. Researching the company beforehand and checking out their “About Us” page helped when she had introduced me to the employees, as I had a general idea of who I was talking to and what they do for the company. I highly suggest going into your first day prepared. I had to bring paperwork I had signed and before I left my house that morning, I made sure I had my folder three times! There’s nothing like being prepared. Check you have your supplies for work and then check again.

You need to have the right look! I always dress up on the first day of everything. School, work, or an internship? I’m probably overdressed. My favorite saying is dress well, test well, so you can find me on exam days wearing a put together outfit. I took this into stride when figuring out what my first day at my internship outfit would be. I decided on a collared long sleeve dress from Nordstrom, with a navy blazer, which I took off after I walked around the office and was showed to my desk. This paired with my black Kate Spade tote bag filled with my internship essentials, let me feel my best when walking into a new situation. Once a week I would like to do an internship post whether its fashion, things I’ve learned, or just general advice. Let me know what you’d like to see down in the comments.

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