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Internship Etiquette Refresh: Shine as a Summer Intern

09 May 2022 By: Diane Gottsman

In the past couple of years, internship opportunities have been more difficult to come by as companies adapted their business models due to the changing world. Thankfully, internships are back, though sometimes remote, and students everywhere are grateful and excited. Today’s blog is written for those fortunate young professionals who’ve landed a summer internship. You’re already familiar with being prepared and polished. You updated your resume and cover letter as you applied for various intern roles and were a standout in the interview process. Keep the momentum going with these internship etiquette pointers.

internship etiquette | Businessman And Businesswoman Arriving For Work At Office Walking Through Door

Internship Etiquette Refresh

Get To Know the Company’s Technology Preferences

Before your first day, be sure to ask the company about their software programs of choice. Are they team Google Suite, or do they prefer the Microsoft programs they’ll be providing for your use? For example, there are some subtle—and sometimes significant—differences between Sheets and Excel. Do yourself a favor with a quick refresh on the tools of their choice. There may be free online training (or provided, paid training) available to you on any number of programs they use, such as Salesforce or HubSpot.

Review and Refresh Your Wardrobe

With so many of us spending more time at home and in less formal clothes, we would all benefit from a wardrobe audit. Ask a stylish friend or family member for their opinion of the outfits you’ve pulled together, or invite them to go shopping with you if you find there are a few key pieces you’re missing. Simple and classic basics are always a great place to begin; you can add bits of your personality through beautiful accessories and final touches such as your hairstyle, an understated nail color and more. Search “summer internship capsule wardrobe” on Pinterest for inspiration, and familiarize yourself with the difference between business attire and business casual.

Ask About Where You Can Add Value

Instead of guessing how you can be most helpful to the team, ask directly. For example, “What can I focus on during my time as an intern that will bring you the most value?” Don’t underestimate your talent and experiences. While you may not have a great deal of corporate experience, you still have a lot to bring to the table. Feel free to add your thoughts and welcome constructive feedback. You have fresh eyes and ideas that your coworkers may not have considered. Don’t be afraid to perform both menial and more important tasks. Making yourself available, without ego, is part of working on a team. Everyone wins.

Focus On Meaningful Ways To Connect

Pay attention to the many avenues your teammates access to build connections. What would work well with your schedule and provide a great return? Of course, the first place to start is by engaging with those on your team. Take advantage of your lunch hour to strengthen relationships. Additionally, aim to attend company-sponsored events. Ask those around you if they regularly participate in other networking events and if they’d be open to you coming along as their guest. Lastly, this Harvard Business Review article on networking after your internship has wrapped may also come in handy.

Stay On Top of Requirements for College Credit

If your internship includes college credit, be prepared on day one with a binder or online folder you can update weekly. Your supervisor will be happy to provide what is needed, but it’s not something you want to add to their plate during your last week of the internship. Offer to go over the requirements with your boss just in case they need a refresher and touch base from time to time on your progress. If you notice a roadblock in one area or another, give them a heads up so that you can work through it together.

Wrap Things Up Beautifully

internship etiquette | Woman hand writing on a paper on a desk at home

One final internship etiquette tip: end things on a positive note. In addition to being punctual, professional and proactive, the hope is to leave with an offer to come back after graduation if it’s a good fit. Your peers and boss will most likely want you to return if you were a solid addition to their corporate culture and made an effort to do your best. Write or email your boss a note thanking them for the experience they provided and let them know, citing specific details, what you learned from the experience. Make it a point to say goodbye to each of your coworkers before you walk out the door.

For more information about working with Diane, America’s “Go to” social and professional (manners) skills authority, please visit The Protocol School of Texas.

You may also like Internship Etiquette: How to Make the Most of the Experience. See what Diane is up to by following her on Instagram and Facebook. Find etiquette inspiration on her Pinterest account and keep up with her latest tweets. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, refer to her posts on Inc. and The Huffington Post. 

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Diane Gottsman

Diane Gottsman is a national etiquette expert and modern manners professional, sought out industry leader, television personality, accomplished speaker, Huffington Post blogger, author, and the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in executive leadership and etiquette training. Diane is routinely quoted in national and international media including The New York Times, The BBC, CNN, Bloomberg Business Week, Kiplinger, Huffington Post Canada, U.S. News and World Report, and Forbes. She is the resident etiquette expert for two popular morning talk shows, SA Living and Good Day Austin. She has been seen on The TODAY Show, HLN Headline News, WGN Chicago, and CBS Sunday Morning. Her clients range from university students to Fortune 500 companies and her workshops cover topics ranging from tattoos in the workplace to technology at the dinner table and the proper use of social media.