Internships are short periods of professional experience. During an internship you will be doing similar work to that of a normal employee of the organization. Internships are meant to provide you with insight, exposure and experience into the professional world, yet for a newbie it could be hectic. Your experience could be likened to that of a fresher. You've never worked in a professional environment, and you'd really like to avoid committing any embarrassing blunders. Most people you work under tend to become references for future job searches. And I’ll want to provide you with tips on how to maintain a good working relationship.
Who are internships for? They are for everyone, just ignore the stereotypes and myth surrounding them and have a firsthand experience.They provide you with the insight that helps you make suitable career choices. Application is done either directly to the organization involved or indirectly through the tertiary institution you find yourself in. You sign a contract of employment which spells out code of conduct, duration of employ, and remuneration.
Following the organization’s culture. Culture is the way of life and beliefs of a group of people. The organization’s culture speaks of the organizational structure, the corporate colors,chain of command and the likes. Each organization regulates its employee’s dress color to suit the corporate color they wish to exhibit. It wouldn’t look right to see a group of employees in green, yellow, red shirts and other bright colors all mixed up in an office. It would look ridiculous. Most organizations adopt the white or sky blue color as their corporate color. It would also seem wrong to see a group of employees in polkas, thick stripes, flowery, leopard patterned clothing all mixed together in a foray. Organizations grow based on their reputation and their brand is their reputation. Thus they specify which colors and patterns can be worn. The grooming, facial hair and haircuts should also be within professional limits. Ladies are mostly advised to dress in moderation.
Workplace romance and Fraternization policies apply to almost every organization. It is usually known as the red clause, and violating it,( that is to date or have sexual relations with a fellow employee) usually carries harsh sanctions like dismissal. There are also strict rules on harassment of any kind which also leads to dismissal if violated.
Knowing who to respond to or your immediate boss also saves you a lot of confusion. Following proper channels of communication is essential and shows respect to your immediate supervisor and prevents unnecessary embarrassments. In whistle blowing situations it is wiser to report to senior level management.
The first name policy. Some organizations have the first name policy, where each employee is addressed by the first name no matter the age and devoid of titles. Our Ghanaian culture teaches us to be courteous and show respect to the elderly but in such situations one needs to adapt to the first name policy or lookout for ways junior staff embellish names of their senior staff and adopt them. It can be a challenge getting used to the policy but you’ll have to relate to each staff member by name so getting over this hurdle is important.
Don’t leave your humor or personality behind when you report to work each day. They are the little things that make you memorable. Bad habits and behavior are likely to be repulsive, so you could work on them. Punctuality could be improved by catching enough sleep before work. Avoid long phone calls while at work. And definitely avoid using office lines or official email for personal interactions because they may be monitored. You can Appear organized by going over the next day’s activities right down to what you’ll wear on the day before. This makes you more efficient and less disoriented. Being open to criticism, being eager to learn, and being optimistic enables you to have the full experience of an intern.
Finally, corporate politics is all about knowing the right people and being noticed. Your works speaks volumes, and they help establish connections or friendships which tend to be beneficial in the long run. Internships, whether with pay or not, tend to be beneficial in the long term. never think you’ll be in over your head, to think of an internship at whichever stage of education that you’re comfortable with.
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