27 September 2008

Using Titles at the Internship Site

Stuck on titles? Some workplaces value the formal (Mr. Smith is our accountant) while others promote familiarity (Bob is our accountant). The local culture may be just this obvious and you will be able to adapt to the customs of the workplace.

Or... the culture may appear obvious for the regular employees but not at all for the interns. You may feel reluctant to address staff members by their first names even when everyone around you is doing it. Your reluctance is actually a good safety net!

Recommendation: ask your mentor at the site how you should address staff members. Here are sample questions:

  1. "How shall I address you and the other staff members?"
  2. "Should I call people by first name or last name?"
  3. "I am accustomed to using titles at school, such as Dr. Smith. Should I continue that practice here?"
  4. "A lot of the clients are much older; should I use titles like Mr. and Ms.?"
As a rule of thumb, assume the more formal route until you are directed otherwise. Use Mr. and Ms. as the routine titles. If you see that a person's name is followed by initials of M.D., Ph.D., or Ed.D., then the appropriate title is Dr.

You may be invited to call a staff member by first name, such as "Paul" instead of "Mr. Smith." But you will have one more setting to test: what will you call Paul in a meeting with external visitors or with agency clients? To be on the safe side, revert to "Mr. Smith" until you are certain that "Paul" is acceptable in all settings.

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

20 September 2008

Internship Attire: The Three P's


The Three P's
  • Pumps (meaning shoes, like the ones in the photo)
  • Pearls, and
  • Pantyhose
Old-fashioned rule. The 3 P's rule is very old. But it's still cited today, expecting the modern college intern to translate it to current fashion. The meaning remains the same: be conservative.

Pumps. Your shoes may not have to be the 1" to 2" pump (but if your internship includes trips to courtrooms and boardrooms, be alert to the need for a conservative pair of pumps your grandmother might have worn) but they should follow the same purpose. Pumps were/are comfortable and you can't fall from them (whereas very high heels do carry that risk).

Pearls. Conservative and elegant, pearls had a certain reputation: the woman who wore them had taste. Modern women have many more choices for jewelry and young women at the internship are not expected to wear fine jewelry. In fact, in many settings, preferred ornaments are costume jewelry (not the real jewels) and... no jewelry. Rely on this P simply as a reminder to yourself that the internship is not the place to wear dramatic jewelry. Understated decoration is preferred.

Pantyhose. Again, the modern intern must make the current day translation. Pantyhose back in the olden days represented good grooming and attention to detail. Today, women make the same statement with appropriate clothing style and clean fingernails. Yep. It's that basic.

Invent your own 3 P's for your attire for your internship site.


The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

13 September 2008

HIPPO: Highest Paid Person in the Organization


As an intern you may have a view of a HIPPO at your site. Yes, every workplace has one! There are actually two types of HIPPOs you need to know about and you will not find them in any practicum manual. HIPPO is an acronym that is used in business, primarily.

HIPPO #1 - Highest Paid Person in the Organization
  • This informal description is basically... the boss. As you might guess, no one actually uses the term "HIPPO" on the job. It represents a concept that is unwritten, though: even if you cannot see the work that the HIPPO does, that's the person who is ultimately responsible for everything that occurs at the workplace.
HIPPO #2 - Highest Paid Person's Opinion
  • Again, the term is never used on the job! In this usage, HIPPO refers to the decision-making that often happens at the top level, with or without input from workers. (So, sometimes the decision is one person's opinion.)
As an intern, you can observe the HIPPO principles with some objectivity. How do the bosses at your site handle their power? What makes a HIPPO a great person to work alongside?

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

06 September 2008

Dress Code for Interns: Earrings


Earrings can be...
  • personal expression,
  • a thing of beauty,
  • or a big distraction.
Most people consider jewelry a personal fashion choice. Most people, that is, until they become responsible for the workforce of an organization. If you were in that position, would you establish a "jewelry rule" (like a dress code) for your employees?

Interestingly, most dress codes do not mention jewelry unless the workplace presents a safety issue because of jewelry. Example: Factories routinely disallow any jewelry that could get caught in machinery.


When safety is not an issue, workers—and interns—make their own decisions about what to wear in the workplace. If you regularly wear earrings, you will want to make your own "jewelry rule" for your days on the job. Note: this message is for female
and male interns.

1 - Are earrings accepted in my workplace?
You may have to make your own observations about (unwritten) dress code. But you can also ask your campus instructor or your mentor at the site!

2 - Will my earrings be distracting?
You may see earrings as enhancing your appearance but they can also be a big distraction (especially if they are big). Scale back on size.

3 - Do my earrings make a statement that I don't intend?
Consider the professionals and clients you will interact with at your site. Would they call your earrings...pretty, flashy, expensive, show-off, tasteful, attractive, tacky? Don't think about how you describe your earrings. When you create your jewelry rule for yourself, you are creating it in consideration for the people around you!

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2008 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com