27 March 2010

Texting on the job: r u lol?

As web-enabled mobile devices became more common, communication followed. We now routinely expect to send and receive work-related text messages. As an intern, you may have need to communicate "on the job" via email and text. Tip for successful business communication: use the technology but not the shortcuts.

So, keep text messages (as well as email) as short as possible while using standard spelling and capitalization.


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. © 2010 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 March 2010

Snow Day @ the Internship

Three concerns for a snow day:

1 - Safety
No one at the internship expects you to risk your life in treacherous travel. Research with weather and traffic reports before you leave home!

2 - Responsibility
Know what your responsibility is during extreme weather. Virtually all work places have BC (business continuity) plans. Rarely does an intern have a responsibility for BC in extreme or emergency conditions. But you may have a responsibility to your mentor or to a client to give notice of inability to travel to the site.

3 - Field Hours
The last concern—in third place—is how a snow day affects the tally of your field hours. Don't assume that a missed day will be excused from the tally of hours you are supposed to complete for your internship. You'll have to ask your mentor or campus instructor.

And enjoy the snow day!


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. © 2010 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 http://www.marybold.com/

13 March 2010

Sick Days During College Internship

As a college intern on assignment, you are on the clock. That means that someone (maybe just you) must keep a record of your hours. So, what happens when you're sick?

1 - Employees at a site are likely to have an allotment of "sick days" that they can use without losing pay. As an intern, you don't!

2 - If you miss an assigned day due to illness, you will probably have to make up the hours in order to claim that you have accomplished the internship.

3 - If you miss more than a couple of hours during the semester, you should alert your campus professor. Absences from the internship can be problematic when it's time to receive credit on your transcript!


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. © 2010 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 March 2010

College Internship: When the Dress Code Calls for a Uniform

A college internship sometimes meaning putting on a uniform. For some students, it's the first ever experience of buying and wearing prescribed clothing.

If the site requires uniforms, you don't have a choice but to conform. Still, you can ask these questions to minimize your cost and inconvenience:

1 - Is there funding for the uniform so that I don't have to spend my own money?

2 - If I have to buy the uniform, can I ask around for a used uniform from an employee?

3 - Can I wear my choice of shoes and accessories?

The internship supervisor or mentor may have good suggestions for making your uniform inexpensive. Just ask!


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. © 2010 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