On Winter Break

The College Intern Blog is on winter break
(along with the interns).
The blog will return on January 17, 2009.

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

Acknowledging Multiple Places of Worship

Holiday seasons bring attention to religion but the following tip is good for year-round references to places of worship.

If you have a place of worship, that may influence your language in referring to locations for faith practice. Even if you do not have a place or worship, you may be influenced by the common language in your community. But, of course, "common language" does not always represent all the options for worship locations.

So, any time you are tempted to name a place of worship, consciously name several. For example, your new phrases might be:

"...when people go to church or synagogue or temple..."

"...when people go to church or temple or mosque..."

You get the idea! Don't worry about listing every possible place of worship. And switch the words around in any order you like. By mentioning more than one location, you acknowledge that many religions co-exist in your community. Someone in your audience will appreciate your effort.

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

Interns' Responses to Holiday Greetings

If a client or colleague offers a holiday greeting that doesn't match your own experience (for example, "Merry Christmas" has nothing to do with your Hanukkah celebration), just smile and say, "Thank you for thinking of me."

If a client or colleague asks about your holiday, you can feel free talk about it! A good strategy is the Teaspoon Talk Tip. Offer one teaspoon of information. Let your client or colleague ask for more. In the workplace, there is an unwritten rule that people should not "push" their beliefs onto others. This almost always relates to religious belief, although political affiliation and other strong beliefs fall into the same category.

You can be assured of not offending anyone if you adopt the Teaspoon technique and use it only as a response to questions. Of course, just as you can expect cordial reception of your "teaspoons" of information, you will want to adopt the same gracious attitude when other people tell you about their beliefs.

In conversation with clients, you may find it necessary to only listen, and not share your own belief. Often, your work with clients (or customers or the public, depending on the setting of your internship) will involve one-way communication. The most cordial exchange may not be an exchange at all! Nevertheless, it will be an appropriate client-centered conversation.

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

Pumpkin Pi(e) & Other Holiday Sweets

Interns are often included in holiday celebrations at their internship sites. Some common features of workplace celebrations: gift exchanges, holiday meals, dessert tables, and office parties. Navigating these events can be worrisome, especially if you are concerned about spending money. Your mentor at the site can help you determine your role.

Often, interns are treated as guests and not expected to contribute. If this is the case, accept the guest role graciously. Do not try to set a new precedent because that will not be a favor for the next intern.

One of the most common (and most economical) means of sharing the holiday is to bring a dessert or other sweet food item to the site. Whether you are the receiver or the giver of holiday sweets, keep these thoughts in mind:

1. It's the thought that counts. So, even if the treat is something you cannot abide, just say "Thank you."
2. If a colleague does not dive into your chocolate mousse, don't take offense. Maybe they have special dietary restrictions...or maybe they just don't like chocolate. Whatever the case may be, you don't need to ask. They probably said "Thank you." (Yep, it's the flip side of item #1.)

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

Hot Potatoes for Thanksgiving

As your intern site prepares for the holidays, you may see tension build among the staff at the workplace or among clients visiting the agency. There may be two reasons: the pragmatic issue of closing for a holiday (or keeping staffing up during a holiday), and the emotional issue of going to family gatherings.

Holidays are often a source of stress. Even in the happiest of gatherings (when the stress may be called eustress, with "eu" meaning "good"), anxiety may rule the day.

Anxiety is hard to define. First, it expresses itself differently for different people. Second, we humans tend to react to it rather than analyze it. Here's a good description that most people can relate to: holding onto anxiety is like handling hot potatoes in your hands. You want to get rid of the hot potatoes as quickly as possible, and that's a lot like anxiety—people tend to toss it off as quickly as possible, and that's how anxiety moves from one person to the next.

Just by being aware that anxiety travels from person to person, you can help to slow the process. You can also find a little humor at Thanksgiving dinner when someone asks you to "pass the potatoes."

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

Brass and Glass Ceilings

When Gen. Ann Dunwoody was named a 4-star general in 2008, she headlined most news reports. That is because she was the first woman to reach this level in the U.S. Army. Her promotion is commonly referred to as "breaking the brass ceiling."

The phrase is derived from the more familiar "glass ceiling," which describes an expectation of the top position a woman can reach in an organization or an industry. Students in internships may not be familiar with all of these phrases but their mentors in the workplace will almost surely know them:

• Glass ceiling
• Brass ceiling
• Glass cliff
• Sticky ladder
• Reverse glass ceiling

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

College Intern Application Forms

Whether applying for the internship or filling out forms during orientation, follow these tips:

1. Read over the entire form before you start entering information. Often, you will find related items that you can answer more efficiently when you know what's ahead.

2. Reading first also allows you to gather all the documents you need for accurate entries.

3. Follow instructions to the letter. A form may allow for editing in a PDF file—or may specify that you must enter block letters in black ink. Use the method indicated in the instructions!

4. Make only truthful entries. Most written forms include a statement about truthful answers, and the rest of them imply it. Even a "harmless" misstatement or omission can cause big problems. A standard in the workplace is that a lie on an application results in a firing.

5. Similarly, gather information carefully so that you avoid entering inaccurate information on the form. It is better to answer with "I do not recall" or "Don't know" than to make up information.

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

College Intern: Professional Communication ... Everywhere!

Professional communication is the goal in all settings. Public restrooms, as well as more private staff restrooms, are not good places to exchange opinions, personal information, or gossip. They are also not good places to make cell phone calls. Internship sites are a bit like theatre: you are always "on stage" and in the public eye.

Maintain your professional persona in the neighborhood of the internship site, too. Lunch spots, nearby shopping outlets, coffee shops—all are locations that coworkers or clients may frequent. You may not immediately recognize these people out of the context of the internship, so be alert to people who do recognize 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

College Intern Evaluation

Evaluation at the internship site may include a formal evaluation by the site supervisor. This process may be very different from grading in class.

Issues you can control: your performance, your attendance, your attitude.

Issue you cannot control: the supervisor's philosophy about evaluations.

Some site supervisors routinely give high marks to student interns. A common reason: "I want to help the student get a good grade."

Other supervisors work hard to make an objective but supportive evaluation. A common rationale: "I hope to communicate to interns the standards of professionalism in the workplace without punishing them for being inexperienced."

And some supervisors apply the rigor of a professional evaluation. A statement might be: "I never give the highest rating to an intern because there's no way a pre-professional can perform at that level yet."

Campus instructors who assign the grade at semester's end understand the variability of scoring from one practicum site to another. The best way to understand how the site evaluation will align to your course grade is to ask your instructor!

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

Don't Pilfer at the Internship

Pilfering is stealing...
in small amounts.


The classic example is "pilfering paper clips" from the workplace because that makes the point that the item being stolen is of small value, of and in itself.

But it's still stealing.

Ethics on the job, which includes ethics on the internship even if the work is unpaid, demands that you consciously avoid misuse and misappropriation of any part of the workplace.

Parts of the workplace:

Paper clips and other office supplies
Equipment of any kind (even overnight borrowing)
Phone lines
Internet access
And everything else!

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

College Intern's Email Handle

Email handle AKA

• email name
  
• email username
  
• email account
  

Comfortable with yours?

• very
  
• guess so
  
• don't think about it
  

Maybe you are very comfortable with your email name because you think it reflects your great personality. The problem is: PrettyPerky@chickmail.com may not be the image your internship has in mind.

Maybe you guess it is OK because you've assumed that everyone who needs to know who you are can figure it out. The problem is: most internship supervisors don't know that MikeOn16@campus.edu refers to the Mike who lived on the 16th floor of his first-year dormitory.

Maybe you don't think about it because your email handle is invisible to you. You haven't noticed it since you matured beyond the humor that made pukinggoodtime@myschool.com a good idea (at the time). And you literally may not see it anymore if your email program hides details. (Out of sight, out of mind.)

Here's the better question for the college intern: is your internship supervisor comfortable with your email handle?

Tips:

• Before you even apply to an internship, create a professional email handle, either as an alias or by opening a new email account. (If you create a new account, remember to check it often or forward it.)
• If your internship site creates an email handle for you in their system, use it. Besides establishing your intern persona in the site's environment, maintaining that account will help you keep your internship boundaries!
• Start thinking of all aspects of email as professional communication.
  

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

Holidays at the Internship Site

Interns are sometimes surprised at how holidays are handled at their practicum sites. Whether celebrated or ignored, a holiday reflects a conscious choice by the site and it may not match your opinion or choice.

If you have strong convictions about how holidays are acknowledged, consult your campus instructor about how comfortable you can be in certain settings. Your own self-knowledge is the most important input for deciding about your participation in those settings.

Sometimes interns are reluctant to raise questions about holiday matters with their site supervisors, which is why the campus instructor is the best place to begin the discussion. Some phrases to get the conversation going:

• My personal convictions about Halloween conflict with my site's plans for a party. How can I handle this situation?
• I don't understand my mentor's reluctance for Halloween decorations. Should I ask about it?
• I don't celebrate Christmas but I'm surrounded at the site by people who expect participation in their holiday. What should I say?
• My faith includes observances that are not on the typical workplace calendar. How do I approach my site supervisor about my need to be away from the internship?
• Some of my site's clients talk about church, and some of them talk about temple, and some of them don't talk about their faith at all. Should I tell them about mine?
  

Your campus instructor can help sort out options with you especially if you plan ahead. If your semester of internship will include typical holidays on the calendar, address sensitive issues at the start—even before you apply to a site. If you are already in an internship and now recognize a conflict of values as the fall holidays approach, act quickly to begin a conversation that honors everyone involved.

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

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

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

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

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

When Internships Are Boring

What to Tolerate

• Temporary spells of boredom
  
• Assignments that everyone rotates through
  
• Occasional menial tasks
  

When to Speak Up

• You've been waiting for more than 1 day for tasks
  
• A boring assignment extends past a week
  
• Other interns are escaping boredom
  

Who to Speak Up To

• Your internship/practicum campus instructor
  
• If your site has one, the Intern Coordinator
• Your mentor at the site

A realistic expectation for any internship is that boredom can occur. The most common reason is in timing: an intern arrives at the site before tasks are fully developed or the on-site mentor is called away just as the intern is arriving. The result is often that the intern is put "on hold."

The wise intern's best reaction is to have patience. Be certain that your supervisors know that you are in waiting mode, and then settle in for the wait. You may be offered a manual or two to read, or you can use the time on your own to fully explore the organization's web site.

Keep a good humor about the situation! Say "I'm eager to begin my tasks," instead of "I'm bored." Everyone at the site will appreciate your attitude.

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

Planning for the Exotic Internship

Exotic internships—like archaeological digs—are certainly possible for college students. As a movie this summer demonstrated, archaeology does have requirements, though! In the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, the character Bridget went to Turkey for her internship. She planned far in advance, which is typical for an internship involving international travel. Her experience was well documented as demanding patience, attention, and a humble attitude. The other internship in this movie was the character Carmen's lucky, last-minute acceptance at a theatre festival in Vermont. Last minute? Lucky? The movie accurately portrayed this college student as not applying in a timely manner. She relied on an insider to get her into the program. That's a feature of dramatic license—real college students rarely enjoy that level of coincidence and luck!

The movie's treatment of internships was entertaining and at least hinted at the pragmatic steps you must take to land an exotic assignment.

• 1 - Start early. For an international internship, a year's advance planning may be needed.
• 2 - Educate yourself on requirements. Not just application requirements, although those are important, too. But also ask yourself the hard questions about how you will fit in. Do you have the patience for the very slow work of archaeology? Are you prepared to be at the lowest rank and therefore assigned the most boring tasks? Not all digs are large in scope; are you prepared for the small job, possibly the one that doesn't even involve digging?
  
• 3 - Understand the sacrifices that will be involved. International or remote locations may mean living without cell phones, or even electricity! What creature comforts can you give up for several months?

Even if it's not a dig you are seeking, use the style of questions here to examine your suitability to the internship you dream of. Research the details so that your expectations will be realistic ones.

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

Which Clients Care About Your Cosmetics

When is make-up a problem?

• When it's the only thing a client notices about you.

When is that a plus?

• When your client is a teen or pre-teen girl.
  

Female college interns are often warned to wear minimal cosmetic make-up on the job. Sometimes make-up can be a distraction or give the wrong message. But there's one circumstance when an intern's choice of make-up can have powerful positive effect: when the intern is working with young girls.

The opportunity to model good grooming. If you are working with an "impressionable" group, that means you will be the one making the impression. In American culture, appearance continues to be a primary concern for teen and pre-teen girls. Rather than fight what some critics call a materialistic or superficial mindset, you can use it to advantage. Think about what messages your clothing, hair, jewelry, and make-up convey to young people. Your appearance and your comments about your appearance will make a lasting impression.

Appropriateness. Don't give a lecture about appropriateness. Demonstrate it and casually refer to it. "In the day time, I don't wear much make-up. I save the eyeliner for when I go to parties."

Cost. Along the same vein, don't lecture about spending. Instead, give tips. "When I was your age, I thought I needed a dozen skin care products. When I limited that to two, I had more money for shoes!"

Tip for clothing. Don't surprised if your young clientele tracks what you wear. You may need to keep track of your outfits and rotate them accordingly!

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

Should Interns Bring Donuts?

Donuts in the break room

• Do people still bring donuts to work?
  
• They do!
  
• An open box on a table means, "Help yourself."
  

The Who behind the donuts

• Should interns bring in donuts?
  
• Not required!
  
• Only bring in treats if you can afford to.
  

Alternatives to donuts

• Does it have to be donuts?
  
• Healthier treats are welcomed if they are non-perishable.
  
• Finger foods are preferred over items requiring utensils and plates.
  

Shared treats in the break room are almost always welcomed. When are they not? When they go uneaten. Then, the employee group feels bad about wasted food, and the cleaning staff comes to resent messy and smelly left-overs.

College interns at the site should not feel obligated to bring in treats. If you feel compelled to contribute, keep it simple: cookies or cupcakes will do. To make sure that your treat is used, ask your mentor or the intern coordinator when you can bring a provision. "I want to share my famous gingerbread cookies—what day or meeting would be a good time for that?"

Ingredient warnings. Even for the simplest food provision, always include an index card on the platter that mentions the ingredients. Even a peanut butter cookie that "looks" like peanut butter deserves a label in order to warn people with allergies to that famous ingredient. Other labels might be, jalapeno pepper cornbread, hot sauce on the side, walnuts inside.

Holiday themes. In many, many places a holiday theme for food or decoration is common. But not in all places! If your internship site does not display holiday items, don't bring in your own until you ask your mentor. Your favorite Halloween cookies may not be welcome, so ask first!

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

Internship Dress Code

I haven't had a dress code since middle school!

• Or maybe you never did.
  
• In the workplace, customary attire may be written into a policy, or...
  
• It may be communicated strictly through example.
  

What is typical?

• No shorts. No skin.
  
• At some workplaces, no bare arms. Even in summer!
  
• Jewelry and make-up to "fit in" with colleagues and clients.
  

I like to decorate myself.

• Piercings are still not widely accepted by employers.
  
• Tattoos are tolerated more but a boss may ask you to cover them.
  
• Jewelry is easiest because you can take it off, if necessary.
  

Fitting in. American society puts a lot of stock in personal expression but the internship (just like the first job) may not be the best place to make a personal fashion statement. As an intern, you begin as a guest in a new environment. As you learn the culture of your site, you may be able to display your individual preferences for dress and appearance. To start, though, a better strategy is to "fit in" and appear more conventional.

Casual Friday. Even heading into a workplace that advertises a casual dress code on Fridays deserves a conservative attitude. Wait until you see the attire on the first Friday! Your idea of casual may be different from your site supersivor's. Maybe shorts are allowed, or maybe an open-toed sandal is the maximum casual allowed.

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

Lunch at the Internship Site

Will anyone buy me lunch?

• Maybe... on your first day
  
• But don't count on it!
  
• Have your own sack lunch in a backpack, along with a bottle of water and other survival items. Pack non-perishables that you can carry another day, in case you do get an invitation to lunch.
  

How will I know?

• You may have to ask your mentor.
  
• "Should I bring my lunch to the site?"
  
• "Do the interns go out for lunch?"
  

What if my boss takes me out?

• Use all your manners and don't order a beer.
  
• "May I pay for my share?"
  
• "May I leave the tip?"

Your internship supervisor or mentor will probably be sensitive to costs you will meet on the job, and that includes your meals, snacks, and even transportation. This is a good person to ask about inexpensive lunch spots!

Lunch out & separate checks... Waiters sometimes help establish the protocol by asking, "Will this be on separate checks?" All you have to say is, "Yes." If the waiter doesn't do that, just speak up when you order, "I'll have the #6, and I'll need a separate check."

Lunch in & unwritten rules... If meals are in eaten on site, either by food delivery or packed lunches, you may have to observe closely to learn the unwritten and unspoken protocol about (a) who sits where in the break room, (b) whether food is allowed in offices, (c) who cleans the refrigerator.

Bon appetit!

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

Blogging About Your Internship

1. Ask if there's a policy.

• Sometimes it's an unwritten policy!
  
• "Can I mention my internship on my blog?"
• "Does the site have an official blog?"

2. Follow the rules.

• You may have to suspend your daily postings.
  
• "I'll be offline for the next 3 months...."
  
• "I'll be writing only about my favorite recipes for the next 3 months...."
  

3. Follow the unwritten rules.

• Clean up your spaces.
• "I can see how my Facebook persona doesn't fit my new role."
  
• "Just in case you google me, keep in mind that I was 15 when I created that fake website."

The business, education, and nonprofit worlds are not nearly forgiving enough—they are headed up by people whose youthful indiscretions were not recorded in an internet archive (see the Wayback Machine for a lesson in digital permanence). But those people will now be judging you what you do online. Be aware that most of them are not blogging, and they don't want you blogging about them.

Non-disclosure requirements... You have every right to blog, but you may have to do it while not employed or while not in an internship. It is common in business to have "non-disclosure" requirements whereby employees are restricted from what they say or write about the company in public forums. Interns are expected to abide by the same rules.

Be open to exploring the topic... On the other hand, your blogging expertise may be highly valued at your site, if you introduce it the right way. Explore the idea with a mentor to see how you can blog and the site can benefit.

Good luck!

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

The Elevator Speech

Got your Elevator Speech?

• Not only for elevators!
• It's your 30-second introduction.
  
• Like an ad for yourself.
• On an elevator ride.
• Or in a hallway.

Talking to Whom?

• Probably your new boss.
  
• Or your internship supervisor.
  
• Or a mentor on the job.
• Or a new colleague.
  

Interns are sometimes reluctant to introduce themselves on the job. But your mentor will not always be around to smooth the way for you, so develop your own self-introduction and practice it in front of the mirror.

Keep it very short... As the name implies, this self-introduction should be appropriate to the length it takes to travel a few floors on an elevator. So, just 50 or 100 words is fine!

Keep it simple... "Hi, Ms. President. I'm Shelly Jones, and I'm the intern in marketing this summer. Thanks for welcoming us at the orientation. I appreciate the opportunity to writes ads for the Eco-Green campaign this summer and if you come by the 7th floor, I can show you the carbon footprint design I'm working on."

Good luck!

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.

The Paid Internship

Is there such a thing as a paid internship?

• Yes, there is, but you have to ask!
• "Do you offer a paid internship?"
• "I will have to take time off from work to come here. Can you pay me?"

What if they say there's no pay?

• Some organizations cannot pay interns a wage. Explore some more.
  
• "Can you give me a stipend or some other form of support?"
  
• "Can you assist with housing or transportation?"
  

What if they still say no?

• If it's the internship you yearn for, say OK.
• "Thanks for trying. I will come anyway and live on a budget."
  
• "I understand. I still want to work here, so I'm saying Yes."

Internships always require some form of sacrifice, either in time or lost wages, or both. You will have to decide up front whether you can afford to accept a completely volunteer internship or practicum.

Be open to possibilities... a far-away internship may actually be the one that offers the most support (such as travel expenses and housing), so don't assume that you must stay near your campus in order to economize.

Be open to a new vocabulary... you may be thinking "paid," while the internship may use terms like "stipend," and "grant."

Good luck!

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.