Are you gifted? Meaning, do people give you gifts? Chances are, you accept them with pleasure.
Now, imagine you are "on the job" in an internship. A gift is offered. Is it OK to accept?
The easy situations: Good-bye gift at end of term: OK One of many given to all interns: OK Token gift from your site mentor: OK
Not so easy: a gift of considerable value offered by another individual at the workplace. In most cases, there will not be a problem. But a gift worth hundreds of dollars deserves a discussion with your campus instructor! (You may still be told it's OK to accept the gift, but at least you will have checked with your ethics guide for the internship.)
College interns didn't invent Casual Friday (a common workplace convention) but they probably have the best wardrobe for all the Friday's of a summer internship!
The problem is, no one has a sure-fire definition of what "casual attire" means. It's a relative term: casual simply means less formal than the usual dress code. It's also a subjective term: what's casual for you is probably different from what's casual for your boss, or your co-worker, or even your fellow intern.
Would you wear jeans with holes to your internship? Tank top? Sandals? Answer with the setting! Of course, there are settings where very casual attire is OK. But there are more settings where casual means khaki pants (not jeans), shoulders covered, and only the most protective of sandals.
Beginning an internship "sight unseen" (or, excuse the pun: site unseen) can be nerve-wracking, especially in terms of dressing for the first day. Without benefit of an on-site interview or tour, you won't have a mental image of how people dress at the site.
If you ask the intern coordinator or a mentor about what to wear (smart!), you might hear the phrase business casual, not to be confused with casual.
Business casualmeans not quite as formal as "business" but definitely not just plain casual.
Business: wear a suit. Business casual: wear the trousers and a shirt.
Business: wear a tie. Business casual: typically, no tie.
Volunteer Work, the alternative. When there's no internship in sight (paid or not, credit or not), and even part-time jobs elude you, there's always volunteer work.
How can a volunteer post work for you? Look for a community service (like Parks & Recreation) where you can volunteer 10 hours a week and claim skill building in...
... helping the public utilize government-funded services, ... learning historical context for public lands, ... collaborative teamwork in the Department, ... responsibility meeting a schedule and being on-time, ... and maintaining a safe and clean environment for the public.
These descriptions of skills can be adapted to other volunteer settings. You'll also think of more skills that suit your experience.
Hourly employment, the alternative. It's a tough year for internships. And for finding good-paying jobs, too. But the summer can still be productive and resume-worthy. Take a look at SnagAJob.com to get some ideas. Tip: scroll down the page to see options by geography.
How can a minimum-wage hourly job work for you? Work for a movie theater part-time and you can claim skill-building in...
... customer service, ... efficiency in food service, ... collaborative teamwork, ... responsibility in handling money, ... and maintaining a safe and clean environment for the public.
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