Intern Best Practices

 

  • Treat the internship like an extended interview. Arrive 5-10 minutes early each workday. Dress just a tiny bit better than what is expected, while remaining appropriate for the company culture. Seek out opportunities to go above and beyond.

  • Be prepared. Always carry a pen and paper so you can take notes or jot down detailed instructions.

  • Be proactive. Ask (smart) questions. Volunteer for projects. If you find yourself with lots of down time, take it upon yourself to compose a list of potential projects or activities (such as shadowing coworkers) and pitch them to your supervisor for feedback.

  • Seek out opportunities to make your supervisor’s job easier. Anticipate needs. Proofread everything (for errors, not for style). Stay up on industry trends and competitor’s activities, and be sure to comment on any late breaking news that may be valuable to the organization.
  • Complete more than one academic internship during your time at CSUF. Students who demonstrate a commitment to experiential learning by completing two academic internships for credit and logging at least 30 hours (combined) above the minimum requirement are eligible for recognition with the Community Engagement MedalOpens in new window to be worn at Commencement.