RED Hearts: How to Be a Good Intern

RED Hearts are guests posts on I Heart Daily from the authors of RED: Teenage girls in America write on what fires up their lives today.

Today's RED Hearts post is from Cindy Morand, 22, in New York, NY, who's interning at the Federal Reserve this summer:

My favorite site for information on internships­ -- they rank hundreds -- is Vault. There’s even a “Top 10 Most Unusual Experiences” category. (NASA or Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, anyone?)

Should you find yourself in a seriously air-conditioned office this summer, here are a few quick strategies (if not paychecks) I’ve picked up toward making the most of your internship:

★ Find a Mentor, Make Friends. Network with colleagues to learn about the different roles in your department -- people like it when you show interest in what they've chosen to do with their lives. 

★ Look Smart. This goes beyond the obvious rules of no revealing clothes or flip-flops. Wear jewelry that people can see not hear. Skip the perfume. Always have a pen and notebook on you; take notes.

★ Ask Questions (But Not Too Many). If something is unclear, ask, in this order: the Internet, a trusted colleague or your supervisor. Believe me, I did not enter this internship speaking Federal Reserve. I’ve recently Googled “P&I,” “collaterized debt obligation (CDO)” and “healthcare reimbursements,” and no one’s the wiser but me.

★ Use Social Media for Good, Not Gossip. You might have more social media knowledge than your older colleagues; if this is the case, volunteer your expertise. However, never put anything about your job on the Internet -- no tweeting, no Facebook posting, no blogging. Just don’t. It lives there forever, and the CEO of your company can read it.

 

RED Hearts guest poster Cindy Morand is an author of RED: Teenage girls in America write on what fires up their lives today, which is out in paperback.