In four weeks I’ll be starting my new internship. That’s really not a very long time. I’ve already gone through the process of applying, interviewing, and finding housing. I have one final step: preparing for my first day.
The way I look at it, the first day at a new job can be very similar to the first day at a new school. First of all, you need to know the basics. What time should you be there? (For me: 8:30am) How long will you be there? (8 hours) What should you wear? Ah, there’s a question. Some summer jobs have nearly zero dress code (e.g. working for Google or Apple, working in retail, or nannying). Some internships are fairly casual and interns can get away with dark jeans and a nice blouse (e.g. management positions at a clothing store). Some require more than that. Something at the top of my to-do list is to contact my soon-to-be supervisors and ask about the dress code. Will it be business casual (meaning slacks or a skirt paired with a nicer top) or will I need to buy a suit? Are open-toed shoes okay? (It will be over 80 degrees and incredibly humid, but the office will more than likely be air-conditioned.)
Next, I’ll need to know what to expect at my first day. There are five other interns working with me and I anticipate that we will spend June 1st taking a tour of the office, meeting other employees, and getting situated at our new workstations. I wonder if I’ll have my own cubicle or desk – I will probably be sharing a space with at least one other intern, kind of like elementary school.
Finally, I will learn what my daily duties will entail. In junior high and high school, there was a clear schedule: two hours of class, then a break, two more hours followed by lunch, then at least two more hours. I don’t expect to get a definite schedule, but I am sure I’ll have some sort of routine. For example, I’ll step off the metro, walk to the office, greet the front desk staff, quickly check my e-mail, and then go to a morning staff meeting. I have always been a planner, and a very visual person. I need to be able to picture myself going through my day.
I have a few things to do before I leave for Washington. I need to figure out what’s important to have with me for the summer and start shipping boxes. I also need to get in touch with my supervisor and start getting a feel for how my first day – and the ten weeks following – will go.