How to Make a Great First Impression at Your Summer Internship
While a summer internship lasts a few months, the impression students make can launch a career.
For students who want to land a full-time position, it’s all about making a great first impression. And as Career Services Director Adam Capozzi says, you don’t get a second chance to establish a professional identity in the workplace.
“A first impression isn’t just a moment; it shapes how every interaction after that is seen at the company,” Capozzi says. “From day one, employers are watching to see how interns carry themselves, whether they’re curious about the work and how they treat people at every level of the organization.”
Summer internships are an opportunity where students will either confirm they’re on the right career path or realize they need to reassess. Capozzi says students should devise short- and long-term goals using the FIT (function, industry and type of organization) lens.
“An internship is the perfect time to do a career pressure test, whether that’s the job function you’re doing, the industry you’re in or if the culture of the organization resonates with who you are,” Capozzi says. “That information is extremely valuable as you set your goals moving forward.”
Capozzi shares how students should prepare for their summer internship and offers tips from employers on how to make a great first impression.
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- Read the organization’s website. Learn the recent news and what their strategic priorities are. Often, a company has a LinkedIn presence, so look to see what their top voices are talking about from a staff member perspective.
- Confirm logistics early. You don’t want to arrive that first day not knowing where to park, how to dress or who you’ll be reporting to.
- Reach out proactively to the onboarding person you’ve been working with and ask them if there’s any human resources documentation you should prepare or review ahead of time. That will signal your initiative and professionalism before your first day.
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You want to come across as genuinely curious, specific and intentional. Good examples are:
- What should I be doing in moments when I don’t have a project?
- What should I be focusing on when I get ahead on a project timeline?
- How can I help with other group activities?
That’s going the extra mile. That initiative is what separates the interns who become full-time hires from those who don’t.
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Whenever employer partners come to campus or participate in career fairs, they say it’s not the students that are the most impressive in terms of their backgrounds who convert, it’s the ones that really initiate. They learn about the culture and build relationships across the entire organization, not just within their team. They consistently deliver what they promise. They’re strategic and visible throughout the experience. They’re volunteering for tasks and being present in the moment. Those are the interns who become full-time hires.
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Always do your research. Look at the company’s social media channels. If they post team photos, what are employees wearing? Ask your onboarding person what the typical dress code is for a summer intern. When in doubt, it’s better to dress slightly more formal during your first week and adjust based on what you observe.
Need access to professional attire for the internship? Students can check out the Career Closet, a virtual professional styling service that provides students with curated boxes of up to six items of professional clothing shipped directly to their door, with the option to keep what they like at a steep discount or return everything for free.
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Asking smart questions is a sign of initiative and demonstrates you’re engaged with your thinking. Be thoughtful about what you ask and when you ask it. We tell students to try first, then ask a question. Don’t come to your supervisor with a problem you haven’t already tested out and done your best to solve first.
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If you say you’re going to do something, get it done by when you said you were going to do it. When it comes to communication, know what to communicate, who to communicate with and when you should communicate it. Check your ego at the door. You’re not going to always be the smartest person in the room. Your technical skills got you in the door, but now everything else you do from here on will impact if you stay and how you will be remembered.
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