Worst mistakes made by first-time interns

The internship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any student, as it is the first step in building your professional career. The quality of the acquired experience is directly related to the way in which it has been prepared to deal with the new work environment and even with the team that will share the space. In fact, it can be a little insecure at first, as there are many new features and challenges to be faced.

Knowing how to behave, dress and communicate are common doubts that cannot get you down right from the start or hinder the development of your learning. Given this, it is important to pay attention to your actions so as not to run the risk of losing everything or even letting slip a chance of effectiveness. To help you evolve professionally in this environment, we've selected the worst mistakes made by interns that you must avoid to be successful. successful, check below:

1) Use vulgar language

As much as you have a more open attitude with your friends and family and are used to using slang, expressions or compromising jargon, this can be very harmful when taken to the market of work. These typical youth dialects tend to distance you from professionalism and can leave you out of many formal meetings. Always remember that in the work environment things are very different and all your behaviors are evaluated. When communicating, try to be concerned with the way you have been transmitting your messages and what impression you have passed on to your interlocutor, as he is a key part of your maturation. In order not to fail, remove slang and words that denote a low intellectual level from your vocabulary. Reinaldo Passadori, specialist in Human Resources and Verbal Communication, suggests that the student create the habit of reading constantly, in order to bring new expressions to your daily life and improve your pronunciation. He also states that “effective communication can demonstrate your talent, potential and skills”, so don't forget to direct your attention to it.

2) Not being flexible

Decisive people who know what they want right from the first contact with the job market demonstrate confidence, but adopting a flexible posture only tends to contribute to their growth professional. The main reason for this is that more and more companies are adopting a dynamic profile and, therefore, both the work priorities and the activities passed to the intern can change quickly too much. Thus, some beginners find it difficult to follow or even understand this process, which can compromise the quality of their service. In addition, it is possible that frustration arises in some unwanted situations due to the fact of not being able to finish your activities or projects. According to Felícia Duarte, project manager at Cia de Talentos, it is important for the intern to talk constantly with your tutor/manager and try to understand what is happening at the moment and what are the priorities of the work.

3) Be relaxed

The internship should be seen as a unique opportunity, a chance to evolve and open other doors to a promising future. This thought instigates the will to acquire new knowledge, to learn constantly and to take advantage of the teachings of their supervisors. If you were approved in a selection, know that the company was interested in your profile and wants to know your work better. Distance yourself from behaviors that may give the impression that you are a laid-back or relaxed person. Avoid being too passive or not very participative. Understand that the company is not going to guess your needs and your difficulties that were detected by you during the exercise of your functions. If you don't understand something, don't be shy, ask and clarify your doubts. As guided by Jô Furlan, a behavioral specialist, excessive passivity tends to be seen as ill will within an organization and will keep you away from a possible tenure.

4) Not understanding your starting position

Although attitude and commitment are fundamental in the job market, it is important that the intern understands his initial position and knows that he is in the condition of an apprentice. Your stance should be that of someone interested in the process, but who understands that you are still adapting. So try not to act like you've been with the company for years. Avoid questioning paradigms or treating company guidelines as if they were already outdated, as they possibly took years to build and consolidate. Try to listen more than speak, be considerate of everything that happens around you and observe the attitude of colleagues that you consider a reference. Only with time will you be able to acquire more maturity to opine based on solid arguments. According to Reinaldo Passadori, specialist in Human Resources and Verbal Communication, interns who complain all the time about their tasks tend to have more difficulty getting along. In addition, the more resilient the company's policies are, the more difficult it will be to obtain better proposals in this environment. So keep humility.

5) Being too independent

As much as you want to showcase work independently, it's important to understand that this can be very risky at first. Do your best to perform your duties in harmony with your co-workers. Know that they are more experienced than you and can contribute a lot to your professional growth. When developing your tasks, make sure you are on the right path. If you have the opportunity to express yourself in more detail, try to bring new ideas to the group with convincing justifications. Create the habit of being proactive, help your colleagues whenever requested, as all functions should be seen as important, since generally the objectives to be reached are the same. Rossano Lippi, director of Central de Estágios Gelre, advises that it is essential that the intern gets involved with the project developed by the team of which he is part. Don't be individualistic and don't try to change anything yourself.

6) Attach to the stipend

As much as it is motivating to win a scholarship, it is essential that you are aware that the priority in the internship is to learn. It is at this moment that the student is free to make small mistakes, take tests, among other things. For this reason, seek to be an active person with good conduct. Try not to compromise your future, be responsible and committed to your tasks regardless of how much you receive. The fact of developing tasks that are not very challenging or discouraging can keep you from achieving better things. Maria Ester Pires da Cruz, consultant for Ibmec Careers at Ibmec São Paulo, brings important considerations on this subject. She claims that the job market is very demanding, therefore, advises not to get attached to the internship that pays the best, but the one that will teach you the most, because these choices will reflect on your future.

7) Roll up the work

It is very complicated when the intern puts his main obligations in the background. If you have faced a difficult task or an unusual situation, think that this challenge could be fundamental for your evolution. Of course, you don't have to work all the time, but while you're on your work schedule, try to do your best, with agility and quality, as this can be a strong point in your favor in the company you work for, especially in relation to others interns. Suzy Fleury, Psychologist and business consultant, says that a sensible attitude is a decisive factor when it comes to invite the beginner to participate in a new project and have the opportunity to show their ability professional.

8) Wasting time on the internet

It is clear that the internet can significantly contribute to your work in several areas, especially when it comes to doing research. Until then, no problem. What really complicates things is when the intern does not know how to manage his time and ends up compromising the delivery time and the quality of his service. No spending hours focused on emails that are not important to your work, looking at facebook news feed or new messages on whatszapp. Remember that you are constantly being evaluated and you should take this chance to show off your skills. Tom Coelho, specialist in career and motivational content, suggests that the intern frequently ask himself if you are giving due importance to your employer, if the answer is “yes”, it is a sign that you are on the right path correct.