WORK@BLE TIPS
By PAUL KAM
THE manager was talking to a colleague when he looked through the glass panel and saw a young man wandering around the office.
Minutes later that same person who was dressed scruffily in jeans, T-shirt and sneakers was looking up at the notice board.
The manager knew that was not an employee from another department.
Upon seeing his colleague leave the manager’s room, the young man came in and introduced himself as the new intern.
He shook hands and sat down — even before he was invited!
The manager was a patient man, but he could have asked the young man to leave for his lack of manners.
However upon learning that he was an intern, he decided to be firm but friendly with the intern.
Questions
Questions
After asking the intern his name, the manager proceeded to ask him: What are you doing and which university sent you here?
What are you reading at university? How is this internship relevant to your course?
What experiences or lessons do you expect to learn from this department?
In fact, all the information should have been volunteered after the introduction to allow the intern to convey indirectly that he has a direction and sense of purpose, that he is appreciative of the chance to be there and hence, these are the lessons he hopes to learn.
Many university courses now require students to undergo a period of internship before they graduate just to better prepare them for the working environment.
Employers are more willing to hire candidates who are more socially and professionally prepared for the real world.
However, interns tend to take the stint at the companies that they have been assigned to as an extension of their college or university.
They forget that corporations are actually doing them a favour by taking them into their organisations.
The idea is to provide them the exposure and experience to complement what they had learnt in the classroom.
My corporate contemporaries and clients have complained about interns being rude and sometimes “acting smart” without knowing their place.
This is because some interns do not feel the need to put on their best behaviour as they are not being officially employed by the firm.
Moreover they are only at the firm for a short period of time, so why do they need to impress?
Employers want to see polite and confident individuals who speak up when the situation warrants it.
However they will not put up with those who speak loudly just to grab attention or act in a manner that borders on rudeness or disrespect.
Some department heads are reluctant to take interns because they find “baby-sitting” them as extra work.
If an intern behaves obnoxiously, he or she is likely to be ignored and could sit out the entire internship learning nothing.
Interns must realise that to optimise their term in the office, they must do everything they can to help themselves.
Most times, interns always expect to be given the tasks that are relevant only to their respective courses.
Graphics design and IT students always expect to be put into pro-jects that will spearhead the next big creative craze.
They do not realise that in order to undertake a project, the ability to lead and communicate effectively is important
Small jobs
Small jobs
So putting them to do something like “cold calls” on the telephone to conduct a survey may turn out to be useful too.
The next time you are assigned only to carry the boss’s bag and follow him around don’t complain!
Consider the fact that you have the opportunity of learning first-hand how businesses are conducted, to have the chance to pick the boss’ brains and to have all the time to show him your talent.
Just a few more pointers before you step into the office to shake your minder’s hands and serve that internship term in his deparment;
· Besides having the Ps and Qs in order, do not dress like you are in college. How you dress is a reflection of how much you respect your job and the company.
· Always be ready to do more than you are required. Be the first to volunteer when there’s extra work to be done. It encourages the staff to teach you more about the profession.
· Remember to be “apolitical” because every office has politics and it serves you well to stay clear from it. If you are caught in the pantry while a gossip session is taking place, just listen.
You should never comment and don’t take sides. As is often said, it is best to “keep your mouth shut”.
So make it your mission to be the intern that every employer is eager to hire. Good luck!
*Paul Kam is a lawyer by training. He has worked with private and public sector leaders and has designed and led several transformation, alignment and strategic change initiatives. With his understanding of market conditions in various industries, he is passionate about shifting and aligning mindsets and behaviours of leaders and employees.
He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Management and is also a certified team profiler and a life and wealth coach.
