GEORGIA TECH

THE DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

SUCESSFULLY NAVIGATING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE

UNDERGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP

WORK REQUIREMENTS

INTERNSHIP STAGES

MANAGING THE TRANSITION TO WORK

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR EXPERIENCE

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

BUSINESS ETHICS

MANAGING CONFLICT AT WORK

UPI Work Requirements

Adhere to DPP calendarComplete Internship Assignment Record– Due to UPI by 3rd week of semester

Return a copy of the Student Performance Evaluation Form to the office of UPI– Due to UPI within last 2 weeks of semester

Complete an Internship Work Report– Due to UPI within last 2 weeks of semester

UNDERGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP

The Division of Professional Practice gratefully acknowledges the National Association of Colleges and Employers, The National Society of Experiential Education, and the University of California, San Diego for providing information contained in the the following presentation.

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Interns go through predictable stages of growth during the course of an internshipThe length of time spent in each stage is affected by many factors– Length of internship– Previous internship experiences– Personal issues and level of support of interns– Supervisor Style– Nature of the work

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Stage One – Orientation– Moral is high– Positive expectations– Anxiety – “what if” concerns

• Concerned about what they will learn and what it’s like to actually work in their field

• How co-workers will perceive them• Unsure of the roles, functions and relationships with

supervisors• Concern about the site itself – pace of work,

organizational values, knowledge required to be successful

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Stage Two – Disillusionment– Marked by a drop in moral and task accomplishment– Feelings may include frustration, anger,

disappointment and discouragement– Intern shifts from “what if” concern to “what’s wrong”– May feel a “good” intern wouldn’t feel this way– Reassessment of expectations, goals and skills

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Stage Three – Resolution– Issues identified in the Disillusionment stage are

confronted and resolved– Moral and task accomplishment rise as issues are

resolved– Interns achieve a sense of independence,

confidence and effectiveness– May face some interpersonal problems with

supervisor, co-workers or clients.

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Stage Four – Production– Moral is high– Clear sense of purpose– Lots of accomplishments– Interns are moving towards autonomy on the job

Internship Stages- Feelings, Concerns and Behaviors

Stage Five – Termination– Occurs as the internship approaches its ending date– Level of task accomplishment drops a little as interns

deal with saying goodbye– Interns experience pride in what’s been achieved– Sadness over ending the experience– Evaluation and accomplishments reviewed at this

time

Managing the Transition to Work

Much of the success of your internship will depend on the impressions you make on the people you work with

The skills you learned in school to be successful and the behaviors for which you were rewarded are rarely the ones you’ll need to be successful at work– School: You are told what to do and how to do it – Work: You are expected to take the initiative with little

direction– School: Taught to argue your point– Work: Try arguing with your boss and see how far you get!

Managing the Transition to Work

Adopt the right attitude– Employer’s number one complaint is the attitude interns and new grad

bring to the workplace• You may have a 4.0 but you’re in an environment where others have the same or

better qualifications– Be ready to learn. If things are slow around the office study something,

ask questions, take training seriously– Be flexible– Have an open mind. The worst thing you can bring to the job are

preconceived notions about what work is supposed to be like– Have a strong work ethic. Show up early, stay late and volunteer for

projects– Have a positive attitude. Grin and bear it and don’t complain

Managing the Transition to Work

Build effective relationships– Understand the nature of working relationships. You don’t

have to be best friends with everyone but be respectful to all– Develop good communication and relationship skills and work

well with all types of people– Learn to work in teams. Just about everything you do will

require you to team with others– Network! Network! Network It’s true, who you know is as

important as what you know.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR INTERNSHIP

Ask simple questions– Lunch break?– Call if you’re late?

Ask detailed questions– Ask questions on how to do your assignemnt

Learn all you can about the company– How does your job fit into the organization

Break out of your cubicle– Visit with people in other departments and request a mentor

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR INTERNSHIP

Ask for feedback– Ask your boss how your doing – Performance Evaluation

Don’t fear mistakes– Mistakes happen, ask for feedback

Work with a little humility– Managers are looking for someone down to earth, not a know

it allPresent yourself positively– Show enthusiasm no matter what project you are assigned

Business Etiquette

Interns are ambassadors of Georgia Tech and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all timesObserve good cubicle etiquette– Noise control - telephone voice and avoid annoying noises– Smell control – be aware your perfume/cologne could bother others– Sight control – not everyone has your sense of humor– Respect the privacy of everyone’s office space

Appropriate dress is expected– Follow company dress policies

Business Etiquette

Respect your colleagues– The workplace is a gender neutral setting– Age, race and sex are immaterial in the

professional world– Be sensitive to the cultural/moral values of your

co-workers• No ethnic or dirty jokes – including e-mails• Watch your language – expressions and expletives

Business EtiquetteCommunication etiquette– Comply with company phone usage policies

• Keep personal calls short– E-mail correspondence

• Do not type in capital letters• Check your spelling and punctuation• Identify the sender

– Be aware of privacy issues• People are bound to overhear phone conversations, it’s impolite to make

references to overheard conversations• Be aware that your conversations are not private

– Don’t be drawn into office politics– Do not discuss salary or compensation issues

Business EthicsAs a representative of Georgia Tech you are expected to perform your work duties with the highest ethical standardsBusiness ethics are the morals and values that govern our work behaviorUnethical behavior– Misrepresenting yourself during an interview or on a resume– Using company resources for personal use

• Vehicles• Credit cards/monies• Phone• Computer usage

Managing Conflict at WorkConflict resolution is a positive process were individuals resolve issues in an informal or formal atmosphereConflict is a normal part of doing business– Organizational members have different and often

opposing goals– These differing goals keep the organization vital by

stimulating creativity, promoting innovation, and bringing about change

Managing Conflict at Work

Ideally, conflict resolution involves dealing with problems while they are manageable– Early recognition of conflict is critical since what can

be dealt with effectively today may be much more difficult to mutually resolve tomorrow

Effectively managed conflict can actually promote cooperation and build stronger relationships

Managing Conflict at Work

Conflict Resolution Skills– Initiate discussion – choose the issue you want to

discuss and be specific– Communicate – choose language that is concise,

avoiding vague/general terms– Effectively listen – develop active listening skills– Seek out resources as necessary

Managing Conflict at Work

Problem Solving Guidelines– Analyze the situation and attempt to view both sides– Identify the points where you can compromise, not

demand– Be open and make every effort to respond in a

positive manner.• Manage your emotions before you reach the boiling point• Your personality and attitude affect the outcome of a

disagreement/conflict

Managing Conflict at Work

Problem Solving Guidelines– Attack the problem, not the person– Verbalize your feelings appropriately– Understand and take charge of your own feelings

and behaviors– Move from justification to resolution– Look forward, not backward to place blame

References

Holton, Ed. (1999). Managing the Transition to Work. Journal of Career Planning and Employment 3. Retrieved March 23,2004, from www.naceweb.org

Sweitzer, Fredrick H. & King, Mary A. (1994) Stages of an Internship: An Organizing Framework. Human Service Education, 14(1), 25-38.

University of California, San Diego. (1993) Guide to Conflict Resolution. Retrieved March 23, 2004. From http://www-hr.ucsd/~employeerel/complete.html