Preparing for your first internship

Congratulations on obtaining your first internship! An internship is a great way to test out your career ideas and gain relevant practical experience.

Before you start, it’s important to set yourself up for success and prepare as best you can.

Revisit your research

Whilst you may have done some research into the organisation to enhance your application and interview preparation you might consider revisiting this prior to starting.

This might be refamiliarizing yourself with your host employer’s business. So do some research on their business and values for example.

Complete any paperwork or training modules

Ensure that you have completed any paperwork, any prereading, training or other learning modules prior to your start date. That might include your WIL paperwork and any necessary forms as required by your host employer.

Organise your logistics

• Reconfirm your start unless if you’re unsure, a contact person to ask for on the day, dress code and hours (unless specified in your contract).
• Organise your suit/jacket or outfit prior to the day.
• Plan out your transport including public transport timetables if appropriate or parking arrangements etc and if unsure,  time any journeys to make sure you are allowing sufficient travel time.

Set your goals

You’ll position yourself to make a positive first impression if you give some thought to goals, interest areas, skills you are keen to develop and potential projects you might wish to experience during your internship.

You might bring these to any initial meeting you have with your internship supervisor for discussion. Don’t forget to keep a log of your experiences as you go (great for updating your resume after your finish!)