“So chiggidy-check yo’ self before you wreck yo’ self!”
Ice Cube featuring Das EFX
Interns worldwide stand up!
You’re working really hard this summer and are close to receiving offers. Victory is near—but not guaranteed. The difference between feeling pain and sipping champagne is razor thin. Don’t sh!t the bed. Avoid these Summer Deadly Sins 👿, secure your offer, and take your first step toward the good life. And we begin …
- Dressing to impress is alright but do not “out dress” the full timers—especially if you’re summering at an investment bank. Bankers are very particular about their clothes and even more particular about their clothing budgets. The last thing you need to do on your first day is show up with an article of clothing that’s so fresh that someone remarks that you, the intern, has set the new fashion standard. A word to the wise, “A lot of people like to hate–especially when others congratulate.”
- Don’t get too familiar with anyone—especially if you’re at a fund. Why? Because “familiarity breeds contempt.” It may not come up in the interview process, but there is indeed a pecking order. And it starts with the newbie running out to buy egg sandwiches in the morning and milk shakes in the afternoon. (This by no means frames the parameters of what you’ll be asked to do.) Trouble begins when you get too comfortable with the team and act like you’re beyond making a food run. This is no bueno. Just about everybody goes through it, and it says more about your ability to keep your ego in check (and not fall behind in your work) rather than anyone power tripping. (Big power trips don’t happen till bonus season.)
- Don’t always have the last word. Unless someone has asked you for a recommendation, evoke the Prosper Principle. Sometimes less can be so much more. You can learn a lot by listening and watching the human interaction. It reveals a lot. This by no means is an endorsement to not be prepared to speak. Always be prepared with a recommendation.
- Do not pick your teeth or cut your nails on the desk. Pretend like your mother taught you manners—which we all know she did. There’s nothing more despicable than an errant toenail flying by.
- Don’t ask if people like your paisley tie. Unless you’re from the Lake Minnetonka region or related to Prince Rogers Nelson, burn it. If not, expect to be strangled with it if you work late. Nota Bene – this is the opposite of dressing to impress. This is not knowing how to dress professionally.
- Do not brag about your grades to other interns or anyone else. No one cares. (Not true, HR may or may not care). Performance is the only thing that matters. Definitely do not brag if you received an “A-” in Physics for Poets or Rocks for Jocks.
Why not do any of these things? You’ll have to trust me … or don’t. Crucial Lesson #1: Knowing who to trust. Never forget this.