Things I wish I knew about being an intern: Part 2

Alex Woodruff teams up again with Murray Dean, a PwC Flying Start student, to outline how to make the most of work experience opportunities.

Last week’s article proved very popular with readers who had a lot of questions and wanted to know more. In order to answer as many of those questions for as wide an audience as possible, Murray Dean and I have collaborated again to put this follow-up article together, which offers some more well-founded insights into workplace cultures and valuable advice for interns. Murray Dean is an Accountancy student on the Flying Start course at the University of Nottingham who has gained a combined eight months of experience working as an associate in PwC’s London office as part of his course.

Once again, congratulations to readers who have successfully secured an internship or work experience. If you are in this boat, you have a wonderful opportunity to kickstart your career journey and develop plenty of your skills. Interns are typically expected by their employers to be experiencing their first taste of the professional world and this puts them in a uniquely favourable position. Hopefully, the advice in this article will contribute to your ability to make the most out of your work experience and potentially secure a job offer at the end of a programme.

Interacting in the Workplace

Casual conversations

In the workplace, a savvy intern will strike the right balance between being focused on work and being sociable with the team. A safe rule of thumb is to ‘speak when spoken to’, letting your seniors be the ones who initiate casual conversations. By trying to strike up conversations yourself you may be distracting your colleagues from important work.

Meetings

In more formal situations like meetings, do not feel like you have to speak for the sake of speaking, unless you have a relevant contribution. Often, managers invite interns to meetings to give them a chance to observe how the team works. At PwC, Murray found that if he was expected to play a significant role in a meeting, he was told beforehand, so that he could prepare appropriately.

Client-facing conversations

When speaking or meeting with clients, you are expected to behave with utmost professionalism. Interns are important ambassadors for the firm, so your manager will want you to project a confident, well-prepared image when engaging with clients.

Managers

Your relationship and interactions with seniors are crucial, and most of all with your own manager. Murray has worked under several different managers and recommends that interns take time to gauge what type of boss your manager is; this can be an indication of how they will assess you. Some managers are very friendly and sociable, always making an effort to chat with their interns. With this type of manager, being likable and conversational back to them is important.

However, some managers are less personable and may even seem cold towards those whom they are not familiar with. Such managers are usually more results-driven, primarily looking for good-quality work from their interns, without the niceties. In this position, interns often get upset because they feel they have failed to build a good relationship with their manager. Murray warns against the tactic of escalating attempts to woo your manager. The best thing you can do is focus on your work and prove your value to the team whilst continuing to be polite and sociable with other colleagues.

Outside of the Office

At evening drinks or work-related events, consider whether people want to talk about work or would rather leave this topic in the office. Associates and other interns, Murray noticed, were normally happy to discuss work. In contrast, managers were more reluctant because they have families or interests that are more valuable to them. Overall, it is fine to go with the flow and get to know people on their terms.

Keep it together

Winding down and socialising with new colleagues is often the aspect which interns enjoy the most. Times like these are great when building relationships, but it is important to remember that at work- drinks, away days, and festive socials that you are now an employee of the company who is expected to behave appropriately. Your seniors will pass judgement if you show them you cannot control yourself: don't become ‘that intern’ whose indiscretions are told to each year’s new batch of interns, as lessons of how not to behave. 

Getting to know the firm

Understanding the career progression framework at the company is important for gauging whether the company aligns with your expectations of work-life balance and career ambitions. When considering a career with the company, you may ask: 

• Are the staff generally content and happy?

• What is the office vibe like?

• How many hours do associates work?

• What is the staff turnover rate? 

• Why do some people leave?

• What are the exit opportunities?

• Do you feel comfortable with the firm’s culture?

• How much time does it typically take to be promoted at each level? 

• What do you have to do to achieve promotion?

• Do many people hit a ceiling?

• How much room is there for moving across teams and divisions?

• How competitive are the jobs and roles that most appeal to me?

Interns should not feel obligated to return the firm. The fact that you have completed an internship puts you in a strong position when applying to other firms. However, if you decide it is not for you whilst you are still there, you should keep this decision to yourself and still work to the best of your ability to secure a return offer. A job offer is always a precious thing and at very least a great back-up plan during your final year of university.

Finally, if you would like any more advice or information, both in regards to this article or about The Law Hub, then feel free to get in touch through email or any of our social media channels!