You walk through the revolving door of the lobby toward the elevator, soaking in your surroundings—there’s not a familiar face in the building. You straighten out your suit, press #12, and take a deep breath: Once those doors re-open, your first week of work will officially begin.
Whether it’s your first position or your fifth, those first few days on the job can be more than a little intimidating. But with these key rules, you can get comfortable in your new surroundings, get up to speed quickly, and get off on the right foot with your new boss and co-workers.
One of your most important duties your first week is absorbing everything. Getting to know your company’s culture, the working and communication styles of your teammates, the problem projects, office politics , and department or company-wide goals means that you’ll be able to start your real work sooner (and be more effective when you do).
So, go to the new hire orientation, sign up for professional development classes, and attend all the team and office meetings you can, even if you’re not yet sure what’s going on or they don’t 100% pertain to your work. Also join in on the informal events. If you get asked to lunch, happy hour, or the office softball league (either as a participant or onlooker), say yes. It’s a great way to meet people, and it shows that you’re excited to be part of the team.
Do be careful, though, to balance your schedule—you want to have plenty of time to learn the ropes from your desk. The last thing you want is to look like you have too much to juggle, seem overwhelmed, or show up late to a commitment because you’re stuck somewhere else.
As you learn about new processes, projects, and people, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You need to get up to speed, and people will expect it from the new person on the team. Also take down detailed notes about everything you learn, even if it seems simple. Your brain is going to be on overload this week, and writing everything down will make sure you don’t have to ask the same question twice.
At the same time, don’t be afraid to contribute and add value—you do want to reinforce that you’re the right person for the job! No, you won’t know everything (nor should you act like you do!), but you can make suggestions in team meetings or brainstorming sessions, or ask questions like, “Has this been tried before?” And if you have a skill or ability that you’ve been hired to bring to the team, pipe up and share that knowledge. But be careful to read your audience. You don’t want to come on like gangbusters or step on someone’s toes.
There may be some down time during your first few days on the job as your boss and team adjust to having you there. But don’t sit around waiting for others to figure out tasks for you—volunteer to help your new teammates on a project. You’ll show initiative, you’ll build rapport with your boss and co-workers, and you’ll learn about expectations, procedures, and how things are done.
If your boss or co-workers give you advice or offer to help you with a task or project, take them up on it—yes, even if you’re totally capable of handling things yourself. It’s a great way to bond with your office mates, plus you may get valuable insight into the company’s expectations or a more efficient way to do the work you’ll be given.
It never hurts to have an experienced, knowledgeable, successful professional to bounce ideas off of and be groomed by, but it’s especially usefulwhen you’re the newbie. Look around. Who are the stars of the organization—the ones who radiate likability, confidence, and initiative? Introduce yourself, and pick their brains.
Undoubtedly, the people who make you feel most comfortable will become your go-tos as you navigate your first week. But remember the time it takes for people to help you out is time being taken away from their own tasks. Be sensitive to this by trying to figure things out for yourself first, asking a variety of people when you do have questions, and showing appreciation for everyone who helps you out.
Throughout the week, ask for periodic meetings with your boss (instead of popping in her office for every question you have!). In addition to getting her direction on projects and tasks, you should use this time to update her on what you’re learning and who you’re meeting with.
Ask questions like “Are there additional tasks I should be taking on or skills I should be learning?” and “Can you give me feedback on the project I just completed?” to show initiative, but also do a lot of listening, too. Your boss’ feedback and insight is going to be one of your greatest resources at this point—after all, you’re going to be spending the next weeks, months, and maybe even years working for her, and learning how she thinks early on will serve you well.
Surely you could rattle off things you loved (or loathed) about your last job and how this position compares—but don’t! You want to give yourself every opportunity to shine, and that means keeping your initial first week impressions to yourself. You’re in a new place, and this is a new opportunity, so embrace it and move forward!
Name:Prachi Kochar
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Madison House Autism Foundation
Position Title: Research and Writing Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
As a Research and Writing Intern at Madison House Autism Foundation, my daily work primarily consists of doing research on various issues affecting adults on the autism spectrum. Using this research, I write articles for the MHAF blog that describe a specific issue concerning adults on the autism spectrum and explain possible solutions.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I applied for the job using UMBCWorks and then went in for an interview at MHAF with Stephen Robinson.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
By raising awareness about the issues that adults on the autism spectrum face, I hope that we are bringing more attention to an underserved population and increasing the amount of information available for them, because there is very little information or research out there.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Apply for everything that interests you; do not let your self-doubt stop you. Also, your previous work experiences can be very helpful - I also work at the Women's Center at UMBC, which involves writing blog posts, and when I went in for the interview, we discussed one of my blog posts.
Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position.
As a senior, it is a great way to end my undergraduate experience by taking what I have learned as a Psychology major and writer and using it to make a positive impact in the real world with MHAF.
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April is only 2 weeks away, and that means it’s almost our favorite time of the year! April is Career Month here at the Career Center. Throughout April, the Career Center will be hosting a different event or workshop every single day of the month (excluding weekends)!
The purpose of Career Month is to explore what options are available to students in the professional world, while also expanding students’ perspectives by introducing them to environments or customs that they’re not used to. To learn more about what Career month is, click here.
I remember graduating from high school and thinking that coming to college meant I was stepping out into the real world. I still think that’s true, but only to an extent. From my work experience, I can say that I don’t think that college is anything like the real world. While it has provided me the technical knowledge to thrive, the reality of practicing a career requires you to go above and beyond what you learn in the classroom. This means actively trying to develop your professionalism, and that’s what Career Month is for!
Career Month isn’t just a month filled with workshops. The Career Center is also hosting a clothing closet, a full-on dining etiquette dinner, information sessions, and bringing employers on campus, among many other events!
One of my favorite events we’re hosting this year is an interactive panel discussion on the topic of being LGBTQ in the workplace (April 6, from 12-1). As a student, I sometimes think that we have to separate our personal lives from our professional lives, in the sense that anything that’s not remotely related to work shouldn’t be translated into our careers. Discussions like these have broadened my perspective, and have allowed me to understand that we should embrace what makes us diverse, in all aspects of life.
Career Month is comprised of three different types of events; networking, career exploration, and professional skill building. If you attend at least one of each type of event, you can earn Career Month Road Swag! Here’s a complete list of all of the events we are offering during the month.
There’s a wide variety of resources available to you during Career Month, especially. I strongly suggest that you take advantage of as many of them as you possibly can! Now is the time of year when applications for summer internships and positions are fast approaching. Attending these events can teach you how to market yourself and your experiences in the best way possible.
Name:Mary Aronne
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Position Title: Space Weather Forecasting Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Environmental Science and Geography, B.S.
Describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I analyze space weather, which means I look at satellite data of the sun and watch for solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other events that could lead to a geomagnetic storm at Earth or impact NASA robotic missions throughout the solar system. My day to day responsibilities include maintaining a log of events, communicating with other space weather analysts, analyzing data, and running simulations if needed. I also have a research project that I work on with my mentor relating to space weather, which I do in conjunction with my regular space weather analysis.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I found this position through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI). In addition, I completed an internship with the same group I am with now as a high school in the summer of 2012.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I enjoy being able to look at the Sun and observe what is happening on it in almost real time. It is exciting to be one of the first observers of an event, such as a big eruption on the Sun or the start of a geomagnetic storm at Earth.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
My work has an impact on NASA robotic missions throughout the solar system and at Earth, because we alert them to space weather activity.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
My advice is to apply early for an internship and get strong letters of recommendation that are relevant to the field you want to go into. Internships are competitive and there are often several rounds of the selection process.
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]]>TIC Gums is consistently ranked as America’s #1 preferred supplier of hydrocolloids to the food industry. We are seeking students who are currently pursuing a Food Science/Nutrition degree for an upcoming intern opportunity for this summer. These opportunities are for Lab Technicians in the R&D Department of our Texture and Innovation Center in our White Marsh, MD location.
In this role, you will be preparing lab samples, assisting in lab experiments, and performing research. You will be performing tests including viscosity, pH, mesh, moisture, and gel strength. You will also gain skills required to safely and properly operate specified lab instrumentation such as Brookfield viscometer, Texture Analyzer, pH meter, and ash oven according to listed work instructions. You will be responsible for maintaining a laboratory notebook to record the results of your work, and for tabulating and submitting results in a timely manner. You will also prepare and deliver a presentation of your overall findings and results.
Students should possess the following skills and experience: Taken a food chemistry and/or food processing class, fundamental courses & labs in food science; have worked in a lab and familiar with good laboratory practices; performed research projects; ability to perform experiments with limited supervision; strong communication skills; familiar with the process of product development/experiment design; experience with emulsion and particle size testing/analysis.
Each internship position will have specific goals and project objectives that the student will be responsible for accomplishing during the internship. Students will be assigned a department supervisor who will provide guidance on day-to-day tasks, as well as expose the student to the working environment of TIC Gums.
Throughout the summer, HR will sponsor several seminars on resume writing, interviewing techniques and transitioning to the job world after school.
Our internship program runs during the summer months – approximately the end of May through August. Students must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA in order to apply and be pursuing a degree in a related field of study to the position.
Each internship is a paid position that offers a challenging opportunity. Positions are limited. Interested candidates should submit their resume to Michelle Magliocchetti @ internships@ticgums.com.
You can also visit our website at: http://www.ticgums.com/careers/internships.html
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