In the new comedy The Intern, Robert De Niro plays Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old intern to a fashion online startup company, and assistant to the CEO Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway).
He may have just created his Facebook profile at the age of 70, but Ben (De Niro’s character) teachers us a thing or two about lifelong learning…
So, here are 5 tips to ace your internship - it doesn't matter if you’re 17 years-old trying to impress your potential full-time boss; or a 77-year-old learner who wants to pick up a hipster thing or two.
1. Be Open to Learning
It doesn't matter is you’re the minion of a company trying to climb the corporate ladder; or the managing director of a company, always remember to be open to learning opportunities. Upgrade your skills, learn a new language or even experiment with a new recipe, learn something new everyday.
Or be like Jules Ostin! She rides a bicycle around the office because that, to her, contributes to her weekly exercise regime.
2. Dress to Impress
‘How in one generation have men gone from guys like Jack Nicholson to Harrison Ford to… this’ - Jules Ostin
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Perhaps a casual, comfortable outfit unleashes your inner creativity, but according to Ben Whittaker, a shirt and tie with a smart-looking black coat will seal the deal. Bonus points if you carry a handkerchief with you. As to why? Whittaker gives a perfect answer to that in the movie.
3. Always Double-check Who You’re Sending your Emails to
One of the funnier sequences in the movie stems from Ostin sending a wrong email to her mom! That may be disastrous - as you’ll come to understand from the movie, but it may cost you your job if you had done something similar to that. Imagine sending private company information to your client, or worse, your competitor!
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Scan through the email addresses before hitting the 'send' button.
4. Always Take the Initiative
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You don’t have to be a man to think that you need to take the initiative. If you spot a colleague in need, approach him/her to lend your service or just render a helping hand. Don’t understand a certain word or not sure how to solve an IT problem? Instead of waiting for help to come, why not try troubleshooting on your end, or even going the extra mile to search for answers before waving the white flag.
(Watch the trailers!)
It shows that you’re willing to learn!
5. Eye Contact
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Some basic formalities like maintaining eye contact and a firm handshake shouldn’t be lost through generations. Sure, texting each other may seem like an easier task, but nothing beats a face-to-face interaction. It shows your sincerity and confidence as well!