Notice the reminder to ‘Eat!’. Things get so busy you forget sometimes.
(Ryan Gosling not included.)
– Inside covers filled with post-it notes
Keep everything! Messages, Contacts, etc. I even kept envelope labels for contact addresses.
- First page: Important Details
Office Address(es), Phone Numbers, Extensions, Phone Instructions, Floor Plan
- To-do lists
These lists saved me. When you’re asked to do something, add it to the list. And then go through that list at the end of the day.
– Detailed Notes!
Write down everything! Food orders, job instructions (so you’ll never have to ask twice), confirmation numbers (from flights, car services, shipments, messengers, etc.), addresses of places you went, seriously– everything. And date them! I can’t tell you how many times something seemingly mundane will be asked of you later. And you will be so thrilled you have it in your notebook.
- Questions
When you ask a question, write down the answer. You should be asking a lot of questions… so this will be really helpful in the end. It’s like an F.A.Q. for you.
I actually started keeping 2 notebooks at my last internship. The second is a little Moleskine to sort out any issues I might be having, recap the day, whatever. I’m glad I had it, still use it, and will bring it along to my next job.
Golden rules: Don’t lose your notebook. And don’t write anything incriminating. That’s just silly. Mean girls showed us those consequences…
Tags: 13 Comments
this is so awesome! i need to be more organized. this def. works for any area of the corporate world!
Thank you so much for this advice — I’ll definitely be buying a lot of moleskines for my internship this summer since I’ll need to keep track of expenses too.
I’m 17 years old (a junior in high school), and I’m going to be interning in the fashion department with Seventeen for 8 weeks this summer. I’m very nervous because I’ve never interned full-time or lived in NYC by myself, since my previous work experience only includes internships with local designers/magazines and and working as an editor/writer for indie print publications — so this is huge for me. I’m so thankful to the editors at Seventeen who are giving a little high school girl like me such a big chance. Jane Keltner from Teen Vogue said that I was too young to intern for the magazine, but that I can visit the magazine offices and meet some editors when I’m in NYC, and an assistant at CosmoGIRL! said she could arrange a tour/meeting for me too. Most people in this industry seem to be quite helpful and sweet, like you! Your blog is a fabulous resource and I look up to you :]!
Thanks Noel! And good for you– good luck with everything. NYC is tough, but I did it alone, and so far, I think it’s worth it.
I wish I could agree about most people in this industry being nice and sweet (though I know Jane, and she is all of the above!)… and not to discourage you, but you will meet some real personalities in this industry. be careful.
but i will always be here to help! and i don’t bite :)
this is an AWESOME idea. i’m doing an internship at a film company & this could be extremely useful. right now, my notes are randomly written on torn out notebook paper & computer paper… and i even have some stuff typed in my phone…
NO STRUCTURE at all.
thanks for the guidance. this helped me big time.
great idea.
Such a great piece of advice! – On the first day of my very first internship my new boss handed me a little yellow notebook and told me exactly that, write down EVERYTHING she said! and so I did, and it paid off. I was never lost or pestering them to explain things to me over and over again. Such a wonderful idea!
p.s. I just found my way to your blog for the first time from gala’s, and I’m in love with the design! Amazing!
this is truly great advice since i want to be in the fashion industry. i think i want to be a stylist but im just so nervous whenever i DO get an internship and i haven’t yet haha. im 16 and im an upcoming junior so maybe when i have time is interships at magazines the way to go? OH im from the san francisco bay area so yeah. but i’ll most def remember to write everything down. i can’t wait be able to intern.. i hope =]
although i’ve already held several internships, this idea of the notebook is completely brilliant and new to me – at least how comprehensive and useful you’ve managed to make it! thanks!
Great post, thanks! =] I never thought of doing this.
Thanks for the tips! Hoping for an internship sometime soon. NYC is the destination but I’m only 15 and India isn’t big on teen internships.
I LOVE IT!
yours actually looks NEATER than mine! ;-)
this is going to be my new bible!
this is great! you’re awesome. this is the best blog i’ve read all week! <3
Such great advice, especially the ‘never ask twice’ part- nothing gets on nerves quicker!
Thanks
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