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It should go without saying, but strive to be professional and reliable throughout the entire internship, regardless of the context. This includes being punctual, especially after social events that end late! Check the dress code before you arrive and remain smart and presentable throughout (even if some of the employees take a more casual approach). This does not necessarily mean that you must ignore casual Fridays for instance, but don’t show up in shorts and flip-flops simply because you have seen a Partner or Director do so!

Remember, you are making an impression on the entire firm. Don’t be too informal or act too casually, as this could suggest you don’t care, or worse, be mistaken for arrogance. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect, whether they are your supervisor, a receptionist, an intern, a secretary, the most senior employee at the firm or one of the cleaners. It’s common decency, plus you never know who will be asked for their opinion of you during or after the internship. 

I have experienced interns talking negatively about other interns, without realising that one of those present happened to be a good friend of the interns under fire. Any animosity caused in this way can typically be perceived by graduate recruiters, which in my experience has not done any favours for those at fault. Also, your fellow interns may well be your future colleagues, so treat them with respect in order to get your working relationship off on the right foot. 

I have also overheard interns talking negatively about other firms to graduate recruiters, presumably in an attempt to demonstrate that the current firm is their preference. However, bad mouthing other firms could convey a degree of arrogance and suggest that you lack professionalism. Moreover, graduate recruiters tend to move between firms fairly frequently, so could end up subsequently joining the firm you were badmouthing (if you have interned at that other firm, this switch might even happen before that firm has made their final decision about whether to offer you a job!). 

Two of the graduate recruiters running the final internship that I undertook had previously worked at other firms when I had attended open days and internships at those other firms. One had even co-ordinated my interview day at a different firm only a few months earlier! Moral of the story? Be very careful about what you say to other interns, graduate recruiters and employees of firms more generally. 

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