5 Must-Read Articles for the Newbie Intern

They say time flies when you’re having fun, and my time as a SAS Intern (a whole 11 months!) has been no exception. My SAS experience has been full of meaningful work, relationship building, skill development and, let’s face it, a copious amount of M&M’s. I feel extremely lucky to intern at one of Fortune’s best companies for millennials, and I truly do love where I work. My time at SAS has been nothing short of amazing, but like any new job, there were a few learning curves at the beginning.

Before working at SAS, I’d never worked in a corporate office setting before. While my savvy co-workers and manager were instrumental in getting me up-and-running, I still ran into questions. From office jargon to IM etiquette, there’s a lot to learn – and not all of it is common sense (I’m looking at you, WebEx!).

New to the office scene? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! I’ve pulled together 5 must-read articles to help interns, early-career folks and other newbies get started on the right foot.

Welcome to the crash course for surviving (and thriving!) at the office.

1. Email is an art form. You’re the artist.

Good writing skills are important in today’s workplace, and e-mails are no exception. If you’re not sure where to start, check out UNC Chapel Hill’s article on how to write professional e-mails. Tip: you can address the folks in your office on a first name basis. You don’t have to call them Mr. Smith and Mrs. Johnson – sorry, Mom.

Want a bonus read? Here’s 7 e-mail etiquette rules every professional should know.

2. Tame the e-mail beast

Who’s got mail? You do! No matter what email platform your company uses, you’re going to need to organize your inbox. At the end of the day, the best organization system is the one that works for you. TED’s tips for taming your inbox are a great place to start.

3. If you know, you know: office jargon decoded.

Let’s operationalize this, shall we? Just kidding. The Intern Group provides a great summary of 9 office phrases and what they really mean – but seriously, just ask if you’re unsure.

4. Please and thank you: IM etiquette

Say hello to e-mail’s little cousin, otherwise known as IM. While IM is typically less formal than e-mail, it still has its own quirks. Get up to speed with Business Insider’s 9 IM etiquette rules every professional needs to know.

5. WebEx for Dummies

So, this one isn’t technically an article – but it’s a great tool nonetheless! If you’re working for a large company, chances are high that you’re going to be using videoconferencing. Dummies’ WebEx cheat sheet will have you up and running before you can say “Ctrl +W”.

That’s a wrap! Share these articles with your intern buddies, early-career friends, or file them away for future use – you never know when opportunity will come your way!

Still looking to land that awesome internship? SAS’ Intern Program is top-rated and is now accepting applications for Summer 2019. If you’re relentlessly curious, thrive on meaningful work and don’t want to spend your summer as a coffee runner, apply now or check out SAS’ careers page for available full-time positions.