BULGARIA | Internship: At work | DOs and DON´Ts
Do
- arrive on time for an interview – although other people, including the boss, might be late, it still shows your punctuality, professionalism and serious interest in the position
- be prepared to be offered less money than in your home country for an equivalent position. Take the internship as time for gaining experience and learning more about Bulgarian culture
- be aware that it could be necessary to work during the weekends
- address people at the university with their academic title, e.g. Professor Ivanov, Dotzent(Bulgarian for Assistant Professor) Petrova, Doctor Nikolov (a person holding a PhD diploma), etc.
- ask about how to address colleagues at a company
- call a company after applying for an internship in order to express interest
- look for an opportunity to present your country to your colleagues
- invite colleagues who invite you to their house or invite you to do something together after work
- remember that in Bulgaria people usually shake hands on first official meeting with somebody
- remember that dress is usually informal, unless the job demands meeting the public
DON’T
- expect everything to be the same as at home or as you prefer
- be surprised if the interview starts later than announced and you have to wait outside of the office
- be surprised if you and the other trainees at a company are not occupied to the fullest. You could use the time to do your own research and to find your own way to benefit from the time at the company
- expect everybody at a company to do their best. Just do what you are assigned to do without showing off. People wouldn’t like you for that or would think you are playing smart
- ask about your salary as the first point during an interview
- forget to ask for a reference if in your country it’s required when applying for a job
- forget that in Bulgarian there is a difference in the pronoun and verb form for second person singular (used when you address friends and in general people you are close to) and second person plural (used to officially address people you are not close to)