Ending Your Internship Like A Boss
As your semester begins to whine down, so begins your reflecting on the semester’s internship. The majority of students walk out of internships with an abundance of knowledge and noteworthy work samples to add to their portfolios for future jobs. You may be completely satisfied with the input and output your internship has offered, but you may still be wanting to make a bold statement or create one last incredible work sample that will shock your team. Below are five ways to end your internship like a true boss.
Ask for a recommendation letter before the end of the internship.
I cannot stress this action enough; near the end of the internship remains the most practical time to request an in-depth recommendation letter from your supervisor. You are fresh on their mind and they at the moment are not too busy to fit you into their schedule. Waiting two or three months after the internship ends may honestly be too late in some cases.
If a potential job wants recommendations and you don’t have them to offer within a day or two of them asking, they may simply go onto the next applicant. Make sure to secure these vital documents for your portfolio on time.
2. Connect with your supervisors and other staff on social platforms.
Networking is the number one activity you must carry out in order to improve your success once entering the business world. More than half of jobs held by individuals are because of a common connection or relation; with this, utilize social media platforms that entail easy ways to connect. Create a LinkedIn if you haven’t already and friend everyone you have worked with at your internship; yes including your boss. Who knows, they may know someone who is an important step for you in a particular job process.
3. Express interest in a future job
If you are a current sophomore or junior in college, this may not apply to you as much as those first and second-semester seniors. After graduating, finding a job can be a pretty tough and stressful process, so why not make it easier by communicating with your supervisors that you are very interested in continuing with the brand beyond the internship.
Some companies have programs set up where an internship leads right into an optional entry-level position, but most companies have to determine if you are willing to continue in their direction. This is will also give you the incentive to work extremely hard and take on tedious tasks in order to display your talents to your supervisors, giving them the assurance that you are capable of handling the material.
4. Ask for a project that wasn’t assigned to you.
This tip goes along with number three as you should do something noteworthy to represent yourself in a positive manner. Create a new branding campaign and present it to your supervisors, write an extra blog or two or even partner with the other interns or reach out to others in your department to see if they have any tasks that need extra attention. I personally did this at one of my past internships and it made my supervisor more flexible with my workload in that she knew I could handle more or fewer items on my to-do list. I would recommend taking this initiative towards the end of your time with the business.
5. List your accomplishments on your resume and add samples to your portfolio
This is what you have worked hard for so why not show it off! Towards the end of your internship, make sure to create folders and add all your work in advance so you don’t lose these samples. Updating your social media platforms such as LinkedIn is also a great way to show off your accomplishments as well.
