14 Tips to Turn Your Internship Into a Job
An internship is a good opportunity to turn it into full time employment. Here are some tips that can help.
An internship is a great way to secure stable, full-time employment. Especially after you’ve graduated, the main aim of an internship should be to turn it into a job. The purpose of an internship is to gain real world experience and to learn skills that weren’t taught in school.
Organisations look at internships as a way to try and test if you fit into the overall culture of the company; it is a very advantageous screening process for both the company and the intern.
Although doing good work and achieving desired results will help a great deal in securing a job, there are many others techniques that can help add to your chances of being considered for the position. Let’s look at the tips below, compiled by Market Inspector, that you can use during your internship and turn it into a job:
Learn About the Corporate Culture
Every company has it’s own working culture and values: there are also many unsaid and unwritten rules that employees follow. Try to make a point of understanding the culture at the workplace and how things are done there. This will help you integrate into the organisation much better.
Have a Professional Attitude
Look and behave professionally when you walk into the office everyday. Try to get others to view you as a professional person and not a someone with a leisurely attitude.
Be Proactive
As an intern, it is not enough to just do the tasks that you’re given. If you want to be in the running for a full-time job, you need to show that you can take on more responsibilities. Volunteer and ask for tasks that you can do, be proactive, and not pass up on an opportunity to show what you are capable of.
Utilize Your Downtime
Unless it is an intensive internship, you will have some free time during the day. Make sure to utilise this time and build upon your skills. You can gain knowledge by simply surfing the web and learning more about your work related skills.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Most of the time people are told to clean up their social media so that it doesn’t get in the way when you are looking to get hired. Recruiters often check the social media of applicants to understand more about them. Use it to your advantage and don’t let it give a negative impression.
Exceed Expectations
When you take on a task, give it all you’ve got and do the best you can. It’s always better to promise less and deliver more. This will be sure to impress your manager.
Ask for What You Want
Let your manager or supervisor know that you want to stick around after your internship. Show that you’re genuinely interested in the company and that you would like to contribute to its growth.
Networking
Make an effort to get to know your co-workers. It is always nice to build your professional network, and there is no better place to start communicating with others than at your workplace.
Be Punctual
Arrive on time everyday, even if the company is not very strict. Being punctual can only add to your professionalism. Follow the rules and instructions of the workplace carefully.
Ask for Feedback
Try to get an opportunity to ask for feedback on a regular basis. This will not only help you get better at your work, but will also show that you’re open to receiving constructive criticism and are willing to change for the better.
Analyse the Internship
Introspect on what you’ve learnt throughout the internship and see if it aligns with your career goals in the long-term. After all, you want to do a job that you like and can direct your career in the way you want. This will also help the management know if you’re passionate about what you’re doing.
Say Thank You
Leave a personal “thank you” note or email for everyone that you’ve worked with and tell them how they’ve helped you through the internship. It is a small but nice gesture that will create a positive and lasting impression.
Be Helpful
Help your co-workers whenever possible. Be a good team player and show that you can work well with people and in groups because the growth of a company is a result of good team effort.
Be Irreplaceable
Prove to be an asset to the company by the end of your internship. Let them know that you can add value in a unique way and contribute invaluably to the growth of the company.
Valli is the Digital PR & SEO Manager at Market Inspector. She has an educational background in business management and marketing. She is a passionate digital marketer and enjoys building her skills within SEO, online marketing and PR. She holds over 5 years of experience in creating content, B2B marketing, link building and digital networking. Her focus lies in the areas of business, marketing, green energy and sustainability, to name a few. Her work has been published in various media such as Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Creativebloq, Designtaxi, and more.
We strive to connect our customers with the right product and supplier. Would you like to be part of Market Inspector?