Calling All Interns: 5 Tips to Win the Full-time Offer

By Angie Temming, Senior Career Prep Coach

So you secured your summer internship. Congratulations! Now what? Coach Angie Temming provides tips for summer interns on what you should be doing this summer to convert that internship into a full time offer.

1. Preparation. Identify competencies valued by employers and profiles of high performers in your industry and functional role and honestly evaluate where you stand. Craft a development plan of SMART goals – specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time-bound – to hone pertinent skills and knowledge before day one. Also leverage your alumni and social media network to find current or former employees who can share insights about the culture, how success is evaluated and helpful resources.

2. Goals. What do you want to gain from this experience? Reflect on what you want to learn, what you expect to do and the unique value you hope to bring. Add those accomplishments to your resume now to clearly visualize your expectations and how this internship positions you for your long-term career trajectory.

3. Expectations. What differentiates an intern deserving of a full-time offer? In week one, meet with your manager to ask thoughtful questions regarding their priorities, work style and expectations. Of course, everyone admires initiative and an intern who solves problems, but more importantly, understand how you can demonstrate competencies valued by your manager and team. Request weekly meetings with your manager where you can share progress updates and garner feedback.

4. Feedback. Take ownership of your experience by asking for and acting on constructive feedback regularly. Come prepared to such conversations – and any performance review – with specific examples of when you exhibited core competencies as well as actionable steps to address weaknesses to convey self-awareness (i.e. emotional intelligence or EQ) and your commitment to professional development.

5. Promotion. Consistently track your performance and prepare to share your contributions and key learnings in networking interactions and upcoming interviews. Tailor your resume and online profile to position you for your target industry and functional role and stay connected with employers you may pursue for full-time employment in the future.