Locked in an internship for the summer and looking to get a return offer at the end? Be sure to follow the tips below for success.
Congratulations on earning your internship for the summer! It is a testament to your hard work and dedication in your field of study. Most importantly, it is an accomplishment to be proud of.
Now, just because the internship is locked in doesn’t mean there’s nothing else to work for. The next big thing to accomplish is getting that return offer to come back as a permanent employee.
It can definitely feel a bit overwhelming as the internship approaches, but the key thing to remember is that it’s a learning experience. The important thing is to learn as much as possible on the job so you can have a competitive advantage to other college students.
An internship is what someone makes of it. There aren’t rules on what to do and what not to do. Being a student is a gift in that nobody expects you to know everything.
Take advantage of the opportunity. You never know what the workforce may look like a year from now, so it’s better to lock in something with the company now if you like it.
My internship experience was amazing, and I followed the tips I’m about to share to lock in a return offer. Without further a due, here are the best ways to leave a great impression on the job:
#1: Network, network, network
There’s no way of stressing the importance of networking enough. Without a doubt, it is the single most important thing about an internship.
Networking means meeting people in the office as much as possible. Now, it doesn’t mean you have to meet everyone, but you should try to meet as many people as possible.
Consequently, networking also doesn’t mean only meeting people slightly older than you. It means meeting managers and the most senior people if possible. Those people are the ones who will vouch for you at the end of the internship.
In addition, managers also have the power to offer you opportunities somewhere else in the company. Even if you don’t get a return offer at the end, they can help you in so many ways. If in the future that manager leaves the company and has a lasting impression of you, he/she can offer you something at their new job.
Networking is so fundamental to an internship. Once you meet someone, make sure to check in with them once in a while or simply ask them how they’re doing when you see them. Ask them for their email address and phone number once the internship is over.
If you network properly, you definitely have a great chance of getting a return offer.
#2: Raise your hand for work
As an intern, you should be eager to learn as much as possible.
Most programs assign interns to a specific manager they need to report to. Oftentimes, these managers will assign projects to complete for the whole program at the beginning.
These projects can sometimes be completed quicker than expected. If that’s the case, people choose one of two routes:
Pretend like they’re busy and work on nothing else the rest of the program. Or ask for more work from their manager to show them they want to be productive.
The latter of the two is the way it should be. You might think managers don’t notice when you’re not busy, but they do. The fact alone that you ask for more work makes them appreciate you even more.
Of course, if you don’t want the extra work then don’t ask for it. Another thing to consider is to make sure your work is high quality. The amount of work doesn’t matter if the quality is poor.
Above all, show curiosity to learn. It doesn’t need to be in the form of a new task. It can be something as simple as sitting down with your manager to discuss key concepts to understand.
#3: Understand the company
Most programs work by assigning interns on a team for the summer. That doesn’t mean you can’t get exposed to the different teams at the company.
Part of what makes an internship great is that you get to learn about the company for a period of time. Try to learn the company’s values, their goals, the senior leadership, how the company is structured, and things like that.
Learning about the structure is done best when networking with people on different teams. Try to understand their roles in the company and what they do on a daily basis.
If the opportunity presents itself, maybe even ask for content to look at or work to do for other teams. Not only does it show you want to learn, but it shows you want to get an understanding of the business.
Managers will take note of this, and they love to see interns trying to understand the company at a deeper level.
#4: Attend events
A lot of times, companies will host events during the internship to make the interns feel welcomed. There will also be general events open to anyone in the bank.
Attending networking events or panel discussions for example are a great way to make a good impression. It shows you care about the company and want to make the most out of your experience.
Events will also help you feel more comfortable around others in the office. Once you get to chat with some people, they can introduce you to more people or carry on talking to you.
Alternatively, events are a great way to enjoy what the company has to offer.
#5: Go into the office as much as possible
In a world where hybrid working options are available, most interns tend to enjoy working from home more than they should.
Office exposure is vital for college students in the workforce. It opens many doors, from networking to impressing managers around the office.
A company is more like to hire someone who came into the office four times a week than someone who came in once a week. The difference alone can instigate one person was more involved than the other.
Not only does working in the office look good for you, but you get exposure to random events or visits from senior leaders.
All in all, go into the office as much as possible.
#6: Differentiate yourself in your final project
Some companies give a final project to all the interns as a gauge to measure how much they learned in the program. The project is the same for all interns in most cases.
If that happens to be the case for you, this is where you should try to differentiate yourself. In other words, take all you’ve learned in the program and figure out what makes you stand out from your peers.
More often than not, this would entail taking something from your team’s day to day functions and integrating it into the presentation. You want to show what you learned on your team to make you stand out.
In addition, if you networked properly, it’s a great opportunity to ask for feedback on your presentation before presenting it. The people you connected with can even give you ideas for the project.
In other words, the project is the representation of all you accomplished in the summer. Make it count and take it seriously.
There’s a lot that goes into an internship, but if you follow these tips, I’m sure you will succeed!
