What You Can Do In An Internship To Help You Become A Full-Time Employee

By Victoria Robertson on March 3, 2015

This article is brought to you by Dream Careers, the largest global internship program for college students offering all-inclusive programs in 11 cities worldwide. To learn more about Dream Careers, please visit us at SummerInternships.com.

You may think of your internship as another notch on your resume, something that only serves to help you gain experience and serves no greater purpose, but you’d be wrong.

Internships are what you make of them, and some of them can even turn into full-time jobs you can pursue after graduation.

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So rather than taking your internship for granted, it’s time to make the most of it and learn what you can do to turn your internship into a career.

1. Make Relationships

This is the most important move you can make in your internship. It has been said numerous times: networking is key.

If you make the most of your internship and go out of your way to make relationships with your co-workers, or even your boss, they’re more than likely to see you as a potential fit in the future.

So don’t keep to yourself; make sure you attend all outside work events, corporate retreats, parties, etc. The more you do to show you fit in, the better off you will be in asking for a full-time job later.

2. Keep Social Media Accounts Clean

And no, I’m not just talking about LinkedIn. Your Facebook, Twitter and any other social media account you have needs to be spotless. Many interns believe this doesn’t matter, but keeping your social media accounts clean while working for any company is imperative, especially if you see a future with said company.

Social media is a way for employers to look into your lives, whether you know they’re doing it or not. For this reason, be mindful of what you’re posting on social media and remember that the more professional you look outside of work, the better.

By keeping a professional social media account, your employer will see you as a serious contender in any future positions, rather than as a college student looking for a good time.

3. Be On Time

Again, you may be wondering exactly how much punctuality matters, but being on time displays more than just your ability to show up to work when you’re supposed to.

Punctuality shows your commitment to your job, that you’re responsible and that you care enough to show up to work on time, or perhaps even earlier than needed.

If you have the opportunity, show up 10 or 15 minutes early for every shift and stay later when needed. In the end, putting in the time will be absolutely worth it.

4. Complete Your Tasks Fully

Take every assignment you are given seriously. While you may occasionally not feel up to the task and give less effort in order to accomplish the task more quickly, this is not the way to go.

Whether you like the assignment or not, every task should be completed to the best of your abilities. In other words, put the most effort you can into every assignment you are given.

With more effort in your assigned tasks, you could get more opportunities in the future of your internship, and there’s a higher potential for you to be put in as a candidate for a full-time job.

5. Volunteer

On this same note, volunteering for tasks will serve you well. If your boss has a task that he/she hasn’t assigned to anyone yet, take it.

Volunteering for tasks shows initiative, which is something employers are always looking for. It makes you look like a go-getter that doesn’t need to be told what to do more than once, and that is willing to go above and beyond when necessary.

While at the time it may seem overwhelming, in the end, there will be a huge payoff that you’re going to want.

6. Look Professional

By now this should be self-explanatory, but there are still many interns that don’t believe their job requires professional dress. They’re wrong.

Even if the job is a few hours here or there and doesn’t require it, dressing business-casual makes you look more serious, professional and like someone that sees a future in the company for themselves.

Judgments are continuously made on how we look, and no harm can be done in looking the part.

7. Ask Questions

Sometimes asking questions is given a negative connotation, but it is something that I urge all interns to do.

While asking too many questions is a problem, and asking questions on things you should know won’t serve you well either, asking the right questions will show your employer you have an interest in the company, your job and that you have a desire to better your work performance.

So when you get the opportunity to ask about your boss’ or coworkers’ journeys to their career, or about the company’s future goals etc., take it. You won’t regret it.

8. Be Direct

Don’t end your internship by walking away with a simple “thanks for the opportunity.” Instead, make it known that you want a continuing relationship, and state that you would be open to a job in the company upon graduation.

This directness is exactly what employers look for, as most of them won’t just hand you a job if you don’t show any interest in it.

So keep in touch with your coworkers and boss, and make sure that before you leave, they know that you’d love to come back and work for them full-time.

There are countless things you can do to make yourself a candidate for a full-time job at the company you are interning for, so don’t stop here.

Make the most of your interning experience, and know that you have nowhere to go but up so long as you’re behaving the right way.

Looking for a top internship in an exciting city? Enroll in Dream Careers and guarantee yourself an internship and a fun summer in your choice of 11 cities globally. To visit our website, please click here.

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