Turn Your Internship into a Job Offer

Summary: Internships are an expectation for many companies. Make the most of your internship by turning it into a full-time gig.

With the current job market still struggling, it is important to be able to turn your internship opportunity into a full-time offer. Over 90 percent of employers want recent graduates to have a couple internships done. Competition for jobs is fierce, making internships your best chance to secure a job. Over half of recent college graduates are either underemployed or unemployed. Use these tips to help you turn your internship into something more. And remember, if you want a full-time job with the company, let them know.

Know Your Field

Do all you can to learn about the trends in the industry. Learn about the company you are interning with to know about the different areas of the company, the culture of the company, their community work and outreach.

Knowing this information will give you the context needed on the company during meetings and discussions. When you know about the company, you are proving that are enthusiastic and a self-starter.

Don’t be cocky about your knowledge. Ask questions about what you learn instead of pretending to be an expert about something you don’t know.

Be Proactive

When you finish a project, ask for more work or other ways for you to be useful. Sitting around waiting for someone to give you more work will not look good to your employers.

Being proactive demonstrates that you can take initiative and are not afraid to roll up your sleeves. You will make a big impact when you produce something of value or find something the company has overlooked.

If you end up spending a lot of time on social media or your phone when you should be working, you will not be hired. At the same time, don’t go overboard in being proactive because it will just come across as annoying.

Develop Relationships

Joining coworkers during lunch and at other company events and social opportunities will increase your chances of being offered a position.

Networking inside the company helps you build those stronger relationships with fellow employees. Sadly, around 40 percent of workers eat lunch at their desk, missing out on valuable time they could be bonding with employees and getting a mental refresher from work.

Don’t force connections. You have to be thinking of others and taking an interest in them if you want to make it anywhere in building relationships.

Learn the Rules

As an intern, it is even more important that you follow the rules set in place. Show up on time, dressed professionally, and don’t try to get away with as much as possible.

Following the rules shows that you respect them and are reliable, which will in return help you gain their respect.

Don’t go blow lots of money buying expensive clothing. Clothes that fit properly are all you need to impress. Don’t wear yourself out completely trying to work hard from dawn to dusk.

Be Positive

Many of the tasks given to interns are menial but still important so even if it is just a “coffee run,” take the task seriously.

Having a positive attitude can get your far in life. Your employer will remember what kind of attitude you have because a positive one will also improve the attitude of those around you. A positive attitude will make even the menial jobs more enjoyable as well.

Don’t be so positive that it is ingenuous and thus irritating to others. Also, don’t be inappropriate. You may just be trying to lighten the mood but some jokes are not for the workplace.

Read these related articles to learn more:

• Top 10 Highest Paying Internships
• The Role of Internships in Finding a Job after College and Paid vs. Unpaid Interships: Experts Share Their Views

Photo: theguardian.com