7 Ways to Turn Your Internship into a Full-Time Position

By Adrienne Erin - Writer

To leverage their education, an increasing number of undergraduate college students are completing internships before graduating. In other words, interning has become the norm for these students, whether it’s paid or unpaid. Internships help you get your foot in the door to whichever business you’re going into after graduating. It also supports the “it’s all who you know” aspect for getting jobs after you’ve finished school.

This means that if you’ve already had an internship while in school and used your skills to their fullest potential, there’s a chance they may hire you after you’re finished with school. According to a survey from 2012, interning gives you a nearly 7 out of 10 chance of receiving a full-time job after graduation with the company you interned for.

With all of this in mind, check out these seven ways to optimize your internship to help you land that full-time position:

1. Network With Everyone You Meet

It’s all about who you know in today’s society. You should network with everyone you meet through your internship. All of these people could potentially help you find a job in the future. If your employers feel that you’re putting more than enough effort in all that you do, they’ll remember your name when it comes to hiring full-time positions. It’s also helpful if you work and interact well with others. You’ll be seen as a team player, which is essential to a positive and successful work environment. You’ll also be seen as a people person, which is another great skill to possess.

2. Exceed Expectations

Your supervisor at your internship will already expect a lot from you in order to gain experience and possible college credit for your hard work. A good way to optimize your time at your internship is to go above and beyond the expectations. Do more than any other intern would. Complete all of your work on time and volunteer for more if you finish early. This shows employers that you’re willing to work hard, take on challenges and want to make a difference in the company.

3. Establish Goals

Make a list of both long- and short-term goals you wish to make during the time at your internship. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss these goals. This will show your supervisor that you’re goal-oriented and you’re focused from the very beginning. If you make these goals, you’ll likely become a candidate for a full-time position because you earned their trust by sticking to your word.

4. Stay Positive

Positivity is an important quality to have while completing your internship. There will be days when you’ll have assignments that you absolutely hate. Having a positive attitude shows that you can put aside personal feelings and beliefs to complete the tasks that you’re assigned, no matter what they are. It also allows a great atmosphere to work in. Consistent positivity could lead to bigger and better things. Always remember that everyone had to start somewhere to get where they wanted to be.

5. Request Feedback

If your supervisor has time, request short weekly meetings to discuss your performance. It’s important to do this from the very start of your internship so you know whether to keep doing what you’re doing or to start improving in certain areas. By asking for feedback, this will show your employer that you care about how you’re doing and that you want to do well.

6. Be Irreplaceable

Exceeding expectations, completing goals, staying positive and networking will help you improve your skills and prove that you’re a more desirable candidate for the full-time position than other competitors. Displaying all of these skills and your experiences will show great work ethic and will show employers that no one can do what you’ve done, and that you’ve helped to contribute in the success of the company.

7. Ask for It

By the end of the internship, many college students wait to hear an offer for a full-time position. Instead of waiting for the higher ups to come to you, go to them. If you’ve exceeded all of their expectations and have done everything you were requested to do, it shouldn’t be as awkward of a conversation as you may think. Even if you have another semester of school left before you could start working for them, it’s important to express interest in the possibility of working there full time.

The Benefits That Come From an Internship

The point of an internship is to expand your skills and to encounter new experiences that will benefit you in the long run. By completing an internship, you will surpass competitors that never had one, and you will get closer to your dream job. By doing well in your internship, you add a great number of people to your network who could give you tremendous recommendations if you need them for other job applications. However, if you follow these tips above, you should have no problem landing a full-time position at the same company that your internship was with as long as one is available.

  Back to Candidate blogs