How-To Guide: Asking for a Full-Time Position After Your Internship

An internship can be an invaluable experience. The problem is, only around half of all internships lead to the intern landing a job with the company. To boost your chances of walking away with a guaranteed job after your internship is over, follow these tips:

1. Establish Goals

It will be a good idea to meet with your immediate managers to establish goals for the impending internship, and your overall career trajectory. Show that you’re interested in a long-term position with the company, and that you would like to work toward that. Colin Kever, an educator at Writinity and Last Minute Writing explains, “many managers assume that a student intern is only looking for experience, so it’s important to make your desire known.”

2. Create Your Network

An internship inherently promotes networking. It’s crucial that as an intern you build relationships that will bring value to your career prospects. These can be mentors, managers, board members, etc. Learn about these people, and specifically their professional paths — how they found themselves in their current positions. Most people are glad to talk about their experiences, and you’ll be showing how passionate and committed you are to professional growth. When the time comes to ask for a full-time position, having a strong network of references is an intangible that will give you a huge advantage. 

3. Prove Yourself

Treat your internship seriously and as though it were a real job. Make sure that all the work you oversee is done in a timely, professional, and efficient manner. But don’t stop there. To make yourself shine, go above and beyond the call of duty. Ask for extra work, which will highlight your willingness to learn and your strong work ethic. Sit in on meetings; keep records of what you have achieved; and in the end, make sure that when your manager thinks of you, they think of a high achiever. 

4. Seek Out Feedback

Feedback is vital for personal and professional growth during your internship. Typically, during an intern’s post, the manager will give them feedback at the end of their stint. However, if you want to be a top candidate for a job at the end of your internship, seek out feedback regularly. It can be for a certain task you’re doing, or your overall demeanor when it comes to the job. Managers are willing to give feedback, but may not be at the top of their minds. By asking for feedback, it will give them a chance to help you succeed at your job, as well as show your eagerness to learn and grow. Make sure you check your ego and take the constructive criticism to heart. When you ask for the job at the end of your intern tenure, they’ll likely have noted the progress you’ve made over the time you’ve spent with them, especially if it is noted that you pursue feedback.

5. Inquire About Employment Opportunities

As you approach the end of your internship, start inquiring about employment opportunities. Remember, do not expect them to hire you immediately. This is where your goal creation comes into play. Go back to your goals you and your manager created, and prove to your manager how you met them. 

There’s always a chance that there just aren’t any jobs available. If that’s the case, make sure you keep in touch with your manager. Before your internship is up, chat with a member of the human resources team and let them know as well and that you would love a job with the company. Ensure your contact information is current, and check in regularly with the company. Hilda Langley, a career coach at Draft Beyond and Research Papers UK says, “you may be clamoring to get the job right away, but persistence is key, and it is highly likely that it will pay off in the end.”