Congratulations! You’ve successfully secured an internship and now you’ve turned your attention to making it a full-time grad job. Well, you’re in luck. According to studies, 70% of companies actually offer their interns full-time job offers after their internship. But how can you make this happen? We’ll guide you through our top tips to ensure your transition from an intern to a permanent team member.
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Exceed Expectations
Have you ever heard the saying “under promise and over deliver?”
First and foremost, it goes without saying that you need to excel in your internship. Show up with enthusiasm, meet deadlines, and produce high-quality work. Not only are you going to do the basics, and do them really well, but you’re going to take it to the next level. Strive not just to meet expectations but to exceed them. If the company ask for 3 ideas, give them 5. If they ask for 5 social media posts, give them 7. Go above and beyond to show you’re passionate and enthusiastic while being willing to do the hard work. Consistently delivering exceptional results is the foundation for turning your internship into a full-time grad job offer.
Build Strong Relationships During Your Internship
Networking isn’t just about collecting business cards; it’s about forming genuine connections. A great way to stand out in your internship is to get to know the team. Create positive relationships with everyone that is willing to talk to you – from your big boss, to your manager, to fellow interns. Employers are human too. They won’t want to say goodbye to an intern they enjoy speaking to, who does great work and gets along with the rest of the team. Getting to know your colleagues will have all the employees advocating for you, asking the boss to keep you on.
As much as you can, engage in team activities. At The Grad Soc, we have regular virtual catch-ups and interns who turn up are the ones who stand out. You could also offer to help your co-workers or ask for their mentorship. These connections can also be really useful for future opportunities. If you don’t manage to turn this internship into a full-time grad job, you never know when these professional relationships might come in handy. Maybe someone knows someone who is looking for an intern?
Express Your Interest for a Full-Time Grad Job
If you want your internship to be a permanent deal, don’t keep it a secret. Express your interest in staying with the company beyond your internship. Take time to meet with your manager to discuss your performance, your career goals and ask about potential job openings. This proactive approach will demonstrate your commitment, passion and enthusiasm for the business.
You can also express an interest in taking on a new task or let them know you have a particular skill they could put to use. This will show them that you’re useful in a bunch of ways they might not have considered. Plus, every company wants to hear your bright ideas – this fresh perspective is what keeps a business thriving.
Showcase Your Value
Throughout your internship, keep track of your accomplishments. You could create a portfolio of your work, noting any projects where you played a significant role, contributed innovative ideas or any impressive results you managed to achieve. When the time comes to discuss a full-time role, you’ll have concrete examples to showcase your value and make a stronger case as to why they should offer you a full-time grad job.
Ask for Feedback as an Intern
Do something that not a lot of interns will do – ask for feedback. Be open to constructive criticism and actively seek feedback from your manager and wider team. If taking constructive criticism isn’t your strong suit, you can check out our best tips here. Use this input to continuously improve your skills and performance. It will make you a more attractive candidate for a full-time grad job and team member if you demonstrate your commitment to improvement and personal growth.
Other Routes To Full-Time Grad Jobs
Even if your current internship doesn’t offer you a permanent grad job after your initial contract is over, there are other ways to secure a job from your internship.
Remember those strong professional connections we were talking about earlier? They are about to come in handy about now. Not only can you ask if they have any connections who might be willing to give you a job but you can also ask if someone can advocate for you by writing a glowing recommendation for your LinkedIn. You can even ask them to be a reference for you in future job applications. Having these references will make a future employer much more likely to hire you.
Ensure that you take the skills and experience you’ve gained as an intern and put them to good use to find a job. Update your LinkedIn profile, CV and cover letters – if you need help getting these up to scratch, you can book a career coaching session with one of our team. If you have a portfolio, update that too. Make it super clear to an employer that you have work experience and tell them what you achieved for the company.
Transforming your internship into a full-time graduate job requires some effort, hard work, and strategic planning. By exceeding in your role, building strong professional connections, expressing your interest, tracking your value and asking for feedback, you will increase your chances of turning an internship into the full-time grad job of your dreams. Standing out for these positive reasons will make it hard for any company to let you go.