In light of a tight labor market, and as the Great Resignation continues, you might think converting your summer stint into a full-time gig will be a walk in the park.

Not so much.

“The job market continues to grow increasingly competitive, with over 44% of people looking for new work,” said Eliana Goldstein, a career coach for individuals in their 20s and 30s in Brooklyn.

“This means that you need to leverage your internship positions as much as possible to give yourself the best shot of a guaranteed job.”
Echoing that sentiment is Jill Tipograph, MBA, co-founder of Manhattan-based Early Stage Careers, a coaching consultancy that exclusively focuses on successfully launching the careers of college students, grads and 20-somethings.

“Employers hire based on skills, preparedness, and job readiness,” she said. “While the pandemic has impacted the volume of early talent pipeline, employers have high expectations for interns and entry-level employees to hit the ground running.”
Below, six tips to ace your internship and proceed directly to payroll.

Set up a one-on-one with your new boss

Goldstein stresses that this oft-overlooked task is a must for Week 1.

“People get nervous that it’s too early, or that they don’t have anything to say at that point, but it’s vital you do this. The goal of this meeting is to start building rapport with your manager and get clarity on what’s expected of you, so you can best leverage the internship into a full-time position,” she said.

Goldstein suggests asking questions like “What are the Top 3 goals for this internship?” or, “Where can I provide the most help and value to you now?” and, “I’m so excited about this internship and the opportunity for a full-time position here. Are there any best practices you recommend to help translate this internship to a full-time position?”

That last one is the most important. Take notes on what they say.

Leave your ego at home

“Be sure to present yourself as a team player; leave any potential or perceived arrogance at home,” said Tipograph. “This opportunity is not about you; it’s about how you will perform, contribute and lay the groundwork hopefully for full-time employment,” she continued, stressing that internships are test drives for employers.

Being a great collaborator is paramount given that many internships are remote or a hybrid mixture of remote and in-office work. “Get in front of as many relevant employees as possible,” said Goldstein. “Focus on who you interact with the most in your internship. What teams and departments?

Then make sure to set up one-on-ones with individuals from these different departments either in person or over Zoom and have similar conversations to the one you had with your boss. Find out their goals, what are best practices for working together, suggestions for moving the position into full time.”

Be a stellar communicator

Gracie Miller, a career coach based in Minneapolis, said you want to be remembered without pinging people endlessly to get their attention.

“Even if you have time to answer every message that comes in immediately, that doesn’t mean others on the team do,” she said. She recommends asking your boss how often they’d like you to check-in.

“If there’s a weekly team meeting, ask your boss if there is something they’d appreciate, such as taking notes, leading an icebreaker, or preparing a PowerPoint,” she added. “Taking initiative by asking how you can help is a great way to stand out. If you find yourself with more time on your hands than you expected, reach out to a colleague who seems stressed and ask how you can help. Many people need help delegating, and you’ll be seen as a proactive lifesaver.”

Bottom line: “Do not sit back and be silent,” said Tipograph. “Employers hire people that are a good match culturally for their company, and if you sit by the sidelines, they cannot evaluate your company-fit for the long term.”

Express your desire to be hired from the outset

“If you like the culture of the company and know you want to stay on as a regular employee post-internship, it’s important to let people know early and more than once,” said Miller. “This might mean telling your boss after the first week in a check-in meeting. Say, ‘I’m really enjoying the role so far and look forward to the opportunity to deepen my knowledge. I hope I can continue to serve the team as a regular member once the internship is complete.’”

Whatever feedback your boss gives, incorporate the information into how you work. “In the interview for the internship, explain that you consider this a long-term investment of time and effort, ideally leading to full-time employment.”

One note if you’re interning for a large company: “Ascertain if the team you are working for hires entry-level people directly. If not, actively plan to do networking with the teams and recruiters that are involved in entry-level hires and/or training programs,” said Tipograph.
Regardless of whom you’re talking with, don’t procrastinate on this.

“If you wait until the end to have these conversations you won’t have time to take the proactive steps to make it happen,” said Goldstein.

Lean into your strengths

Miller highlights the significance of honing in on your talents. For example, “if you’re an introvert, you may have an easier time asserting yourself one-on-one than in a large team meeting,” she said, adding that you should always take initiative to improve. “If no one is giving you feedback, ask how you’re doing regularly, so that you can make changes.

Remember, whether they keep you on or not, this experience is valuable and will propel you into your next role. So make the most of it.”

This may be an internship, but don’t “treat it any different from a full-time offer,” said Goldstein. “You should work just as hard as you would if this was a new job you were starting and were wanting to work towards an internal promotion.”

Log your accomplishments

You’re going to forget or overlook an important project if you do this three months later. “Keep daily track of what you accomplished or learned, be it a journal, Word document or Outlook notes to yourself,” said Tipograph. “You’ll find this valuable as you update your manager at weekly check-ins and when the time comes to prepare your self-evaluation, updated resume and LinkedIn.”

You should also update your resume and LinkedIn as soon as your internship concludes.
Cultivate recommendations and referrals from your supervisors, for both internal references and external references as you plan out your senior year job search, Tipograph said. “People often leave the topic of who will be your references until the last moment, and that is a mistake,” she said. “It’s akin to networking; start this before you need something, so others get to know you and want to help.”