When beginning any internship program, it’s important to set clear goals for yourself regarding what you want to gain from the experience. Here’s how to set SMART goals and set yourself up for success. Your goals should include what you want to learn coming out of it, and any personal milestones that will help your professional growth. For many interns, one of their main goals is to receive a full-time job offer from the company. Here is our best advice on what you can do throughout your internship to secure a full-time job:
Take on new responsibilities. Throughout your internship, make an effort to take on new tasks and consistently take on new challenges that help the company grow. This can include exploring other departments of the business and not just the one you work in. This will make it clear that you’re someone who has ambition to succeed, willing to take risks, and a quick learner. On top of that, the more tasks you take on, the more you learn, and employers will be more inclined to hire you full-time if they feel that you already have a comprehensive understanding of the company. Show your bosses that you want to be there, and are willing to learn!
Network. Everyone you meet throughout your internship can be a valuable connection. Make an effort to stop and talk to new people everyday that you may not usually talk to. The more relationships you build throughout your internship, the more connections and potential opportunities you create. You never know what connection may lead you to a new and exciting opportunity! Keep an open mind, introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and follow up with them by connecting on platforms like LinkedIn.
Express your interest. The most clear way to show your employer that you’re interested in staying there long term is to voice it. There are various different ways to communicate that you want a full-time opportunity, such as “I would love to join the team long-term for the opportunity to learn more about creating and managing sales campaigns!” or “My long-term goals are to land a full-time job with the company and excel in my role.” Make it clear from the beginning that you’re interested in the company and motivated to be your best professional self.
Ask for feedback. It’s impossible to be your best self without receiving feedback. Feedback is so important in helping us learn and grow professionally, and is essential to career growth. Make it a habit to ask for feedback from managers and bosses after tasks and projects, and implement weekly check-ins where feedback is encouraged. With this, you’ll be able to constantly be working on bettering yourself as a professional within the company. Employers want to hire people who can recognize areas of improvement and grow from them; once you show that you’re capable of this, your chances of getting hired will increase.
Be creative. Take risks, and offer creative solutions to your team that may be outside of the box. This could involve doing some extra research on how to better the company and the specific department you’re working in. Your ideas don’t need to be profound; even just giving valuable input when working with teams and building off each other’s ideas will portray your ability to problem-solve. By solving team problems in unique ways, you’ll show your employer how valuable your perspective can and will be to the company.
For more tips on all things job search and professional development, check out our Employee Tips or contact us at mglenny@franklinprofessionals.com.
