How to Get an Internship Extension
While the semester is coming to an end, this is not my first time through the cycle at Seer Interactive. Many students may find themselves searching for the next internship or the next place to go. However, one of the best places an intern can go next is an internship extension. This path is one that not only benefits you as the student but also benefits the employer who gets to see you really apply your work.
Make an Impression
Get out on your first day and really introduce yourself to the people of the agency/company. This is the time to make coworkers remember your name. This is also the time to do something bold. On my very first day at Seer Interactive, I sent an e-mail out to the entire Philadelphia office to introduce myself and also let them know I’m here to lend a hand.
Don’t Always Say Yes
While it’s all great to make a first impression, make sure you aren’t biting more than you can chew on. Always check to make sure you have the workload available to take on a project. Often time’s people will reach out to you to give a helping hand, but time may not allow for you to help. If you can’t help them or don’t have the current workload capacity, then politely let them know you’re unable to at that time. A way to go about this would be “Thank you so much for involving me in your work to help. While I would love to learn more from this project, my current workload doesn’t allow for this. Please let me know if you need any help in the future.” From there, follow up with that person you mentioned to help down the line.
Create Goals Early On
A large reason I was able to get my internship extended was by identifying my internship goals early on. I created an ‘Internship Roadmap,” identifying the areas I wanted to accomplish by the end of the internship. These goals were continuously changing as I found myself learning new objectives. New pieces of information allowed me to alter my goals. I did continuous checks throughout my internship to see my overall progress on goal completions. At the end of the internship, I showed my managers the goals I had accomplished as well as who had helped me with these.
Be Innovative
Look for ways to improve processes or even invent new pathways. Show the company that you are needed there by continuously coming up with new ways to think. If you can create something that helps them or their clients in the long-run, you’re setting everyone up for success. At Seer, I thought of different ways to help the agency improve the Internship Program. I did this by suggesting a Lead Intern position that would work to be a second Point of Contact at the internship. In this way, I was able to show them something that would help the company in the long-run while also proving my case to continue on.
Show You Care
Lastly, take the time to show you’re a real person! Smile at people, tell them good morning and strike up a conversation. If you know someone has a baby on the way, bought a new house, has a dog, etc; start a conversation. I’ve found so far that while showing your work is most important, the best connections are created when you talk about areas outside of work. Also, make sure to say hello to the office manager, or anyone in the finance department. They make everything happen behind the scenes and are a reason you have your internship now!
Overall, using these three five simple tactics, you can show the employer why you deserve an internship extension, (and even for a job after college too!). Keeping these ideas in the back of your mind, while also showcasing great work, will lead to the best chance at an extension.
