5 Strategies to Turn Your Internship Into Your First Job

Love your internship so much that you want to turn it into a full-time gig? Doing these five things at work can help you stand out and increase your chances!

Technically speaking, I’m not an employment expert. However, I do have a lot of experience getting employed. In fact, in 2014–2015, I held 10 different internships, freelance gigs, and on-campus or seasonal jobs. (Yes, that’s a lot.) One job in particular stands out because I’d already had it for three years at that point, and I got it in an unusual way. Long story short, I ended up getting a real job based on an internship—before senior year of high school even started. And the work stayed steady on a seasonal pace, so I was able to keep the job throughout college. Sound too good to be true? Well, it doesn’t happen for everyone. But here are five smart things you can do to turn a short-term role into a long-term position.  

1. Learn as much as possible

Everything you do as an intern is learning. Whether it’s figuring out how to use a program like MailChimp or InDesign or learning how to fix the copier when it gets a paper jam, you’re learning important, practical things. If you like the company where you’re interning and it’s somewhere you’d like to work beyond your internship, ask your coworkers questions about the job. See if you can help them in any way so you learn how to do that job. Figure out how things work on a daily basis so you have that experience. If you’re already doing the job you want—and doing it well—it’s easier to convince someone to pay you to do it. 

Related: A Quick List of Important Internship Do's and Don'ts

2. Pay attention to the things that will help you

Eavesdropping is rude; you shouldn’t do it because it’s not your business what other people say. Except everybody eavesdrops…even interns—especially interns. So use it to your advantage. People would talk about work-related things around me sometimes, so I’d learn about the company by proxy—things like when they hire, specific things management didn’t want to hear in interviews, and random advice staff would share about how to do the job better—basically how to get the job and do well in the position. Don’t be ashamed to listen in when you hear these helpful hints.  

3. Help out when you can

Often in offices, there are small tasks or long-term projects that are menial but important (such as updating employee contact lists or organizing files) that get pushed off eternally by others. By doing these side jobs, you’ll learn a company’s systems of organization, which can sometimes be intricate, and that gives you a leg up. Not to mention it shows initiative and eases responsibilities for those who didn’t have time to get to it. I offered to do some work during the school year, and while they only called me in a couple times, it helped and was worth it. The person who hired me even said a big reason I got the job was reliability based on those interactions.

Related: 7 Things to Do on the First Day of a New Job

4. Interact with everyone

Don’t just talk to the other interns—you’ll get a lot more out of your internship if you interact with the people who work at the company full-time. This gives you a feel for the kind of people they hire and lets you know if you fit that type. It’s also genuinely enjoyable having conversations with adults when you’re treated as an equal. Are you at completely different stages in your lives? Absolutely. Will you hang out after work? Probably not. But do you all have similar work experiences? Yes. Are you all familiar with Star Wars? Hopefully, or this is awkward. Plus, even if you don’t end up in this position full-time, the connections you make are valuable to your network for other jobs and your future.

5. Ask for a chance at the position

The last month of the program, I went to the hiring manager and said, “I can’t intern again next summer, but I love working here. I’m familiar with this position, and you’re hiring. Could I please interview?” Do not expect your supervisor to just offer you a position based on your performance. That might happen, but it’s not common. You may still need to fill out a regular application too. But what sets you apart from others vying for the position is the information you collected during your internship. Instead of trying to convince the hiring manager why you would be a good fit, explain how you’re already an asset. Talk about the way you fit in with your coworkers, how you already understand the job, and the value you feel you’ve provided thus far.

Related: Internships: Your Dream Job Diving Board

Use your experiences to your advantage. Remember, not every internship will result in a job, but these are the easiest ways to put yourself in a good spot for a better chance at making it happen.

For more advice on finding great experiences for your professional goals, check out our Internships and Careers section.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:
careers internship advice internships jobs networking work

About Kara E. Joyce

Kara E. Joyce is an editor and writer who frequently contributes to CollegeXpress. When she isn’t hunched over editing material, you can find her powerlifting in the gym, pirouetting in a dance studio, or planning her next adventure.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Nazira Abdelkhalek

Nazira Abdelkhalek

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2014

I am very honored to be this year’s recipient of the Multicultural Student Community Service Scholarship! This scholarship is vital to helping me achieve and fulfill my dreams, and gives me confidence and motivation as I begin my college career. The CollegeXpress website has been invaluable over the past year as I planned my educational and professional goals. I highly recommend it to all students as they begin to focus on their college and career interests. The website is a wonderful guide to schools and scholarships.

Kamal

Kamal

Student, University of the People

I registered with CollegeXpress and filled all my necessary and relevant information as well as the course I wished to study. A few days later, an email was sent to me with a list of schools offering the course; amongst them was the University of the People, the school I got admitted to.

Fabiola Rodriguez

Fabiola Rodriguez

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress helped me on my journey to get to the school of my first choice by showing me all the options I have. I didn’t know of the College of Southern Nevada until I went on this website, and it helped me look for other choices and compare what colleges would be right for me.

Sarah Armstrong

Sarah Armstrong

High School Class of 2022

I am a deaf student, and I had always dreamed of going to Gallaudet University. CollegeXpress helped me search though other qualified universities. They helped me know for sure that Gallaudet University was the right choice for me!

Amari Toussaint

Amari Toussaint

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress helped me narrow my school choices down from 10 schools to four and then two. It also gave me information on a school I had never heard about or thought about attending until now, which is the school I will be attending in the fall. I am thankful for CollegeXpress and its helpful tools.

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, CO