The technology industry is booming, and many of the companies that produce cutting-edge solutions are highly desirable employers in the eyes of candidates. As a result, many professionals who are new to the field or students actively working toward their degree feel lucky to secure an internship with an outstanding company, allowing them to begin their technology careers on a positive note.
However, internships are finite in nature, and there’s often no guarantee that an intern can secure a permanent position after the fact. Fortunately, there are steps interns can take to turn their internship into a career. If your goal is to get a permanent job offer, here are some tips that can help.
Exceed Expectations When Handling Your Duties
As with any position at a company, employers have expectations regarding intern performance. While meeting expectations can lead to positive references and a sound start to your career, if you’re hoping for a permanent job offer, it’s wise to go the extra mile at all times. Focus on offering the best of what you bring to the table when handling any duty, regardless of whether it’s relatively small or low visibility. By doing so, you cultivate a reputation for excellence, and that opens a lot of doors.
Ask How You Can Help the Team, Your Manager, or the Company Succeed
If you’re managing your assigned responsibilities and have additional time available, speak with your supervisor to secure more tasks. When you do, ask how you can help the team, your manager, or the company succeed. By using that approach, you’re showing you’re invested in the organization, your supervisor, and your colleagues, which makes a positive impression.
In situations where you only have a few spare minutes, you can use a modified approach. You can talk to your manager and see if there’s anything you can take off their plate for the day. Similarly, you can speak with coworkers, let them know you have a little time, and offer your support to them. Again, this strategy positions you as a proactive team player, making it easier to ensure you’re viewed as an asset.
Get Help When You Need It, and Maximize the Learning Opportunity
Companies understand that interns don’t know it all and that internship positions are designed to be learning experiences. As a result, don’t shy away from asking for help when you’re doing something unfamiliar. It shows you’re confident enough to approach others when you need assistance, as well as committed to ensuring that any efforts meet expectations.
However, it’s also critical to treat any requests for help as formal learning experiences. When you receive guidance, take notes. Additionally, consider requesting feedback once you handle the responsibility for the first time. That can ensure you can successfully manage the task in the future without assistance, demonstrating that the time spent instructing you provided you and the organization with value.
Ultimately, an internship can become a stepping stone to a rewarding tech career. Even if the efforts above don’t lead to a job offer at the company you’re interning with, they’re still beneficial. At a minimum, they increase your odds of receiving positive references if you need to launch a job search. Plus, they can make referrals to other companies easier to obtain, giving you access to more opportunities.
Essium is a leading onboarding solution provider, ensuring that recruitment agencies have access to critical technologies to streamline candidate management and offer an engaging onboarding process that sets new hires up for success. Contact us to learn more about our modern onboarding solutions and how they can help your staffing firm.
