5 Tips for Turning Your Internship into a Full-Time Job

Below are five tips that will help you prove that you’re proactive, enthusiastic, skilled, and collegial—which will maximize your chances of securing a full-time offer at the end of your internship.

1. Build strong relationships

Whether it’s your supervisor, coworker, or another intern, it’s crucial that you build strong relationships with as many of your colleagues as possible. By establishing strong rapport, you’ll prove that you’re friendly, approachable, and enjoyable to work with. This will also result in your colleagues being more likely to pass on positive feedback about you to their supervisors.

To build good relationships with colleagues, you should be polite, respectful, and adaptable. You should also offer to help others whenever you can and show that you’re enthusiastic about the role. In addition, you can find common interests and topics of conversation. Just be sure to avoid gossip about the company or your colleagues at all times.

2. Exceed expectations

It’s likely that your supervisor will have a few tasks lined up for you or a few projects you can assist with during your internship. However, if you want this to become a full-time role, you need to go the extra mile and exceed their expectations wherever possible. This starts with the basics like always meeting deadlines, being punctual, and always double-checking your work.

But more than this, you should never be sitting around twiddling your thumbs. If you've completed your given task, ask what you can do next. If you're given feedback, always listen and consider it carefully. This will help you to make a lasting impression on your supervisor and make them more inclined to put you forward for a full-time role.

3. Showcase your skills

One of the most important ways you can help to secure a full-time job is to showcase your impressive skill set. Tell your supervisor about any technical skills you have and always jump at the chance to show these off. If you notice that a colleague is struggling, or you know you have expertise that can be put to good use, always speak up and prove yourself. By showcasing your skills, you’ll prove to your supervisor that you have what it takes to succeed in a full-time role and bring important skills to the team.

4. Network strategically

There are lots of reasons you need to network strategically during your internship, and you can do this in meetings, at lunch, by socializing, or even just asking your supervisor if you can go and speak to others about what they’re doing. So, don’t simply engage with your direct reports or those in your department; take every chance you get to meet or work with other teams and build a holistic view of the company. This will highlight your interest as well as increase the amount of positive feedback you receive. You might even find that you work better in another department and get on with the team there, and that they are hiring for a full-time position.

5. Express your interest in a permanent position

Last but certainly not least, you should express your interest in a full-time position. Otherwise, how is the company supposed to know that you’d be interested in taking your internship to the next level?  You could mention this to your supervisor or colleagues, or even speak directly to the HR or hiring team. Just let it be known that you've enjoyed the experience and that you’d like to continue working there in the future, even if that’s a few months down the line after you've finished your studies.

Andrew Fennell is the founder and director of StandOut CV, a leading CV builder and careers advice website. He is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to publications like Business Insider, The Guardian, and The Independent.