Schools out for summer…Schools out forever…

What a better way to a worry free senior year then know you are starting it with a job!!

Here are some tips to make it happen.

1. Choose an internship that you like, in a city you realistically will be living in, that is in the field you are looking to pursue. Just taking a summer job/internship to take it isn’t going to motivate you to go the extra mile while you are there and won’t lead you anywhere other then more confused when you are finished.

2. Show up with a smile, don’t take downtime to relax on the job, and always ask as many people as you can in the office “is there anything I can help you with?” especially if you find that you aren’t busy at a certain time.  That shows you take initiative and exposes you to different managers and gives you a shot at different projects.

3. Get to know your supervisors. Try and find a connection with them and a common bond.  Every successful internship that I completed was because I bonded with employees of the company that were alumni of my college.  They felt like they knew me from the beginning and were in my corner to help me succeed.  Additionally, they connected me with other alumni in the industry, which lead to a full time job.

4.  Attend every company event, function, meeting that you are invited to whether during work or after hours.  This is where you can meet more people, make a great impression, show your interest and get people interested in you.

5.  Express interest. Once you have earned the trust and respect of your internship supervisor / manager express interest in what you are doing and start discussing next steps and a future with the company.  Depending on the industry a full time hire may be handled in a different way and certain companies can’t hire a full year in advance, but you want to make sure that you are taking proper steps to get in the door when the timing is right.  If you aren’t leaving the internship with a job offer, you want to make sure you have a plan of action for next steps, a great reference and maybe even offer to reconnect during winter break to pop back in and see how things are going then.

–Jenna, jportanova@atriumstaff.com