You will be leaving your internship with little direction and lots of questions. What should you do? How do you know what to do? And, more importantly, what should you do before you leave? The answers to these questions—and many more—are outlined in this article.
Knowing More about Internships
Internships are one of the best ways to get experience while you’re learning something new. Most college graduates start internships right after college, and those that don’t come right into the job market. Though you may think that it is a given that you will have to go through an internship before landing a full-time job, you may be surprised to hear that you don’t need one to get the job.
While it’s true that many companies give interns the chance to get a taste of what it’s like to be an employee, the truth is that internships aren’t necessary. Whether it is necessary or not, if you were required to do the internship, don’t be afraid and do it. Who knows how this internship will help you towards success? That’s true, and it is done for a limited time. Now that the internship has ended, don’t just leave immediately; there are things that you must do.
Leaving an internship is an exciting stage in your life, but it may also be a confusing and nerve-wracking one. When you graduate, you may feel anxious about the future, unsure about what’s next, and worried that you’re not qualified for anything better. This might be a good time to take stock of what you’ve learned so far and remind yourself of how much you’ve appreciated your time working for your firm.
Don’t Just Leave After the Internship Ended, Do This…
When you have completed your internship, you will have a ton of knowledge, skills, and experiences under your belt. However, your experience may not be complete. Because of the time that has passed since your internship, you may not know everything you need to know to be successful in your new role. Therefore, you must do three things before you leave your internship:
- Create a list of all the projects that you have worked on. Before you leave an internship, it is important to have a comprehensive list of things you must do. This list should include all projects you need to complete for the internship and any extra projects that may be requested by your supervisor. When you look back on your internship, you’ll probably be able to pinpoint several specific things that you want to do immediately following the internship. “Do a job search” is probably one of them.
- Exit interview with the supervisor is a must. It’s hard to believe that interns are graduating from universities and moving into the real world, but it’s true. Even if you plan to stay in the field you currently work in. It’s a good idea to do an exit interview with your supervisors before you leave. Covering topics like how you performed, what you learned, and what you would do differently if you were to return, an exit interview can help you transition smoothly into your next job or job search.
- A “Thank you” goes a long way. Thank you is a simple old-school principle that has a wide range of meanings, dependent on the context it is used in. It is both a way of showing appreciation for your host and an expression of gratitude for the opportunity you have had and the experience you gained during your internship.
Before you start looking for a new job, it’s important to take the time to prepare that you’re leaving your internship. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a job in a company or if you’re starting your first one-month internship in the business world.
You may not even know that you have an internship, but it’s one of the most important things you can do in your first year after college. While there’s no official way to leave an internship, there are things you can do to prepare, including a look at your resume and cover letter to make sure you’re saying all the right things, and get some references to call in case you get asked.