The time is now coming where your internship is coming to its conclusion. You’ve learned a lot and hopefully made some new friends (*cough cough* References *cough cough* ). Here are some tips to consider just before your last day and beyond.
Part 5: How to behave after an internship concludes:
Be gracious – On your last day before leaving, thank your employer/mentor for their time. Internships usually mean an extra time commitment from your mentor, and sometimes it’s not paid. Look them in the eye, shake their hand, and sincerely thank them (just don’t be creepy about it…).
Ask for constructive criticism – What went well? What didn’t go so well? This is your chance to get some really good last advice. When you finish school you’ll have a leg-up on other graduates who don’t have that professional office experience.
Ask if you can use your boss or co-workers references – It looks great on a resume! Help beat that catch 22 that fresh grads often struggle with. Show potential employers that you do have some professional experience.
Send a thank you letter, or email – Please please please do this! It’s just polite to do so. There’s nothing more professional than an extra thank you. You don’t have to drool over them, but everyone appreciates being thanked and recognized for their time. Remember, they took the time to mentor you… Plus, who knows?! Maybe you’ll have a chance to interview with them for a full time job someday. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks for reading!