How to Go from Intern to Employee

This morning I was talking with a group of my hard-working Social Media Coordinators who had taken time out of their last day of spring break and a Sunday afternoon to speak with me about a presentation they were giving the next day. My coordinators are a hard-working group of students who are doing an excellent job of the tasks given to them. Far too often with entry-level jobs and internships young employees are not motivated to do well because the pay is too low or they don't like the tasks their given. This is not so with my coordinators.

In my short time on this earth I've worked at jobs with no relevance to my education, I've been the intern with the bad attitude, and I've been the college graduate who landed an internship at a great company. As my internship came to close, I made it my goal to land a position with the company, and I did. Here's my tips on how to turn your internship into a full-time position:

1 – Be the first one in the office, and the last one out. I had a full-time internship that required me to work many evenings and events. Even though I was only paid for 40 hours of work a week I consistently put in more than this to go above and beyond what was expected of me. You will show that you have a strong work ethic and that you are committed to your new position.

2 – Ask Questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions! It's better to ask questions and do your job right than do it wrong because you didn't ask enough questions.

3 – Network. All through college I was told how important networking could be to your career, and I'm here to tell you that it's true! Whether you're networking with fellow employees or other industry professionals you are getting your name out there and building a network of people who will support you and vouch for you.

4 – Dress the Part. It seems like an easy thing to do, but dressing professionally with a polished look will really give a great impression to your superiors. You may be young, but don't let that stop you!

5 – Show Your Interest. Make sure that your manager knows you are interested in pursuing a full-time job with the company after your internship is over. Use your network of fellow employees to reach out and ask for other opportunities within the company.

If your internship doesn't end up in a full-time position, don't worry, you have most likely made a great impression and have a network of relevant business contacts and a great experience under your belt to take forward with you.