7 Things You Need To Do Before Leaving Your Internship

August is fast approaching, and for many of you, that means your internship is coming to an end. It may be bittersweet, but it is time to start thinking about how you will make the most out of these last few weeks before heading back to campus. Based on my previous experiences, I have identified seven key things you need to do to make the most out of the time you have left and put yourself in the best position to receive a returning offer. 

1.     Make your end of summer presentation a slam dunk! 

You must… and I repeat MUST make sure you knock your summer presentation out of the park! This is your 20 minutes of fame, as you present in front of colleagues, hiring managers, vice presidents, etc.  about your experience. Be sure to prepare your presentation well in advance and perform several dry runs with individuals on your team; as well as, those who are not familiar with your work. This will allow others to have fresh eyes and prepare you with questions before the big day. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will be ?? Best of luck!

2.     Sit down with your supervisor to update your resume. Be sure to QUANTIFY your accomplishments 

While you still have access to your colleagues, sit down with them to update your resume. They will know what words to use and how to make your resume pop! Be sure to quantify your results as much as you can. For example, you saved $x, you increased production by x% or you increased sales by x%. This will give university recruiters the “wow” factor during the fall career fair.  It also helps you understand the big picture and shows that you contributed to the bottom line.

3.     Express interest in returning 

More than likely, you will have an exit interview or a survey to complete prior to your last day. If you are interested in returning for another summer or interested in receiving a full-time offer, make sure you express that to your supervisor, colleagues and HR.  By now you should have a good feel of the company, so if you are interested in trying a different role or new location, make sure you express that as well. 

4.     Thank your supervisor and mentors for a great summer 

Before you leave for good, be sure to thank your supervisor and mentors for all their help. Let them know that you appreciate their time, patience and assistance with completing your projects. Send a thank you email, this will go a long way and leave a great impression. 

5.     Find a way to keep in touch 

Whether it is collecting business cards, sharing personal information or connecting on LinkedIn, find a way to keep in touch with everyone. You never know when you may cross paths with them again in the future or what opportunities they may have for you down the road.

6.     Ask for endorsements or recommendations for your LinkedIn

While things are still fresh, ask your colleagues to endorse you for certain skills or provide recommendations on your LinkedIn profile. This will certainly build your credibility and allow other employers to see how much you were valued. You can also ask if they would be interested in serving as a professional reference or writing a generic recommendation for you to use for scholarships.

7.     Make sure your projects are documented properly

Hopefully you finished a few projects this summer, so make sure everything is properly documented for the next person to understand. If you will not be able to finish your project, be sure to clearly document next steps, key contacts, lessons learned, best practices, etc. and place everything in a secured place where your supervisor will have access to it.  This will make things a lot easier for the next person to pick up where you left off and have a flawless transition.

Don’t forget that National Intern Day is July 26! There is still time to nominate yourself or vote for the top 100 interns of 2018. Just use this link . Good luck!