It’s (almost) the end of the semester. You made it! Can you believe how much you have accomplished over the last 3 months?
As you prep for those last weeks before winter break, we wanted to provide you with some tips on the best way to leave your fall internship. Hopefully, it was a great internship, and it’s important to consider a few things before you leave to truly make the most of the opportunity:
- Thanking the people you worked closely with, especially your supervisor. This can be in person, but a handwritten thank you note is always a nice touch.
- Connect with your supervisor and other staff on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to add a personalized note to the connection request!
- It doesn’t hurt to also keep contact information of people you connected with at the internship in one spot; for instance, creating a spreadsheet for professional contacts where you can include contact info and update when you last spoke with someone. It can help you to stay on top of being in touch with your contacts periodically.
- (If applicable) ask your supervisor what, if any, samples of projects you worked on can be included in your professional portfolio.
- Ask your supervisor if they will be a reference for you in the future. Then, add their name and contact information along with how you know them (ie: Supervisor at X company) to your reference list.
- While it’s still fresh of mind, add your internship to your resume. Make sure to include strong statements beginning with an action verb that highlight your contributions or accomplishments. It helps whenever possible to show the purpose or result of your action and to quantify.
