by Elizabeth Campbell
As your summer internship comes to an end, there are a few things you need to remember before you leave and head back home, to your campus, or on vacation before your classes start.
1 – Make sure to follow up with people that you have met at networking events.
You’ll want to either schedule a time to meet with them and grab coffee or lunch, or send them an email letting them know that you were glad to meet them and would like to keep in touch. This will help you keep in touch with that person and have a reason to follow up with them during the year. You don’t want to wait until the following spring to send them an email saying “Hey I met you at (X) event last summer, can you suggest somewhere to apply to an internship?” That is awkward, and that person may not remember you
2 – Finish up projects you are working on for your internship.
Or ask your boss if you can work on a new project to finish before the summer. Take initiative if the opportunity is given to you. In the last two weeks of my first internship, I wrote a memo to my boss about a new idea I had for the nonprofit, and now they are beginning to implement the program. You never know what kind of impact you can have.
3 – See if your boss can review your resume.
You’ll want to update your resume to include your internship, so see if your boss can review your resume. That way, when you go back to campus and gear up for career fairs, you have a prepared and edited resume to hand to recruiters. It takes away the extra stress of perfecting your resume during the school year when you are already overwhelmed with classes. It also is a good idea to have a good resume to hand out during any end-of-summer networking opportunities, when you meet people who may be potential future employers.
4 – Take advantage of the city you are living in.
Go explore your city. For those in D.C., make sure you go be a tourist for a weekend and see all the museums, or take some time to visit the Northern Virginia area. If you have a car, drive down to Richmond, Virginia, or take a trip to the beach. DC and Virginia have some of the best tourism for people on an interns budget. The Smithsonian Museums are all free, including the Zoo. You can always find a cheap eat somewhere in the city, and there is usually someone who wants to come along with you. It will be difficult to come back to visit once you’re back on campus, so take advantage of the opportunity while you are still here.
5 – Say thank you to your boss.
This one is more optional, but I am sure your boss will take note if you make the effort to say thank you. He or she took the time to choose you as an intern, work with your throughout the summer, and help you develop professional skills. While you returned that investment in you with hard work, it is still nice to communicate your appreciation.
Your summer internships are what your future employers evaluates as your career development, and your bosses and coworkers will be the ones you ask to write recommendations for you. Make sure you leave a good lasting impression so that you can guarantee a great job or internship recommendation, or even a possibility for a job with the company, in the future.