Counseling Education

13 Effective Tips to Convert Your Internship in to Job Opportunity

In many industries today an internship may be one of the most effective ways to land a permanent job. Internships are not only great ways to test out you r chosen major, but to prove your worth before you land an actual job. Your boss is taking less of a chance on you as an intern since you're not paid, and if you can prove your worth to the company they may not want to let you slip through their fingers.

Here are twelve effective tips to convert your internship into job opportunity.

Work Hard and Work Smart

- Impress the people who count. Don't just concentrate on your immediate boss; cast your net wide enough to reach someone who may be able to actually hire you.

- Make contributions. Offer ideas, contribute to discussions, and give thoughtful insights if you have them. Even an idea which is not acted upon is looked upon favorably because you care enough to give it.

- Try to attach yourself to long term projects. Become involved in projects which take a team effort and become a valuable member of that team. Once your internship is over with, the boss may want to keep you on because you've proven your worth and you have the training under your belt to do the job.

- Take on extra work and help out coworkers. Roll up those sleeves and get your hands dirty. Don't take on so much you can't keep up with it, but if you see someone needs an extra hand be willing to pitch in and help. This shows initiative and team spirit.

- Realize you will be doing the majority of the grunt work while you're an intern, but this doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for more responsibility. If you can handle the small stuff like a pro, the boss will give you more interesting and more responsible tasks.

Work Like a Professional

- Take your job seriously. You may be an intern and receive no monetary compensation, but you are receiving invaluable experience. Your boss will expect the same level of commitment from you as he or she does from their paid employees.

- Make contacts in the company. Make friends with the people in HR. They can be your resource when looking for upcoming openings. Keep the lines of communication open with heads of departments and their support staff.

- Be on time, dress and act like a professional at all time. You're not in class, you're at a job. Act like it. Be courteous, be respectful, and do your best.

- Take responsibility for your mistakes. No one expects you to be perfect. You're there to learn. You're bound to make mistakes. When and if this does happen take responsibility and make an effort to learn from your mistake.

- Put 110% into everything you do. Really commit to your internship and treat it like a real job. If you can show you are committed and become a valuable member of the team, you will be more likely to be able to turn your internship into a job.

Speak UP

- Let your employer know you are interested in becoming an employee. Let him or her know you're not just there for a summer or a semester. Let them know this opportunity is important to you and that you would like a chance to prove your worth once you graduate.

- Ask for feedback. Regular feedback by employers is an integral part of any job, even an internship. Ask how your performance compares to your boss' expectations. Take what you receive and learn from it.

- Thank your employer. Once your internship is done, thank them in writing for the opportunity. This shows you are a true professional, and it is a nice common courtesy.

Internships are sometimes the key to landing the perfect job once you're out of school. Use these twelve tips to effectively convert your internship into job opportunity and start a head of the crowd.

Gagan writes for tictwo.com , a Chinese internship program organization that works with partner companies to provide the best training, hands-on experience and also cultural orientation to his interns.

Image credit: adpowers on Flickr