It's All About Attitude
Whilst there is never a guarantee that an internship will turn into a job, I can almost predict the interns that will make it happen. Sadly, I can also predict the interns that won’t. How do I know? I can tell by their attitude!
The mindset that interns need to take into an internship is that they get the job the first day they arrive. They then have 12 weeks to lose it.
Turning an internship into a job is all about attitude, not technical skills. Attitude, attitude, attitude.
Do not believe a host company when they say there will be no job at the end of an internship. We are constantly surprised by host companies that have created a new position for an intern because they were just too valuable to let go.
Be Indispensable
If you make yourself indispensable during your internship, by definition, how can any business possibly let you go?
So what can you do to significantly increase your chances of turning an internship into a job? Here are my top ten tips:
1. Treat your internship like a job, not an internship. This may sound strange, but it should probably be tips number 1, 2 and 3 as everything else flows from this tip. If you treat your internship as an internship, i.e. just a learning experience that will end in 12 weeks, guess what? That is all it will ever be. But if you treat it as a job, where you turn up everyday, on time, ready to do real work, show your initiative, be part of the team and add real real value…that is when the magic happens.
2. Learn company software BEFORE you begin your internship. Nothing impresses a host company more than knowing the software they use in their day-to-day operations. Ask your supervisor in the interview “what software can I learn to add value from day one?” and learn it in the weeks leading up to your internship.
Communication Is The Key!
3. Little things matter. Like turning up on time every day (5-10 minutes prior to start time), saying good morning, smiling, smelling nice, dressing appropriately and bringing your laptop as well as a notebook & pen to show that you are ready to work. Every day is a great day to make a great first impression.
4. Develop a strong relationship with your supervisor. It is your direct supervisor that will most likely make the decision to keep you or let you go at the end of the internship. So get to know them, and them you. Tell them about your journey, your aspirations. Ask questions. Keep them informed of your process. Don’t be afraid to tell them when you don’t understand something. Far better spend time up front to clarify tasks, than having to admit you have wasted time because you misunderstood.
5. Tackle low level admin work with gusto. Ask anyone that has ever worked before, and they will tell you that 80% of most people’s jobs are filled with boring mundane tasks. But these tasks need to be done! Be the person that embraces low level admin work with enthusiasm, as it does not go unnoticed.
Work On It
6. Be part of the team. Workplaces build teams to tackle tasks and problems, not individuals. Be part of the team. Build report. Take on the work that no one else wants to do. By creating capacity for you team members dramatically increases your chance of being retained as without you, they will need to go back to doing your work.
7. Be proactive and read the play. A self starter does not wait for their supervisor to delegate every single little task. Show that you are proactive by suggesting what you can do next to help. Use your knowledge from your education to identify issues the business may not already be tackling and suggest solutions. Most host companies take on interns because they want a fresh set of eyes to look at their business and provide the latest contemporary thinking.
8. Make sure everyone at the organisation knows you. Don’t be the best kept secret. Make sure everyone knows who you are and what you do. Have lunch and/or coffee with someone new every day. Show interest in what they do and connect with them on LinkedIn. Any one of your work mates could be the person who referees you to a business contact or a friend for your first job.
Don't Forget To Have Fun!
9. Make sure the business knows you would like to work for them. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Once you have some runs on the board and proven yourself to add value to the business, make sure your supervisor knows you would like to work with them after your internship. After all, they have just spent the last 3 months training you.
10. Above all, smile and have fun!. Reality is…people hire people. Not robots with technical skills. For most of us, we spend more time with our workmates than our loved ones. So, is it any wonder then that most employers rate attitude, personality and culture fit much higher than technical skills. Don’t be the person that at the end of your
internship is described as technically proficient but not the right culture fit for the business. Be the person that everyone loves to be around.
Notice something about the tips above. Only one tip is about your technical skills. The other nine tips are about the attitude you bring to a business. Reality is that your internships is more about the people you meet, the networks you create and the attitude you bring than technical skills.
Domenic Saporito is the co-founder of Outcome.Life and GADA technology. Dom has started, run and sold many businesses throughout his career, ranging in industry from property to tech, and even golf! As a business owner, product developer and chartered accountant with 15 years’ experience in the recruitment industry, Dom enjoys sharing his knowledge, insights and advice with international students looking to enter the job market in Australia.
If you have any questions...
The Outcome.Life team are always here to answer any questions or help with any problems you might encounter during your internship.
You can contact us between 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday at:
Phone: 03 8899 7424
Email: hello@outcome.life
