How To Get The Most Out Of Your Internship Supervisor

By Elana Goodwin on April 20, 2016

This article is brought to you by Dream Careers, the largest global internship program for college students offering all-inclusive programs in 11 cities worldwide. To learn more about Dream Careers, please visit us at SummerInternships.com.

If you’ve managed to score yourself an internship, whether it’s semester-long or taking place over the summer, you’ll want to maximize the benefits and experience gained from that position — and doing so includes getting the most out of your internship supervisor. Here are a few tips on how to really get the most out of your internship supervisor.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Arrange meetings. If your supervisor doesn’t arrange weekly meetings with you (at a minimum), take initiative and reach out to your internship supervisor to get some get-togethers on the schedule. Of course, depending on what field your internship is in and what sort of internship you’re completing, the need for frequent face-to-face meetings may vary, but you should still make sure to meet with your internship supervisor on a regular basis. This way, you’ll definitely build a solid relationship with your internship supervisor, which will be easier to continue even after your internship has ended.

Communicate consistently. Between meetings with your internship supervisor, make sure you’re staying in touch — via email, messenger, even just a quick office pop-in to give an update. Clear communication over the course of your internship will ensure you’re completing each task correctly and also building a better relationship with your internship supervisor. Plus, as an intern, it’s perfectly okay for you to seek out approval and insight from your supervisor while you’re working — whereas when you’re a full-time employee, you’ll be expected to handle much more on your own without input from your boss.

Set goals. At the start of your internship, either sit down with your internship supervisor to jointly devise goals for you to meet over the duration of your internship or write up some goals on your own. Make sure your internship supervisor knows what you’re hoping to get out of the internship and ask them to help you achieve these goals. By doing this, your internship supervisor will get to know you better and you’ll come across as responsible, mature and hardworking. You’ll also have a clear and concise list of what you’re supposed to accomplish or experience over the duration of your internship — and when you do so, it’ll make it easier for you to describe what you gained from your internship on your resume to future employers.

Ask for feedback. You don’t need to wait until your exit interview or final sit-down meeting with your internship supervisor to ask for feedback. Throughout your internship, ask for feedback from your supervisor on what you’ve done well and what you could do better. Your internship supervisor will appreciate your wanting to do the best you can and your wanting to make them happy with your work and progress. If you’re having an issue, when your internship supervisor is giving you feedback, it may also be a good time to bring up a problem you’ve been encountering or slip in some feedback about what you’d like them to do to make your internship experience better and more productive.

Get a letter of recommendation. Before you leave your internship, think ahead and consider asking your internship supervisor for a letter of recommendation. Once you leave your internship, depending on your relationship with your internship supervisor, it may be awkward to reach out and ask for a recommendation. By asking at the end of your internship, your skills and work are fresh in your supervisor’s mind so they’re more likely to give you a longer and glowing letter of recommendation that you can then use in the future when needed. If you don’t yet need recommendation for anything specific, ask your supervisor to just write you a more general letter about your abilities and the internship you just completed.

Say thank you. Throughout your internship, you can thank your internship supervisor whenever possible and appropriate. But you’ll definitely want to give your internship supervisor a thank-you note when you’re leaving your internship, and possibly a gift, too. In your note, be sure to express your gratitude so your supervisor knows how appreciative you are to them and for the opportunity to work for the company — you want to leave on good terms and make a good, lasting impression.

Keep these tips in mind if you’re currently in the midst of an internship or going to be starting one this summer and you’ll definitely get the most out of both your internship and your internship supervisor.

Looking for a top internship in an exciting city? Enroll in Dream Careers and guarantee yourself an internship and a fun summer in your choice of 11 cities globally. To visit our website, please click here.

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