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Topic: How do you approach the subject of job after summer internship?
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| Author | Message |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/20/2005 1:29:24 PM | show profile I am interning this summer at a great company. This would be my dream job. I have all the qualifications to work full time after I graduate in May 2006, but I don't know how to approach my boss or other dept. heads to actually ask about my chances to be hired at this position or any other openings in this company. I would love to put my mind at ease about a job after graduation but I don't want to overstep my bounds. I'm leaving in 3 weeks, should I contact my bosses asap or should I wait until right before I leave, w/a letter, a thank you and a ''what are my chances'' etc. speech? |
| penprincess | Posted – 7/20/2005 2:50:06 PM | show profile Do it now! Do it now -- don't wait until right before you leave. I'm an internship supervisor, and I think it's perfectly acceptable for an intern to ask me about future job opportuntiies. I would e-mail your boss, saying something like, ''I've truly enjoyed the TK months I've spent interning here. I'm now sure that this career path is the one for me, and I would love the opportunity to meet with you to discuss future employment opportunities.'' Chances are, your boss won't know what positions might be available in May 2006, but this ensures that they'll keep you in mind. I recently had an intern do just this, and we had a meeting about how she can stay involved with the magazine (she doesn't graduate for two years). Thanks to her go-get-'em attitude, I spoke with our editor-in-chief about future possibilities for her at the magazine, and now she'll be considered for future possibilities, and may be able to keep up a relationship with us by doing freelance writing/fact-checking or coming back for an internship next summer. Good luck! |
| postcard | Posted – 7/20/2005 3:59:23 PM | show profile Well, first off, the chances of you putting your mind at ease about a job is slim, especially if we're talking publishing here--they can't really guarantee you a job, since they probably have no idea if they'll need someone in May 2006. That is so far away when it comes to publishing staffing. But it is really important to talk about this stuff with your supervisor. First, this is your dream job? Tell them that. Be clear. And ask them to sit down with you and talk about your performance during the internship, and the possibilities for getting a job someday--both at that particular company and in the industry in general. Ask what kinds of jobs might be available, and how to go about finding out about them and pursuing them. These are totally appropriate subjects to talk about as part of your internship--in fact, why have the internship if you don't learn about your skills, your performance, and your career possibilities? Ask them now, to set this up when they think it's appropriate and at their convenience. That way, it's up to them whether it makes more sense to do it now or your last week, or anytime in between. And if you can, try to get a school year internship for the coming year. It'll look so much better to employers if you've continued working/learning in the field since your summer internship. |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/20/2005 6:39:48 PM | show profile Thanks for all the great advice Thank you for your help. The advice sounds perfect and I will use it on Monday morning of next week. I even may borrow a few of those exact words. I will post my results. It was exactly what I thought I should do only I started to second guess myself. I always say trust your instincts but it never hurts to get some solid advice. Thanks |
| leftcoaster | Posted – 7/20/2005 9:03:32 PM | show profile Also, don't be afraid to ask your manager what weaknesses you may have (we all have some) that you can work on between now and graduation to increase your value to this and other potential employers. |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/21/2005 5:34:06 PM | show profile Thanks Great advice. The only way to improve is to know what you did wrong. |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/22/2005 1:12:33 PM | show profile Just had a thought... This might be totally inapproriate but that's what I have you guys for. When I was first hired as an intern [only one in the dept.] the boss and asst. took me to lunch as a get to know you sort of thing. Would it be bad to ask them to a goodbye/ remember me / thank you lunch at their convenience? Should I at that time also talk about job possibilties? If I send them both the e-mails on Monday August 1 as planned, about the possibility of a job after college they might take my invitation the wrong way? Help! Thanks |
| penprincess | Posted – 7/22/2005 1:22:43 PM | show profile I wouldn't do this. I personally think this would be weird. I'm an intern supervisor, and I would feel a little weird about being invited to a farewell lunch by my intern. Since we don't pay our interns, I'd feel obligated to pay or ask my editor-in-chief if I could expense this lunch. (By the way, I take our interns -- well, the good ones, anyway -- out to a farewell lunch anyway, but it would be awkward if they initiated it.) I'd just set up a meeting, if I were you. |
| penprincess | Posted – 7/22/2005 1:22:44 PM | show profile I wouldn't do this. I personally think this would be weird. I'm an intern supervisor, and I would feel a little weird about being invited to a farewell lunch by my intern. Since we don't pay our interns, I'd feel obligated to pay or ask my editor-in-chief if I could expense this lunch. (By the way, I take our interns -- well, the good ones, anyway -- out to a farewell lunch anyway, but it would be awkward if they initiated it.) I'd just set up a meeting, if I were you. |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/22/2005 9:25:14 PM | show profile Thanks Thanks for your advice. I can see it better when you put it that way. Ok I am set now. Monday morning. Let you know when I hear. Thanks |
| csg580 | Posted – 7/24/2005 3:31:47 PM | show profile One more question... Shall I approach my immediate dept. head first, by e-mail, and tell him I am also sending his boss,the CEO,[the person who actually offered me an intern position] a similar request for a job and feedback? Or the other way around? My immediate boss would be the best judge of my internship as far as progress. Maybe in turn if he is notified first he can have a heads up if the CEO has any questions. Also, there is someone in between that I don't directly deal with, should I send a copy of the e-mail to him as a courtesy? Thanks |
| Snowball | Posted – 7/24/2005 6:54:40 PM | show profile I honestly don't know what the proper thing to do is, but I would just talk to my supervisor first. I would think that your supervisor and the person in charge of hiring would discuss the issue anyway and it may look better to have your supervisor bring up the idea first. Either way, good luck! |
| penprincess | Posted – 7/24/2005 8:46:46 PM | show profile I second Snowball's advice. Just set up the meeting with your supervisor. Chances are, the editor-in-chief is too busy to meet with the two of you to talk about your future opportunities, but if you have made a good impression on your supervisor, she/he will likely broach the subject to the EIC. Good luck! |
| csg580 | Posted – 8/12/2005 12:40:12 PM | show profile How do you approach the subject of job after internship? Just an update as to what has happened ... 1.Handed HR resume and cover letter,got her card and told her I will be in touch. She mentioned something about talking to my bosses. 2 Had a nice talk with the boss that hired me and told him my intentions. We will keep in touch. 3.Was taken out to lunch with office staff to ''very nice'' place. 4. Cross my fingers and finish college Thanks for all the help! |
| Marie | Posted – 8/12/2005 1:06:09 PM | show profile Good. And be sure to stay in touch with your boss, and others in the dept. too, throughtout the school year. Let him or her know what you're doing professionally (another internship, for example, what you're learning if it's relevant to their concerns), send copies of good articles you publish in the school paper, or any other articles you come across that touch on supervisor's or publication's interests (you don't need to send this stuff to HR, just your boss; and only send stuff he or she is not likely to come across). Don't bombard them (that would be a mistake); just send updates that you put a lot of thought into that remind them of your existence from time to time. You can send thoughtful, tasteful holiday cards too (this is an instance when I think handwritten cards are appropriate; if you're home for Christmas holidays--I'm assuming this internship was near your home town and that you go to school elsewhere--maybe call people in the dept and arrange to drop by or arrange to meet for lunch--that wouldn't be awkward, as it's different from the lunch scenario you described above). I would would get in touch with them about employment again around March or April, emphasizing what everyone has said above. Good luck with your last year of college. It's kind of exciting, no? |
| leftcoaster | Posted – 8/12/2005 1:06:53 PM | show profile Hi CSG. Sounds like you did everything right. By the way, just in case you haven't done this, you might also want to send both your supervisor and your EIC a thank you card telling them how much you enjoyed the experience. Also, while you're back in school, if you see an interesting study or article that you think would be of use to somebody at the publication, send it to them with a quick ''thought you might be interested in this'' sticky note on it. I'm not suggesting doing this every week or anything, but a couple of times during the year will keep your name in front of them as somebody who is thinking about their needs. Best of luck in your final school year! |
| clare04 | Posted – 8/13/2005 11:04:03 AM | show profile they know you like them They take you to lunch or a drink to check you out toward end of internship if they are interested and if they want to hire you, they will. It's unfortunately real cut and dried. (When I was an intern some eons ago, I completely blew the drink part with the editor and her friend, a well-known reporter.) My other internship that year went well, by comparison, and resulted in a lasting working relationship. That one was a lunch with three people, or something, and you know, I was already better at it. Eventually, a journalism career means you can sit down with anyone over lunch. |
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