Approaching the finish line as an intern

Hey there. So how’s it been going? You’re getting to the end of your program. Before we get into the final stretch, here are some questions for you.

Has the program matched your expectations? What have you learnt? What’s surprised you? What’s been disappointing? What have you achieved? And most importantly… would you want to do this for longer? Is this the career for you?

Hopefully you can answer some of these questions easily. But as you move into your last couple of weeks what is there left to do?

Continue To Build Your Network

One of the main benefits of the program is making connections with the people that you’ve met. Make sure that you’ve recorded these somewhere. Even better, jump on Linkedin and request to connect with them. You never know when you might need their help in future.

With a couple of weeks left, is there anything that you’d wished you asked but haven’t yet? Anyone you’d like to grab some more time with? A brief in the business that you’d like to contribute to? It’s an oldie, but a goodie...but, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get!” This is your last chance to make sure you got the most out of the opportunity.

Prepare A Presentation

As part of the program, you may have been asked to prepare something to present to your team or even the whole company in your final week. Even if not, why not ask to do so. It’s a great opportunity to get your thoughts in order, practise your presentation skills (you’ll do hundreds, perhaps thousands over the years) and make a final impression on people in the business. If there’s the possibility of a full-time position then this might also be your final interview.

As you build your presentation think of the story you want to tell. Be authentic and genuine, but don’t just tell a play to play of everything you did for the last few months. It’s likely that everyone knows that story as they were there with you.

Like any good presentation, think about the story that your audience would be interested in hearing. What did you learn? How have your opinions changed? What specifically helped you to draw these conclusions? What would you like to do if you had more time? This is your final audition for being seen as part of their team. Maybe not for a final role, but the impression your making will last years and in such a small knit community, referrals and recommendations go a long way.

Well Done, You've Completed The Program! Reflect On The Experience With Your Employer

Finally… enjoy. Hopefully, you’ve had a great experience, made some good friends and future contacts and your passion for our industry is bigger than ever. Make sure your employer knows that. You could present them with a card, a book or something to remember the experience by.