How to maximize your internship
By Katie McCarville, Associate Director – Undergraduate Career Services, Heavener School of Business
Now that the semester has finally come to a close, you can hopefully take a much need break and binge all the things you’ve been saving on Netflix. Although it is the summer, don’t forget to keep some of these tips in mind in order to capitalize on your summer internship experience.
1. Never eat lunch alone…network, network, network!
You have access to your entire organization’s directory of contacts that can provide a wealth of information and insight regarding future career path interests and more! Take advantage of this and send coffee meeting requests to those you can meet face to face or go the virtual route. Always make sure to send a follow-up thank you or update letting them know your conversation helped you in any way. You may be familiar with the Glen Gary Glen Ross quote of “always be closing,” but in the Business Gator world you should “always be informational interviewing.” The goal with these informational conversations is to gain usable information and build relationships that plant seeds for future opportunities.
2. Remember to track your accomplishments and ask for letters of recommendation.
Challenge yourself to go past the job description bullet points that lack quantifiable data or personal achievements and document your direct contributions to your team. It is so much easier to do this while you are actually in the thick of your work and you can always ask your supervisor or fellow interns for their advice. Also, never leave an internship without asking for a letter of recommendation on company letter head from anyone that can provide a meaningful account of the great work you’ve done. This can be anyone from your direct supervisor, impactful individuals you’ve networked with, and anyone else in between.
3. Don’t forget to input your internship and future job offer information into HIREWarrington!
You can help UF climb to the top of the rankings by making sure to input all your internship information into your personal account!
In the Fall of 2018, Business Career Services rolled out a brand new job system powered by 12Twenty called HIREWarrington. Here you are able to utilize a wealth of knowledge that includes salary data, interview insights and exclusive job opportunities from universities all over the country like Dartmouth, UCLA, Darden School of Business and Carnegie Mellon, as well as, invite-only events for Business Gators. Please take a moment to help your fellow Business Gators gain a competitive edge in the future by dropping some knowledge nuggets that you wish you’d have known while going through the interview process with your current organization.
4. You like my job? Cool. Thanks. Just got it!
Did you receive a full-time job offer while in or just after your summer internship? Stay calm and call your Business Career Services Coach!
Did you know that as a Business Gator you have the exclusive opportunity of working with dedicated Business Career Service Coaches who have over 80 years of combined experience within Fortune 500 companies, recruiting, and more? This means that we’ve been on both sides of the hiring table and can leverage this knowledge to help you understand the sometimes confusing and complicated world of all things job offer related. Take advantage!
- Undergraduate Business Career Coach for all freshman and sophomores: make an appointment.
- Undergraduate Business Career Coach for all juniors and seniors – last names beginning with the letters A-G: make an appointment.
- Undergraduate Business Career Coach for all juniors and seniors – last names beginning with the letters H-O: make an appointment.
- Undergraduate Business Career Coach for all juniors and seniors – last names beginning with the letters P-Z: make an appointment.
5. Don’t Forget the Warrington College of Business Hiring Policies and Offer Guidelines!
When employers extend written full-time or internship offers during fall recruiting prior to December 1st or summer internship written offers prior to November 15th, the Warrington College of Business asks that they allow until December 1st or give at least two weeks for students to respond, whichever is later.
- Example: A student receives a written offer on September 25th. That offer must remain open until December 1st.
- Example: A student receives a written offer on November 25th. That offer must remain open until December 9th, which is two weeks from the date the written offer was received.
