Congratulations to those college students who have landed internships in this tough economy. These students wrote resumes, worked with their college career centers, submitted many applications, excelled in the job interview and landed their internships in a competitive market. Some students believe that now they have landed the internship, the hard part is over. Not so. Keep in mind that more and more employers use the internship as a way to evaluate potential new employees. The 2012 Internship and Co-op Report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) confirms that. The report shows that the conversion rate for companies who turn interns into employees is at a record high level of 58.9%.
If the student is doing an internship with a company they really like, they should see the internship as a really long job interview which could result in a new career. With that in mind, TheHBCUCareerCenter created this list of 10 “BE’s” for students doing internships.
Do these things, and you might end your internship with more than a paycheck, academic credit or letters of recommendation. Not that any of those things are bad, by the way. Do these things and you are well on your way to becoming the new professional you aspire to be, that employers want to have around. You could end your internship with a full time job offer when you graduate.
1 | Be willing to go above and beyond to complete assignments |
2 | Be mindful of the culture of the workplace |
3 | Be aware of deadlines and outcomes |
4 | Be open to learning new things |
5 | Be a team player |
6 | Be quick to volunteer |
7 | Be unwavering about doing good work |
8 | Be sure to make connections and network |
9 | Be gracious about doing less than glamorous work |
10 | Be a good representative for your college or university. The future relationship between this employer and your university will depend a lot on your behavior during the internship. |
Marcia Robinson is a publisher and writer for TheHBCUCareerCenter.com. She helps HBCU students, alumni, staff and the communities they serve with their professional and career development.
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Number 10 is great and often overlooked point. Even if a students wants to excel for purely selfish reasons, he/she can make the institution look good.