How To Turn Your Internship Into A Real Job

In Nigeria, it is quite hard to find fresh graduates who are willing to intern. Much harder to find, are those who have been out of school for a while, seeking gainful employment. This is because a lot of us see internships as a waste of time, especially since we might be required to work so much and yet earn very little or no pay. Plus, there is that name ‘intern’. From experience however, I have found that an internship is a great opportunity to get yourself into any organization, full time. Since you are already past the door, you have a huge advantage over someone who is outside it. Whether or not you get the job after {or in some cases, even before} your internship ends is totally up to you - the kind of attitude you portray at work, your approach to work, your value to the organization and the results you earn. All of these is what the organization (which is screening you, by the way) will see and in turn, decide to retain you. (PS: If you are interested in an internship opportunity this year, you should visit Sesewa.) Now, if you are already in, then you should know that there is a 70% chance that your company will hire you. How? 1.Develop yourself: Your internship is a ground for you to learn. When I left school, I had zero knowledge about marketing communications. All I knew what that I wanted to explore the field, even though I had studied English at the University. I also knew that with no experience in my desired field, I was sort of u employable and the best thing I had to do was to learn. So, I started out reading books and blogs and eventually I got an internship. I was supposed to intern for just three months, in a department that was not related to marketing and communications, but while I was there, I took up some extra responsibilities, such as contributing content to the company’s blog, and helping out with copywriting. Note: I had no experience at all. In fact, when the HR personnel asked if I would be interested in writing copy, I didn’t know what it meant, but I took it and I started learning on the job. Fast forward to a few months later, my company branched out a new department - marketing & communications and guess who made it in? Me. So, while you are interning, keep developing yourself. Don’t be the same way you came in three months earlier. Take up new challenges, read more, take online courses and do whatever it would take you to grow. When your company begins to see these changes in you, they'd consider retaining you. 2.Develop Relationships: Another thing you should do as an intern is to develop a good relationship with your colleagues and employers. In my case, that was very easy because we weren’t so much, although I remember that the first day I resumed work, I didn’t speak with anyone. It was so bad that when lunch break came, I just sat there in my seat until closing time- hungry! Believe me, nobody told me the next day to talk to the person beside me and that was how a relationship started. If you are in a small or medium-scale company, developing a relationship with your colleagues and bosses should not be hard. If you are in a large scale company, you can start from those who are closest to you. Also, participate in other company events, like retreats, etc and social opportunities as they arise. 3.Develop a good approach to work: To turn your internship into a real job, another thing you should do have develop a good approach to work. This includes everything, including dressing and punctuality. For instance, I got an internship with a company in Ikeja, Lagos State but I lived in Ogun state. To meet up with the resumption time, I had to wake up really early and leave my house on time. Whenever I saw that I was going to be late, I made sure to call my boss or our HR personnel, if I had the means. Apart from punctuality, a good approach to work also involves less or no complaints or grudge against your work or whoever assigns it to you. Be open to new challenges. Take up responsibilities. Be proactive. Make wise use of your time. Deliver tasks on time. Take initiative. Look for ways to add immense value to the organization. Get results and be willing to help others out, even outside your field. 4.Develop a good attitude at work: Did you know that some employers actually hire people based on their attitudes and not even experience? Yes. Attitude is everything. If at work you are the nagging, always complaining, gossiping and always fighting with someone kind of person, chances are that your organization will not retain you. Your Employers would not want someone who oozes negative energy, so you don’t even infect the rest. Learn to be positive and mature. Learn to be reliable. Respect everyone and learn to motivate yourself and your other colleagues when they are down. A positive attitude is something your potential employer will remember. It will improve the quality of your work and even make your job more enjoyable. 5.Make the ask: You know how in Nigeria, we say “if the mountain doesn’t come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain?’ Yes. If you enjoyed your internship experience and want to work full-time for the company, let them know. It doesn’t hurt to walk up to your HR and tell him/her how beneficial the internship has been to you and how you’d like the opportunity to keep working with the company after the program is over. If you have developed 1-4 above, it will be easy for the HR personnel to consider your request, if the organization hadn’t been considering it before. I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any question regarding internships, job search, or anything career related, feel free to ask. I’ll reply. Also, if you already have a full time job but you started out as an intern, share your experiences. I’d love to hear how you did it.