Summer internships may be wrapping up this month, but that doesn’t mean the work is over.<\/p>\n
Treating your internship as a short-term gig is a common mistake students make, according to Lasse Palomaki, founder and CEO of The Strategic Student, a coaching and workshop company for college students.<\/p>\n
“Too many interns log off on their last day and kind of just move on and say, ‘Okay, I had a great time at that internship, but now it’s time to focus on what happens next.’ And that does leave a big portion of that long-term return investment on the table,” he says.<\/p>\n
The average intern conversion rate \u2014 meaning the number of interns hired into full-time roles \u2014 reached just over 63% for 2025 interns, nearly a 13% increase from the year before, according to the 2026 Internship & Co-op Survey<\/a>, which was published in April by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.<\/p>\n Even if you don’t land a return offer<\/a>, maintaining your relationships with mentors and colleagues, as well as with your fellow interns, will pay dividends for the rest of your career, according to Palomaki. <\/p>\n According to Palomaki and other experts, here’s what interns should do to end the summer on a high note, whether they’re finishing up their last week or already back on campus, and to position themselves for full-time jobs in the future. <\/p>\n Ask for feedback<\/p>\n Internships provide a rare opportunity for students to work with experienced pros in the field they’re hoping to enter. That’s why it’s important to be proactive about soliciting feedback<\/a> from your supervisor, says Jessica Roffe, a career coach for college students and the founder of coaching company Career Beginnings.<\/p>\n Before the end of your internship, “ask them what you’ve done well, where you can grow” and “any skills<\/a> that they would recommend you continue to develop,” she says.<\/p>\n The conversation shouldn’t end there. Every few months, Roffe recommends sending a quick update to your former manager about how you’ve applied their advice<\/a>. <\/p>\n “You could say, ‘Oh, I took you up on that [feedback] and learned this skill, or I took this course, or I enrolled in this kind of class at my university this fall,'” she says. <\/p>\n Sharing those updates will establish you as “a coachable person who wants to improve” \u2013 which are qualities that any manager looks for in a potential employee, Palomaki says.<\/p>\n Post about your experience on LinkedIn<\/p>\n Ideally, Roffe says, you’ve been keeping track of your accomplishments<\/a> throughout the summer. And if not, now is a great time to jot them down.<\/p>\n She recommends writing a reflection post about your internship experience \u2014 including major projects you worked on, milestones you’ve reached and skills you’ve gained \u2014 and sharing it on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n You should also take the opportunity to thank anyone who helped you along the way, such as your supervisor or hiring manager, and tag them in the post, Roffe says. <\/p>\n It’s a great way to keep your achievements top-of-mind for your colleagues. Plus, it’ll demonstrate to other potential employers who come across your LinkedIn profile<\/a> “that you’re invested in your professional development,” she says.<\/p>\n Say ‘thank you’<\/p>\n Thanking your colleagues at the end of your internship should be an obvious step, Roffe says, but you’d be surprised how many people skip it<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the very least, interns should send a short, sincere thank you message to their team via Slack or email, Roffe says. If you have time, leaving handwritten thank you notes<\/a> is always a nice touch. “Little things like that mean a lot to people,” she says. <\/p>\n Specificity is important, too. In Palomaki’s opinion, a generic sentiment like ‘Thanks for everything’ is “fine, but not very memorable,” he says. <\/p>\n If you really want to stand out, he recommends sending a more tailored thank you note to the people who made the biggest impact on your internship experience.<\/p>\n For example, you could say something like, “Thank you for walking me through that proposal process in week two. It really changed how I drafted them moving forward, and I know it’s going to benefit me for years to come,” Palomaki says.<\/p>\n Voice your interest in returning <\/p>\n Closed mouths don’t get fed, as the saying goes, so if you’re interested in returning for a second summer \u2014 or for a permanent role<\/a> \u2014 it’s crucial to communicate that to your supervisor, Palomaki says. <\/p>\n He recommends saying something like, “I had a fantastic time this summer. I’d love to be kept in the loop if there are more internship opportunities down the line, or if there are any full-time roles I can apply to.”<\/p>\n Even if the company doesn’t have any open roles right now, “there might be somebody else in their network they could connect you to,” Roffe says.<\/p>\n “People want to bring in new talent,” she continues, “so if you made a good impression, they want to continue to help you.”<\/p>\n Stay in touch<\/p>\n Many interns make the mistake of only contacting their former colleagues when they need a reference or referral, says Lisa-Monet Jefferson, an employee experience manager based in New York City. To build a lasting professional relationship, she recommends finding a balance between “reacting, reaching out and requests.” <\/p>\n Reacting could mean sending a a quick congratulatory message when a coworker wins an industry award, Jefferson says. Reaching out<\/a> doesn’t have to be work-related: You could email your manager to let them know that you read a book they recommended.<\/p>\n Your colleague or manager is more likely to respond positively to a request<\/a> \u2014 such as asking for a reference, an introduction or a referral \u2014 if you’ve consistently stayed in touch, Jefferson says.<\/p>\n