Your summer internship may end this month, but that doesn’t mean your job is done.
Treating an internship as a short-term job is a common mistake students make, says Lasse Palomaki, founder and CEO of The Strategic Student, a coaching and workshop company for college students.
“Too many interns log out on the last day, move on and say, ‘Well, I enjoyed the internship, but now it’s time to focus on what’s next.’ And that leaves most of that long-term return investment on the table,” he says.
The average intern conversion rate (meaning the number of interns hired into full-time positions) reached just over 63% for interns in 2025, an increase of nearly 13% from the previous year, according to the 2026 Internship & Co-op Survey released by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in April.
Palomaki says that even if you don’t get a return offer, maintaining relationships with mentors, co-workers and even interns will benefit you for the rest of your career.
Whether you’re wrapping up last week’s classes or already back on campus, here’s what interns should do to end their summer on a high note and land a full-time job in the future, Palomaki and other experts say.
ask for feedback
Internships are a valuable opportunity for students to work with experienced professionals in the field they are interested in entering. That’s why it’s important to proactively seek feedback from your boss, says Jessica Roff, a career coach for college students and founder of the coaching company Career Beginnings.
Before the internship ends, “ask what went well, where you can grow,” and “if there are any skills you’d recommend continuing to develop,” she says.
The conversation shouldn’t end there. Roff recommends sending a brief update every few months about how you applied the advice to your former manager.
“You can say, ‘Oh, I took you up on it (feedback) and learned this skill, or I took this course, or I enrolled in this type of class in college this fall,'” she says.
Sharing these updates will establish you as a coachable person who wants to improve. Palomaki says this is a quality managers look for in potential employees.
Post about your experience on LinkedIn
Ideally, Roff says, you should keep track of your accomplishments throughout the summer. If not, now is the perfect time to write it down.
She recommends writing a reflection post about your internship experience, including major projects you worked on, milestones you reached, and skills you gained, and share it on LinkedIn.
You should also thank people who helped you, such as your boss or recruiter, and tag them in your posts, Roff says.
This is a great way to keep your accomplishments top of mind with your colleagues. Plus, it shows other potential employers who see your LinkedIn profile that “you’re invested in your professional development,” she says.
please say “thank you”
Roff says that while it should be a natural step to thank your colleagues at the end of an internship, you’d be surprised how many people ignore it.
At a minimum, Roffe says interns should send a short and sincere thank you message to their team via Slack or email. If you have time, leaving a handwritten thank you note would be a great idea. “Little things like that mean a lot to people,” she says.
Specificity is also important. In Palomaki’s opinion, common sentiments like “thank you for everything” are “good, but not very memorable.”
If you really want to stand out, he recommends sending more customized thank-you notes to the people who had the most impact on your internship experience.
For example, you can say something like: “Thank you for guiding me through the proposal process during week two. It has made a huge difference in how I write future proposals, and I am sure it will benefit me for years to come,” says Palomaki.
Please express your interest in returning
As the saying goes, a closed mouth doesn’t feed, so if you’re interested in returning for a second summer or in a permanent role, Palomaki says it’s important to let your boss know.
He recommends saying something like, “I had a great time this summer. If you have any further internship opportunities or full-time positions I could apply for, I’d love to hear from you.”
Even if your company doesn’t currently have any open positions, “there may be others in your network who can connect you,” Roff says.
“People want to bring in new talent, so if you make a good impression, they want to keep helping you,” she continues.
keep in touch
Lisamone Jefferson, a New York City-based employee experience manager, says many interns make the mistake of only reaching out to former colleagues when they need an introduction or introduction. To build lasting professional relationships, she recommends finding a balance between “reacting, reaching out, and requesting.”
Reacting might mean sending a simple message of congratulations when a colleague wins an industry award, says Jefferson. The contact doesn’t have to be work-related. You can also email your manager and let them know you read the book they recommended.
According to Jefferson, your co-workers and bosses are more likely to respond to requests for introductions, introductions, and introductions if you stay in touch.
Palomaki says connecting on LinkedIn is also an easy way to stay in touch with former colleagues. “When they post content, leave a thoughtful comment or like. If they get a promotion, send them a quick congratulations,” he says. “It’s a really easy way to maintain relationships.”
Above all, “don’t be shy,” Roff says. Some interns are reluctant to contact former colleagues for fear of inconvenience, but most want to help young talent.
After all, she says, “your shoes once had them.”
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