2 Ways to Show Your Internship Supervisor You Appreciate Them

By Danielle Wirsansky on October 30, 2017

The point of going to college is to help you be able to land a job in the big, bad, real world once you graduate. And college is a lot of hard work. The experience generally transforms wayward teens into young adults who are able to care for themselves on their own.

As time progresses, however, simply attending college is not enough. The job market is very competitive in the current economy and simply having a college degree is no longer enough to help land you the job of your dreams. Now you need the experience to make yourself more valuable to employers, and often the best way to get this experience while in college is through internships.

According to a study conducted by Southwestern University, students who reported completing one internship while enrolled in school were 13 percent more likely to find full-time employment over those that did not. The study also showed that as students participated in more internships, their odds of receiving full-time employment increased.

Reportedly, students who also completed at least one internship testified to increased levels of happiness with their college experience (35.3 percent vs. 28.9 percent). The researchers think that these outcomes indicate that students who participate in internships acquire career contacts and experience within their industries that they would never have otherwise and that act as a springboard for future positions and that completing an internship allows the student to try out a job or industry before going out in the world and feeling stuck in a career they may or may not like.

While should you choose to do a college internship, you will indubitably get something out of it, you can always do something to make even more out of your experience. This is where your internship supervisor comes in. Your relationship with your supervisor is key. They are the ones who work with you on a day to day basis, your boss so to speak. You should definitely treat your internship advisor like a boss even if your position is only temporary. They are the ones that will make or break your experience. Will they give you the good jobs or the bad? Will they hire you as a real employee or let your internship flitter to an end? Will they write you a recommendation letter or not?

The best way to nurture your relationship with your internship advisor is to show how much you appreciate them, their time, and the opportunity that they have given you with this internship. Read on to learn some of the best ways to show your appreciation to an internship advisor while staying work appropriate!

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Be on time

A huge pet peeve of an internship advisor is when people do not show up on time. Of course, emergencies occur and those can be forgiven. But you should certainly not develop a reputation for running late. When you are late for your internship, it shows that you are unable to follow directions well and that you do not take the internship seriously.

You should be taking your internship as seriously as a job because it is what will help you to get a real job once you graduate from school. The experience you should be gaining will be invaluable to you as an adult in the workforce. And more than not respecting the internship, showing up late indicates that you do not respect your internship advisor.

By being tardy, you are disregarding their words, their request of you, and most importantly, their time. And this does not just mean showing up right at the time you were supposed to be there and then taking a few minutes to get situated in order to work. You need to be up and at ‘em, ready to go and begin working at the time you and your advisor have set.

It is not enough to simply show up at that time. Do your internship advisor the courtesy of being on time; it might seem like a little thing, but your advisor will appreciate it.

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Handwrite a note

If you are into a more hands-on and concrete way of showing that you appreciate your internship advisor, think about handwriting them a note towards the end of your time there. Picking up a card, signing it, and presenting it is one thing. But to really show that you appreciate your advisor, write them a heartfelt message.

Tell them how much you learned while working there and what you learned, and if you learned anything directly from them. Put it in words just how much you appreciated the opportunity to work not only in your field, but with that company, and specifically with that advisor. Be honest and kind and thankful. You do not need to go overboard and brown nose, but an advisor truly appreciates your thankfulness as well as being able to see that you have also gotten something out of the experience that is tangible and helpful.

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