Ending your Summer Internship with a Sizzle

It seemed the start of summer was only yesterday and in the blink of an eye, its already August and summer is winding down quickly. With the end of summer comes the end of summer internships and Amanda Elliot of Come Recommended has you covered with great ways to leave a lasting mark:


1. Ask for a letter of recommendation. You should always have 2-3 letters of recommendation on hand for a job. While all jobs are different, your attributions to a company are best referenced when they are fresh in your recommender’s mind.

• Informally: Two to three weeks prior to your last day, you should approach your boss and ask him to write a letter on your behalf.

• Formally: After discussing it with him, write him a formal letter detailing your tasks and assignments and include your resume. Write down the date the letter is due and for what purpose the letter will have in the future (i.e. grad school, future job)

2. Ask for an evaluation. Even if it is not required, it is important to know how your boss feels about your performance. He could offer you tips on job functions and clue you into skills or a job that would better cater to your qualifications. While you should not disregard your boss’ advice, you should also not rely solely on one person’s opinion.

3. Write a thank you. Uncap your pen and thank your boss for the experience he gave you during the summer. If you had a mentor, thank him as well.

4. Keep in touch. Make sure you have a business card from everyone and hand out a few of your own so that the contacts you made all summer will not run dry. If you haven’t done so yet, connect with them on LinkedIn.

5. Put together a portfolio. Throughout your internship, you have been working on projects. If you didn’t save a copy of the things you were working on along the way, save documents to a flash drive to add to your portfolio. Once you leave the office, your business email vanishes as well. Hard copies are also nice especially since you already have the correct paper weight and color printer.

6. Look for opportunities for future employment. Some people spend their summer in a different state to complete an internship. Ask your boss if you could transfer to a position in the state where you go to college. Also, let them know your future plans after you graduate or next summer, or even during Christmas break. You always want to leave the door open to further the relationship you have established with the company.

7. Make things easier for your replacement. If you are the first intern your company has had, you can be a vital resource for the next intern. Put together any tips, instructions, and passwords you have in a booklet. Your boss will thank you because it will be easier for the next intern to reference what they need to do without your boss having to repeat it.


All of these are great ways to leave a lasting impression with your supervisor, and in the PR industry its important to build your network by maintaining these relationships. You never know when an internship could lead to a job opportunity and its always best to put the extra effort in to making your last impression count just as much as your first.

What other pieces of advice would you recommend for ways to end your summer internship with a sizzle? Let us know!