How to end your internship the right way

The school year is almost here, which means it’s the end of intern season. Most students will abandon the 9-to-5 lifestyle and return to college.

Leaving an internship on a good note is crucial if you want to use your manager as a reference or return to the company after graduation.

Use these tips to leave a great impression:

1. Get feedback.

Many managers and companies require an off-boarding or exit interview to discuss how the internship went. If your manager doesn’t give you feedback, take initiative and ask.

Being evaluated can be nerve-racking—no one likes to hear negative things about the work they did—but be open-minded about constructive criticism. Feedback or constructive criticism can help you improve in your next job or internship; internships are for learning from mistakes. If you worked hard all summer, there will likely be more talk of what you did well than what you did not.

2. Stay connected.

Networking is another goal of an internship. Don’t waste all the contacts you made! Gather business cards or connect with co-workers on LinkedIn. You never know when you may need a connection to give you a reference or help in returning to the same company.