How To Guide: Using That Internship To Secure A Full-Time Job

In a city as competitive as New York, internships can be just what you need to open the door leading to full-time employment.

Jordan with some Outpost Club Members

However, while experience and an introduction to the industry you're thinking of pursuing are pretty much guaranteed with internships, employment is not.

So what does it take to change this?

Outpost Club’s former member, filmmaker Jordan Key, is here to share some tips.

1. Be Friendly

“People are more inclined to hire someone they like.”

You want to be as friendly as possible, to send out a vibe that will get others to like you. Because sometimes it's not just about whether you're good at something, but also if your prospective employer likes you.

You need to get to know the other interns too, because they also have connections. And if you build a friendship with them, you will end up helping each other out.

2.  Let Your Interest Be Known

“Not all companies want to hire their interns full-time, but if they know you're looking, they will want to help you out.”

When you're interning, you have to let your immediate bosses know you're interested and that you're also looking for a full-time job. This will lead to a more natural conversation between you and your bosses.

My first internship didn't lead to a job with that particular company, but my then boss recommended me to be a stand-in for a cooking show. One of the people I met there then got me on a CBS show - Elementary. That's what got me on other shows, and work on other legitimate film sets.

3. Show Eagerness to Learn

"You want them to know you're interested in all aspects of the internship, because you don't know what's going to lead to that immediate job."

I hated editing before I did my internship. I still hate it. But my then bosses offered to let me sit in on an editing session and I was like, "Yes, please let me."

This also shows you're a go-getter.

Jordan getting the chance to meet Dev Patel!

4. Network, network, network

“You don't want to be that person who just wants a job. You want to show more about yourself, that you're also interested in them as a person.”

Always go to the social events organized by the company you're interning in. So if they are going to a bar, you go to that bar. Whatever they're doing, you join them because you want to get to know them more.

On top of that, always ask your immediate bosses or other interns if they know about any networking event.

For example, on the first day of my internship, one of my co-workers threw a networking party and invited us all. That's the nice thing about being an intern - you're in the office, you're already in that environment. So make full use of it.

5. Look Out for The Right Networking Platforms

“From my experience as a filmmaker, Facebook has proven to be very effective in any of the art-related fields.”

Join different Facebook groups where there is always someone throwing a networking event.

The other nice thing about Facebook is that you can be professional even when asking about a job. And since you're Facebook friends with them (possible contacts), you get to see their personalities, what they're interested in, and start developing a relationship with them, so they don't feel like they're being used. 

Outpost Club, being a co-living space with members from various professional backgrounds, also offers a great networking opportunity. Jordan, for example, had stayed at our Flatbush House while completing his internship in the film industry. But he wasn't the only one. We also have, among many others, Yasir Afzal - a former advertising intern; Simon Bogdanov – an expert at making it in the start-up industry; and professional musician Ammon Swinbank.

So check out what we have to offer to make your internship experience fun and most importantly, successful.

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