Internship offer is on the fence - what do I do?
Interning at a consulting firm in London and made a few mistakes.
Context: 4 rotations of 2 weeks each for a total of 8 weeks. First 4 weeks went by amazing, no complaints and mid internship review was 10/10
Week 5 I started to feel a bit of a burnout and so wasn't on top of all my work. Asked for a last minute extension for 2 pieces of work and completely forgot a 3rd task which was not client facing and quite small.
How do I convey in my end of internship review that I hope the other bigger client facing pieces of work I have done should outweigh the 2/3 times I slightly messed up?
Would appreciate any thoughts.
To address your situation effectively, here's a game plan based on the most helpful WSO content:
Acknowledge Your Mistakes Professionally:
Take responsibility for the errors you made without over-explaining or making excuses. Acknowledge the burnout and the missed deadlines, but frame it as a learning experience. For example, you could say:
"I recognize that during Week 5, I fell short on a couple of deliverables due to not managing my workload as effectively as I could have. I’ve since reflected on this and implemented strategies to ensure it doesn’t happen again, such as better prioritization and proactive communication."
Highlight Your Strengths and Contributions:
Emphasize the strong performance during the first four weeks and the quality of your client-facing work. Use specific examples to demonstrate the value you added. For instance:
"I’m proud of the client-facing deliverables I contributed to, such as [specific project or task], which received positive feedback. I believe these contributions reflect my ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure."
Show Growth and Proactive Improvement:
Demonstrate that you’ve learned from your mistakes and taken steps to improve. For example:
"Since Week 5, I’ve been more diligent about tracking my tasks and deadlines, and I’ve made it a point to communicate proactively with my team to avoid any last-minute surprises."
Reinforce Your Commitment and Enthusiasm:
End on a positive note by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and the firm. For example:
"This internship has been an incredible learning experience, and I’m deeply committed to continuing to grow and contribute to the team. I hope my overall performance and dedication reflect my potential to excel in a full-time role."
Prepare for the Review:
Remember, firms value interns who can own up to their mistakes, learn from them, and bounce back stronger. By framing your narrative around growth and resilience, you can leave a positive impression despite the hiccups. Good luck!
Sources: An Honest reflection from my first Summer Analyst role: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (mainly bad and ugly), An Honest reflection from my first Summer Analyst role: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (mainly bad and ugly), How to recover from early mistakes in my SA?, Advice for London 2022 Applications Cycle - A Couple of Observations, Q&A: 5 Things you can do to help convert your internship to an offer in Consulting
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