3 Little Things You Can Do To Set Yourself Apart As The #1 Intern In Your Class This Summer
Your and your intern class will blend together for your new co-workers like identical twins.
These tactics: 1) Handwritten Thank-You Notes, 2) Remembering Names of Their Kids, and 3) Becoming the Organizer / Group Chat Leader, will help you stick out from the rest of the crowd.
I used these tips during my investment banking internship last summer to help secure the return.
1 ) Hand Written Thank You Notes
For adults, getting a hand-written thank-you is kind of like getting a personalized valentine’s day candy gram from your crush in 3rd grade.
Week 10 / 11 of the internship:
- Ran to Walgreens. Bought TY card pack for 15 closest co-workers
- Wrote short paragraphs - favorite memories & thanking for mentorship, career guidance
Leaves great taste in their mouth before they make return-offer decision next week.
Most kids write emails - this is going extra mile.
2 ) Remember Names of Your Co-Workers’ Kids
Your goal is to be the intern that says “How was SUSIE’S soccer game Saturday?” when you run into your boss in the break room. Not - “How was…youuur uhhhh daughter….’s game…?
You’ll setup 1 on 1 coffee chats with ~3 people/week to learn from their unique insight & career path wisdom. I logged each chat in a spreadsheet with 5 columns:
- Name, Date of Chat, Background Details (e.g. HS State Tennis Champ), Names to Remember (wife, kids, co-workers they work with a ton), and “YES/NO: Thank You Email Sent Yet?”
Slip something in next time you pass them in the hall.
Humans like to feel listened to & appreciate when others genuinely care.
3 ) Be the Organizer / Group Chat Leader
Be the dude/chick that’s blowing up the group chat everyday wanting to hang with intern buddies.
You can be the one that collects phone #’s and starts the group chat. Make dinner reservations on the weekends, suggest a bar to head to for afties…
Companies want culture carriers, so rally the troops!
Point Is - Show you care more than anyone else by getting the details right & taking initiative.
Awesome. Thank you
For sure. Is there anything else you think could be helpful to write about?
Don't forget to tip your MD too
Another absolute hit of a post.
LFG
Haha appreciate it my man. More to come along this line
These suck ngl
Good work product and attitude above everything by all means
• Thank You Cards/Notes -- Often overlooked, but good idea. Send afterwards to key seniors who had a role in mentoring, etc. It helps them to remember you, and it might help you later in recruiting.
• Soccer Suzy -- Not a bad idea, but make sure it doesn't get weird. Don't be too interested in his daughter/kids, because then he might get curious of your interest, and he might think it's weird, unless it came up organically, or if there is some connection -- for example, if Suzy or Johnny attend the same prep school you attended, then it gives you a connection to have interest, rather than just asking random questions, which some might take as weird. The topic should come up initially in some organic way, to have later interest.
Also, depending on Suzy's age (e.g. high school/college), he might assume the wrong thing, which could play out horribly, and should be avoided.
Overall, not bad suggestions.
Del
First and foremost, it’s work quality and not being annoying.
Your associate will most likely have the biggest influence on a RO as they would be most familiar with your work quality.
Hand-written notes are fine, especially if it’s more of an old-school shop.
Asking about the kids has to be tasteful - don’t be creepy.
Intern organizer doesn’t really matter - just go to the social events by analysts and generally chill.
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