Make The Most Of A Mid-Internship Review

Hey Edsters,

Last week, all of the interns at the magazine had a mid-internship review. I was a little bit nervous because I've never had a review before, so I didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a very helpful (and positive, thankfully) experience. I would definitely recommend asking for a review if you haven't had one already. You'll want to make the most of the uninterrupted one-on-one time with your supervisor, which can be hard to come by in this industry. Here are a few ways to get the most from your review.

1. Don't be defensive

Even the best reviews will come with some constructive criticism. This isn't the time to defend yourself. If they're taking the time to gather some constructive criticism tailored specifically to you, chances are it's something you need to hear. Be sure to write everything down and ask a question or two to show that you're interested in improving.

2. Tell them what you'd like to work on

My supervisor asked if there was any specific subject area I wanted to help with during my last few weeks at the magazine. When I told her what I wanted to work on, she said she didn't realize I was even interested in that and that she would talk with a couple of reporters and see if they needed any help. There are still so many members of the staff that I haven't had the chance to work with yet, so this should be a good opportunity to meet more people.

3. Ask about their intern experience

When my supervisor finished the bit of constructive criticism mentioned above, she told me how she worked through a similar issue when she first joined the magazine. She gave me some really great advice, and it was also helpful to realize that she had gone through something similar.

4. Talk about the future

I obviously wouldn't recommend this if you've had a less than stellar review, but I used a little bit of the rare one-on-one time to talk about my future at the magazine. That doesn't mean this is the time to demand a position because you've been such a great intern, but it never hurts to establish the idea that this is a magazine you might like to return to one day. We talked about scheduling a few informationals within the magazine (something I hadn't thought of) and about how much more experience I would need before i could be considered for a full time position. This turned out to be one of the most helpful parts of the review.

What are your tips for making the most of your mid-internship review? Let me know in the comments!

See you next time,

Edit intern