Career Prep 2009 Summer Blog

Justin White of Harvard writes that it is important to ask for feedback throughout your internship. Doing "fine" or "well" on an assignment is not sufficient for getting a full time offer. You must exceed expectations. That said, it is important that you ask for feedback not only from your assigned supervisor, but from anyone that you worked with or on behalf of during your internship. Josephine Martinez of Lemoyne College further explains that the best way to get feedback is to directly ask your supervisor for feedback on your projects immediately once s/he has taken a look at it. “I like to get feedback relatively quickly and not wait until a formal evaluation.” This will enable me to pursue continuous improvement by constantly improving the skills that I am learning while on the job.

Tyeshia Smith of University of Buffalo also suggests that you should consult with someone on your Board and ask them if what you are asking for feedback on is appropriate and well thought out. When receiving feedback make sure you understand it clearly and can decipher what others expect from you in response to the feedback. Camilla Williams of University of Pennsylvania concludes that you should ask, politely, if there is any feedback that would bring light as to what you can do to improve your chances in your next interview/next internship. If you do receive feedback, make sure to take the time to listen carefully, and be open to constructive criticism. Try not to get defensive and argumentative.