Why Interns Should Always Ask for Feedback

Internships are temporary learning opportunities and rarely include structured performance appraisals. Self-directed feedback builds relationships, communication, and career growth.

Though performance management is a staple organizational process across every job level, reviews are not conducted more than a few times a year. These appraisals can be stressful and time-consuming, shift focus away from tasks considered to be billable time, and mainly serve as a resource in succession and budget planning. As internships are temporary opportunities and designed to benefit the intern more than the employer, interns typically will not receive a performance review until they start full-time employment. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are unable to measure their performance or grow professionally throughout their roles while in college.

Performance appraisals provide relevant workforce metrics to the organization, but to the employee, they offer an opportunity to receive well-rounded feedback that can be both qualitative and quantitative. Appraisals can improve an employee’s self-awareness by aligning their intentions with their manager’s perceptions of current and previous performance.

Interns often work closest with managers because they are more likely to have questions regarding a task, as this is a learning experience for them. By asking for ongoing feedback, an intern displays a genuine interest in personal and professional growth, a commitment to the efforts of the organization, respect for their superiors, and is able to build a relationship with their manager based on meaningful communication. They appear to be open-minded to constructive criticism, engaged in their commitment, and willing to work harder. A manager may not be able to include these characteristics in a formal appraisal, but their instilled belief in you makes them more likely to become a reference for life, a recommender on LinkedIn, and a connection as you search for your next opportunity.