The intern advantage: 4 ways transitioning from an internship to a full-time role has helped me thrive

In January 2024, I started as an account coordinator at Pierce PR, but I wasn’t the typical new hire. I’m proud to say I’m the first Pierce PR intern to be offered a full-time position. Given that I had been an intern for a full year (to the day!) when I was offered this position, I bring a unique perspective as I step into my first full-time role post-graduation.  

At the time of writing this blog, I’m only a matter of weeks into my new position, but it’s already clear to me the advantages that I have working for a company for which I previously interned. Many students fresh out of college are understandably nervous about what their first job will bring. While I’m not immune to some butterflies in my stomach related to the novelty of life after graduation, I believe my transition to full-time work was a breeze compared to the average first-time hire, thanks to my previous experience as an intern. Here are a few advantages I’ve identified during this transition:

Familiarity with client accounts

Even though I didn’t directly conduct any client-facing work until I joined the team full-time, I spent many hours completing behind-the-scenes tasks for a number of accounts. In that time, I had a chance to soak up a lot of knowledge about our clients, including personnel, projects, communication styles and processes. I’m now working on the two accounts for which I did the most work as an intern, and the transition has been an easy one thanks to my background knowledge about the people and projects for which I am now responsible.

Abridged onboarding processes

My first week on the job wasn’t entirely dedicated to watching training videos and learning how to operate my company computer. While I did spend time adjusting to my new role and responsibilities, I was able to jump right into productive work on day one. There were even projects from the end of my last college semester that I was able to pick up right where I left off, and I spent my first week of work designing communication materials, completing analytics reports and drafting emails. Due to the familiarity I already had with these tasks, I was able to dive right in, skipping past the early training stages that can be very time consuming.

Improved processes for future hires

On my first official day, our President, Julia Bonner, mentioned that I was welcome to share input about the onboarding process. This caught me by surprise – the president of the company asking a former intern to provide feedback about a longstanding company process isn’t something you see every day. But I realized Julia saw the value in getting input from a team member who had much more context than most hires do, and she was inviting me to help the company by sharing my perspective. Whether it’s suggesting improvements to the onboarding process or ideas to help future interns enjoy a valuable tenure with Pierce PR, I know my voice is welcome.

Alma mater networking opportunities

Hiring a student for an internship that provides experience, compensation and stability is sure to leave a good impression on them. And chances are, hiring that intern into a full-time role is likely to provide them with an even more rewarding opportunity! Employing interns is a surefire way to pay forward that goodwill by being an ambassador to possible future hires. Whether it’s a current student from their alma mater seeking an internship or a fellow alum in search of employment opportunities, hiring a former intern opens doors to expanding your business’s network and enriching its talent pool.

Evan Dorian is an account coordinator at Pierce PR.