Creating Your Personal Brand By Writing a Thank You Note After an Internship

When the internship is over, make sure employees know that you are not only appreciative of the experience you gained but you also wish to be remembered. Leave your mark at the place where you interned by writing a thank-you note to the people you worked with and everyone you learned from. Below is an example of a thank-you note written by an intern who worked for his local newspaper:

“To the newsroom:

I want to thank all of you for what I have come to call the most fulfilling summer I’ve ever had.

Art – I thank you wholeheartedly for the opportunity. The past three months have proven to be a true turning point in my academic career. I will not forget you in my future endeavors.

Brian and Linda – You were a joy to work with and talk to every day. Brian, when I first accompanied you at Starbucks for your war veteran column, I knew it would be a great summer. And of course I was happy to help balance the rivalry-driven ratio of Syracuse-to-UConn. Orange pride!

Jacky – Thank you for all of the opportunities to cover stories. Every day I was amazed that no matter how many people approached you during the day with something to expand your work-load, you always remained level-headed with a smile. I can’t imagine meeting a better managing editor.

Bret – You know everything! Through all of the technical work regarding my videos, I felt lucky to have you as a resource. Thanks again.

To everyone else that I had the pleasure to personally work with, I extend the utmost of gratitude. I learned so much this summer that it’s hard to believe my writing professors can teach me anything else.

Thanks again to everyone. Keep in touch.”

This letter, though written professionally, was written with an added personal touch. The intern connected with each employee he addressed on a more personal level and has thanked them each for all he has learned by developing specific relationships with them. Here are a few benefits of writing a thank-you note after your internship experience has ended:

You’re more likely to be remembered. By thanking everyone for the experience, you show that the internship meant something to you. The chance to work among career men and women was important and you want them to know just how much in writing. Writing a passionate thank-you note will cause your presence to stick around for a while. It will also pave the way for a stronger recommendation if you ask for one down the road.
It will help you network. The sample letter I included above demonstrates an intern’s true desire to connect with people in the journalism field as well as his appreciation for having done so. In your thank-you note, be sure to include specific reasons why you are so appreciative and address specific people or departments. That way, your thank-you letter is more likely to be shared with multiple departments so others can read it and less likely to be viewed by one person and then thrown away.
You will appear a more passionate person. Passionate people get the job done! Thanking the company for all your opportunities is the best way for them to know you really cared about the job and that you weren’t just getting through it for the school credit.
You can improve your communication skills. By getting in the habit of giving gratitude where due, you strengthen your ability to make the most of your work relationships. No matter how extensive or brief you make your note, a thank-you will show that you got a lot out of working with their team; doing so habitually will show everyone you work with in the future the same thing.

It feels good to be thanked, and to know that you helped someone achieve their goals and broaden their horizon. Keep in mind that by making a good impression at your internship, you lay the groundwork for future successes – who knows, maybe the boss at your internship winds up being your boss at a completely different company down the road!

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Adrienne is a Syracuse University student from Danbury, CT majoring in Writing and Rhetoric with a Leadership Communication minor. She is a big fan of impressionist art, ocean views and classic rock. She hopes to one day have her name in the credits of a hit film whether behind the scenes or in front of the camera.