Feedback is essential to your growth as an intern and full-time hire. When you are given feedback, you are able to gain insights into your strengths and areas of improvement, which allows you to constantly learn and improve. Remember that nobody is perfect, so do not see feedback as criticism but more so, as areas of improvement! 

It is important for you to proactively seek feedback during your internship or full-time role. If you have regular 1:1s with peers or your manager, make sure to add time to discuss your progress and or ask for specific feedback on your performance. During your career, you will most likely go through performance evaluations, by proactively seeking feedback, those evaluations will never be a surprise to you because you have established ongoing conversations about your performance. 

Another important aspect of seeking feedback is taking action on that feedback. This will highlight your growth mindset which is an area that most managers evaluate when deciding if interns should get a return offer or promotion (if full-time).

Below is a template you can send your manager or peer to request feedback on an ongoing basis.

Feedback Request Template

Hello [Manager Name/ Peer Name],

As part of my professional development, I would love to add an agenda item focused on feedback to our ongoing 1:1s. I believe this would be a great opportunity to learn about my strengths, and areas of improvement, as well as any recommendations you have for me. 

Let me know your thoughts!

Best Regards,

[Your Name]