Recently, the Dean of Darden blogged on the topic of turning your summer internship into a permanent job offer. Interestingly he focused in on the question of ‘fit’.

The blog started with this example:

“The recruiter tried to tell me why the MBA summer intern wasn’t given an offer of permanent employment: “She seemed to be technically proficient as did the other candidate.  She was nice enough as a person.  But we had two interns and were able to hire only one.  The decision came down to “fit.”  It wasn’t that she would have been a bad fit, but we just didn’t know her well enough to say that, in this tight employment environment, she would be a good fit.  We knew what she could do; we just didn’t know who she was.  The other candidate got the offer; there was less uncertainty about how well she would fit in.”

So what did he suggest you do to show that you fit in? I picked up some most interetsing questions he suggested you ask yourself and statements you try to make:

  • Based on your summer internship, what seems to matter most to this firm and its competitors? 
  • What about who you are would be most relevant to the things that matter to this? 
  • Whom and what do you serve? 
  • What sense of purpose gets you up in the morning? 
  • Is there anything in the mission statement of your employer with which you especially identify? 
  • Whatever you decide to say, do not lose the opportunity to link who you are with the company you seek to join.  Why is a job with this company consistent with where you’ve come from and who you are?  It would help if there were some joy and enthusiasm in your closing.

Most importantly, he recommends you tell the truth and not try to morph yourself into what the company wants. Since most companies are looking for diversity, the fact that you think differently may well help you get that job.

To see the entire blog, go to http://www.darden.virginia.edu/html/DeansBlog.aspx