Q: I had two internship offers for this summer, one from YES Company [company names have been hidden], the other from a competitor, NO Company. The recruiter at NO was very nice, although I declined their offer. Now, I have started my job at YES and would love to keep in touch with NO’s people so that I can have one more option for my full-time job after college. I want to keep in touch with NO, but I don’t know how to keep in touch properly. Do you have some advice for me?
A: Your question is a bit tricky. The truth is that the recruiter from NO is probably disappointed that you didn’t accept their offer and decided to work for a competitor. Your best bet is to focus your efforts at YES (you must like the company since you accepted their offer!), where they are more likely to hire you full-time since you are an intern there. Even if you want to work in a different division than where you are interning, you still have a better chance at a company you didn’t reject.
I suppose if you are miserable at YES you could try to keep in touch with NO, but it’s a bit like trying to keep your options open with one guy while dating another!
I know it’s hard, but moving forward in your career does mean making choices and eliminating some options. You can certainly try to send a note to the nice contact at NO to say hello and keep in touch. If she does reply, then that’s great. But be aware that she might not reply since you turned down the internship she offered. I’m not sure if I would reply if I were in her shoes. Remember there are lots of other companies out there that can also be additional options for a full-time job in the future if you decide not to stick with YES. Good luck, and congrats on receiving multiple internship offers!
