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It’s no secret that today’s job market is extremely competitive, but students and those looking for an internship are in luck. More internship spots are opening up this year compared to last. However, finding a full-time role once your internship is completed can still be challenging. Here's what the latest data means for you.
The Good News
Employers plan to hire 3.9% more interns in 2025-26 compared to the prior year, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). More than half (53%) of participating employers said they'd be actively increasing intern headcount, with another 28% maintaining current levels. Students looking for an internship are more likely to get the role compared to last year.
The Bad News
Here's the catch: while hiring is ticking up, full-time job offers post-internship are declining. Companies are bringing in more interns but extending fewer offers at the end. Now the challenge isn't just getting in the door, but staying in the door.
In the 2025 Vault Internship survey, the results showed that scores for full-time hiring dropped 8 points compared to the previous year. This drop puts employment prospects at the lowest rated category in the entire survey. While students were successfully being hired for the internship, that’s where their luck stops. More and more programs aren’t converting all of their interns into full-time staff.
Why This is Happening
There are a few different reasons why this trend is happening. One of them being hiring timelines. According to NACE, 37% of companies are recruiting full-time employees in the spring. This means that for summer interns who don’t finish their program until the fall, much of the hiring process is already completed, leaving few spots left.
Role availability could be another reason. NACE found that 53% of employers are increasing their intern headcount, however a study done by Randstad shows that entry-level job opportunities have declined by 29% since 2024. There are positions for interns, but not enough entry-level positions for those interns to transition into.
What You Can Do
Focus on building skills and not just a good-looking resume. NACE's Job Outlook 2026 survey found that 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring, up from 65% the year before. With this change, the degree on your resume matters less than being able to demonstrate what you can actually do.
During your internship, focus on honing your skills that will give you a leg up in the job market. Communication, problem-solving, and AI fluency are consistently at the top of employer wish lists right now. Skill building also doesn’t stop when you go home for the day. Resources such as Coursera give you the opportunity to add more skills to your toolbelt outside of work hours.
Students should also be actively growing their network and developing working relationships. Internship programs give you the opportunity to meet a lot of new people, both in the same position as you and above. Use this time to schedule coffee chats and make connections that will last you long past the internship. While not every connection will lead to a future job, it’s been shown that your contacts can help give you a leg up when searching for a full-time role.
More internship seats are available, which is genuinely good news. But the path from intern to full-time hire is narrowing. Go in with a plan: know what you want to accomplish, build relationships intentionally, and use every task to grow your skills.
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