Asking Current Boss at internship for help finding next internship

Question

I currently work in an internship position at a relatively small(~15 employees) software development company. Its not an official internship and there are no end-dates or anything like that. Since I still have another year or two left of college I figured I should probably try and get another internship(explore a different area of software development, and perhaps try working in a more corporate setting). My boss is close friends with some fairly high level employees at a very large programming consultation company, and I would love to get in touch with them for my next internship.

Would it be inappropriate to ask my boss for help getting in touch with someone from this company?

a little bit more information about our working relationship for context

• He has expressed before that he hopes that all of the (4) interns that he hired would stay on until we graduate to start working full time although graduation is a ways away and I think I don't really think that I'd like to stay here as a career

• He has made it clear before that he thinks I do very good work for the company, putting me in charge of several very important projects

• I'm starting my Junior year of college and this is my first internship

Answer 1

I figured I should probably try and get another internship

That sounds reasonable, but if you decide you want to, take it seriously: look for other avenues as well, not just the one you think is convenient. Work out what you want that's different from your current internship and approach other companies you think might offer you something.

Approach your boss once you're sure you're serious and are committed, explain what you want, be prepared to accept a negative answer.

If you approach your boss with the view that if he can get you a job elsewhere you'll take it otherwise you'll stay put, he will have a disincentive to get you a job. And if that does happen, you may lose respect. However if you're already planning to move on, your boss might think well, maybe better to go to a friend than a competitor.

If he's keen to keep you on afterwards you could even hint that you could get experience elsewhere and bring ideas back - except that...

I don't really think that I'd like to stay here as a career

Oh well.

Another slight hitch:

putting me in charge of several very important projects

This is great, but your boss will probably want to see those completed. If you want help, you're going to have to think about a smooth transition.

That said, don't expect to get your second internship on connections alone or even connections plus a great CV and interview demeanour. It's luck of the draw who is willing to take interns when and what the competition is.

Answer 2

Would it be inappropriate to ask my boss for help getting in touch with someone from this company?

If the companies your boss has higher up connections in are not direct competitors, but either competition neutral or strategic partners in someway, then there is nothing wrong with asking your boss. When you ask though, ask in such a way that you show an interest to learn multiple areas of the software development life cycle (SDLC).

Let him see that you want to be well rounded and not as though you're looking to jump ship and plant your feet elsewhere. At this stage you want to build connections while learning and not burn any bridges. I would suggest that even if he can get your foot in the door with these other companies, keep the communication channel open and continue to interface with him.

Ultimately software is a team/community oriented profession and you want to maintain a good repore with people in the profession because in the future, you never know who will be above or below you in the management structure.