A Tentative Personal Finance Blog

This time of year, corporate offices swell with college interns. The extra staff helps employers, and students gain coveted work experience. Because an internship is a critical stepping stone to employment, students who are prepared to make the most of their summer job will come out way ahead.

Be ready to do the nitty gritty At work, I know someone who always complain about their tasks or felt like they are owed something. Others are too eager and incredibly ingratiating. You don’t want to be either. The better approach is simply to work hard and be willing to put in extra time. Don’t worry about impressing people. Also be ready to apply the same focus and energy to grunt work, such as making copies or filing. Those are the little things that make companies run. If you don’t show you can do those tasks well, you’re certainly not going to be trusted with bigger assignments.

Set tangible goals At the same time, you won’t gain anything from fetching coffee all day. When you start the internship, sit down with your immediate supervisor and discuss what will be expected of you and what your goals are. Once you establish three measurable goals, write them down and keep weekly updates on how you’re doing. This helps articulate what you’re learning. If half way through your internship you’re not making progress, talk to your supervisor. Indicate that you’re happy to do what’s asked of you but that you’d like to contribute in other ways too.

Don’t stay in your head Employers like a worker bee, but it is also important to come up for air and make connections with co-workers and share some of your ideas. Some of the most successful interns are those that network themselves well, have been innovative, and are not afraid to bring up new ideas. Not that you have to befriend everyone or offer clever ideas your first day. There will be plenty of office events at which to meet people and chances to share your thoughts. Just be ready to seize the opportunity.

Get feedback In formal internship programs, you typically receive a performance review before leaving. Even if your job isn’t as structured, ask your supervisor for feedback. It’s a huge chance! You can find out where you went wrong , what your strengths are and what you can do better. It’s also your opportunity to ask for a letter of recommendation or, if you liked your experience, to remind your supervisor of when you’ll be graduating. And make sure you express your gratitude for the experience. While people say first impressions are most important, the last impression is going to be a lasting impression.

Stay in touch After the internship is over, stay in touch with your managers or supervisor. Doing so can pay off. Lots of employers hire interns into entry level full time positions.