In this podcast, Kelli Grant offers advice on getting a great internship and leveraging it to get a full time position. Though she approaches this topic from a journalistic perspective, these common sense tips apply across all majors.

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Kelli discusses some very important aspects of being a good intern, regardless of major or career path. First, it is imperative to do what you are asked to do, and to do it with a smile. Students have high expectations of their internships but in reality, internships generally start with basic tasks such as conducting research or making photocopies. Interns need to build trust before they are able to do the more important tasks. Her second advice is to be proactive as an intern. For example, if you have free time, ask your supervisor if you can help with another task. You get noticed by asking for opportunities and taking the initiative to do more. Thirdly, it is important to be prompt. Treat the internship as a full time job; get there on time and stay as late as is needed. Finally, use your internships to network for future positions. During the internship, be nice to everyone because you never know who is going to be helpful in your job hunt down the line. Kelli also offers some internship interviewing tips: (1) Treat the interview as if going in for a full-time job, because many employers parley internships into full-time positions, and (2) emphasize what you bring to the company that no one else can, and why you are the better candidate. Her parting shot is that it is very important to have a quality internship. This professional experience is very important to get before graduating, and nothing shows an employer that you are ready to do the work than an internship where you got real world experience.

Kelli B. Grant has covered consumer finance since joining SmartMoney.com in June 2005. Her Deal of the Day column and accompanying 3 Tips video segments tell consumers how to save money and spend it wisely. Before joining SmartMoney.com, Kelli worked at MarketWatch.com as a reporter. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and anthropology from Ithaca College.
 

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Annemarie Segaric shares strategies for getting a job when you have little or no experience, and how to change your career while still receiving a paycheck.

Wendy Spelman discusses the importance of an internship and how to effectively get technical skills across in an interview. She also touches upon the importance of teamwork at the start a new career.

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Wendy explains that experienced interviewers look for specific qualities from candidates during an interview. Companies often look for the same set of skills in interns and full time employees. An employee needs to balance leadership skills and working on a team; they need to know when to lead and when to follow. Wendy suggests putting an emphasis on establishing a role as a member of the team first, then moving into a leadership role. At companies like Kraft, interns often become full time employees. This happens when the intern and the company are compatible with each other.
 
When interviewing prospective employees, Kraft looks for technical science skills, best demonstrated through past work and intern experiences. When new employees are hired, they are paired with a buddy to assist with the initial transition. When an employees chooses her career path, she also chooses a mentor to further develop all of the necessary technically skills.