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Internships are a great way to earn some money and/or school credit while you, the student, earn some experience in a field that may lead to your future career. If you make a good impression with your internship, it is possible that a permanent position could be earned in a higher level, and at the very least, you could earn some very strong references for your resume. However, the full potential of a good internship can only be attained if you are a good at your internship. Here are some tips and tricks to becoming the perfect intern that your co-workers and managers cannot help but recommending.

#1 Be On Time

Although it sounds simple enough, too many people have the habit of showing up five or ten minutes late to work every day. This does not give a good impression with the people you work with. Being a few minutes late means that you are probably running into work out of breath, which does not look professional. Even if you are just strolling in late, then your managers are likely to begin to view you as a slacker or someone who only does the bare minimum at the job. The bare minimum is not going to impress anyone. It is a much better idea to show up about five or ten minutes early to your job instead. The extra few minutes you have will let you get settled just before you start working. And, if your manager and coworkers notice that you are showing up early, they are more likely to look at you as a dependable intern or future employee.

#2 Dress Professionally

It may just be an internship to you, but to everyone else working there, it is their job they take seriously. Therefore it is important that you show the same respect by dressing appropriately to work. Coming into work wearing jeans and a t-shirt is not a statement that anyone should take you seriously. Coming into work with slacks and a button-up shirt shows that you are prepared to work in a serious manner. Although people are not supposed to judge each other by their looks, it is still an unavoidable trait in most individuals. In my own experience, I have noticed that when I dress more professionally at work, I receive more respect from the teachers and students who talk to me in class.

#3 Take Initiative

Interns who do the bare minimum do not get noticed by their managers and co-workers. Interns who take initiative and keep themselves busy at work will get noticed for their diligence. I have known interns who do their work, and then sit around looking bored for an hour. The interns who stand out to me are the ones who are constantly looking for work to do. If they finish their work, they look for more by asking their superiors what else they can do to be helpful. I have even known some interns who take it upon themselves to tidy up the work area as a way of keeping busy. These are the interns who are not lazy, who want to do a good job, and who will definitely be noticed and admired by the managers.

#4 Show Interest

Asking your supervisor questions and trying to learn more about the work that is entailed with your internship is a great way to show your managers that you are interested in your work, which means that you care about your work, and that indicates you want to do a good job. Managers appreciate having workers that try to learn more about their job because an interested intern is a better worker than ones who stands around looking bored all day because they could care less about their job.

#5 Be a Friendly Worker

Getting along with your co-workers can be tricky sometimes, but if you are able to be friendly with the people you work with, they are more likely going to say good things about you, which can be transferred into finding a better position for you with them in their company, or earning yourself a strong recommendation as a worker who is easy to get along with in other jobs.