By Jeff Westover

Shelly Fenton was trapped in a classic dilemma: she wanted a good job to get experience but could not get a job because experience was just what she lacked. As a soon-to-be college graduate, she turned to an on-campus counselor who introduced her to the idea of internship and advised her to pursue it.

"The thought of working for someone for so little was offensive to me at first." Shelly admitted. "But within a few weeks it became obvious that I was getting paid in something that could not be measured in money."

Shelly's first work experience in a television station meant that she spent her summer break running errands, delivering mail, answering phones and handling paperwork. As a broadcast major, her only hope was to be close to the work that she one day wished to obtain. It turned out to be a move that spared her the weeks of traditional job searching common to most graduates. She didn't even have to prepare a resume. The company offered her the job she was seeking before she left to complete her final year at school.

With all the snickers about Monica Lewinsky aside, interns hold a substantial edge over traditional jobseekers when it comes to landing a coveted position. According to a study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than half of all interns are offered jobs by their sponsoring companies. As in the case with Shelly Fenton, it proves easier for companies to reward an intern who has grown into a known quantity in the organization over a short trial period of time.

Establishing the Internship Strategy

Internships differ from jobs because employers customarily offer only experience and mentorship. Sometimes, no pay whatsoever is exchanged. But most companies are careful in managing their internship programs, especially in a tight labor market. Companies want to avoid a poor reputation on campus to maintain a steady stream of quality recruits from the college ranks.

The internship then becomes an extension of a student's education. The hands-on exposure to the real world of work, especially with a company closely associated to a desired field, provides clarifying direction before jumping into job search waters. Here are ways jobseekers can prepare to get the most from the Internship experience:

• Begin with the end in mind. Before speaking with a recruiter or a company representative about an internship opportunity make a list of what needs to be accomplished during the internship period.
• Chose as carefully as you would for a "real job". In some fields of study or with some chosen professions, there can be stiff competition for your talents even as an intern. Be prepared to interview company representatives and people in positions you are targeting in the future. Ask them for their story and their advice. Take note of industry names, major players, pertinent publications, web sites and locations. Research before the fact will make the experience more rewarding.
• Develop an internship plan. When accepting an internship position, communicate your needs and ask how it might be fulfilled. Most companies are prepared to accommodate these requests.
• Ask for specific relationships. Don't limit your contacts within a company to just one or two individuals. If exposure to different departments helps meet your goals, ask for contact with those from within those departments to build a network.
• Maintain a record. Keeping a journal of experiences, a list of contacts and a history of accomplishments can go a long way in helping to craft a resume.

Internships serve both the company and the jobseeker. But approaching the relationship in a researched and organized fashion will pay dividends and help to avoid the classic pitfalls of job searching after college. Ask Shelly Fenton. Her big worry about getting her next job is remembering how to write the resume she never needed to put together after ending her college career.

-- Jeff Westover, Writer, Salt Lake City, Utah. Jeff's bio is at: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/pages/jeffwestoverbio.php