The internship during college summer break is becoming the elusive fruit for college students. With the state of the job market, internships are all the more essential to land a job after college graduation since they give you the competitive edge of having that real world job experience employers are looking for.

So, we have 4 tips to ensure that if you are currently working a summer internship you end the summer on the best note you possibly can to land a job in the future.

1. Finish strong
You might only have two weeks left in your internship before you head back to college. So…Make. It. Count.  The summer’s flown by, and maybe you haven’t gotten the chance you’ve wanted to flex your proverbial muscle to the boss. The best thing you can do is go above and beyond with the task at hand. Finish the projects you’re assigned with flying colors. Even if it’s just inputting numbers into a spreadsheet, do it with gusto. Have a smile on your face. Laugh at your boss’s jokes even if he’s told the same one to you six times, and you didn’t find it funny the first time. For the most part, your employer knows that they have you doing the boring stuff, so just show them that you’re a nice, hardworking person to have around the office.

2. Show some of your personality
It’s super hard to be yourself when you’re hoping that people like you enough to possibly hire you in the future. The pressure turns a lot of usually bubbly co-eds into twenty-something robots. But, after you’ve been working your internship for most of the summer and finally feel more comfortable at the office, show a little more of your personality. It will make it a lot easier for your employer to distinguish you from the rest of the company’s future job applicants because you do that hilarious impression of a zombie Charlie Chaplin chasing a a chicken.

3. Ask for feedback
This is the perfect time to ask your boss or supervisor for some feedback. You might think you know what the company thinks of you and your work so far, but you may be surprised. Who knows? They might mistake your stern seriousness about your work for being really bored at the office. Not only will feedback help you become a better employee, but it’s a time to let your supervisor know what’s going through your head as well, like, all those amazing ideas you have to stop global warming or where that the next office party should be at Zigorno’s because then everybody can get whatever they want to eat AND play extreme dodgeball.

4. Express your future career interest
Whether it’s the same meeting or different one, setting up a time to let your employer know what you see for future is great idea. The reason for this is because you might actually not be interested in working at the place you’re interning. You might have totally different career goals for a multitude of reasons. Letting your employer know this won’t make them think less of you as long you’re doing your job well. In fact, they’re still great contacts to have for the future. If you’re working at a bank but you’ve realized you want to go into public relations, perhaps your boss can get you an interview with his wife’s cousin who owns a boutique PR firm.

If you are interested in the place you’re currently working, let them know as well. Companies want enthusiastic employees who demonstrate interest in them. So if you want in after graduation, let them know you’d appreciate it if they kept you in mind for the future and that you’re the one who brought the homemade chocolate covered pretzels in the kitchen.

Any other tips for interns? Share thoughts by leaving a comment below!