Internships are a unique opportunity to get hands-on work experience while having some fluidity within the company. Some are paid, some are less than paid. Some internships give you a lot of responsibility while others give you the grunt work. But the one thing all internships have in common is that they come with an expiration date.

It is easy to get caught up in the work and forget that you’re there to learn as well. If you are starting an internship soon or you’re not getting a lot out of your current internship, these tips will help you get the most out of your intern experience.

Take advantage of every resource offered to you as an intern

There are perks with being an intern that aren’t afforded to anybody else. Interns where I work get to see private movie screenings, are given free tickets to amusement parks all around SoCal, fed free food at intern-only celebrations, and get to watch guest speakers give inspiring lectures on how to advance their careers. Consider this, it is easier for an intern to set up a meeting with a high-level executive than for a manager or director to do so. That’s right, as an intern, I have an easier time getting coffee with the president of the company than my own boss. People are generally more willing to sit down and share their knowledge with an intern than a fellow full-time employee or contractor. So while you can, go to everything and talk to everyone.

Ask for advice from people who have been in your shoes

It still amazes me how many of my coworkers started off as interns. I see them as these hot shot badasses who have their lives together and are doing passionate work every day, but many of them started out as a confused and awkward intern like me. They all learned how to navigate professional work life and I've tapped into that wisdom to avoid some pitfalls they may have fallen into and acquired insider tips on how to thrive in my particular work environment. Like I mentioned before, most people are willing to share their time and knowledge with any intern who is eager to learn so don’t be afraid to set up some 1-on-1 time.

Learn how to talk about your position

Many people you meet at work will ask you what you do and you need to learn how to articulate what your primary job functions are and how it brings value to your department. It’s easy, especially as an intern, to oversimplify your position. “Oh, I just post stuff on Facebook.” “I’m just the guy who makes copies.” “I just do whatever my boss tells me”. The dudes in the following video figured out how to talk about their jobs in a more colorful way.

I do not encourage overselling your job to others, but take pride in what you do and learn how to talk about your role with some dignity. The more comfortable you become talking about your position while you’re there, the easier it will be to talk about what you did during your internship in a job interview and at networking events.

If you have nothing to do, find something to do

Breaks are one thing; do what you need to recharge throughout the day. But if you finish all your work and are looking to fill time, ask your supervisor if there is anything that needs to be done even if it is outside of your primary role or take the lead on a project that you know would help out your team. Whenever I find myself with extra time, I like to organize the files on our shared server to make them easier for my coworkers to find. It’s a small task and it’s kind of boring, but it needs to get done and at the end of the day I know I’m contributing to the larger team.

Challenge yourself

Another awesome thing to do when you have free time is to ask to help on projects in areas you want to learn more about. For instance, I went to film school for animation so my experience with live-action film shoots is limited. But I decided I wanted to help out on a video shoot my team was doing. I felt clueless for most of the shoot because I had to learn so many things so quickly, but everyone was really supportive and now I have a new set of skills.

I’m still amazed with the tasks others trust me to do, so I continue to ask for work outside of my area of expertise even if it is uncomfortable for me. Each time I am able to rise to the challenge, I don’t just demonstrate to my team that I am capable, but I demonstrate to myself that I am capable which motivates me even more.

Conclusion

The point of an internship is to get valuable experience, make connections, and hopefully get a job. But so many people treat their internships like it's already a job, instead of a giant learning opportunity. A full-time position might be the end goal, but while you’re an intern, be an intern. Once you’re full-time, then you can have a laser focus on the job you were hired to do.

Internships may not come with a high-paying salary nor will they always be glamorous, but they allow you to learn from the best and discover more about yourself. Working hard is a given. Work your tail off. But make sure your internship is serving your needs as well.