An internship is a great way for you to get a behind the scenes look at your field of interest. Sure, you may have to do grunt work for little or no pay. But this is could be the learning experience of a lifetime. Even a bad experience can help build character and show you what mistakes to avoid in your own career.

So how can you make the most of your internship? Here are a few tips from About.com’s internship expert, Penny Loretto:

Meet and Greet with Everyone You Meet
Successful work relationships require excellent communication skills as well as a positive attitude. Your supervisors and co-workers may be immersed in projects and deadlines and not take notice that you are new to the organization; so make sure you take the initiative to introduce yourself and exhibit a positive and friendly attitude to everyone you meet, from the janitor to the CEO.

Do Your Research
Make it a point to do research and learn all you can about the company and industry. Your Career Services Office at your college is an excellent place to start. You can also write directly to a company for information, engage in informational interviews, contact the local Chamber of Commerce, and read local newspapers and business publications to find out more about an organization.

Set Personal Goals and Keep Yourself Busy
Set personal goals that you want to achieve during your internship and ask your supervisor for things to do. If you find that your work is done, ask for new projects or look to read company literature and/or professional journals. Goal setting is especially important for interns – to ensure that you gain the relevant skills employers are seeking when hiring future full-time employees.

Ask Questions
Take advantage of your student status and ask questions about everything you don’t understand. Employers believe that students who ask questions are motivated and really want to learn all they can about the industry. As an intern, employers do not expect you to know everything about the job or industry. Internships are a great learning experience and the more questions you ask the more you will learn about the job and how the industry operates.