The last thing a future employee wants to do when looking for an internship is to screw up the interview, or worse, to inadvertently offend a future boss before you officially meet him or her.

“You don’t want to burn your bridges, even if you don’t interview well or don’t think it went well,” said Dan Bingley, coordinator for the internship program.

Bring plenty of stories and more importantly, examples of your work. Regardless of how enthusiastic you are about the chance to work for the company, it won’t mean much if you don’t have any experience to back up your excitement.

“Study your own résumé and be able to say positive things about everything on it. If you have nothing good to say about something on your résumé, don’t include it,” Bingley said.

When you leave your interview, don’t forget to take a business card or at least a name and number of the companies you’re interested in.

“Find out all you can about the employer and check out their Web site,” Bingley said.

While you wait to see if you’ve gotten the internship, take the extra step and call to see how the process in going along. Many companies are impressed when applicants take the time to see how the choosing process is coming along.

“I’ve heard varying reports,” junior management major Brandon Rask said. “But one of my friends was really outgoing and got an internship that let her host a talk show in Orlando.”

If you’re lucky, you could get an internship like Kendell Nathan, a junior music education major, who worked for Disney.

“You get a lot of experience and make a lot of connections,” Nathan said. “I got to meet a lot of celebrities, like Tim Allen and Britney Spears.”

Even if you don’t get the internship, you’ll make a good impression. And who knows – maybe next year you’ll be the first applicant they turn to. Keep your cool and remember that you’re one among sometimes a few hundred applicants. This can help give you the drive that’s needed to make yourself stand out in the crowd.