Interns must find the middle ground between meek and prima donna

A few weeks ago, in my first "Internship Insider'' column, I offered a few bits of common-sense advice from professionals for would-be interns, pointing out some frequent (and not-so-frequent) missteps made by students during the application and interview process.

It seemed a logical step, then, to ask current and former interns for their own advice for peers. What are the things they've learned from their experiences, and what would they have done differently?

A common theme among the responses is that interns should view the professionals they're working with -- or even just come in occasional contact with -- as tremendous resources for information and advice. Sometimes interns can feel shy and intimidated when surrounded by people who are working in their chosen field, and they're tempted to remain quiet and inconspicuous, flying under the radar of those around them. But many interns who are successful – and who sometimes have parlayed an internship into a job after – say that respectful curiosity can be a better approach.