You may have spent the last couple of summers (or semesters) working very hard to build a resume of experience. Unfortunately, as a lot of companies continue to cut back on costs job seeking is particularly challenging for recent graduates. This trend will likely continue over the next several years.

If you have completed an internship with a company (and you’ve made a good impression), the company’s hiring managers may look upon your candidacy for a permanent position more favorably than others, taking the stress out of navigating through the current job market. Being proactive (planning to take the leap!) is one of the most important steps toward converting an internship into a full-time gig. Here are some additional tips from CareerRookie.com:

• Treat your internship like an extended job interview… because it is. Arrive on time, beat (or at the very least meet) deadlines and consistently deliver strong work.
• Seek out challenges. Employers want employees who show initiative and a desire to learn and develop. The majority of employers (59%) are more likely to permanently hire a college intern who asks for more responsibilities.

If you’ve already completed your internship, send a thank-you note to each individual you worked with at the company. Acknowledge what you learned from them and how they directly contributed to your success. Then seek out opportunities to reconnect, especially with the human resource and hiring managers. This can be as simple as sending a request to meet for lunch, or attending industry related events or networking groups where the hiring managers will have a presence.

Even if you’re not a graduating senior, use your internship as a springboard to launch your career and push for a part-time position until graduation. You never know! Hiring managers at the company (and their peers) have already had the opportunity to observe your strengths as an intern. At Student Advantage, three (3) of the last five (5) new hires were formerly interns or temps in our office.

Checkout more job seeking tips like these, plus some graduation deals for EVERYONE at Student Advantage today.