An internship is not a guaranteed job offer, but it could be if you play your cards right. Experts weigh in on the do's and don'ts of being the kind of intern companies want to keep around.

"Internships are <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Careers/How-to-Turn-That-IT-Internship-into-an-IT-Job/?kc=EWKNLEND041808FEA1">a great way to get your foot in the door</A> in an organization and I recommend them highly. There's often a gap between going to school and getting a job. That bridge between academic study and employment is easier to cross with an internship under your belt," said John Estes, vice president of Robert Half Technology.

The statistics back this up. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, one out of every three new hires from the 2007 graduating class landed their first job with a company they'd previously interned for.