About 75 per cent of college students work in an internship at some point. Increasingly, internships are the likeliest route to full-time employment for young workers.

But it can be hard to stand out and make the right impression during a three-month stint in a new environment.

How can interns learn what they need to know, impress those they work for and secure a job recommendation or full-time offer in such a brief period of time?

Here are a few pieces of advice:

1Be relentlessly punctual Show up on time (or early) in the morning, arrive for meetings before they begin and complete tasks by their deadlines.

2 Complete each task with excellence Whether an assignment is mundane or exotic, pursue it with relentless drive and a strong determination to exceed.

3Take on more work – without being asked Use excess time to take on new and important work, assignments others don’t want or projects that are needed but not yet defined.

4 Be resourceful: Research a topic thoroughly before asking a full-time colleague or manager for help, and take the time to come up with your own insight or solution before consulting others when you uncover a problem.

5Ask questions – good ones As a rule of thumb, make sure you ask one or more authentic questions in every meeting you attend.

6 Build professional relationships Form broad, deep relationships throughout the organisation to help you manage your current responsibilities, boost personal development and form a network of contacts for the future. – Copyright Harvard Business Review 2016