When it comes to college, there is one word that pops up constantly and sticks around all four years: internship. We love to let out a huge sigh as we search desperately on Linkedin, Indeed.com, or head over to career services to see what connections they have.

Internships are a very important aspect of one’s career because it gives you real-world experience, could lead to jobs in the future, and shows you whether that industry is right for you. However, there are many internships out there that are a waste of your time It is hard to know what you are in for when you sign on to an internship, but some telltale signs throughout will surely make you aware.

Hands on experience is the best type when it comes to internships. Having a boss that lets you work closely with clients allows you to fully immerse yourself into the work environment. This type of experience prepares you for what a full time position would be like.

If you are at a desk all day with no direction or have run out of work to do, it is an issue. This kind of laid back internship does not allow you to gain experience. Coming from a background of many internships, I feel as though I can distinguish them well. At one public relations firm, I constantly found myself scrolling through social media as my coworker and I watched the clock for our break. There was little work given, with no direction or mentoring, so we sat there day after day annoyed and confused.

On the other hand, another firm gave me my own clients and I had to keep up with them and make connections to get their name, event, or project out to the media. I came home exhausted each night but I felt so much more knowledgeable in public relations.

Companies also look for interns with the hope that they will do the work and be successful. Mike Beaver, hiring manager for Nasdaq, a stock market exchange group, has had his share of good and bad interns. He had two interns at once, one got hired in a full time position and the other has not been heard from since.

“I’ve always been more of a mentor,” Beaver said. “Tried to help the kid who kept failing and he just kept making the same mistakes.”

The intern who got hired did all of his work no matter how small, did not have an ego, and was always nice with a positive attitude, according to Beaver.

“He reminded everyone we worked with of how we all first were when we were in the workforce,” Beaver said. “So we all wanted to help him as we all want to work with people we like. In turn he wanted allies to fight for him to get hired.”

This showed effort in Beaver’s eyes. The intern proved himself, not only in his work but by being a team member, so Nasdaq went out of their way to help him. The other intern did the complete opposite.

“The other kid came in either right on time or was late. If he was late he made some crazy excuse over and over,” Beaver said. “He would complain about the work and he wasn’t friendly. We tried to tell him how lucky he was to have an internship at a major stock exchange and he didn’t seem to care. He just wanted to do the bare minimum because that’s what it said in his work contract.”

Beaver also explained how work is like being in a fraternity or sorority house. There is a chain of command and you need to understand where you are, and like being in a fraternity, you are there because you are liked. It’s then up to you to see if you can adjust to the culture and move up the food chain (or corporate ladder).

Yes, it is very important to find an internship that allows you to grow and learn but make sure you are doing your part as well, and giving a good impression to the company because you never know what that could lead to in your future.