NEW YORK (MainStreet) — For a soon-to-graduate college student getting ready to start a career, an internship can seem like an afterthought. It shouldn’t, according to James Merse, an account executive with a New York City public relations firm. “Interning quite literally set up my career in healthcare communications,” says Merse. “I secured a part-time job with the company I interned for before I graduated, and my final semester of college was split between school and working in the field.”

After getting his diploma, Merse didn’t have to look for a job, because he already had one, at the same company he interned with. And Merse’s experience is not unusual. In fact, nearly 65% of interns land permanent job offers from their intern company, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ 2014 Internship and Co-op Survey.

Why do employers convert interns to permanent employees? It’s no mystery, according to Suzanne Scott-Trammell, executive director of career and professional development at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Working for an employer as an intern shows you know how to work, as opposed to knowing how to get a degree.

“The language of recruiters is skills and abilities,” Scott-Trammell says. “Getting experience helps communicate that, providing specific tasks and skills gained during the internship, which make them a stronger employee of choice.”

So how do you get an internship? The most important concern is to start applying sooner rather than later. Some students wait until after graduation to look for internships. Scott-Trammell says the best time to intern is between junior and senior years or sophomore and junior years. “Many interns are starting, in my opinion, late,” Merse echoes. “I’ve seen interns that are 23 and 24 years old and I can’t help but think, ‘What were you doing during your junior and senior years of college?’”

After initiative, the next-most critical item is your pitch. Develop a 30-second introduction that describes your skills, abilities and career interests in ways that employers with intern opportunities can appreciate. “Have a way to introduce yourself that’s a hook,” Scott-Trammell says. Research target companies and industries, so you’ll know what kind of bait employers are likely to bite on. And, although it sounds corny, practice making eye contact and offering a firm handshake.

Next, network. Scott-Trammell notes that four of five jobs are found through networking, and the proportion of internships landed via know-who is probably even higher. If, like most people, you don’t have a network, develop one. Scott-Trammell suggests identifying people in your target industry or company by searching LinkedIn profiles or news articles searches, then contacting them with a request for a 15-minute conversation about working in the field.

While it will be framed as a purely informational chat, in fact, the prospective intern is creating a network with each contact. And odds of getting access may be higher than you think. “Not many people will turn down a student,” Scott-Trammell says.

Not all internships are worth the trouble. Don’t be afraid to ask what you’ll be doing as an intern, and avoid any that sound as though they will consist mostly of making coffee. Pay is also an issue. Although legally companies are not supposed to use interns as unpaid replacements for permanent workers, unpaid internships are common. Interns who can get financial help from family or others will find unpaid internships more palatable. Those who can’t may have to focus on paid internships.

Scott-Trammell says a higher-education trend placing more value on experiential learning means future students will increasingly be steered toward internships. Unfortunately, the National Association of Colleges and Employers survey found fewer employers are offering internships today than a few years ago. That means getting one is going to be harder.

And that highlights perhaps the most critical ingredient of any successful effort to get an internship, namely, persistence. Merse says he used every resource he could find, including college and general job boards and personal and alumni connections. “Apply, apply, apply,” he says. “And when you get discouraged, apply some more.”

—Written by Mark Henricks for MainStreet