Don’t get caught up in the dues-paying daily grind of your internship. The real point of an internship is to get you a job and hopefully a little experience along the way. Unfortunately, an internship is a far cry from a real gig, so making that leap can take some tact. This week, we’ll show you what it takes.

Last week, we showed you how to get a summer internship. You seniors have a bigger picture to look at – in May, you need a job. If you’re smart, you already have a internship. And if you’re going to turn that bitch work (internship) into real work (a job), you need to start now. It’ll take a good 3-4 months and a lot of planning.

Over the next few days, we’ll cover 5 basic concepts to get you on your way:

• Sounding the alarm around the office: Sometimes, getting a job is as simple as asking for one. Well, not really. But kind of.
• Using internal hiring and HR: As an intern, you have access to one special department that even well-qualified outsiders can’t touch: internal hiring.
• The art of office politics: How you fit into company culture is one of the most important aspects of getting hired. Your internship is the trial period.
• How to pitch a new full-time paying job while you’re only an intern: In an economy (supposedly) on the upswing, pitching a new position at a company can be a very effective way of getting hired – albeit, a ballsy way. 
• Pitching yourself: In everything from the casual “What do you do?” to the official, nerve-wracking interview, you need to be ready to pitch yourself. Saying, “I buy coffee for my boss,” won’t work.

Keep your browsers tuned here all week for the details.