We all know the primary goal after completing an internship is to secure a full-time job. Without the right combination of experience, exposure and professional development, though, securing a job is more difficult than you would think.

As I look back on my own experiences in intercollegiate athletics, I am reminded of how important professional development has been in accomplishing my goals. My internship experiences were some of the most challenging and rewarding of my life. While working in a conference office, I had the opportunity to observe many areas of intercollegiate athletics in addition to meeting and working with many people in the athletics industry.

Halfway through my internship, I attended a workshop that made a dramatic impact on my professional life: the NCAA Conference Intern Seminar. During three days of workshops, lectures and activities, I learned how integral professional development was in achieving my career goals. The purpose of this annual seminar is educating participants on matters relevant to athletics, both professional and amateur, as well as equipping them with the necessary skills to pursue careers in those fields. In addition, the interns are able build a network through access to administrators and individuals they may not otherwise reach.

Throughout the weekend, it became clear to me that professional development was imperative to my career. I learned that professional development did not consist solely of a solid résumé, references and good interviewing skills -- it was a constant and evolving process. No matter how well you may think you can handle yourself in an interview or present yourself in a cover letter, continued focus on your professional development can only help.

Professional development typically can be broken down to three elements: networking, skills and exposure.

The core of professional development is networking. At the end of your internship, your network should not be limited to the four or five names you add to the reference section of your résumé. A good network will consist of mentors, role models, peers and colleagues who can help guide your career, present opportunities, provide recommendations, offer support and challenge you. Typically, one person will not be able to provide every network opportunity that you need, which is why it is important to spend your internship finding ways to increase your network, in addition to learning and having an enjoyable experience.

Professional skills such as résumé writing and proficiency in interviewing make up another component of professional development. The NCAA Conference Intern Seminar provided an opportunity to sharpen my professional skills to better prepare me for my next career step.

Once those two foundations are in place, you should focus on exposure. Your internship should expose you not only to key contacts who might further your career, but also to the various aspects within your career. Sitting behind your desk and accomplishing your daily tasks is what is expected of you, but you must not shy away from tapping into the wealth of experience within your working environment. Find out how people who came before you got to where they are. You not only can learn from their experiences, but you also can apply those lessons to your own experience. And, of course, the more you expose yourself to a network of associates, the more likely it is that you will obtain career opportunities. Plenty of good opportunities are out there, but few employers would settle for average professional skills, lukewarm experience and run-of-the-mill references.

The best way to set yourself apart and focus on professional development during your internship is to research not only your institution or organization, but also the issues they face. Arrange meetings or discussions with individuals who can offer insight to those issues. Get to know the people you work with. Keep your résumé updated and have people within your network examine it periodically. Always look for ways to increase your network. Most importantly, once you move on from your internship into the next phase of your career, keep in touch with your contacts. They most certainly will benefit you later in your career.

If you currently are an intern at a conference office, the 2003 NCAA Conference Intern Seminar is a great place to implement the professional development skills you have worked on all year. This year's seminar takes place January 23-25, 2003, at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. Each year, about 40 interns from across the country convene to network with other interns and industry experts, to polish their professional skills, to discuss issues pertinent to athletics and to improve their overall marketability to potential employers.

I took the knowledge I gained from the seminar and put it to work for the rest of my internship. I returned from Indianapolis with more clarity and focus on my career goals and was able to seek out and obtain opportunities that led me in the direction I needed to go.

Along the way, I met several mentors and role models and made valuable contacts and lifelong friends who still guide and challenge me and make me a better administrator. Though I have only just begun my career in athletics, continued focus on professional development ensures a bright future.

Jamie Maddox is the assistant director of sport administration at the Big East Conference. She formerly was an intern at the Mountain West Conference.