MIAMI, Fl. (By Cindy Krischer Goodman Miami Herald) August 17, 2007 — As an intern, Dulce Vasquez of Davie is spending two months this summer in the glitzy headquarters of Sears Holdings in Chicago, using the company gym, preparing for the intern barbecue and calling it a day at 4 p.m.

Living the high life, it's not surprising that this Northwestern University senior finds getting a feel for corporate culture in just eight weeks "very difficult.''

This summer, companies are so eager to recruit college grads that some are bringing in interns for the first time while others are increasingly wooing them with monogrammed trinkets, catered lunches and plum assignments.

But do those savvy college students really think a company is going to pay them big bucks right out of school to make copies, eat free lunches and dash for the exit at "quitting time''?

''I'm not sure some interns have a good sense of what they are walking into,'' said Julie Goldthwait, vice president and general manager of MonsterTRAK, a job website for college students and recent graduates.

This summer, 60 percent of employers, including small businesses, are offering internships. These summer programs are so prevalent now that 78 percent of prospective graduates plan to complete one or more internship during their college careers, according to MonsterTRAK's 2007 annual nationwide survey of college students, recent graduates and entry-level employers.

With unemployment low and entrepreneurialism a real alternative, companies are more interested than ever in creating a recruiting pipeline for young people with fresh perspectives. But like dating, how far into the courtship do you show your true self?

At Greenberg Traurig, summer associates still get wined and dined. But this year, the law firm gave its 85 interns BlackBerrys and told them to be accessible 24/7 -- just like its lawyers.

''We live in a fast paced age, and this is what we do for our clients,'' says Matt Gorson, Greenberg's national operating shareholder.

That's not to say Greenberg hasn't poured on the charm. Like most big firms competing for the brightest grads, Greenberg will conduct an eight-week whirlwind courtship that includes meet and greets, community events and cocktail parties. Gorson admits the social is ''somewhat artificial'' but considers it an improvement over the straight interview process. ''It gives us a chance to know them and them a chance to learn more about us,'' he says.

For summer interns, cutting through the hype takes some guile. One lawyer suggests walking around the office off-hours and weekends to see how many workers are there. Or try making a mental note when a manager is wearing a rumpled version of the previous day's outfit.

Along with observing, be curious. Bob Levenson, a Miami trial lawyer with the Securities and Exchange Commission, says asking the right questions gives a clearer picture of the culture of a firm. For example, if someone is around at 8 p.m., Levenson says, ask who they are and what they are doing. "Are they preparing for court or going through Box 24 of 85 of a document?''

Firms should establish mentor relationships between veterans and interns, says Dennis O. Lynch, dean of University of Miami's law school.

"It shows you're interested in developing people.''

One Miami business completely restructured its summer program to give interns a more realistic experience. Michelle Zubizarreta, executive vice president of Zubi Advertising, changed the company's summer internship four years ago from a gofer set up to one where the college students form mini agencies and create marketing campaigns in just eight weeks. The program culminates with a competition. Zubizarreta says the structured program simulates what it is really like to work in advertising.

''They have every department in the agency available to them,'' she says. Through the process, they come to realize the industry is not for the ''weak of heart,'' she adds.

Studies show that college grads put top priority on finding challenging work and fulfillment from their jobs, something companies should be aware of when wooing them, says Goldthwait.

Yet she urges businesses to tell summer interns exactly what they'll be doing and what the company offers. "You don't want to bring in someone who leaves after you invest in them because they are not getting what they signed up for.''