By Robert DiGiacomo, for Yahoo HotJobs!

When you hear the word "intern," you likely think of an eager college student tasked with making copies or fetching coffees. But you might want to think again. At any age, and especially when jobs are scarce, an internship can be an effective way to add new skills in your specialty, gain experience in a completely different field or simply build up contacts.

Whether you're just starting out or trying to reinvent yourself, the key is to have a plan for how the internship will help advance your career goals. This way, you're less likely to end up being a glorified gofer.

"Interns too often take a passive approach -- they should have a clear vision of what a successful internship looks like to them," says Dave Cofer, internship consultant for the Columbus, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce.

Here are four more tips for making the most of an internship.

An Internship by Any Other Name

Some of the best untapped opportunities are with employers in burgeoning fields that don't have formal internship programs, according to Steve Langerud, director of career development at DePauw University.

"You want to work with people who are on the leading edge of a field and are so busy they don't have time to think about internships," he says.

To get your foot in the door with such a company, make a pitch that emphasizes your skill set and what you'd like to accomplish within a certain time frame.

"You have to be able to tell them what you want, and not what it's called," says Langerud.

Should You Get Paid?

If your budget won't allow for an unpaid internship, see if a stipend to cover travel and other expenses is available. Do a Web search to look for grants or other funding in your field.

For-profit companies that offer unpaid internship programs must meet various criteria -- for instance, that an unpaid intern not supplant the role of a salaried worker -- to comply with federal labor laws and regulations in many states. Students should check with their college career centers if they have concerns about working without pay.

For people who are in the workforce, volunteering services as an intern can be a form of "try-buy," according to Sally Haver, senior vice president of business development for The Ayers Group/Career Partners International, a unit of Kelly Services.

"The prospective [employer] gets a sample of what the person can do, and the person gains insight, knowledge and skills in the new environment," Haver says.

Never Assume, Always Ask

Once you land an internship, remember to ask the right questions -- and don't make assumptions about your role.

"Ask for tasks that have not specifically been assigned, ask for periodic feedback and ask if you can shadow someone who seems like a potential mentor," Haver says.

Get Off the Couch

If you're out of a job, an internship might not do more than pay your basic bills, but it will widen your circle of contacts and boost your morale.

"Mindset is such a key factor to how you perform in interviews," Cofer says. "Being out there doing something and interacting with people will keep you productive and motivated, and can serve as a springboard to eventual full-time employment."