News Archives

Making Your Internship Work for You

Posted on April 22, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Jennifer Weinmann – Student Employment Consultant for the IUPUI Office of Student Employment

Many times, students are focused on finding a part-time job or internship to “get experience”. However, once they’ve landed that position, they are not sure what to do to start gaining the skills they will need for their future career. Sure, the job itself will help them gain skills, but an active approach to learning transferable skills will add an even greater benefit in the long run. Here are my tips to gaining skills in an internship that will transfer to the professional work environment:

1. Learn what skills are needed for your future career field
Knowing the skills that will be valued in your career field will help you focus your energy on gaining the most valuable transferrable skills. I highly recommend visiting O*Net: http://online.onetcenter.org/. Simply enter an occupation in the search box, select …

It Pays to Intern

Posted on March 30, 2011
by Pat

Although wage should not be as important as experience when determining which internships to pursue, the idea of making a good chunk of change is always appealing.

When I was still an undergraduate student, I would ask my fraternity brothers if anyone else planned on interning in the summer. I remember asking a younger guy in the house if he planned on applying for any internships. He replied, “No, I plan on working at a factory like I do every summer where I can make $15/hr, so that’s way better.”

He, like many other students today, didn’t realize that internships pay fairly well:

On average, bachelor’s degree students taking part in internships in 2011 will earn an average of $16.68 an hour, according to results of NACE’s 2011 Internship & Co-op Survey.

At the master’s degree level, the average hourly rate is $24.21.

Aside from the possibility of making a …

“Winners don’t have to explain themselves. Only losers do.”

Posted on March 28, 2011
by Pat

As many of you may already be aware, actor Charlie Sheen has been working with internships.com to hire a “winning” summer 2011 social media intern to monitor and manage his social media marketing campaigns – imagine having that experience listed on your resume…

If this is your first time learning about the internship, don’t get too excited; the competition/interview process is already in its third round, narrowing the some 82,000 applicants down to 250 individuals who have proven to have #tigerblood thus far.

21-year-old Julia Hatmaker is one of the 250 left. She has made comments to The Patriot-News about her experience:

In the first round, she was asked to tell why she thought she should get the job. Her response was a twist on Sheen’s own words: “Winners don’t have to explain themselves. Only losers do.”

“I guess they liked that,” she said.

Although this answer is …

Internships Prove More Valuable Than Ever for Companies and Students

Posted on March 25, 2011
by Pat

From Inside INdiana Business

It’s easy to list specific reasons why an organization should start an internship program: increased productivity, enhanced creativity, effective recruitment – to name a few. But it’s the coveted notion of saving time and money while getting quality results that’s music to the ears of any employer.

In fact, these days when hiring for a full-time position, some organizations may not have the time or financial resources to recruit a seasoned individual. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) 2010 Internship and Co-op Survey (based on 235 employer responses), 83% of employers said that they use internship programs as a tool for recruiting entry-level talent, an increase of approximately 5% from 2009.

NACE’s survey also indicated that 44.6% of respondents’ full-time entry level hires from the class of ’08-’09 were from their internship programs, an increase of approximately 10% from the prior year.

…

Identifying an Intern Supervisor

Posted on March 22, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Pat Patterson

Before you host your interns this summer, make sure you are prepared – appointing an individual as an intern supervisor will enhance the internship experience for both your organization and your interns.

An intern supervisor will familiarize interns with your organization, provide assignments and serve as a “go-to” person for questions. It is best if the intern supervisor is connected with the type of work the intern will perform (e.g., the marketing director supervising a marketing intern) to provide appropriate guidance for the intern’s assignments.

As a general guide, an intern supervisor’s responsibilities will include:

taking part in an intern’s application, screening and interview process; conducting an intern’s orientation; developing an intern’s work plan; periodically meeting with an intern to evaluate performance and if needs/goals are being met; and assessing the internship program’s success.

Are you …

Still Searching for an Internship?

Posted on March 18, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Pat Patterson

Are you still having trouble finding a summer internship? With employers planning to hire more interns this year, perhaps you are just looking in the wrong places:

Employers expect to hire 7 percent more interns for 2010-11 than they hired in 2009-10, according to results of NACE’s latest internship survey.

Ninety-three percent of employers responding to the NACE 2011 Internship & Co-op Survey reported plans to hire interns.

The survey was conducted January 15 – March 1; 266 employers responded, for a 30.8 percent response rate.

Indiana INTERNnet has nearly 2,500 internship opportunities available from more than 3,800 employers across the state. If you have not done so recently, log on to your student account and search our database – or if you don’t have an account, get signed up with us today for free!

With most summer internships starting in …

College Student Explores Social Marketing With Virtual Internship

Posted on March 15, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Pat Patterson – from the February 2011 INTERNnetwork

For many employers, deciding whether to hire an intern is not easy. A lack of office space or time, for instance, may prevent some businesses from doing so. The same applies to students – because of time or distance, they may not be able to complete an internship when and where they desire.

A project at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College known as the “Social Marketing Experiment” addressed these issues. Funded through a $15,000 Ball Brothers Foundation Venture grant and the Lilly Endowment, it allowed on-campus and distance students to collaborate and construct social media marketing campaigns for local nonprofits.

As part of the “Social Marketing Experiment,” students worked virtually for various nonprofits, communicating either through phone or e-mail. This was an ideal arrangement for Annessa Rentschler, a Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College senior and mother of one. As an intern, she worked with …

Making Yourself Indispensible in the Workplace

Posted on March 8, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Jennifer Weinmann, Student Employment Consultant for the IUPUI Office of Student Employment in Indianapolis, IN

While working at a University, I have the opportunity to learn from both students and staff. Since many on-campus staff are also student employers, I hear about a variety of things that occur in the workplace. Because a part-time job or internship can often be the gateway to full-time employment, it is important that a student employee be aware of the way he or she behaves in the workplace.

For many students, they know that getting a job can be a challenge, but they don’t often think beyond this first step. Once they have secured a position, they may be at a loss for the next steps to take in their newly found position.

Here are a few things I have determined will make you stand out and show how …

New Contributing Blog Author: Jennifer Weinmann

Posted on March 7, 2011
by Pat

Jennifer is a 2008 Ball State University graduate with a degree in Human Resources Management. Throughout her college career, Jennifer worked for a business fellowship program through the Ball State Career Center. She has extensive internship experience, confirming her HR passion through internships with Aldi as a District Manager Intern and at Red Gold as a Human Resources Intern.

Jennifer accepted a full-time position with Red Gold upon graduation in a truly generalist role, as she managed payroll, benefits, employee recognition and recruitment. Then, after relocating to Indianapolis, Jennifer worked as a project manager for Walker Information, conducting large scale training sessions for global clients.

Now pursuing a graduate degree, Jennifer joined IUPUI as the Student Employment Consultant for the Office of Student Employment while enrolling in graduate courses for Adult Education. She works full-time with IUPUI students who are seeking part-time employment. Through presentations and one-on-one sessions, Jennifer mentors …

Want to Perform Your Best at Your Next Internship Interview?

Posted on March 4, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Pat Patterson

Aside from the usual interview preparation – researching the organization and opportunity, preparing answers to questions, dressing in appropriate professional attire, etc. – the key to performing your best at your next internship interview is to get enough sleep the night before, so be prepared to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs………

According to studies discussed in Brain Rules, a book by molecular biologist Dr. John Medina, sleep helps our brains function at peak performance:

To highlight this, Medina refers to a study in which math graduate students were given a problem and told the way to solve it.

“It was a bonehead solution,” Medina says. “Unbeknownst to students, there was a much more elegant way to solve the math problem.”

The researchers, who wanted to study the effect of sleep on cognition, broke the students into two groups, Group A and Group B. With 12 …

Indiana INTERNnet Welcomes New Executive Director

Posted on February 21, 2011
by Pat

Indiana INTERNnet announced today the arrival of Janet Boston; she most recently was the director of marketing/director of regional services for the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Boston has a bachelor’s degree in business from Indiana University and an MBA from Butler University.

Boston brings extensive management, communications, marketing, planning and fundraising skills to the executive director position, according to Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. The Indiana Chamber has managed the Indiana INTERNnet program, which is funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment, since January 2006.

“In particular, we believe Janet’s track record of leadership and relationship-building in the community, non-profit and corporate worlds are ideal for working with the various interests involved in Indiana INTERNNet – be it the students, businesses or universities.”

Indiana INTERNnet was formed in 2001, shortly after a series of studies done in collaboration with the Indiana Chamber, the Indiana Commission of Higher Education and the …

Employers: Help Has Arrived!

Posted on February 16, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Pat Patterson

Do you need help creating a new or enhancing an existing internship program? Look no further, Indiana INTERNnet recently updated a valuable resource – Intern Today, Employee Tomorrow: The Indiana Employer’s Guide to Internships. The guide details how to start an internship program within your organization – from why you should hire an intern to developing your program, recruiting and managing your intern, and any human resources issues to consider.

The guide is now available from the Indiana INTERNnet home page, www.workandlearnindiana.com, under “Events, Forms and Reports.” Paper copies are available upon request. Don’t forget – you may also contact Indiana INTERNnet at (866) 646-3434 to schedule a custom internship program assessment focused on your organization’s specific needs.

Networking for Introverts

Posted on February 15, 2011
by Pat

Entry by Jennifer Weinmann, Student Employment Consultant for the IUPUI Office of Student Employment in Indianapolis, IN

As a Student Employment Consultant, one of the biggest issues I come across is students who are uncomfortable networking. Whether it’s a part-time position, internship, or full-time position, networking is increasingly the best way to make connections that could land you a position.

If you’re like me, you may not consider yourself an extrovert…and that could mean anxiety at the thought of attending a networking event. For those who shy away at the thought of meeting and greeting in a room of strangers, I’d like to suggest a “baby step” to a public gathering: LinkedIn.com

Many of you may know of the site. For those who are not familiar, the main objective of the site is to bring professionals together and provide an online environment for networking. …

Indiana INTERNnet Honors Top Achievements in Internships

Posted on February 10, 2011
by Pat

From the Indiana Chamber

(INDIANAPOLIS) — Indiana INTERNnet, the statewide resource for internship opportunities from the Indiana Chamber, recognized achievements in internships and mentoring today at the 2010 IMPACT Awards Luncheon. The honorees are:

Outstanding Employer of the Year (not-for-profit) – International Center of Indianapolis
Outstanding Employer of the Year (for-profit) – ExactTarget
Career Services Professional of the Year – Jeremy Podany, School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University – Bloomington
Outstanding Intern of the Year (High School) – Emily Miller, Brownsburg High School
Outstanding Intern of the Year (College) – Fangfang Li, University of Indianapolis
The awards were presented during the annual luncheon event in downtown Indianapolis.

Students who intern at the International Center of Indianapolis (ICI) participate in foreign dignitary visits. They help plan prestigious galas and accompany leaders from around the world to local events. Participants receive assignments …

Older Posts

Feedback