Category Archives: College Tips
10 Colleges With the Highest Rate of Student Internships
Indiana INTERNnet is proud of the two Indiana colleges that made onto the U.S. News’ “10 Colleges With the Highest Rate of Student Internships” list: Holy Cross College and Taylor University. Below is an excerpt from the featured article by Devon Haynie, an education reporter at U.S. News.
It’s a tough job market for recent college graduates.
Of the workers who graduated from college in the past two years, 41 percent say they are underemployed and working in jobs that do not require their college degrees, according to a 2013 survey from Accenture, a consulting company.
And even with their degrees, nearly 63 percent of recent graduates said they will need more training in order to get the job they want, the survey states.
Faced with this reality, many college students are doing everything they can to be more marketable after graduation.
More often than not, landing an internship is key to that strategy â …
The Alumni Networking Solution
This is a guest blog on tips to connecting during a job search by John Muscarello, Founder and CEO of Start Networking Today.
Looking for an excuse to spend even more time on social media?
LinkedIn has proven to be a great professional networking tool. According Jobvite, âEmployees hired through referral are hired 55% faster than those who come from a career site.â
I have personally used The Alumni Networking Solution to find leads and get interviews that lead to job offers.
What exactly is The Alumni Networking Solution?
The Alumni Networking Solution is a 5-step networking tool designed to introduce yourself to college alumni and develop relationships that lead to referrals. This means actually getting to know the person- and asking for his or her advice, instead of a job. I used these five simple steps â in about 10 minutes per connection â to find …
Adopt an attitude your internship supervisor will love
Beginning a new internship can be scary, if for no other reason than the fact that you have to build a good reputation for yourself from the ground up, usually in about 10-12 weeks. Can your internship supervisor really come to trust you with meaningful work in that small timeframe?
The answer is âyes!â You can expedite the process, too, by adopting an attitude on Day 1 that your supervisor will love. From my internship experiences, here are some ways I found will help you build a good relationship with your supervisors and mentors:
1. Act like a professional
Be pleasant and respectful. Know when to listen and when to speak. Contribute to the formal and productive office environment, donât detract from it. Talking about your 21st birthday while the board president is within earshot is not a good idea. Texting during a meeting also wonât win you any points.
…
Happy Holidays; Welcome Home, Students!
Welcome home, college students! Congratulations on making it through finals, and happy holidays to you. We know your brain needs a break, and you’re ready to have some fun reminicsing with high school friends and family.
But, you’re still a college student on a budget, so we’ve put together a brief Top 5 list of things-to-do in Central Indiana while you’re home for the holidays.
Dec. 16, 2011
Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls
Conseco Fieldhouse (Downtown Indianapolis)
Tickets: Just $10 each! Portion of the proceeds to benefit United Way of Central Indiana
More info: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/05004716A23B7BAE?did=uway
Nov. 25 thru Dec. 30
A Christmas Carol, Unscripted
ComedySportz Downtown Indianapolis
Tickets: $12
More Info: www.indycomedysportz.com
Nov. 25 thru Dec. 30
Christmas at the Zoo, presented by Donatos and Teachers Credit Union
The Indianapolis Zoo (Near Downtown Indianapolis)
Tickets: $7.50 to $9.50
…
Networking for Introverts
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 itâs 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 youâre like me, you may not consider yourself an extrovertâŠand 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, Iâd like to suggest a âbaby stepâ 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 College and Career Pathways
Entry by Pat Patterson
The Indiana Department of Education is currently reaching out to Businesses and Industries throughout the state to create awareness of College and Career Pathways. College and Career Pathways are an aligned sequence of courses that prepare high school students for college and career success.
The pathway plans focus on easing a studentsâ transition from high school to community college; from pre-college courses to post-secondary programs; and from community college to university or employment.
The Indiana Department of Education is also providing opportunities for companies to review the curriculum that has been developed. Their goal is to ensure the pathway plans designed for Indiana students meet employer needs in a growing and changing economy.
Input of business and industry representatives who understand the type of courses/content that will prepare our Indiana students upon graduation from high school is essential to their goals.
If you would like to …
Students: Are You Ready for Career Fairs?
Entry by Nicole Goble, Director of Recruiting and Development in the financial services industry in Zionsville, IN
It is that time of year again; spring, campus career fairs are right around the corner. If you are still in the hunt for a summer internship, making the best of your time at each one is highly important. I have drilled down on research, research, research so it wonât be mentioned (but please do research đ ). Here are a few things to separate you from the sea of students in line at company booths:
1. Go Alone.
It is ok to say hello and shake hands as you meet fellow classmates; however, steer away from going with a friend. This time is about talking with employers and companyâs about what interests you.
2. Dress to Impress.
This is easier said than done from my experience. For …
Students: How Many Hats Can You Wear?
Entry by Pat Patterson
In todayâs workplace, employers are placing more emphasis on an employee’s ability to multi-taskâŠand I donât just mean texting and talking at the same time. A diverse collection of workspace-related skills may increase your likeliness of landing your dream job. According to research from Robert Half International, multi-tasking is a prominent attribute desired for the hottest jobs of 2011:
âThe common thread among the jobs highlighted in our research is that they help businesses improve efficiency and profits, and foster a more positive customer experience,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. “The most successful job candidates bring multiple skill sets, a track record of success and a strong sense of accountability to their roles.â
Read more.
Knowing this information, at your current or upcoming internship, you may want to ask your supervisor for opportunities that may enhance any …
10 Tips to Avoid End of Semester Burnout
Entry by Valerie Petrey, Public Relations & Event Planning Intern, Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development
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 1. Stay organized
Keep an agenda or calendar. Write down the days and times of when all of your papers, projects and exams are due. This will serve as a great outline for you to refer to, and will ensure you donât accidentally mix up times or dates.
2. Donât pull an all-nighter
If you did number one, you hopefully wonât be pulling all nighters! Know your grades beforehand, and know how well you have to do on the exam or final project to get the grade you want. Be realistic and manage your time wisely. Splitting up study hours will also allow you to rejuvenate yourself.
3. Wrap up final internship projects
Itâs not a good idea to try and fit last minute meetings …
Questions to Consider when Interning during the School Year
Entry by Valerie Petrey, Public Relations & Event Planning Intern, Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development
Most of us intern during the summer because itâs less stressful â no classes, club meetings, group projects, etc. However, with the workforce being highly competitive, itâs good to be open to the possibility of interning the semester you plan to graduate.
If youâre a December graduate and have time to spare, interning in the spring is a great idea because not as many people are applying to internships then. If you are graduating in May, like me, you should still consider doing an internship during your last semester. Last semester internships are your final opportunities to show employers what youâve learned while attending college, and what you can contribute as a full-time employee at their company. Employers are more likely to hire someone they have seen working in action.
Whether youâre graduating this month, …
Turkey Break: You Can Never Overcook Your Intership Search
Entry by Pat Patterson
Students and employers, Thanksgiving break is a great opportunity to prepare for upcoming career fairs. Although it may not sound like fun, researching and preparing for career fairs will help all you students land internships and all you employers find the perfect internsâŠnot to mention, make you feel better after stuffing your face. After all, what else are you going to do for the six to eight hours that your turkey is cooking?
Students and employers, check out Indiana INTERNnetâs event page to view upcoming career fairs near you.
Students, check out past blog entries for career fair advice:Â Students: Preparing for a Career Fair, Career Fair Game Plan, Career Fairs 101: Create Customized Resumes, Career Fairs 101: Avoid the Herd Mentality, and Career Fairs 101: After the Career Fair.
Employers, check out our past blog entry: Career Fairs 101: Selling Your Company …
Students: Looking for Something to do this Weekend?
Entry by Pat Patterson
Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Why not polish up your resume? Now, I bet youâre all thinking, âYeah, rightâŠI thought this blog entry was going to be about some fun event or promotion.â Just keep readingâŠ
Iâm not suggesting you spend all weekend working on your resume, but it may be a good idea to add recent internships that you have not yet added. The more time that elapses after your internship, the more you will forget important details. You never know when an opportunity may arise when you will need to submit your resume, especially given the fact that college hiring and recruiting is expected to increase: Â
NACEâs current hiring index shows college hiring at 126.4, compared with 86.8 last year at this time. The October poll also found that nearly half of responding employers expect to increase …
Career Services: Taking Advantage of Social Networking
Entry by Pat Patterson
Social networking may help you reach your student body, keep in contact with alumni, connect students and alumni with employment opportunities, and market your events. John Hill, alumni career services director at Michigan State University (MSU), has had a lot of success with social networking:
The MSU career services networkâs social networking strategy is to have alumni help it access industries, interest areas, and professions that it wouldnât be able to reach through traditional on-campus recruiting or career fairs.
âThe MSU alumni who get involved in these groups through social and professional media are our low-hanging fruit and itâs up to us to mobilize them,â Hill says. âSocial media gives us a ready-made repository to identify them.â
MSU primarily focuses on LinkedIn as there are 135,000 MSU alumni and students using it. Through information and data on resumes, the career services network creates communities that …
Interning After Graduation?
Entry by Valerie Petrey, Public Relations & Event Planning Intern, Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development
For those of you job searching with me, this blog is for you!
Regardless of the economy it can be difficult to find a job. Itâs different now because companies have more to lose if their recent hire canât handle the job responsibilities. Letâs say Company X hired âMaryâ on as their copywriter. It appeared that âMaryâ knew how to write and could work under pressure but when she was assigned to produce a brochure for Company X, her writing skills were less than immaculate and she crumbled under time limits.Â
Company Xâs time and money was wasted, and they were forced to let her go and search for a new copywriter. Unfortunately things like this happen in the workforce, which may lead an employer to assume all new grads are like this. This is …
Getting Yourself Noticed by New Blog Author Valerie Petrey
Entry by Valerie Petrey, Public Relations & Event Planning Intern, Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development
Hello everyone! My name is Valerie Petrey. Iâm currently a senior at Purdue University majoring in public relations and advertising and will graduate this May. To learn a little bit more about me and what I will be blogging about, please read on!
 In todayâs workforce you need to have an internship to get a job, and most of the time you need a few. Employers LOVE to hire students fresh out of college with real work experience! This semester I will be sharing experiences of my current internship with Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development (LACD), advice I have received from past internships and my current journey of locating internships and jobs via social media and traditional methods.
The best advice I can give anyone is to take a chance. While it is easiest to …