Category Archives: Internship

Office Life in Five Gifs from ‘The Office’

Completing projects at your internship is one thing, but adapting to office life is a whole different story. It may seem like such a tiny detail in the bigger picture of your internship, but the small skills you learn through working in an office like communication, teamwork and time management will help you in your future career. Here are some tips and gifs from The Office to get you excited about living the office life!

There will be days that feel longer than others

Sitting at a desk for four to eight hours per day is a lot different than sitting in hour and a half lectures throughout the week. Some days will fly by, while others will drag on for a what feels like an eternity. If you find yourself getting distracted or burnt out, get up from your desk for few minutes. Taking a short break from …

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High School Internships & How To Get Involved

1. If you are a high school student, take time during every week of school to meet with your teachers, discuss topics that excite you, learn a new hobby and make new friends. Audition for the school play or try out for the soccer team. These experiences will stick with you throughout college.

2. Talk to your guidance counselor about how you can shape your future classes into a schedule that suits you and your career goals. There is nothing more important than learning to articulate your passions with the leaders who can help you get on the right path. You’d be surprised when you find that the classes you took in high school directly correlate with your major in college and even after graduation!

3. Ask teachers about internships and work-and-learn initiatives at your school. If your school doesn’t have an internship program, encourage your guidance …

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Kick Start Your Career

Claire Brumback graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with a minor in Women’s Studies. During her degree program, she interned at U.S. Kids Magazines at the Saturday Evening Post. She is currently an intern in the Public Affairs department at Indianapolis Power and Light Company.

Internships are a great kick start to your career, and most degree programs won’t let you graduate without having one. Real-world experience is just as important as all those classes you have been taking for the past few years.

Sometimes being an intern can be rough, but you have to start somewhere. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but patience is key. If you’ve never had an internship before, here’s a list of some things you can expect.

1.  You will be assigned work that isn’t glamorous.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. There are …

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Fall Semester Told by “Gilmore Girls”

Rory Gilmore, from the popular show Gilmore Girls, understands the stress of a busy school schedule. With the Netflix reboot of the show coming this week, I’d like to present the life struggles that Rory and Lorelai experienced on screen, but students face in real life.

 

That looming feeling of approaching finals

We’ve all been there. Fall semester is coming to an end, internships tasks are multiplying, and the stress is increasing. While some (lucky) students thrive on the heavy workload, others dislike everything about it. Try scheduling study sessions a few weeks in advance so those finals don’t sneak up on you!

If you’re really struggling to make it through the end of the semester, find things to look forward to in your life. If you have an internship, find aspects of it that you’re excited about (learning a skill, meeting new connections, free birthday cake in …

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High School Internships Blaze Career Paths

Career-development activities aren’t just for college and graduate students anymore. As labor and learning initiatives grow with the needs of our shifting economy, educators and employers are beginning to emphasize the importance of internships and work-and-learn experiences for the younger demographic.

High school students should be considered as young professionals. When you factor in the multi-tasking of their studies, athletic activities, managing relationships with friends and family, and acing their SATs for the hopes of attending their dream university, they truly understand how to balance work with play. Navigating through the occasional drama and misfit adventures, students graduate high school with a better understanding of their self-worth. But do they have a better understanding of a future career path? These students are the key demographic who need expert career guidance, in order to ensure professional success beyond the classroom.

These young students have the potential to take charge of their …

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Growing as an HR Professional

Johnny Slivka is an HR/Business Development Intern with Milliner & Associates. He will graduate from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business this year.

On August 31st, Milliner & Associates gave me the opportunity to grow as a human resources (HR) professional by attending the HR Indiana Annual Conference. Wow, I was blown away by just the one day I was there. On that day I attended with two other co-workers who were able to guide me through the conference, as well as help lead me to the sessions that would be most beneficial. As an intern, I would have never imagined that I would be able to learn and grow as a professional by being able to attend the largest HR conference in the Midwest and one of the largest in the nation!

My first session I was able to attend was about emotional intelligence and it …

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One, Two, Three. Is EARN Indiana for me?

In 2013, Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) began partnering with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) to facilitate its Employment Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana program. EARN Indiana reimburses employers with an approved internship up to 50 percent of each eligible intern’s wage.

EARN Indiana doesn’t just benefit employers. The program provides eligible students with a wide variety of positions offering competitive pay and valuable experience. These internships can be used to explore career interests, develop transferable skills, apply academic coursework to the professional world, examine career interests and even earn college credit.

“[EARN Indiana] opens up so many positions that will be able to pay you competitively all while gaining tremendous needed experience,” said Johnny Slivka, HR Marketing Intern for Milliner & Associates and EARN Indiana-eligible student.

In order to be eligible for an EARN Indiana internship, a student must:

Be an Indiana resident Not have a bachelor’s degree prior …

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The Intern Queen’s Career Advice

Matt Kennett is the marketing and public relations intern at the Crossroads of America Council. He is currently a senior marketing major at Butler University’s Lacy School of Business and will be seeking job opportunities in the near future.

I have accumulated some questions before I enter the work force, as many students have experienced. Fortunately, I was able to get some answers at an event through my internship at Crossroads of America Council. On Monday, October 24, 2016, I did not go into the office. Instead, I traveled downtown to take part in an internship event hosted by Indiana INTERNnet and Baldwin & Lyons. I did not know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the professionalism and quality information provided.

I was able to meet interns from all around Indianapolis and some other Butler University students. We were able to talk about our current and past …

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Local Interns Receive Royal Treatment from the Intern Queen

Lauren Berger is changing the game when it comes to connecting and engaging young professionals with career development and internship opportunities across the country. She is not only the CEO and founder of her multi-faceted brand, Intern Queen, but is also a national best-selling author, public speaker, and “arguably the most in-demand career and internship expert.”  She also has a new self-titled site, LaurenBergerInc.com, where you can find anything from career tips, entrepreneurial training and even fashion advice.

Back in 2009, Berger realized there was a great need for a more personalized way to connect students with internship opportunities so they could have a better chance of landing their dream job and creating a fulfilling professional life for themselves.

For these reasons, it’s clear why the Indiana INTERNnet team was thrilled to host a question and answer session here at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. We  invited local interns from …

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Top 5 Interview Horrors

It’s that time of year again. Leaves are starting to fall and there’s a cold bite in the morning air. The sunny days are dwindling as our nights get longer and darker. While your friends are looking for a costume of Harley Quinn and that girl from Stranger Things (where’s my Eggo?), you are spending Halloween alone at home preparing for a job interview. What a terrifying sight! But don’t you fear, we’ve mapped out the top five interview horrors to avoid and come out of the interview alive (and employed)!

1. Surely you thought making a pit stop at McDonalds before your interview was a great idea, but now your pressed shirt is covered in ketchup. Or is that blood?

2. You got lost in the company building and can’t find where you’re supposed to go. The email said room 666 in Building B, but you’re only seeing rooms …

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enFocus Guest Blog Series: Part 1

In 2015, Indiana INTERNnet (IIN) began working with four regions in the state to enhance our statewide efforts. These regions were selected based on opportunity and previous interest in partnerships with IIN and educational institutions in the selected area. The selected regions include Northwest Indiana, North Central Indiana, Indianapolis and surrounding counties, and Southwest Indiana. enFocus, a non-profit organization focused on innovative ways prevent brain drain, is IIN’s North Central Indiana partner.

I’ve come a long way since my first footsteps with enFocus. Back in 2013, I was finishing up my degree at the University of Notre Dame and scrambling to get real-world experience. Up to that point, I had spent my summers dipping a toe into the waters of education – both as a teacher’s aide and a substitute teacher. While I enjoyed being in front of students, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could use my talents to …

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The Reality of the Post-Graduation Job Search

When I first graduated from IUPUI, I thought finding a job would be a breeze. I graduated with high distinction, completed two internships and held a part-time customer service job through college. In class, I was told that the public relations industry was growing rapidly. I thought I would walk across the stage at commencement with a diploma in one hand and a new career on the horizon.

Well, life doesn’t always work out perfectly because the next thing I knew it was September, and I was still unemployed.

Just when I was feeling discouraged, my luck had turned around. First, Karissa Bash, Programs Assistant for Indiana INTERNnet, asked if I would write a guest blog post. I had multiple classes with Karissa at IUPUI, so I was happy to help her out.

After she heard I was still looking for a full-time position, she recommended that I apply to …

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Last Chance to Submit Nominations for IMPACT Awards

Indiana INTERNnet, managed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, is a statewide organization focusing on talent retention through increased work-and-learn experiences. Over a decade ago, Indiana INTERNnet began the tradition of celebrating internship excellence by launching the annual IMPACT Awards program. Each year, the program continues to grow in size and success.

The IMPACT Awards, presented at an annual luncheon, honor three categories: Interns of the Year (high school, college and non-traditional), Employers of the Year (for-profit and not-for-profit) and a Career Development Professional of the Year. Indiana INTERNnet will celebrate its 11th group of awards, nominees and winners on February 8, 2017. Registration will be open soon.

Olympic gold medalist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star Tamika Catchings will be the keynote speaker. Before finishing her final season with the Indiana Fever, Catchings interned with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in New York as part of a program …

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Learning While Teaching

Johnny Slivka is an HR/Business Development Intern with Milliner & Associates. He will graduate from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business this year.

Going into my summer internship, I believed this summer would be full of learning, strictly learning. What I soon discovered was far from only learning, I was teaching. Immediately, I was introduced to Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), and started learning and teaching. JAG, a program that before this summer meant nothing to me, has now ingrained itself in me. It has also really been an eye-opening experience.

Before I dive into why this program is so important to me, I want to describe it in a little more detail. JAG is a state-based, national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at risk. JAG’s mission is to keep young people in school through graduation and provide work-based learning experiences …

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Ben Verdi: Making an IMPACT

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on Feb. 3, 2016, at the 10th Annual IMPACT Awards luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nominees’ successes.

These are their stories.

Ben Verdi is a second-year graduate student at Indiana University (Bloomington). He served as a Governor’s Public Service summer intern with the Department of Workforce Development.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in government work?

Ben Verdi: I got interested in government for the same reasons I was initially interested in public service. I want to lend every skill and talent I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate back to my community and country at large. Government work appeals to me as a wonderful way to go about making that kind of a difference in people’s lives, but it’s not the only way. People can be involved in public service …

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