Category Archives: Internship

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills: What Matters the Most?

Throughout our young adult life, we’ve experienced many victories — from years in formal schooling to tribulations that come along with navigating between different jobs, friends and personal strategies of success.

These countless learning experiences began at a young age with critical decision making and problem solving in the classroom. We grasped these understandings over time and their effects rippled throughout our adolescence and beyond, shaping our perceptions and personality. When the time comes to enter into the real world and search for a job after graduation (and it will come sooner than you think), you will be called upon by future employers to explain what skills and assets you possess naturally or those you’ve picked up along the way.

As students, many of us tend to focus on the hard skills we possess that correlate with our natural capacity for intelligence, our chosen degree or academic accolades. We willingly …

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Intern-to-Hire: Christina Heberer

Christina Heberer recently earned her master’s degree in Wellness Management from Ball State University. After a semester-long internship with the Wellness Council of Indiana, Christina was hired as the full-time program coordinator. The Wellness Council is an affiliated program of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in wellness management?

Christina Heberer: I get asked this question a lot since many people have not heard of this field! I was attracted to wellness management because of its blend between health and business and thought this would give me a solid foundation for impacting the health and wellbeing of employees. I was also drawn to the wellness management program at Ball State because they looked beyond exercise and physical nutrition and indicators of health and considered how an individual’s community, financial situation, social support systems, and life’s purpose impact a person’s wellbeing.

IIN: Why is …

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Intern-to-Hire: Ben Gerig

Ben Gerig is a 2015 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a mechanical engineer at Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company. He completed several internships with the firefighting and fire protection equipment manufacturing company before being hired full-time upon graduation.

Indiana INTERNnet: What attracted you to intern at Elkhart Brass?

Ben Gerig: My girlfriend’s father at the time (now father-in-law) worked at Elkhart Brass as the Production Control Manager. After my freshman year in college, he offered me a paid internship position with the promise that after interning in his department that year, I would be able to intern in the engineering department the following year.

IIN: What learning experiences and projects did you have during your internships?

Gerig: While interning in Production Control the first year, I learned a great deal about how a company runs and how the different departments within a company interact. My major responsibilities …

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Interns Enjoy Networking, Fun at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

This week, Indiana INTERNnet partnered with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to host our second intern engagement event. Several local companies and their interns enjoyed a day off of their normal work routine and networked with mentors and peers. We wanted to provide an opportunity for the students to enhance their social and professional networks, devote time to career development, and have FUN! Since the Children’s Museum is the “biggest and best” in the world, we knew this would be a day to remember!

The morning started with professional development where students learned about the museum’s fantastic internship program. In 2012, Vault, Inc. named the museum’s internship program one of the top 10 non-profit programs for interns in the nation. In 2013, Indiana INTERNnet named The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Employer of the Year at the annual IMPACT Awards luncheon (LINK). Many were surprised to hear the Children’s Museum …

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A Valuable Summer at International Floral Distributors

Brittany Ulman is a senior Creative Writing student at Ball State University with minors in Professional Writing & Emerging Media and Spanish. Currently, she is the marketing intern for International Floral Distributors (IFD). She will write press releases for the company and its Flower Trend Forecast, as well as work on projects to enhance distributor services for IFD’s vendor partners.

College does involve tumultuous moments, but there are also those that bring tremendous elation. In the end, the unexpected moments are some of the best learning experiences because they can show a new route or way of thinking that forever leaves its mark. So far, my internship at IFD in Richmond has been a uniquely unexpected learning experience – but a great one nonetheless.

Throughout the last stretch of the fall semester and for nearly the entire spring semester, I researched numerous websites for the internship best suited for me. …

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Setting (and Achieving!) Internship Goals

Whether you’re a student preparing for your first internship or fifth, one of the best ways to begin a new career experience is to set goals.

This may seem like a simple task, but setting aside time to create legitimate objectives can improve your enthusiasm and outcomes during an internship. Breaking down goals into three areas will make it even easier.

Here is a great place to start:

Industry-specific goals These goals are set with the intent to apply theory-based knowledge from your classroom directly to your tasks and projects during the internship. Learn new industry skills and the techniques that other employees know best. Absorb the language of the business and be ready to be a hands-on learner. If you are in marketing, maybe you’ll learn design and Photoshop. If you are in informatics and computing, perhaps you’ll learn Java or coding. If you are learning a new software …

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Rachel Slauter: 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.

Rachel Slauter is a recent graduate of Saint Joseph’s College. She has been the marketing intern for the Jasper Foundation, Inc. for nearly two years!

Indiana INTERNnet: You played a large role in the Jasper Foundation’s Season of Giving Gala and the Ladies’ Luncheon. What did you learn from those events?

Rachel Slauter: For both of these events, I took the lead as the spearhead for the planning committee. I took care of all aspects of both events from picking out the invitations to executing the event the day-of. I learned a lot about planning, budgeting and marketing toward our constituents. Taking on my first event, the Ladies Luncheon in 2015 …

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The Transition from College to Career

As a recent college graduate from a Big 10 university, I know how stressful and exciting those last few months of campus life can be. It’s a whirlwind of emotions.

In the middle of trying to take in all the sights and scenes before I left a place I called home for the last four years, I had to stop and consider what the next step was. Once I received my diploma, I was faced with the decision of whether to immediately start my career, attend grad school or take time to travel the world. But transitioning from a free-spirited undergrad to a professional with a bachelor’s degree was tougher than I thought!

My senior semester was dedicated to a lot of job applications and cover letters, but I didn’t have a full-time job waiting for me once I left Bloomington. I learned quickly that I didn’t have enough …

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Lincoln Financial: 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.

I was truly blessed to have the opportunity to work at Lincoln Financial Group over the summer.

My experience working at Lincoln Financial can be described as astounding, awe-inspiring and unforgettable. They presented me with a platform for growth and let me take on industry changing projects with the potential to save the company hundreds, thousands and even millions of dollars.

The approach that Lincoln Financial took with me and my internship program presented me with an opportunity to do big things and left it up to me to take advantage of that opportunity. They placed me on the Speech and Desktop Process Analytics team, which is a branch of …

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Summer Internship to Offer Experience, Adventure

Summer is finally here!

For students, this time of year calls for vacations, sun burn and poolside fun, not to mention a luxurious break from classrooms and exams.

Summertime is also the perfect time to dive into the workforce and build professional and personal skills. This summer, I chose to pursue a marketing internship with Indiana INTERNnet. I recently graduated from The Media School at Indiana University with a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications. With the help of IU’s amazing career services, every summer since I was a freshman I have been fortunate to have internships in Indianapolis with some great employers.

Throughout my collegiate experience at IU, I used every summer to my advantage. I was a summer camp counselor as a freshman, an intern at the Indy Hostel as a sophomore and a marketing and promotions intern for Do317 as a junior. Even though some opportunities might not have been the most …

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Emily Atkinson: 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.

Emily Atkinson is a senior at IUPUI, graduating this May. She plans to continue her education and earn a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology.

Indiana INTERNnet: In what fields of science are you specializing? What made you interested in pursuing those?

Emily Atkinson: I’m currently majoring in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. I love learning about how the human body works and different rehabilitation exercises that help make the body healthy after injury. Specifically, I am interested in the skeletal system and aging-induced bone fragility. I currently work at Indiana University School of Medicine in the Anatomy and Cell Biology Department in a research lab that studies osteoporosis and factors contributing to …

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The True Value of Internships

As spring semester is coming to a close, reality is setting in. Graduation is near (or has already passed for some of you), and the stress is overwhelming. School-project deadlines are approaching, upcoming final exams, and the biggest struggle of all: job searching.

If you haven’t started searching for jobs, do it now! For months I have been stalking Indeed, CareerBuilder, Charitable Advisors and various organizations’ websites for available positions. The biggest issue I’m having is a lack of experience/education.

I’ve started thinking maybe I’m just picky or aiming too high. A position of Assistant Director could be a leap for a recent graduate, but it somewhat matches my ideal job description. Could there be a person in a level below the assistant director who could be promoted and I’d take their spot?

My biggest regret in college is only participating in one internship. If I had known I would …

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Ashley Griffith: 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.

Ashley Griffith is a graduate student in the Master of Health Administration program at Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health. After graduation in 2017, she hopes to land a fellowship position in a not-for-profit health system.

Indiana INTERNnet: What got you interested in HR?

Ashley Griffith: I wanted to see how a health system ran from a system-wide perspective. The human resources department is responsible for hiring and maintaining all the leaders and staff for the system, along with countless other duties. Without the HR department, the right people would not be working for the health system; and the system would not be successful in its mission. I respect …

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Interview Preparedness Guide

An interview can cause stress and panic. You may spend hours on Google searching for what to wear, what to ask during the interview or what to do after the interview. Here’s a guide to help you prepare for an interview and reduce your stress level.

By preparing your interview outfit in advance, you can help ease the morning stress of worrying about what you’re going to wear. Also, this gives you the opportunity to iron, hem, sew on buttons or lint roll your outfit. What you’re wearing to the interview should correlate with the organization you’re interviewing at. A corporate law firm is going to have a very professional dress code and you should wear a neat suit. However, for a more relaxed organization you may consider losing the tie. If you’re unsure about what the company dress code is, do some research on its web site …

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Thomas Smith: 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.

Thomas Smith is a senior at Ball State University planning to graduate in December 2016.

Indiana INTERNnet: Why did you pursue the construction industry for a career?

Thomas Smith: I think it is awesome how a facility can go from someone’s thought on paper to a life-size, fully-functional building.

IIN: We understand you ran a few bids during your internship. How was that experience, and how did you manage the stress of that project?

TS: It was a great experience and one that I know I will use again. As for the stress, I just had to keep myself calm and get the job done. As I ran more and …

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