Category Archives: On The Job
Ciao, Indiana INTERNnet!
This is will be my signing off and farewell post. My time with the awesome Indiana INTERNnet team is complete and while this is a bittersweet post, I am beyond grateful for all of it. I know the future holds nothing but the best for Indiana INTERNnet and everyone involved. I am a much better young professional today thanks to the guidance of the entire team.
Mike,
I have never felt so comfortable being a subordinate. You made it easy to talk to speak to you and that means a lot. In a world full of intimidating bosses, passive aggressive emails, and glass ceilings your teamâs accessibility to you by far makes you a great leader. Combine that with your humor and willingness to help, Iâd say that makes you not only one of the best supervisors to have worked under but also one of the most understanding.
Allison,
…
Olatundun Awosanya: Making an IMPACT
Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 18 at the 14th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nomineesâ successes.
These are their stories.
Olatundun Awosanya is a senior at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She also completed an internship with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.
Indiana INTERNnet: Congrats on winning College Intern of the Year at our 2020 IMPACT Awards! Now that your internship is over, what are you up to these days?
Olatundun Awosanya: These days I am working hard to finish my last semester of college strong. Having to switch from a classroom setting to complete online schooling has definitely been a learning curve, but I feel like I have finally gotten adjusted to it. I am sad that there will not be a commencement ceremony to celebrate the accomplishment with my fellow classmates, but …
Zavion Herron: Making an IMPACT
Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 18 at the 14th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon. We are continuing to celebrate the nomineesâ successes.
These are their stories.
Zavion Herron is a junior at Riley High School. He completed an internship with the University of Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation.
Indiana INTERNnet: Congratulations on winning High School Intern of the Year at our 2020 IMPACT Awards! Now that your internship is over, what are you up to?
Zavion Herron: I am just getting through high school, juggling the many things that are in my life now. The new and expansive career brought from the internship, my after-school activities like Science Olympiad and the Riley High School game club Iâm co-president of along with my friend Parker Dabney, etc.
IIN: Where are you currently at in your career with the University of Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation?
ZH: This is technically the fourth …
My Unexpected Senior Experience
Iâm experiencing a less than ideal ending to my undergraduate career.
Yesterday morning, I attended my first online lecture for a course called soil quality. We used a platform called Webex, which felt much like a Skype call. My teacher lectured like normal as if we were in class but only about five of my peers came online (out of 12). This is the only class I have thatâs switching over to meeting online during our scheduled class time; and the lab portion of the course is being replaced with shorter take-home assignments.
Other professors chose to create digital spaces where they can be available to students. Mostly, they’re doing this through virtual office hours and Canvas discussion boards. Other than that, course schedules have completely changed. Now on a regular day I download assignments, watch videos, and review PowerPoints in place of class.
The worst …
Protect Your Health
With the recent virus pandemic escalating and spreading across the world, imposing mandated and voluntary quarantines and now reaching Central Indiana. I donât want to alarm anyone out there, and while I am not a medical professional. I have worked in a medical facility where sick people arrived to be treated regularly. However, working at the medical center I learned that there are somethings you can do to protect yourself and prevent getting sick.
Mass Hysteria and the Flu
Donât let this yearâs latest strain of influenza virus scare you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2018-2019 flu season was the longest in a decade. Still, people dying from the flu is not new. In fact, also according to the CDC 56,000 people die from flu or flu-like symptoms each year. Â So, the best way to prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading is by practicing normal …
What We’re Thankful For
Since Thanksgiving is almost here, the Indiana INTERNnet team thinks on what they’re grateful for.
Kayla Walke, Intern: I am thankful for everyone here at Indiana INTERNnet. This has been the best place to start off my professional career. From the people I have met to the opportunities I have been exposed to, I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity to be able to grow and learn in such an amazing atmosphere. To everyone at the Chamber and the whole INTERNnet team, thank you for the constant support, advice, and kindness throughout these past couple of months. From board meetings to events, I have been able to learn so much knowledge that is not taught in the classroom.
Angela Taylor, Program Assistant: Iâm thankful this year was full of change, good and bad, because with change comes growth. I love working with a team of fun, food-centric people. My …
Financial Responsibility Advice
I started working basically as soon as I turned 15. While it was at a tiny pizza shop in my hometown, it was still exciting to know that after two weeks I would have my very own paycheck that was my hard-earned money. As I got older and got better jobs, I started getting paid more and then it hit me: I wasnât really paying attention to how much I was spending or where my money was going. Here is where your favorite intern (me) comes in with a solution to the problem. I created a list of helpful tips to think about and remember as you start navigating the adult world when it comes to financial responsibility.
Utilize electronic banking apps
Luckily, we live in a world where almost everything is electronic. Use this to your advantage to get the app for your personal bank. This way you can …
How to Dress for Your Internship
It can be challenging starting off your professional career and knowing what the dress code is for every event or meeting. What you wear to interviews, meetings and even daily in the office can make an impact on how others view you. Navigating what is appropriate and expected isnât always the easiest which is why I am here to help give you advice most people donât think about.
Interviewing and starting your job
Most know that you should dress for the job you want. This means looking the part for the interview. Walking in with a nice and professional outfit will not only help you make a great first impression but will help you create a strong reputation within the office. Take note on your first couple of days to see what other people are wearing. Itâs important to look nice, but you should avoid standing out for looking too …
What To Do If Your Internship Isnât The Best
Recently, Allison wrote a blog post about what to do if an intern isnât doing their best. I think we should also talk about what to do if your internship experience isnât the best. Unfortunately, even though every internship posted on our site must be approved by a staff member, some internships are not what you were hoping they would be.
Remember itâs temporary
Internships are great because they are only temporary, which allows you to see what work environments you do or donât like. Some days will be harder than others, but remember that you donât have to be there forever. Take every opportunity you can to learn and network as much as you can. Just because you donât like the place you are at doesnât mean the experience is a waste of time.
Donât burn any bridges
You might think that because you’re âjust an internâ you can …
How to Handle a Not-So-Great Intern
Iâve been with Indiana INTERNnet for almost three years, but every once in a while, I make a mistake. It may be a small typo in an email, forgetting to follow up with a voicemail or messing up the formatting in a PowerPoint presentation. Humans arenât perfect! I quickly own up to the mistake, correct it and move on.
Thatâs why when interns make mistakes, itâs very important to realize that no one, not even yourself, is capable of delivering perfect work 100% of the time. For most interns, an internship is their very first experience working in a professional setting. Many things are new to them, so they need the freedom to learn and grow from their mistakes. However, what should you do when your interns mistakes become a bigger issue? Here are some examples:
You noticed your intern posting inappropriate things on their social media channels
You …
What I’ve Learned Outside the Classroom
If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts throughout the summer (and now into the fall) you’ll see that I often mention how so much learning happens outside of the classroom. Internships, for example, allow students to be a part of the workforce and get hands-on experience before they graduate. While I understand the important roles school and education play in our lives, it should be noted that learning doesnât just happen in the classroom.
Youâre dressed, but is it to impress?
While in college you’re basically able to show up in whatever you want. Interning is different. You donât get to have comfy days with t-shirts and sweatshirts. While youâre at work, you must follow the dress code every day. This also applies for interviews and beyond. Make sure that everyone who sees you can tell that you’re there for a reason.
The handshake
It wasnât until …
What I’ve Learned This Summer
This summer has been such an amazing experience at Indiana INTERNnet. I have been so incredibly lucky to work with such amazing people and learn so much along the way. Between seeing behind the scenes of event preparation and learning how to correctly navigate the workplace, this summer has been the best learning opportunity. While learning in the classroom is important, there are some things that canât be learned while listening to a lecture.
The Importance of Connections
Of course, meeting new people and expanding your circle of people is important. But it wasnât until I got an internship that I realized how important networking really is. You never know who can help you get ahead or if someone you know has the perfect job for you. It’s important that you continue to grow your connections and keep up with the relationships that you make.
Asking Questions Only Makes You …
Emily Sclafani: Reflecting on a Summer Internship
Purdue University rising senior Emily Sclafani joined Matchbook as a Communications intern this summer, before going back to complete her major in public relations and strategic communication. At Purdue, Emily is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, public relations officer for the Purdue Italian Club, and is in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Dance is one of her passions, and sheâs a member of the dance company Higher Ground at Purdue. With Matchbook, Emily learned more about public relations strategy and technique as they function in the real world, as well as translating her skill sets and knowledge to create meaningful work for clients that have a purpose.
An internâs greatest fear is that they will spend their summer making coffee trips and doing busy work. At Matchbook, that is not the case. Right from the start, we were given real, hands-on work for …
Intern Extravaganza at the Indiana State Fair
Last week Indiana INTERNnet hosted the final Summer Engagement Event of the summer at the Indiana State Fair. The event allowed interns from all over the state to come and network while enjoying an iconic Indiana event. It was a day full of networking, prizes, games, and a lot of fun.
The event started off with hearing from a returning State Fair intern, Mary O’Connor. It was a great chance for interns to hear about the importance of internships. She also talked about how helpful they can be when trying to find what the future holds. Mary’s current area of study is in a science-based field, but her internship is in HR. She highlighted that there are still many learning opportunities with internships that can be used in any career path.
Interns in attendance were also able to hear from Julie Schrader from Butler University. She gave helpful tips on …
The Best Friday Advice for Interns
Fridays are exciting because they mean you survived another week and you get two days to rest. Sometimes I get in that weekend mindset a little too early and Iâm not as productive as I could be on Fridays. To save you from making the same mistakes, Iâll share some of my best tips for making it through Friday.
Reflect on the week
On Fridays, I like to look back on the week to see what I accomplished. During this time, I like to see what I did and what I need to do to make sure that everything is how it should be.
Stay on top of your to do list
I know it might seem easy to push things to the side, but I promise getting them done now instead of waiting until Monday will set you up for a much better week. The busier you stay the …