Category Archives: Young Professionals

Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th 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

Shoshannah Bontrager received her Bachelor of Science in Business, with a concentration in Accounting and Finance from Grace College. Last year, she completed an internship with Poly-Wood, LLC.

Indiana INTERNnet: What did you like most about your internship with Poly-Wood, LLC?

Shoshannah Bontrager: I loved how involved upper management was with everyone. There are over 300 employees, but the CFO worked one-on-one with me, an intern, to teach me about how to create financial statements, GAAP rules, etc. The company also works hard to make the environment one where people love going to work, and they succeed!

IIN: What was the most challenging project you were assigned?

SB: While I …

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Logan is a senior in the Lacy School of Business at Butler University studying marketing and finance. His passion for people and desire to apply his business and leadership skills led him to FirstPerson where he interns on the Sales & Advisory team. He is responsible for assisting advisors, growing the book of business and exploring creative benefit approaches in the marketplace. 

An internship is a two-way street. For the intern, it’s an opportunity to “try things on” and apply knowledge gained from hours of sitting in class each week. For the employer, it leads to enhanced perspectives, increased workflow capability, and a pipeline for top talent.

Having been an intern at organizations both small and large, operating in multiple locations, and in various industries, I’ve realized there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In all internship programs, however, it is important for organizations to incorporate their beliefs and values to …

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When an employer asks for a phone interview you may have one of two reactions:

or

Either way, here are a few tips that will help you ace that phone interview.

Pick a time that works best for you.

Picking a convenient time can make or break an interview. Block out at least an hour for the interview and ensure you have plenty of time before the call to prepare. There’s nothing worse than going into an interview and feeling rushed.

Take the call in a quiet place.

Taking a call in a quiet place will allow your interviewer to hear you clearly. Background noise can be a distraction to both you and your interviewer. The point of a phone interview is to screen potential candidates, so it’s important your interviewer hears all of the qualifications you have for the …

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Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th 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.

Marissa Smith is a junior at IUPUI studying journalism and public relations. She serves as the communications intern for local nonprofit Indiana Futsal, writing articles, managing social media content, and assisting with the coordination of the organization’s many events.

How the IMPACT Awards Indirectly ‘Impacted’ Me
In addition to having started my campus job just over a year ago, it has also been roughly a year since I began my internship with locally-based nonprofit Indiana Futsal! What originally began as temporary internship for a sport I’d never heard of before (Oops) has flourished into a yearlong position I’m highly grateful for.

Today I attended the Indiana INTERNnet IMPACT Awards …

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With the focus in colleges and high schools becoming more internship-based, it’s important to recognize the hard work and dedication that goes into being an intern and having a successful internship program.  On Wednesday, those efforts were recognized at the 12th annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon.

Indiana INTERNnet hosts this event to recognize interns, career development professionals and employers for having an impact in the internship arena. The theme for this year’s event was “Wild About Workforce Development.”

The luncheon featured Chris Heeter, founder of The Wild Institute located in Minnesota, as the keynote speaker. Heeter detailed how important it is for employees, employers, and interns to be “wild” in the workplace and make an impact in their positions.

“Being wild is having the courage to bring the gift of all of who you are to all of what you do,” Heeter said.

Heeter also explained how important it is for …

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One thing that I always struggle with the day of an interview is the age-old question: “What am I going to wear?” I’ve walked into rooms where I’ve been the best dressed and the worst dressed, although I prefer the latter.  Attire is a problem that affects every professional, even people who have been in the workforce for years.  Here are some important things to remember when choosing that perfect interview outfit.

Make an impression.  Your attire shapes the first impression you give to potential employers, so it’s extremely important to make the right impression. I always like to make sure that my outfit accurately represents the professional I am. I want my outfit to say “I’m competent, qualified, and can make a great impact on your company.” The way you dress should represent the way that you feel about your abilities as a professional. Showing up in jeans and …

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Between taking 18 credit hours, having two in-person internships, and keeping a healthy social life, college has seemed like a whirlwind. However, to further my professional development and career goals, I wanted to have as many experiences as I possibly could. So, I logged into IndianaINTERN.net and found an amazing virtual internship that I’m still active with today!

My virtual internship is with Indy Displays, an ecommerce display booth company, as the digital content strategist intern. In this role, I’m doing some graphic design work, as well as writing content for their blog to promote their company. This position is wonderful for me, because it allows me to earn extra money while growing my skills in a way that works well for my busy schedule.

The best part of this internship is that I’m able to work on skills that I would otherwise be lacking. For example, I had planned …

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Katie Pfeiffer is studying Electrical Engineering at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and is expecting to graduate in May 2020. She is an intern for the Spectrum Technology Advanced Research Branch at the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division. Her responsibilities include researching, creating diagrams and user manuals, applying technical skills and coding.

My internship at Crane was one of the best experiences in my entire life – not kidding! Crane is located in the middle of nowhere, but never have I met a community of people that are so kind and hospitable. This creates a positive and inviting work environment that allowed me to be excited to go into work every single day. The people in my group were also willing to challenge me and push me to learn more, work harder, and grow to become a better engineering student.

I worked on a multitude of projects while I …

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I’m thrilled to be joining Indiana INTERNnet this semester as the communication and special events intern! I am currently a junior at IUPUI studying journalism with a concentration in public relations. I’m originally from #TheRegion (Northwest Indiana), but have since transplanted to Indy and instantly fell in love. One of the best things about going to school at an urban campus is that there are SO many opportunities for professional development and growth.  Not only do I get to learn about interesting topics in school, but I also get to directly use those skills in my work environment.

Interning has been the theme of my college career. In the past three years, I’ve held seven positions with experiences ranging from IT/technology support, graphic design and even event planning. Through these internships, I’ve learned what I love, what I don’t love, and the ins and outs of so many different areas. …

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Kenyari Keith transitioned from graduate assistant to project coordinator for the business education and events department and the Wellness Council of Indiana at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of IUPUI, receiving her master of science in event tourism in December 2017 and bachelor of arts in journalism with a concentration in public relations in May 2016.

Indiana INTERNnet: How did your graduate assistant experience prepare you for your current role?

Kenyari Keith: As a graduate assistant (GA), I developed several skills that I now use in my full-time role. As a GA, I assisted with the planning and execution of both on-site and off-site conferences and special events. I assisted our business education and events team in several areas such as speaker coordination, marketing, contracting and budgeting. I worked as the lead planner for Best Places to Work 2017 and the 2017 Environmental Conference. …

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Join Indiana INTERNnet in celebrating internship excellence at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. Check-in for the luncheon begins at 11 a.m. on February 7, and the program will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The IMPACT Awards spotlight the importance of internships and applaud the individuals who make these experiences meaningful and successful. Indiana INTERNnet will recognize nominees in the categories of Intern of the Year (high school, college and non-traditional), Employer of the Year (for-profit and not-for-profit) and Career Development Professional of the Year during the luncheon.

 Chris Heeter, award-winning speaker and founder of The Wild Institute, will deliver the keynote address: Guiding the Team to Success.

Featured on The Discovery Channel’s National Geographic Today, Heeter brings decades of leadership experience indoors, working with teams and leaders to recognize that leadership and teamwork doesn’t have to be so complicated. She …

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The time of year for company holiday cheer and festivities is here! That means opportunities to network with fellow co-workers, as well as opportunities to possibly embarrass yourself. Follow these dos and don’ts to avoid potential damage to your reputation.

Do: participate in holiday activities.

Each organization handles the holidays differently. Some may have activities throughout the season, while others may plan a low-key pitch-in. Whatever the case may be, you should get involved. If there’s a planning committee (and your internship supervisor approves), reach out to the leader and offer your help.

Don’t: be too competitive.

If your organization has games or other competitive activities, remember to stay professional. A little competitive spirit is okay in some situations, but don’t go overboard. For example, you shouldn’t scream “Loser!” in the vice president’s face. That could lead to an uncomfortable conversation with your internship supervisor or …

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Oh, the holidays. It’s a time for friends, family, food and prying questions about your future. Before I graduated high school, my family members spent some time during our holiday gathering to ask me what I wanted to do with my life. The questioning only intensified after I started college. I would always have an answer, but I honestly didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do until the second semester of my sophomore year in college.

Some people know exactly what they want to do and where they’d like to work. While others may not have any idea, and that’s OK! Your career path is an extremely important decision that greatly affects your life, so take as long as you need to figure out what you’d like to pursue. Here’s some resources you can explore to help you weigh your options:

Browse IndianaINTERN.net

Even if you aren’t ready …

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Step aside in-person interviews, video interviews are becoming increasingly popular in today’s workforce. This technologically-advanced method is a time and cost saver for interviewers and interviewees. You should treat it as a traditional in-person interview, but with a few variations for before and during the meeting.

Tech Test

In preparation, you should test the technology you’re going to use for the interview far in advance (at least a few hours before). The interviewer will send instructions for joining the meeting, this may include a phone number in place of using computer audio. There are many different options for video conferences, so familiarize yourself with the correct one and download the necessary software installation or updates. If you choose to use your computer’s audio or a headset, be sure to test the microphone and speakers.

Image is Everything

In addition to testing your computer’s microphone and speakers, you should …

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In celebration of Thanksgiving, the Indiana INTERNnet team would like to share what we are thankful for in our careers.

Allison Gaffney

I’m thankful for my internship experience at Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis. During those three months, I was surrounded by passionate coworkers who were willing to help me develop the skills I needed for success outside of the classroom. I was entrusted to take on large tasks like creating a social media campaign for Giving Tuesday. This gave me a lot of confidence in my work, and I’ve been able to carry that over to my career with Indiana INTERNnet.

Karissa Rector

One thing I regret in my career is only doing one internship, however I am thankful that single experience transitioned to a full-time position. The opportunity has allowed me to further develop my skills and continually grow with Indiana …

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