Recent News

Even though it’s only January, many companies are already starting to think about summer intern recruitment. In fact, if you scroll down this page and look at our live numbers, you can see that summer internships are quickly getting posted to IndianaINTERN.net. Feeling a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out)? Think you need an intern? You may want to pump the brakes before posting.

I’m all about increasing the number of available internships for students. With the addition of interns, employers can accomplish additional tasks, introduce fresh perspectives and help train/mentor the future workforce. At the same time, students can increase their skills outside of the classroom, network and explore career interests. It’s a win-win!

There’s a danger, however, in poorly-executed internships: Already understaffed employers hire interns and can’t provide them with training or feedback. They don’t put much thought into tasks and projects their intern will be accomplishing. Or …

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We’re in the midst of January, but you can still make New Year’s resolutions! Plenty of people want to lose weight, manage their money better, or learn a new hobby. But have you made New Year’s resolutions for your career? Just as you have yearly goals that guide your everyday life, you should make goals for your career. Your goal can be short- or long-term, just don’t let your professional life come to a standstill! Unsure of what resolutions to make? Here are some ideas.

Make one new professional contact per month.

One of the best resources you can give yourself is a network of professional connections. Reach out to professionals on LinkedIn, or just make an effort to get to know people! Whether you’re working in an office or in retail, there’s always opportunities available. In an office setting, you often have access to a network of contacts without …

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An internship is often a student’s first foray into the professional world. Your internship is a big opportunity to make a great impression and gain professional connections. This means you’ll need to follow professional etiquette during your experience. Of course you’ll make some mistakes here and there, which is expected in your first professional experience. But even if you haven’t been paying attention to your etiquette during your internship, always make sure you at least do one thing: write a thank you note at the end!

Thank you notes might seem tedious, but they’re necessary. Your employer took a chance on you, hired you, and gave you real-world experience! A thank you note ensures you go out on a good note, and makes a lasting impression. If you already had your last day at your internship, that’s okay! Mail your note to your employer or supervisor.

Do: Write a sincere …

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Alexandra Forsythe is a student at Indiana Tech. She is a double major in electrical engineering and computer engineering with minors in CS and math. Alexandra is currently working as a year-round intern for Ultra Electronics USSI. 

Hi! I’m Alexandra (“Alex”) Forsythe. I’ve been fortunate to have worked as an intern for NASA, Raytheon, and Ultra Electronics USSI. I designed a mission critical circuit board for NASA that will be used in an upcoming launch. For Raytheon, I programmed artificial neural networks. I’m a year-round intern for Ultra Electronics USSI, where I have been placed in charge of a new innovative product, and I’ll be an FPGA/ASIC design engineering intern for Intel next summer. At Indiana Tech, I’m a double major in electrical engineering and computer engineering with minors in CS and math, and I’m an officer in four student organizations.

You need an internship, but what else should …

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Each IMPACT Awards season, I am always impressed to see the number of Intern of the Year nominations that either mention the employer offering the intern a full-time position, or that the employer plans to offer the intern a permanent position after they graduate.

From the intern who strove to finish his case study with zero errors, to the intern who helped complete a large IT project two months ahead of schedule, employers are realizing that some of their best talent lies within their internship program. And, with Indiana’s unemployment rate being close to zero, this couldn’t be a better time for that realization.

According to Glassdoor, it takes the average U.S. employer 24 days to hire a new employee. By using an internship program as a talent pipeline, companies wouldn’t have to worry about that waiting period to fill entry-level positions. Plus, internships are a trial period that can …

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Interns actually have a pretty stressful job! They’re navigating what’s usually their first experience in their desired career. There’s a lot of pressure to do well, and once they’re approaching the end of their internship it might feel a little awkward for the both of you! But instead of letting things peter out on a halfhearted note, use one of these gifts for your intern to tell them thank you! If you have an unpaid intern, I would seriously recommend giving them a gift. Not only did they use valuable time to work for you, they did it without pay!

I feel as though gifts for your intern are easier than giving gifts to a coworker or boss. They’re just starting out on their own, and don’t have a lot, especially if they’re unpaid!

Gifts for Your Intern 1. When you want to get them something useful, but not completely …

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During the holidays, you might feel even more compelled to get gifts for your coworker than your boss. After all, they’re the ones you connect with on a daily basis. But some people consider “work friends” to be different from actual friends. How do you distinguish that fine line? What kind of gifts do you give?

Rules for Coworker Gifting

Perhaps one of the most important rules of giving a gift to a coworker is to watch your spending! Don’t spend too much, especially if there’s a spending limit (like in an office gift exchange). It tends to make people uncomfortable when you spend a substantial amount of money. Don’t spend too little either! A low-effort gift tends to look bad in office gift exchanges. Outside of a gift exchange, if you’re going to get someone a cheap trinket it’s probably better to stick to giving them a card. New …

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As you’re finishing up an internship, or maybe just getting settled into a job, the holiday season can feel a little weird. Should you get something for your boss? How much should you spend? What’s appropriate or inappropriate to give? Our gift guide is here to help!

Etiquette

First of all, as an intern you shouldn’t feel obligated to give a gift to your supervisor. Money is tight, especially around this time of year! It’s okay to not buy something. However, you should still make an effort. A handwritten note or card is always a good gesture, particularly when you’re coming up on the end of your internship! But if you do have money to spare, make sure you’re not spending too much. It tends to look tacky, like you’re brown-nosing. Also, make sure you know your organization’s gift-giving policy! Some organizations have them, so make sure you’re in compliance.

…

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We’re nearly at the end of November. If you’re in school, that means one of the most dreaded times of the year is coming up: finals week. You still have some time to set yourself up for success, and take it from me, you want to start now instead of procrastinating. So, what can you do to make sure your finals go smoothly?

Start preparing early.

You’ve probably heard it a million times, but it still rings true: start preparing for finals now instead of a few days before your exams. It’s so much easier to retain information when studying at a normal pace. Create a study schedule and stick to it! This makes studying far more approachable than trying to tackle everything at once.

How much are your finals worth?

As bad as it sounds, it isn’t worth it to study just as hard for a final that’s worth …

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Now is the time when we start thinking about what we’re thankful for, and why. In this post, the Indiana INTERNnet team reflects on what we’re thankful for in our careers.

Allison Kuehr

I am thankful for my fantastic coworkers. I’m fortunate to enjoy what I do, but I’m even more fortunate to love the people I work with. During my time with Indiana INTERNnet, I’ve made some great friends and mentors. They’re always there to celebrate achievements and birthdays, share a laugh or dish some advice. As I’m still in the beginning stages of my career journey, it’s nice to have an amazing in-office support system guiding me and cheering me on along the way.

Caitlyn Beck

I’m so thankful for my amazing job and my colleagues. I’ve heard so many horror stories of how people dislike their first job out of …

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At some point in your career, you’re going to attend a work event that’s outside of normal business hours. They actually happen more often than you think! This week, I had both a luncheon and a cocktail hour/dinner on the same day. I never thought I would have a job where I have to attend these events, let alone two in one day! Even if you don’t think you’ll be encountering work events in your career, you need to be prepared anyway. Here are some do’s and don’ts of attending a work event.

Do: Be Polite to Waitstaff

I worked in retail and the service industry for years. Waitstaff have to put up with a lot. Their job is stressful, fast-paced, and exhausting. Keep this in mind the next time your food isn’t the greatest, or you don’t get your drink as fast as you want. In the dating world, …

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“Winter is coming.” A phrase that strikes fear into the hearts of many. Not just because it means something major is impending on Game of Thrones, but because it means the time for getting sick is upon us. Whether it’s just getting a common cold, or something major like the flu, ‘tis the season of sickness. Here’s how to navigate life during what’s sure to be a tiring time!

Utilize preventative measures.

The easiest way to handle getting sick is using preventative tactics. Get your flu shot, not just for your sake, but for everyone else’s! If you skipped your shot, it doesn’t mean you didn’t get someone else sick. Don’t want to stop by your doctor to get the flu shot? Go to Target. It sounds weird, but the MinuteClinics inside Target stores are doing free flu shots AND they give you a $5 Target coupon! In addition to …

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Since today is election day, what better topic to address than handling politics in the workplace? The level of chaos and tension in the current political landscape feels like it is at an all time high. Sometimes it seems like it’s all anyone can talk about. But here’s how to handle politics being brought up at work.

Don’t ever make assumptions.

Whether it’s you or someone else steering the conversation in a political direction, never make assumptions. Don’t assume that anyone will have the same view as you. Some people are uncomfortable at the thought of voicing their political opinions, and logically so. People often clash when they have different beliefs, and you want to avoid negatively affecting someone’s opinion of you. If you have a negative view of someone because of their political beliefs, maybe that conversation should have been avoided in the first place!

Never use derogatory language. …

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Lots of employers take on interns.  Plenty of professionals will tell you the importance of a structured intern program. But sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the handling of day to day tasks. For most interns, this role is their first experience of the “real world” of their desired career path. It can be overwhelming, stressful, and completely new. This makes it crucial to recognize your interns when they do great work.

Whether positive or negative, feedback is necessary.

One of the signs of a successful internship program is constant feedback. There should be some type of schedule laid out for performance reviews or self-evaluation, and outlining tasks and goals. Of course, sometimes there is a need for constructive criticism. But don’t let that be all your intern hears from you! Positive reinforcement, while it seems trivial, goes a long way. Recognizing your intern when they succeed with an …

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At this point in the year, life can start to feel hectic. Class work and projects are starting to pile on. Internships are starting to really pick up. And to top it all off, the holidays are approaching! That means plenty of gatherings for family and friends, gift giving, finding the perfect Halloween costume and more.

While all this is going on, it can be easy to forget about the most important person…YOU! So, to help you relax as you ease into fall, I made a list of helpful self-care tips.

Make sure to aside some time for yourself

Find some time, even if it’s only five minutes, in your busy schedule each day to focus on yourself. During that time, make sure that you are only doing things that bring you happiness. This mini-timeout can allow you to regroup and recharge before bouncing right back in to getting …

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