Tag Archives: internship tips
What I Wish I Knew Before My Internship
So, you landed your first internship this summer, congrats!
Internships are a great way to network and get your foot in the door in the world of the corporate job market, but were you aware of the things you should be doing now? You may be thinking to yourself, “I just started, what could I possibly need to do?” Well, I am here to tell you that by starting now, you set yourself up to have a plethora of key takeaways at the end of your internship experience.
First things first, keep track of your projects! Big or small, doesn’t matter, what matters is having enough pieces to fill your portfolio and resume with, so that future employers can get the best idea for how your skills would fit with their team. The best advice I can give is to start healthy/helpful habits now. Create weekly lists of specific tasks you …
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 …
Is My Company Ready for an Intern?
Even though itâs 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.
Iâm 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. Itâs a win-win!
Thereâs a danger, however, in poorly-executed internships: Already understaffed employers hire interns and canât provide them with training or feedback. They donât put much thought into tasks and projects their intern will be accomplishing. Or …
Creating a Meaningful Internship Experience
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.Â
An internship is a two-way street. For the intern, itâs an opportunity to âtry things onâ 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, Iâve 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 …
Timing is Key When it Comes to Posting an Internship
Can you believe that summer internships are already being posted on IndianaINTERN.net? Some employers may be thinking this is way too soon, but itâs the perfect time. Unlike recruiting full-time employees, interns have multiple things to consider like short-term housing, class schedules and receiving college credit before being able to accept. Thatâs why itâs so important for employers to give themselves plenty of time to recruit internship candidates.
According to Indiana INTERNnetâs Employer Guide, students often apply to summer internships in February or March. However, highly competitive programs start recruiting in the fall prior.
During the summer, some students may be interested in interning at a company thatâs far from their hometown. Since this will require them to set aside time to find short-term housing, they start searching for internships early. That way, if they receive an internship offer, theyâll have ample time to figure out their housing situation.
This …
Networking Nightmares
In celebration of Halloween, letâs discuss a few scary things that can happen while networking. These horrors can occur in person, phone, email or social media. Itâs always best to double check any communication youâre sending and be prepared for conversation.
Social Media Scares
Social media can be a great way to network with professionals in your industry. However, you should be cautious with what you post, share and like. If you are posting negatively about a certain organization and then try to network with its employees, they could potentially read your rants. Also, not everyone has the same sense of humor, so be careful posts including jokes. Check your posts using the mom or supervisor test. If they might find it offensive or inappropriate, do not post it.
Freddy vs. Jason
Incorrectly addressing someone in a message can cause a gut-wrenching affect. It could happen accidently; maybe …
Be Aggressive, but Not Too Aggressive
Sofia Grimsgard is a junior at Indiana University in Bloomington, studying Journalism with specializations in broadcast journalism, public relations and graphic communications. She completed an internship with KXAN â a NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas.
Growing up as a naturally motivated individual made me very aware of the effects that my actions would have on my future. I was always thinking about where I wanted to end up, what I wanted to do and what kind of career I wanted to have. I also knew none of my dreams would come true without hard work and persistence â including valuable work experience from a young age. After having three internships so far, I have one piece of advice that seems to have carried more weight than any other: be aggressive, but not too aggressive.
Getting your name out there is of the utmost importance. Tread carefully though: itâs as …
Four Ways to Gain Experience Before an Internship
Many college students run into the hurdle of not having enough experience for an internship. This is a common issue: how do you gain experience to gain experience at an internship? The good news is that there are other ways to bulk up your resume and enhance your skills. Check out my suggestions below!
1 . Side hustle
A part-time job, or side hustle, is a great way to develop various skills to add to your resume. Part-time jobs can enhance your soft skills: communication, decision-making, teamwork, work ethic and more. While it may be difficult to balance your class schedule with a job, the practice can improve your organization and planning skills. For tips on how to manage this juggling act, check out this blog.
2 . Campus involvement
Campus involvement looks great on your resume for added experience and shows you have initiative. Leadership development and civic-engagement programs, …
Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills: What Matters the Most?
Throughout our young adult life, weâve experienced many victories â 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 youâve 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 …
How to Rock a Career Fair
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Collegiate Career Expo. I experienced both sides of the table; employer and student/job seeker. This yearâs event was held in the Marriott hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Itâs a great venue, with delicious coffee and tea!
After registering as a student, I was given a self-adhesive name tag and a map of the different employer booths. The self-adhesive tag would eventually become my enemy. It would constantly pull my hair out and at one point it relocated itself to the back of my arm. My advice is to purchase a plastic sleeve for name badges. This way you can insert the one they give you and clip it into place.
My next piece of advice for students is to find a spot before entering the fair, if possible, and study the map of employers. In this case, there were …
Michelle Tannerâs Guide to Balancing School and Internships
Follow these internship tips in the style of the lovable twin from Full House and âyouâve got it, dude!â
When youâre parked in a three hour parking spot outside your internship and youâve almost passed the limit.
Parking can be a difficult task, especially in a downtown location. It can also be expensive if your internship doesnât offer a parking allowance. Before you spend hundreds of dollars in garage parking, research alternative options. You may have a longer distance to walk, but it could save you more money in the long run.
Sometimes you might complete a project at your internship that youâre uncertain about.
Internships can be intimating at times. You want to impress your supervisor, but on the other hand youâre still learning the ropes. If an assignment is unclear, ask questions! Itâs better to ask questions than wasting time …