The Good Intern
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Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts

New Year, New Internship Goals

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 2 comments

http://bit.ly/dUiFpa

If you're anything like me, right about now your mind is swirling with ideas for how to improve yourself and your life in the upcoming new year.  After New Years my to-do list is always brimming with resolutions- some of which are new and some that never seem to get done (about that diet...), but there's just something about a whole new year filled with endless possibilities that makes me especially excited and optimistic.

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
Edith Lovejoy Pierce

I've found that the most effective strategy for coming up with great goals is to be specific, so what could be better than dedicating a few of your New Years resolutions to making yourself a better intern?

Start by having a brainstorming session and write down everything that comes to mind when you think about yourself as an intern and what you'd like to change or do better... you can pick and choose the best ideas later.  Once you have several things written down, select a few things that seem the most important.  It's imperative that once you set your sights on something specific you want to accomplish, that you also come up with several steps for working towards the goal.

Here are some sample internship goals to get your wheels turning:

  • Maintain a persistent positive attitude
    • If you've been doing an internship for a while, it's easy to get dragged into the monotony of some tasks which might make you appear agitated and unhappy.  Even if you think that you can't stand to file papers for another minute, slap a smile on your face and let people see that you're grateful to be there.
  • Polish your resume
    • If your resume is one of those things that you have been meaning to update and perfect, then jump on it this year.  The trek to your campus career center usually isn't as far as it seems, so make an appointment.  You'll be glad you did once you have a professional resume that you can be proud of.
  • Take extra opportunities
    • Ever turned down an opportunity to network with coworkers outside of the office because you were tired or had something else going on?  One extra dinner with your boss and coworkers could mean the different between looking like you're just going through the motions 9am-5pm, and showing that you're really passionate about your internship.
  • Network like a pro
    • Finally get those business cards you've been meaning to have printed made and start working on the art of making small talk.  For some people networking is an acquired skill, and the new year is the perfect opportunity to start practicing every chance you get.
  • Take initiative
    • Want to work on something bigger?  Ask for it!  While you can't neglect your everyday duties, it never hurts to ask for more.  Show your boss that you want to get as much possible out of your internship and let him/her know you're up for the challenge.
  • Connect with a mentor
    • My mentor has proven to be one of the biggest assets in helping me professionally.  If there is someone who you know and admire and that could help you with your career, reach out to them and ask if you can pick their brain.  It may flatter them that you look up to them, and could turn into a positive and valuable relationship.
My advice?  Take advantage of 2011 being a blank slate and actually work towards your resolutions this year!  This year could be your best year yet, but it's all up to you.

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The Office Holiday Party... Leave Your Ugly Christmas Sweater At Home

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 17 comments


Whether small or grandiose, the office holiday party is something the intern should never miss out on, and not for the reasons you might expect.

Even if you are an intern that just finished a semester internship with a company, the holiday party is something you should definitely still attend, as long as you were invited of course (crashers are never cool).

Word on the street may be that the office holiday party is a blast, but resist the temptation to throw on your reindeer antlers and light-up Christmas sweater and take some of my advice.  You can find tons of office party horror stories all over the web about Bob from accounting who had a few too many and ending up passing out on the buffet table, just like you can find countless tips about how you should avoid greasy foods and not drink alcohol, but honestly... the secret to making the most of the office holiday party is to just BE YOURSELF AND HAVE FUN.

Office parties are excellent opportunities for interns to socialize with people from work outside of the office setting and to display a whole new set of skills... social skills!  Although the party is still technically a professional event, you have the freedom to let the conversations flow to topics that interest you and to get to know co-workers on a more personal basis.  An excellent trait to possess is being comfortable in social situations and appearing confident and personable, so use the holiday party as an excuse to show off your ability to socialize professionally.  The end goal of socializing at the party should be to leave with stronger relationships with co-workers than when you arrived, but make sure you're still having fun and enjoying yourself in the process.  Once you're at the party, approach someone you have always wanted to get to know a little bit better and strike up a conversation.  Later on, do the same thing with someone you maybe haven't quite hit it off with yet in the office, but want to try to form a relationship with.

Here are some tips for office party schmoozing:

  • Avoid trying too hard to make a good impression on people... especially your boss.  Let the casual setting mellow you out and encourage you to act naturally, but professionally.
  • Don't monopolize one person's time and exit conversations on a high note.  Letting a conversation awkwardly fizzle out might totally reverse the social progress you made with someone, so after a few minutes of chatting excuse yourself politely and move on.
  • Stay away from any topics that have the potential to offend someone or lead to a heavy conversation, such as politics, religion, or dirty jokes.  People want to celebrate with positive people, not Debbie Downers or argumentative types. 
  • Definitely approach your boss, even though you may feel a bit hesitant.  This is the main person you want to show your confidence and charisma to, but keep this conversation the shortest unless your boss gives you cues to continue.  The head honcho is usually a hot commodity at the party and doesn't have a lot of time to spend with just one person.
  • If you don't know someone, introduce yourself!  Now is your chance to get your name out there and get to know people you never had the chance to meet before.  Network like there's no tomorrow!
  • Remember your good intern etiquette and thank the host, or whoever planned the party, for inviting you and for doing such a great job organizing the event.  A nice thank you note afterwards never hurts either.
  • Never complain about the company or gossip, even if the person you're talking to is going on and on about something negative.  I usually just nod my head and smile until the person gets the point that I'm not going to say anything back and changes the topic.
  • Be yourself!  Don't stress out trying to make yourself look great while you're mingling with people.  Although you might be able to sneak in some personal accomplishments or goals here or there, let them come to the surface on their own and just focus on having a good conversation.  


Dress Shirt & A Killer Suit
I have full faith that any aspiring good intern will know the basics of professional behavior that is still expected at the office holiday party. 

It's my policy that if you are over 21 and other people are drinking alcohol at the party it's completely acceptable to have a cocktail, just drink in moderation and know your limits.  Even if everyone else starts to get a little out of control, hold back and keep in mind that you want to protect your reputation... and your job as an intern.  You don't need alcohol to have fun, right?  

Forever21 Polished Cocktail Dress 
Also, don't forget to keep the party attire professional, even though the dress code may be more festive and casual than the average work day.  Although the men's outfit pictured to the left is outrageously expensive for an intern, you get the idea, plus the caption on the website explained it perfectly by saying, "Always dress like the man in charge- especially when you're not".  Ladies need to really make sure that their ensembles are not too revealing (you don't want that kind of attention), but it's completely okay to play around with bright colors and different jewelry.

The best advice I can give you is to be yourself, have fun, and leave the reindeer antlers at home!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 
FROM THE GOOD INTERN

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Confessions of a foursquare Addict

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 0 comments



When foursquare first started getting popular I remember thinking, "What is the world coming to?!"  I just couldn't understand why people would want to constantly pinpoint their location on a map for everyone to see.  To each their own, but I just didn't get it.

For those of you who aren't familiar,  foursquare is an application that lets you "check in" to places you visit via your phone.  You just download the application and it uses your phone's GPS to find exactly where you're at, business name and all.  foursquare then automatically publishes the places you visit to Twitter or Facebook, depending on your settings.  According to foursquare's website, the application is meant to be a city guide and friend-finder as well as a game since it rewards users for visiting new places.

As time went by I decided what the heck, and created an account.  Although it irked me when my Facebook homepage was bombarded with people checking in to every single place they went (home, the grocery store, etc.), I started to see a possible professional use for the application.

For my current internship I get to travel a little bit and sometimes visit some interesting places, so I decided that foursquare would be an easy way to let people know what I'm up to professionally.  I also started to use foursquare for social purposes too, but with a little discretion.  When I was in Washington D.C. the other week I checked in to the different places we visited so people could see what I was up to.  You'll never see me check in at the gas station or Walmart, but I do like to publicize any neat places I get to visit.

I guess the moral of the story is to make social media work for you.  Instead of thinking of foursquare as a strictly social application, try to look at it's professional possibilities.  As long as you set it up so that only your friends can see the places you check in to and you follow my advice on discretion, there really is no drawback.

I bet that the next time you end up somewhere pretty cool for an event or business opportunity you get the urge to foursquare... it's pretty addicting.

Do you use foursquare?  If so, what type of places do you check in to and do you agree with my train of thought?



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Her Campus: The Do's and Don'ts of LinkedIn Etiquette

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 0 comments


The Do's and Don'ts of LinkedIn Etiquette

Friday, September 24, 2010
By Michelle Pence
For any career-minded college student or recent grad, having a profile on LinkedIn is basically expected in order to stay ahead of the game and network with peers, companies, and other professionals. As a member of this 65 million person network, not only do you get to shamelessly market yourself for the entire world to see, but you are able to stay on the radar of recruiters for potential job opportunities, something no unemployed recent grad can afford to pass up.
There is no question that LinkedIn is a great tool for promoting yourself and garnering invaluable professional contacts, but the same reason LinkedIn is so great is what makes it so scary to use. Unlike Facebook, with its more carefree and social atmosphere, on LinkedIn you are potentially connecting with your employer, your professors, and other contacts you typically would not want perusing your Facebook profile and having access to your personal information.
While it is pretty easy to figure out the basics of LinkedIn, the specifics of how exactly you should utilize LinkedIn’s functions and figuring out what is appropriate and what is not can be tricky.
Neal Schaffer, author of Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging & Maximizing LinkedIn, is pretty much Her Campus’s go-to guy when it comes to learning about LinkedIn, having sat down with Her Campus contributing writer Betty Jin earlier this year to discuss almost everything there is to know about the site. In this article, Neal shares what exactly is acceptable on LinkedIn when inviting people to connect, asking for recommendations, and posting status updates. With his advice, next time you get that queasy feeling in your stomach when you go to connect with your boss on LinkedIn, you can breathe a little easier knowing that you are acting just as any professional should.
Inviting people to connect
Inviting people to join your network is one of the most basic functions of LinkedIn and embodies the whole purpose of the site. This simple task of reaching out to people may seem harmless enough, but becomes complicated when you come across someone such as one of your professors or the editor-in-chief of the magazine you interned for, and you are not quite sure whether or not to take the plunge and actually hit “connect”.
LinkedIn was designed to encourage people to connect with others they have actually met and know somewhat well. Friends, classmates, professors, and contacts from jobs and internships are all great people to use to expand your network. It becomes tricky when you want to connect with someone you may have met a job fair who told you to keep in touch or the head honcho of the company you interned for who you only met a couple times and doubt remembers you. Luckily, LinkedIn is evolving and it has become acceptable to connect with these types of people as well as people you might not know at all under some conditions; it just takes a little more work on your part.
Deciding how to go about connecting with a person on LinkedIn can be one of the most challenging parts of using the site. If you know the person well, the options that LinkedIn gives you when you go to add them to your network such as “Friend”, “Colleague”, “Classmate”, etc. should be easy enough to figure out. On the other hand, if you are trying to reach out to someone you do not know quite as well and who does not necessarily fit into those categories, you need to go the extra mile and pull a few tricks.
  • Look at the person’s profile and see what groups they are members of on LinkedIn
  • Become a member of one of their groups ONLY if it is relevant to you
  • When you go to connect with the person again, an option will come up that you can select to explain that you are members of the same group
  • OR you can use the group to send a message to the person explaining why you would like to connect
When inviting a person to join your network, you are always given the option to add a personal note to the request. Not including a personal message is a pet peeve of many LinkedIn users and could hurt your chance of gaining the connection; it also helps the person to remember you and gives you a chance to explain why you want to connect with them.
“Regardless as to how well you know the person that you invite, they may not remember you as well,” advises Neal. “Therefore, as a rule of thumb, you should always customize your invitations so that you indicate how you know the person and why you want to connect with them.”
Your note can be something short such as, “My name is Michelle and I interned for your company last summer. I really enjoyed working for the marketing department and would love to use LinkedIn to stay in touch with some of the people I met while interning there and build up my network on LinkedIn.” The most important thing to remember is to use common sense when reaching out to different people on LinkedIn, and to plan out your actions before you have the chance to make any mistakes.
Asking for recommendations



Recommendations on LinkedIn are virtual versions of letters of recommendation you would normally ask for from someone on paper, although these types are much shorter. If you are a serious user of LinkedIn, meaning you do not just have a profile because everyone else does, but because you honestly want to network and create a professional image for yourself, then recommendations are a necessary part of being a member of LinkedIn. Recommendations are also a must if you want to use LinkedIn to find future jobs and internships. They give you more credibility and add a sense of completeness to your profile which is appealing to those looking at your profile.
You only want to ask for recommendations from people who know you well and can vouch for your skills and abilities, not someone you hardly know. Internship or work supervisors are great people to ask for recommendations, as well as professors whose classes you did exceedingly well in. The best time to ask for a recommendation is shortly after you worked with the person or took their class, although asking for recommendations later is also fine as long as you provide a refresher on who you are and why they would want to recommend you.
Be sure to provide a thorough explanation for why you are seeking a recommendation, whether you are looking for a job or internship, trying to improve your profile, or whatever your reasons may be. Just as you would do when asking for a typical letter of recommendation, you should remind the person what you accomplished while working for them or what skills you displayed that were noteworthy.
“You're not writing your recommendation for them, but merely serving to remind them about what you did for them so that they can paint a complete picture of you from memory,” said Neal.
If you ask someone for an actual letter of recommendation, discreetly ask if they might be willing to use an excerpt of it to recommend you on LinkedIn as well. The worst they can do is say no. Since we are talking about etiquette, one of the most important parts of asking for a recommendation on LinkedIn is to thank the person for taking the time to write one for you. Taking the time to do so will leave the door open for future opportunities, which can never hurt.
Posting updates
While tweeting what you are doing every five minutes is the new trend, I hate to break it to you, but your professional contacts probably do not care. Just like Facebook and Twitter, on LinkedIn you have the opportunity to post updates through the “Status Update” box on your profile, but beware, updates on LinkedIn should be treated significantly different than posting on other networking sites.
“The LinkedIn Status Update, while seemingly innocent, will post your update to your network in the News Feed on their Home Page,” warned Neal. “Since the majority of LinkedIn users used it before Facebook or Twitter, the current environment is one in which status updates no more than once a day are tolerated.”
Whatever you do, DO NOT link your Twitter account with your LinkedIn profile in a way that automatically posts every tweet to LinkedIn, especially if you tweet often. Status updates on LinkedIn should consist of positive information about your life that helps promote you professionally, such as updates about professional events you attended or projects you are working on for school, while blurbs about your tailgating plans for the weekend and how you loved the new episode of “ The Jersey Shore” are not.
With these clarifications, you are now ready to fearlessly brave the seas of LinkedIn and use it to your utmost benefit!
Sources
Neal Schaffer, author of Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging & Maximizing LinkedIn




To read the full post on Her Campus with comments click here!
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The Anatomy of a Good Thank You Note

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 27 comments

Thank you notes are an important yet often forgotten part of being an intern/wanna-be intern, and knowing how to properly compose one is an essential skill for any young professional.  Being proactive and sending a thank you note after the right situation and at the right time will say a lot about your character and might even seal the deal for a job opportunity or a new professional contact.  Once you get into the habit of sending thank you notes, the process will become effortless and you'll start realizing even more situations in your life where taking a few minutes to write one makes you look generous and considerate (which is always a good thing).

There are tons of times that call for thank you notes to be written outside of sending the obligatory thank you note after an interview.  Here are a few of these situations:

  • After completing an internship
  • When someone writes a letter of recommendation on your behalf
  • After someone helps you with a project
  • Upon meeting with someone new
Give it some personality

Appropriate thank you note
While some people may disagree, I always prefer to send hand-written thank you notes as opposed to the more formal and dime-a-dozen typed thank you letters.  The reason for this is that I believe handwriting a card gives it a personal touch and shows that you put some thought into it.  With the amount of email and other electronic communication people see each day, receiving something handwritten stands out.  

When choosing what to write on, it's ideal to own a set of personalized stationary with your name on it, but not everyone can afford this or may need to send the note before there is time to order a set (Hint- Put it on your Christmas list).  A package of stationary or cards from a store such as Target or Hallmark is completely fine, just think classy and make sure you keep it professional by staying away from crazy colors and patterns.  When picking one out, choose a card that is blank on the inside so you have room to write everything you need to and don't have to work around the printed message inside.

Inappropriate thank you note
What to say

How you address the recipient of the note is one of the first things they will see, so put some thought into it.  If they indicated that you should call them by their first name then address them by that, but if you're not sure go ahead and use Mr., Ms., or Mrs.  You will want to keep the note short and sweet, but at the same time fit in everything that you want to say.  Be sure to thank the person for their time right off the bat and reference the situation that you're writing the card for to refresh their memory.  To help figure out everything that you want to say, type your message on the computer first and once you've nailed it down transfer it to the actual note.  If you have horrible handwriting definitely go with sending a typed note; you want to make sure that everything is neat and legible.  Don't forget to sign the note, thank them one more time, and use a professional closing such as "Sincerely".  Also, add your contact information to the bottom in case they need to reach you.  After you're finished, read over the note to check for errors and then read it again or have someone else look at it just to double-check.

After an interview

Appropriate thank you note
Writing a thank you card after an interview is a lot trickier than writing one for many of the other situations.  Since the interviewer will probably be receiving thank you cards from other applicants as well, you definitely want yours to stand out.  In this situation, it might be best to type up a more formal letter, just to ensure that you have room for everything you need to say and that it can be easily read.  

After the introduction where you thank them for their time, recap why you are the most qualified for the position and possibly give an example of how.  Don't leave any doubt in their mind that you have a strong interest in the company, especially after learning a bit more during the interview.  Touch on anything the interviewer brought up during the interview that you found especially interesting or anything that you connected over.  Also, use the opportunity to add in anything you might have forgotten to mention during the interview or feel you want to expand on, but don't explicitly state that you forgot.

Inappropriate thank you note
Step on it

Writing a thank you note should be done soon after whatever you're thanking the person for took place.  For example, if the note is for a job interview start working on it as soon as you get home and get it in the mail the same day.  You don't want to risk the person wondering why you haven't thanked them yet if they had some expectations about receiving a note.

Is it okay to email?

It's generally not okay to send a thank you through email since this takes all of the personality and effort out of the process.  The only times I might send a thank you via email is if I already know the person well and sending a card might be a little over-board for whatever I'm thanking them for.  One exception is if you send an email and follow-up with a handwritten note.
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How Joining a Fraternity/Sorority Could Help Get You an Internship

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 5 comments






Honestly, when I decided to join a sorority my freshman year of college, I wasn't exactly thinking about how being a member was going to help find me an internship somewhere down the road (more like how cute each chapter's shirts were).  During recruitment, all of the sororities filled my head with thoughts of the lifelong friendships I could form, the amazing social events constantly going on, and just how much fun I would have in general; however, one thing I don't remember hearing was, "Joining will really help you with your career."  


After becoming a full-fledged member of one of the sororities, I quickly realized that being a member of a sorority/fraternity isn't all fun and games (the Animal House days are definitely over).  I ended up receiving both the friendship and the fun I was promised during recruitment, but was also encouraged to keep my GPA at a certain level, study so many hours per week, become involved with other organizations on campus, volunteer in the community, and other things I hadn't really anticipated upon joining.  I ended up getting to know both university officials and community leaders, and received a lot of extra opportunities I probably wouldn't have had if I hadn't decided to go Greek.

The more exciting aspects of being in a fraternity or sorority, like what was advertised to me, will probably always be the bait used to get those fun-loving freshman to join up, but for career-minded students, the benefits joining a sorority/fraternity may have for you professionally are definitely something to consider.




Here are some different ways being in a fraternity/sorority is good for your career:

"[I/my son/my neighbor's cousin] was Greek!"

Being in a fraternity or sorority gives you access to a network of others across the country who were also Greek in college.  I cannot tell you how many times I've personally been approached while wearing my sorority letters by complete strangers, excited because either their wife is an alumni of my sorority or their daughter is a member at another school, etc.  In job/internship interviews, if I bring up my sorority involvement, it's not unusual for me to end up bonding with the interviewer who, it turns out, was also Greek in college.  


This shared experience is an excellent topic to bond with people over and also a great icebreaker.  Who knows... with the right maneuvering, what starts as a casual conversation about your fraternity/sorority could easily turn into a conversation about your professional aspirations and a great networking opportunity.

The Leadership

It seems that as a member of a fraternity or sorority, you definitely get as much or as little out of the experience as you put into it.  You can either cruise along, doing as little as possible to retain your membership, or take full advantage of the opportunities available.  If you choose the latter, you'll most likely end up serving an executive or chair position within your chapter, or some other leadership position either within your chapter or with another organization on campus.  


In that capacity you might, for example, end up organizing a successful fundraiser that raises XYZ amount of money, overseeing 20+  chair positions, or planning an event for the whole student body to attend.  These type of experiences definitely help prepare you for internships and jobs to come, giving you tons of relevant skills, and look amazing on your resume.

The Connections

Ironically, the internship I'll be participating in this semester was made possible all because of an event I helped put on for a Greek organization.  A well-known local attorney came to speak to the fraternities and sororities on campus about local laws regarding alcohol and other topics college students would care about.  The attorney was young and charismatic, and when I found out he would be teaching a Legal Communication class as an adjunct professor, I quickly signed up.  Fast forward a year later and now I'm interning for his law office!

Being in a fraternity or sorority often gives you the opportunity to work closely with prominent university officials as well as professionals in the local community.  These people realize that you're a college student and, after you demonstrate how dedicated and motivated you are, will usually do what they can to help you out professionally.


How do YOU think being in a fraternity or sorority benefits/harms a person professionally?



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Summer's Over and You Still Don't Have a Fall Internship... Now What?

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 0 comments



The few weeks right before school starts back up can be a hectic and exciting time for lots of students.  On one hand, you're excited to soon be reunited with friends you haven’t seen all summer, but on the other hand you're sad to say goodbye to those summer nights and having free-time, and for some… you're freaking out because you still haven’t managed to land a fall internship.

Although time is limited, it’s still not too late to find that perfect fall internship as long as you kick it into high gear starting NOW.

Be Prepared

Have an updated resume and writing sample ready to go; cleaning up all of your social networking profiles doesn’t hurt either.  

Use Who You Know

The people you know are one of the best resources for finding an internship.  The saying “it’s all about who you know” didn’t pop-up out of nowhere.  It’s not only about who you know, but who they know as well.  Call up your friends and acquaintances and let them know what kind of internship you’re trying to find and ask if they know of anyone in that field they could refer you to.  I once had a professor, who was also an attorney, and simply asked if he knew of any attorney’s in my hometown who might be looking for interns… he not only gave me an attorney’s contact information, but called to put a good word in for me.

Search the Web

Do a Google search for the type of internship you’re looking for and your area.  It can be as easy as searching “public relations internship + St. Louis, MO” and just seeing what pops up.  In the past when I have done this while trying to find an internship, I was surprised to find that a lot of local schools (that weren’t mine) had internship listings that I was able to see and utilize.  Some job search websites now have listings for internships as well.

Do Your Research


When you find a business that you're interested in, do your research before contacting them so you know the essentials such as what they do, who the owner is, etc.  You don't have to memorize the name and face of every employee listed on their website, but put in the effort to let businesses know you are serious about finding an internship.

Just Ask

These two simple words are the best advice I can give anyone trying to find an internship and are the reason why I have gotten almost all of my internships.  It sounds silly, but this piece of advice is also why I started this blog- smart and straightforward.  It can never hurt to call or email a business and politely ask if they are considering hiring an intern for the upcoming semester.  Some businesses may have never had interns, but wouldn’t be opposed to taking one on if you’re offering (at this point when larger or more well-known business might have already hired their interns, smaller businesses are a good bet and can offer just as much experience).

NEVER send out a mass email to multiple companies; this is a huge no-no and will pretty much guarantee you won't get an internship with them.  If you decide to email, keep it short and sweet, but personalize the message to describe why you would be a good fit for the company and show that you did your research.  Attach your resume and a writing sample (if applicable) and keep an Excel document of who you called/emailed and what they said to keep track.

Follow Up

The feeling you experience after calling and emailing so many businesses to find an internship can be nerve-wracking to say the least, especially if you’re in a time crunch.  Use the Excel sheet you created to follow-up with those you left messages for, emailed, or who asked for you to send additional information.  That extra effort it takes to follow-up with a company, shows that you're dedicated and have a good work-ethic.

Don’t Give Up

If after all of your hard work you still can’t manage to find an internship, don’t get too down in the dumps.  Once you're actually at school, you will have more access to professors and people who may have connections for you to utilize.  When you're back on campus, hit up your school's career center and the dean of your respective college to see what resources they have available for you to use.  Some businesses contact schools when they have intern positions open up.  If you absolutely can't find a fall internship, focus your energy on a part-time job, student organization, or your school work, and start early on the internship search for the spring.
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Finding your Niche- Deciding What to Pursue in College and Beyond

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 0 comments

It seems as if the Undecided major is becoming more and more popular with students these days and it’s completely understandable why.  With potential areas of study ranging from comic book art to bowling industry management, the possibilities of what to study can seem endless (bowling, eh?).  Although it’s great to have so many majors available to meet everyone’s unique interests, if you are someone who is questioning what you want to do in life, it can be a major obstacle.  Even students who have already decided on a major surely sometimes wonder how it will translate into a rewarding career.

Here are a few tips for deciphering what you really want to pursue in college and beyond because surely no one really wants to take that victory lap and be around for a 5th year of college.

Pick Your Passion

Take a minute to think about what your real passions are and brainstorm how they might be turned into a career.  Whether it’s video games, traveling, etc., you might be surprised how what you thought was a hobby could possibly become a fulfilling career. 


Be Realistic

What you study in school should have at least something to do with what you want to pursue after graduation, whether it be a career or grad school.  Just because you’re a marketing major doesn’t mean you will have to find a job in marketing, but your major should provide you with knowledge or skills that will help you pursue your desired career-path, so keep that in mind.

Get Some Experience

Internships are a great way to experience different fields and figure out what you truly want to pursue.  A lot of internships don’t require a lot of prior experience specific to the field, so testing out different areas while you’re still in school is a good idea.  Even if you’re fairly certain what you want to pursue for a career, diversifying your internship experiences could make you appealing to future employers by making you appear well-rounded.

Talk to People

Call or email some of your business contacts and ask for a few minutes of their time to chat about what they do.  Be prepared with a list of questions you want to ask so you don’t end up with awkward silence during the conversation.  People currently doing the job you’re interested in can offer an interesting perspective on how they got there, what some of the challenges have been, etc.  If you don’t know anyone in the field you’re interested in, ask around for contacts or utilize your professors or school’s career center.  
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Getting in Good: Dealing with Coworkers

Posted by Michelle Pence - - 1 comments

Let me share with you one of the most important lessons I have learned through my experience interning- get in good with your coworkers.

I'm not just talking about the other interns, I'm talking about the boss' secretary, the IT guy- basically everyone in the office who will talk to you (without being creepy).



Don't go over-the-top
Nobody likes a suck-up.  Period.

Make an effort to get to know everyone and their individual personalities
Once you get a feel for what each person is like, you can decide who to joke around with, who to ask about their kids, etc.  Simply observing is one of the best communication moves you can make.

Ask questions
People love to talk about themselves, so even just asking questions and listening to their responses can put you in their favor.  Use this technique when you are at a loss for something to talk about with someone, especially during the first few weeks of your internship.

Be sincere and professional
These people have most likely been around longer than you and are closer with your boss, so don't cross any lines that might jeopardize your internship.  This means no telling dirty jokes or describing in vivid detail your most recent night at the bar.

Make getting to know your coworkers a part of your job description
If you consider getting to know your coworkers a vital part of your job, you will feel pressure to actually follow through.  A lot of times, by keeping in touch with the people you meet, you could get helpful career advice or letters of recommendations which will help you out in the long-run.

-

Sounds simple enough, right?  Let me tell you a story.  

At one of my internships, I ended up having problems with one of the new hires who, coincidentally, was best friends with my boss.  Could there be a worse scenario?

I'm a pretty easy-going person and I don't like to cause trouble so needless to say, I was majorly distressed by this.  I didn't want to be visibly upset and put my good-standing with my boss at risk, but I was always stressed by this person and I worried it was going to hurt my job-performance.

I ended up speaking with the office manager whom I felt I could trust (and later became a close friend), and she kept an eye out for me from then on, even calling out certain behaviors exhibited by my coworker which weren't appropriate without putting me in the spotlight. 

Although I was scared I would look like a drama-queen, I'm glad I told someone in private.

If you are experiencing problems in your internship, go to someone; whether it be your internship supervisor or someone in the office who you can trust.  Internships are a learning experience, and it's definitely not worth being miserable the whole time.

If the problem is minor, try dealing with it yourself by focusing on other things, or by casually avoiding run-ins with the person.  Sure, lots of people have annoying hang-ups that will get under you skin from time-to-time, but that just comes with the territory of working in an office.

Just remember, that the relationships you form during an internship can last much longer than the duration of your time there, and that every positive relationship you form may be an asset to yourself and your future.
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