InternshipRatings.com

By Dexter Hawk
Author, Interview expert
http://dexterhawk25.wordpress.com/

With the national unemployment rate sitting at 9.4 percent, a quarter century high, employment-seeking folks are looking for that something extra to set themselves apart from the pack.  But in an economy where hundreds are vying for the same position you are, being qualified just isn’t enough.  So how do you get past the gatekeepers and land your dream job?

By telling the interviewer what he/she wants to hear.  That’s the way to get the job you want.  In the book “25 things to say to the interviewer, to get the job you want,” you learn the life-skills necessary to be successful in your interview, business, career and life.  So here are a few pointers to supercharge your career and get you started:

1.  I crank out more work than is expected of me.

I go beyond what is asked of me to produce professional work in order for my boss and my colleagues to trust me with more work, harder tasks and tighter deadlines.  The only way to win this trust is to come in early, stay late and put in all the hours I need to show my boss why he/she hired me.

2. I get to know and learn what everyone is doing in my company, especially, the movers and shakers.

I look at the big picture of my company.  I understand that my job is just one piece of the puzzle and in order to see the big picture, I must get to know who and how the pieces fit together.  Every company has character.  The character of a company is reflected in its people.  The sooner I know how and who does what, the sooner I can start to contribute to the character and goals of this company.

3. I’ll get to know people in my business.

Doing business with people you know is better than doing business with people you don’t know. I will establish a relationship with influential people the company does business with. My work, success, livelihood, my entire career depend on the support and goodwill of everyone in my business. This means I will do everything I can to add value for this company by becoming connected.

4. I stand up and take responsibility when things go wrong.

Bosses like people who stand up and say, “It was my fault. I’m sorry. I’ll fix it. And it won’t happen again.” Everyone knows things will go wrong eventually. So what we can control is our response. Accepting responsibility and telling your boss that you made a mistake is always better than pointing blame. This shows character, and character always counts.

5. I don’t cut corners.

I take pride in my work. What I turn out says a lot about me, my subordinates, my colleagues, my boss, my company. Because of the importance of the quality of my work, and how it reflects on the company, I will not finish a project with low standards. Ever.

These five statements will give your interviewer confidence in your ability to see a bigger picture than just working a 9-5. You want a job where you can hit a homerun, and these promises will offer to your future employer a confidence in you and your abilities.

For more from Dexter Hawk’s “25 Things to Say to the Interviewer, to Get the Job You Want,” find the audio book on Amazon.com.

By: Kelly Reaves
Media Director
MindComet

Class schedules, project deadlines and lets be honest, late night get togethers with friends all play a part on how many hours you are going to put in, during your internship.  However, if you are looking to leave a lasting impression on the company you’re interning with, I’d recommend taking your internship responsibilities to the next level which means more than just showing up on time and checking things off your to do list.

Educate yourself and be ready to learn - Go into the interview prepared.  Know about the company’s product/service offerings, management team, previous work they’ve done, the culture and what’s going on in their industry.  Tell the interviewer what you are hoping to get out of the internship.  From when your internship begins to when it ends, be a sponge and absorb as much information, knowledge and education you can.   This may mean stepping outside of your comfort zone and going above and beyond the responsibilities given to you such as asking to sit in on meetings, shadowing other team members and delivering more than what is expected.  If you are looking to move into a professional intern role or full time position, all the more effort will help make this happen.

Be on time - Act as you would if this were your real job, we notice when you are late and it doesn’t look good.  If you’re going to be late, give your manager enough notice so they aren’t waiting on you.

Act professional - Although speaking from someone working at an agency where flip flops and t-shirts meet our apparel guidelines, don’t roll out of bed and come to work in your pajamas.  What if there was an impromptu client visit, wouldn’t you want the opportunity to sit in?

Speak up - We all have different personalities and approaches however as an intern, your goal should be to stick out from the rest of the crowd, in a good way.  Voice your opinion, ask questions, get to know the team, take part in activities.  This is your chance to shine especially if the company is prospecting full time employees.

Build your portfolio/references - You’re getting “real world” experience, so add the work you’ve contributed to, to your portfolio.  It beats having only school papers and projects to show.  You can certainly ask for a letter of recommendation, however if you have done a good job, your manager will most likely already have one for you on your way out.  Keep your manager as a reference and leave behind your personal contact information for others to keep in touch with you.

Prove them wrong - As a new intern, you bring with you preconceived thoughts on the quality of your work, dedication and confidence.  Prove your manager wrong by taking your work seriously and delivering double or even triple checked work, show you care and are serious about being there and are not afraid of a challenge.  You’ll get more work this way but its only because you have established a trust and your manager can now count on you to get things done right.

Good interns are hard to come by.  However don’t get me wrong, it’s a two way street.  Managers must be willing to put in the time and effort to give the intern what they need to be able to shine.   So to the seekers out their looking for internships, be sure to speak up if you are not getting what you need to be successful.  At the end of your internship, you should leave better educated or better yet, get to stay onboard!

By Holly Landau
Leadership expert and CEO
Landau Leadership

You need help building your brand. Enter the ambitious Intern. Now it’s up to you to get the most out of the Mentor-Intern relationship. When seeking an Intern, find someone who fits with your brand. Look for a person who is actively interested in what you do, and who is willing to learn the business – the glamorous side and the not-so-glamorous side.

A small investment of your time as a Mentor can create the necessary structure for a successful internship. Keep in mind that this internship might be an opportunity to groom a future employee, so your level of professionalism will set the proper tone for what could be a long, fruitful relationship.

On your Intern’s first day, it’s important to share your vision. Explain your philosophy, your successes, your challenges, and where their support can help launch your brand. Then, ask your Intern about their expectations and career goals (and listen).

Setting clear performance expectations provides an important foundation to an internship. Meet face-to-face with your Intern to establish reasonable, measureable goals that can be realized throughout the duration of the internship. Instead of saying, “We’ll just figure it out as we go along,” instead say something like, “I want you and I to get the most out of your internship, so I’ve outlined five task areas that I’d like you to focus on. Let’s review each area and then I can answer your questions.”

Establish a schedule for discussing performance (daily, weekly, or monthly) and stick to the schedule. Check-ins could be as brief as fifteen minutes. During the discussions, structure your feedback in a way that’s understandable and motivating. Recognize the positive contributions first by saying something like, “We were all a little panicked last week when we had to gather the shipment for London. Sometimes we have to work fast in this business, and I really appreciate you making that happen in such a short time.”

Mistakes will be made by Interns and it’s up to you to share your observations. When giving constructive criticism, focus on the issues and structure your feedback so it doesn’t seem like a personal attack. Instead of saying, “You totally messed up that project, now it’s a nightmare,” say something like, “When you packaged the shipment without getting my approval, it meant that we had to open all the boxes again to make sure we included the invoice. Moving forward, please get my final approval before sealing the boxes, so we won’t have to do rework. I know you want to get the job done right the first time.”

Although it might be tempting to delegate all of your boring tasks to your Intern (addressing invitations, cleaning, trips to Starbucks), you should also consider some of the areas where your Intern could use some professional development. You can re-frame some of the mundane tasks by saying, “When you’re finished addressing the invitations, I’d like to take you to the Buyer meeting, I think it would be a good opportunity for you to observe the process.” You also want to leverage the skills that your intern already possesses. If you don’t know about their strengths, ask them about areas where they’ve demonstrated results in business or leading school projects. You might also get some innovative ideas from your Intern (maybe your Intern is tech-savvy and can help you clean up your client database, for example).

Remember, your Intern wants to build their resume and build skills, not just be used as a Temp or coffee-fetcher. Sure, some Intern tasks won’t be as exciting as others, so allow your Intern to earn your trust by assigning tasks of increasing responsibility. Allow your Intern to demonstrate that they can handle more responsibility before assigning anything too difficult or stressful. Set them up for success (and prevent someone else on your team from having to un-do the mess if you’ve given them too much responsibility too soon).

Finally, you want the internship to end on a positive note. Express your sincere gratitude to your Intern for their hard work. Know that when he/she leaves the internship, they take with them some insider knowledge of your brand and your work style. Interns contribute to the buzz about your brand – and you want it to be positive. When you take your Mentor role seriously from the beginning to the end of the internship, you’re ultimately contributing to the positive buzz about your brand and helping one ambitious person get closer to their career goals.

Holly Landau is a leadership expert and CEO of Landau Leadership, an innovative consulting firm providing customized training solutions to boost individual and team productivity and improve communication. www.landauleadership.com. Contact Holly: hollylandau@landauleadership.com

This article was originally published on Nolcha.com.

By Michael Harari
Go-Getter, University of Miami 2010
Advertising and Psychology

Spring semester is officially over. The summer is upon all of us – you know what that means: Reality show clip time! Oh wait; this summer won’t be spent watching re-runs and new episodes of “The Soup.” Nor will it be spent wasting away like a beach bum (no matter how much we want to). In this economy, and in the emerging world of business, internships are becoming more important.

Let’s take a look at finding an internship, and how if at first you don’t succeed, you clearly didn’t try hard enough. There is absolutely no reason for you to turn your back on finding an internship. Some firms look for experience. Some look for enthusiasm and drive. Some look for a combination of both. The fact of the matter is you never know what a company is looking for. And you never will understand it either.

Last summer I was fortunate to have an internship at an amazing advertising agency in New York City. I was going for art direction and was placed in print production. While this wasn’t my first choice, I was flexible, and I still got to be part of the creative process. My resume wasn’t anything special, and quite frankly, my portfolio was on the shitty side. However, something in my cover letter and my interview had set me apart from the other applicants.

It’s a year later. I’ve sent out my resumes and cover letters. I followed up and sent my portfolio (which is better than last year, but still could use some work – those who tell you their work is perfect, need to get off the meds and receive a slap of reality). Funny thing is, I had another internship during school, boosting my resume credentials, and a better portfolio, and yet I couldn’t hear back from a large percentage of agencies I contacted. I thought I had the qualifications they were looking for, but I guess I didn’t. Just goes to show, you have no idea what companies are looking for. One year you have it, and the next you can’t receive a response.

That brings me to the main topic of this discussion: if at first you don’t succeed, you clearly didn’t try hard enough. It is discouraging when agencies/companies/firms don’t get back to you. You want to yell and curse their names into the ground, but you realize there’s a more constructive way to take revenge. You strive. You strive to get a better internship. So when you apply for a job there, they can see that you had a kick-ass internship when they didn’t take you on.

Lesson #1: Don’t isolate yourself geographically; unless you are geographically isolated.
This is simple to understand: broaden yourself to other cities. If you live in Chicago and go to school in Boston – apply in both cities. If you live in South Carolina and attend school in Virginia – apply in both states. Basically, do not limit yourself to your home-state. That is, unless, you live in New York and attend school in Manhattan – still apply outside the state, but you may have a home field advantage (some agencies love taking students from SVA or Pratt because they have a reputation of great design skills). Those who are geographically separated have a much wider selection of companies to apply to. Yes, it may mean living in your crappy apartment by school for a couple more months, but you are gaining valuable knowledge. The more opportunities you have to send out your resume, the better chance you have of getting that interview.

Lesson #2: There is no magical resume number to follow.
I wish there is an easier way to lay this one out. Over the course of January to May 2009, I have sent between 40-50 emails to various agencies in Miami and New York. Some people, such as my father, believe that number is too small. He rather have me send out about 20 resumes per week. 20 per week in a month. That is close to 80 resumes in a month, for 5 months, and you’re looking at 400 resumes being sent out. You have to be meticulous and completely OCD to not completely screw it up and send out information to the wrong company (nothing worse than doing that). But I felt comfortable with the 40-50 resumes that I sent out. It’s all at matter of your comfort level in your abilities, your resume, and your opportunities. But don’t be stubborn: if you think you are semi-qualified, still send out the resume. The response may amaze you.

Lesson #3: Be persistent. But don’t be a pain in the ass.
There is nothing worse than a pain in the ass. We all know the type. They get up in your business all the time, track you down, and overall, piss you off. You want to be persistent, but you do not want to piss the company off. If you send your resume out and do not receive a response, send a follow-up e-mail or phone call a couple of days later. Make a simple statement: “I wanted to touch base to make sure you received my resume. Please confirm that you have received it. If not, I have attached it to this e-mail.” HR reps are constantly busy and bombarded with too many e-mails. There is a chance that your e-mail got through the cracks and was overlooked. By touching base, you can engage in a conversation with the company; this conversation can lead to an interview and the possibility of landing the internship.

Lesson #4: Don’t limit yourself to what you know. Check other online postings.
A simple online search for finance companies, advertising/pr agencies, etc., can only get you so far. There is no harm in checking Craigslist job postings. Yes, they have more than just cheap furniture being listed. You would be surprised at the number of listings posted each day. My internship this year was found through Mediabistro.com. For those of you interested in advertising and marketing, take a look at Talentzoo.com. Check Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com. Basically, use the Internet the way it was intended to be used: to connect with millions of people around the world. Find any opportunity you can. The best internship could come from a small posting on a site you never heard of.

The truth remains: if at first you don’t succeed, you clearly didn’t try hard enough. You are all brilliant college students, who understand the complex world we live in and continue to influence. If you don’t hear anything back from the first round of resumes sent, send more out. If you are satisfied and think “you know, I sent out 15 resumes this month and I’m content,” guess what, you will be sorry. You have every opportunity to succeed. Don’t let it go to waste by not trying your hardest to get what you want.

Of course, there are several more lessons and rules to follow. I am but a simple college student sharing my experience with you. Take what I say to heart, or tell me I’m full of shit and disregard it. At least consider what I have said; who knows, one day you’ll look back and say “That Mike. He knew what he was talking about.”

By Ulrike Klein
Operations, Non-profit

Here are a few things you should remember when you are tackling one of your countless internships in the near future.

An internship is supposed to prepare you for the real world. It is  supposed to give you work experience and frankly, these are the people that you will likely put down as references for your first few job. The ladder is something interns seem to forget sometimes, because who doesn’t want a great reference from an intern supervisor!

A few things about generation “Y” are absolutely fantastic. You can multitask like no other. You are absolutely in tune with the Internet and electronics. Us Generation X’ers can definitely learn from you, however, being connect via different media day in and day out comes with challenges.

1. Texting and chatting - For heaven’s sake! Be discreet. I don’t tell my interns not to text or not to chat; I  know Facebook can be important after 3 hours of database crunching. I think they do great, high quality work and I do trust them to a certain degree. However, when I walk by your desk in any given week and I see several chat windows opens, a few questions arise, which are as follows:
Can I trust this person with a deadline?
Did this project REALLY take that long or did they goof off chatting or switching between screens every few second prolonging it?
What am I supposed to tell the person who gave them the project when they ask me why the project isn’t done, if I know there is a lot of chatting going on?

2. Being on time.
I can’t stress how important it is to be on time when you are starting an internship. Even when you work in a laid back office environment, being on time or even a bit early speaks volumns to your engagement, reliability and trustworthiness. It also shows that you respect the rules of the workplace.
There is honestly no excuse that works for me for being late. I am here, I use public transportation. End of story.

Interns are a really important part of many companies. Depending on where you end up it can be a great experience or a challenging one. I always treat interns as equals, after all, they often do things I don’t have time for or I need help with and sometimes they can do it better than me.

That being said. I know being an intern can sometimes be a thankless job. Not every supervisor will tell you during the interview that you might be stuffing envelopes. I remember internships where I was relegated to some back room and the entire building could have instantly combusted - no one would have missed me. But even those experiences end up preparing you for the “real world”,which is exactly what an internship is supposed to do.

Boring work? I got news for you. I love my job and career, but there are days where I am bored to tears, yet required to do just as great of a job.
Co-workers you might not like? Not a problem at my current job, but I certainlly have had to work with difficult people and maybe some have found me difficult as well. You have to look at these situations like working in customer service. This is your job and you are supposed to do a good job. So unless there is some bullying or mobbing going on, suck it up and get through it.

So, take note! Get up 10 minutes early, try to throw on some work appropriate clothing (whatever that might be in your industry, we all know it’s different for Bank of America than at a nonprofit), be on time, keep your texting and chatting in check. And also remember why, because if you don’t your supervisor will start doubting your ability to work on deadlines and your trustworthiness with such.

By Laura Jacobs, Internship Coordinator
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Career & Leadership Development

As the spring semester wraps up, thoughts begin to turn towards summer internships. No doubt the most popular time to intern, summer provides ample opportunity for gaining career-related experience. Here are some tips for starting your summer internship off on the right foot.

• Contact your supervisor at least a week before your first day.
It is a good idea to check in with your supervisor in advance of your first day, especially if you secured the internship before or early in the spring semester. Confirm your start date, hours you are scheduled to work, and where to report when you arrive. You might also ask what the organization’s summer work attire expectations are for interns. If you ask about clothing far enough in advance, it leaves time to shop for a few more basics should you need them.

• Develop good habits right away.
It is much easier to establish good habits from the beginning of your internship than trying to erase bad habits later on. A good habit to establish is arriving to work a little early, so start this on your first day. This conveys responsibility and enthusiasm, and it will make a good impression on your supervisor and co-workers. How early is early? For one of my summer jobs in college, getting to work five minutes early was considered on time and arriving at the actual start time was considered late. I established really good habits that summer; you can, too.

• Observe everything.
Workplace insight is one benefit of an internship. Your internship site is your learning lab for the summer, so find out everything you can about it. Pick up on the workplace culture by taking note of how people interact with one another and how people dress. You will begin to learn what is expected of you and how to conduct yourself at work. What’s more, workplace fit is an important consideration for your permanent job search, and workplace culture is an important part of personal fit. Identify what you like and don’t like in your internship environment so you can figure out what you do and don’t want for your future jobs.

• Meet one-on-one with your supervisor during the first week.
You probably had reasons for seeking out this particular summer internship. Keeping those intentions in mind, schedule a meeting with your supervisor during the first week of your internship. Discuss your job duties and your supervisor’s expectations for your work. While it’s helpful to know what your supervisor expects of you, it is also important to let your supervisor know what you expect of the internship. Discuss YOUR goals for the experience. You may wish to write up a learning contract that outlines all of these areas (work details, expectations, and goals). Many of the internships I’ve observed that develop problems are ones in which there was not open communication between intern and supervisor. Get on the same page as your supervisor and hopefully ensure a positive experience.

• Practice work-life balance.
It’s summer. This is the season for spending time outside, hanging out with friends, and relaxing. However, you’re an intern now. Resist the temptation to relax too much in your internship. If you want to be a successful intern, it is important to put work first. You might have some pre-planned activities that you’ll need time off for, like a wedding or family vacation. This is alright as long as you inform your supervisor about it early on and keep time off requests to a minimum. Summer is short and it flies by quickly. You want to be able to spend as much time as you can at your internship in order to make the most of it.

By Phillip Merrick
Co-founder
VisualCV, Inc.

With the summer and graduation right around the corner, you are sure to see a lot of students in the midst of updating their resumes. As someone who has hired thousands (literally) of people, I know how frustrating resumes can be. It’s hard to demonstrate your experience in black and white on one page. And, it’s very hard for hiring managers to determine a good fit when evaluating that one page document. This frustration is one of the many reasons my co-founder and I created VisualCV, Inc.

A VisualCV is an online resume that best represents professionals by bringing their skills and backgrounds to life where you can include graphics, photos, video and relevant links to showcase educational achievements, internships, work experience, volunteer work, interesting projects, professor recommendations. Additionally, you can have multiple VisualCVs and are in control of their privacy settings. This means that you’re in control of your information…not us.

Typically the posts on Take Note offer a piece of internship advice. Not surprisingly, my advice is around your resume (or VisualCV). Hiring managers and HR representatives are busy individuals. You are wise to help make their lives easier. Give them all the information they might need the first time they review your information. If the internship description says that writing skills are important, include a writing sample in your VisualCV to back up your claim to being a solid writer. If the position requires references, include that information in your VisualCV. If you need to send in work samples of previous designs, add them along side the text within your VisualCV. Do what you can to give the hiring manager all the information they need to know about you up front.

And, remember to highlight certain non-work and non-academic activities, in particular sporting or community involvement. I think this goes a long way, because employers hire people, not resumes, and anything you can do to show your well roundedness will help you stand out. And many hiring managers like to see participation in sports or community activities, because they promote values like team building that are important in the workplace.

Writing a resume of any sort can be difficult which is why we had career expert Louise Kursmark write a free instructional e-book, available at www.visualcv.com/insidersguide. The book explains how to write a powerful resume and also has a special chapter for recent and pending graduates.

We’re often asked what kinds of professionals use VisualCV and how they use it. I for one am astounded at the great uses of our product by our members. VisualCV is gaining significant traction among job seekers, recruiters and corporate HR execs alike. With the number of layoffs expected to continue to rise in the coming months, standing out from the crowd has never been more important for candidates – regardless of which step in the corporate ladder they are on. VisualCV helps all types of job seekers including:

• Pending college graduates. Helps them get a “leg-up” on the competition and create a solid online resume—even thought they might be light in the job “experience” department.
• Senior executives, to musicians, to reporters etc. Helps established workers distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack.
• Stay-at-home moms and dads. Helps them to re-enter the workforce and fill in resume gaps by highlighting non-traditional skills that may have been learned from volunteer work, online training, etc.
• Passive job seekers. Allows people who are currently employed to prepare for a possible layoff as VisualCV allows them to network and market themselves as publicly or privately as they feel comfortable.

You can see all kinds of professionals in our Member Examples Directory.

The incredible talent coming out of schools in the coming years means a competitive environment for the foreseeable future. To help you get ahead of the competition, a VisualCV (as one tool in your toolbox) is a smart and easy investment to make. And, it’s a tool that you can use for lifetime, altering it as you advance your career. If you do try the entirely free service, please let us know what you think. And, to see what we’re talking about these days, please check out our blog.

By Joe Bucher, Career Consultant -Student Internship Specialist
San Jose State University Career Center
www.joebucher.wordpress.com

Informational interviews are something that I am a huge proponent of. I got started in career counseling by doing an informational interview with a family friend who was a career counselor. I gained useful insight from my informational interview and was able to use what I learned to get an internship.
Besides being relatively quick, informative and a great way to network - informational interviews are still underutilized by job seekers. I believe informational interviews are a great way to stand out from the pack and help students get started on their internship search.

What is an informational interview?

– An opportunity to meet with someone who works in a field that you have interest in.

– A chance to ask questions about corporate culture, challenges on the job, trends in the industry, how the professional got involved in the field, and more.
– A way to explore different industries and organizations in order to help you target your internship search and application materials.

An informational interview is not:

– A job interview - while you should be prepared to market yourself with a resume, knowledge of the organization/industry, and perhaps a portfolio - only offer if asked!!

– A free ride. Offer to buy the person a cup of coffee or lunch if the interview is done in person.

Questions to ask:

Think about the questions you genuinely have about the industry, organization, or position as this is your opportunity to ask someone who is currently working in your potential field of interest. However, remember that your interaction creates the first impression that this person will have of you. Therefore, do some research on the organization and possibly the person you will be speaking with. Check-in with your school’s career center or search online to review some potential questions. For instance, my school has a list of suggested informational interview questions.

Setting it up:

Step 1: Identify some possible organizations or jobs that you would like to learn more about.
Step 2: Do some homework. Research online to get the basics of the job/organization then figure out what sort of questions you would like to ask of an interviewee.
Step 3: Find possible interviewees by:

– Asking friends, family, co-workers, and professors if they know anyone in your desired field that might do an informational interview with you.
– Visiting your career center for resources or asking if they have an alumni group that would be willing to do informational interviews.

– Contacting the HR department of an organization that you would like to learn more about and ask “If it would be possible to conduct a 20 minute informational interview with one of your
employees?”

– Using your social media outlets to contact prospective interviewees.

Step 4: Be flexible. You may find that some professionals simply do not have the time to conduct an informational interview while others may be willing to do a phone or email version rather than in person. The main point when dealing with a potential interviewee is to be clear about the reasons why you are contacting them and be prepared.

After the Informational Interview:

– Follow up with a thank you email or letter.

– Ask the interviewee if they know of any other people who they would suggest that you could do an informational interview with.

– Utilize the information that was gained to incorporate into your internship search.

The informational interview is not only a tool to learn more about a specific career path or industry but also a chance to meet people in your potential field. You may get helpful information on what to include on a resume, an idea for a class project, or insight into how a particular organization works. Still not convinced? Check out Owlnotes.com for some great examples of informational interviews.

This article provides insight about building a meaningful internship program. Internship opportunities can often arise through the due diligence of motivated students. Build a network, and a great internship, all at the same time. The Total Internship Management book presents a best practices model that builds on the research of over 50,000 students. Using the book, you can create a worthwhile and exciting experiential education.
–Richard Bottner, President, Intern Bridge, Inc.

By Heather Huhman
Entry Level Careers Examiner

In every internship (or job) search, it’s always best to create a plan that identifies two or three ideal geographic locations and 10 “I would do anything to work there” organizations within each city. That way, you’re not blindly blasting out your résumé. But, what do you do if one or more of the organizations on your list doesn’t have formal a internship program? Propose one.

Perhaps not an entire program—just focus on yourself for now. The book “Total Internship Management: The Employer’s Guide to Building the Ultimate Internship Program” by Richard Bottner, president of Intern Bridge, Inc., would make a great read to start formulating ideas (plus it would make a great gift to the organization that takes you up on your offer down the road).

When contemplating a program, organizations should conduct internal audits to assure the internship is mutually beneficial, according to Bottner. (I agree!) So, while you can’t answer all the questions he puts forth because you are not yet an insider, researching a few of the key points and organizing the results in an expanded cover letter could get your foot in the door.

“Does my organization have meaningful work for interns to complete?” This is key—for both you and the employer. Research the organization; its products, services and clients; and what it’s currently doing (or not doing) where you might be able to help. From that, write up a position description—example projects and activities, the department(s) in which you would work and potentially to whom you might report.

“What should the duration of individual internships be?” Typically, internships last approximately 12 weeks, but you can outline in your cover letter the exact timeframe you are available. Be sure to also include the number of hours each week you would be available—possibly even a suggested schedule (i.e., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

“Will my organization be able to afford to pay a salary to interns? If so, how much? What remuneration, instead of salary can we provide?” If an organization does not already have an established internship program, I wouldn’t get your hopes up for the position to be paid. However, Bottner raises a number of good alternative compensation ideas:

* Free/subsidized parking
* Discounted/free organization merchandise or services
* Transportation stipend
* Fitness center membership
* Meal allowance
* Sporting event/theater tickets
* Partial/complete housing/relocation assistance
* Commission on sales (when applicable)
* Tuition reimbursement
* Opportunity to attend professional development seminars/workshops
* Offsite organization functions

So, how should you approach the organization with your ideas? “The proposal can simply be an expanded cover letter along with your résumé,” said Shane Mazzella, director of U.S. programs at The Fund for American Studies. “In the cover letter, describe your qualifications and desired internship parameters such as available dates, number of hours each week, department of interest and compensation—an unpaid internship is always easier secure. Be sure to stress how you can add value to that specific department as well as the overall organization.”

Mazella recommends e-mailing as a PDF attachment (or snail mailing) both your résumé and expanded cover letter.

And, just like you typically would when submitting an internship application, follow-up! (Read my article about following up on a job application for some ideas.) Mazella also adds you should “be prepared with a 60-second elevator pitch of your proposal.”

As an employer, I would be floored by the amount of thought you’ve put into the needs of my organization and how you would be a value-add to my team. Is it possible to take this idea one step even further?

“Consider creating a legacy once you have the internship by proposing an established program or role,” said Mazella. “Start by noting ways of formalizing the internship, note tasks and projects that can be delegated just to interns, identify departments or areas where interns can be of assistance and suggest means of growing it into a program that you can pitch to key decision-makers. Be sure, though, that you are not neglecting your own internship work in this process. Your actions and behavior are more convincing than a nice proposal and big speech.”

By Becky Steinberg
Boston University 2010
Mass Communication, Public Relations & Spanish

Hola! I am a junior at Boston University, majoring in PR and currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. My study abroad program allows me to take an internship for credit, giving me a unique opportunity to observe office-culture outside the States. I work in a small marketing firm, Elipse Iniciativas and these are just a few of the cultural differences I wanted to share:

·    Kisses. I love the Spanish two-kiss salutation (also prevalent in other European countries). In general, I think it makes Spaniards less socially awkward and starts any relationship off on positive footing. In my experience, it also affects office culture. My 30-something boss greeted me with two cheek kisses my first day, immediately establishing a friendly relationship and making me feel like “one of them” rather than a foreign, temporary intern. I greatly appreciated it, and as a result felt more comfortable participating in the office banter and asking questions about everything from my assignments to Madrid nightlife. While this may not sound revolutionary, think about how long it takes to develop equally informal relationships with co-workers in the U.S when both parties speak English fluently.

·    Siesta. A two-hour lunch break. At my last internship in Boston, my boss wouldn’t take lunch breaks most days, sending me to get a salad and Diet Coke from the Au Bon Pain downstairs instead, which she would eat at her computer. Here, the siesta allows professionals to eat with co-workers, go home to eat with their families and even take a quick nap. I don’t have time to go back to my apartment, so I spend the time eating a three-course-meal with my co-workers or grabbing a sandwich and sitting on the patio with them, ultimately allowing us to be friends in addition to co-workers. Siesta also provides a break from the stresses that accompany deadlines, last-minute changes and computer malfunctions. My boss, for example, at the height of the craziness of planning the Madrid Marathon, would still come out to a long lunch. The siesta seems to help everyone stay sane, even amid event-planning frustrations. They say Spaniards have generally long lifespans, and it’s definitely not because the smoking restrictions (smoking in restaurants the university hallways is still custom). My money is on the siesta.

·    Politically Correct—the Spanish are not, or so I’ve been told. While I’ve never had a personal experience that speaks to this, in preparation for our entrance into the work force here, our internship-director shared one of her experiences. Apparently, her co-worker didn’t know she was pregnant and told her frankly that she looked like she was gaining weight and should probably stop eating so much. She told him she was indeed pregnant, to which he replied she should still maybe think about eating less.

To sum up, my experience at Elipse definitely verifies how my host-brother describes the Spanish attitude towards work: “We work to live, not live to work.”