InternshipRatings.com

By Karla A. Stevenson
PhD Candidate
Department of Communication Studies
The University of Iowa

Sometimes a career in something you love could be right under your nose! It’s ok not to know what you want to do with the rest of your life right now – but interning is a great way to explore career options while not making huge, life-changing decisions. A good place to start is thinking about the brands you like, media you consume, and non-profits you support.
If there is a company you like, a product you use, a brand you can’t get enough of, or a cause you donate your time to, you might want to think about interning there. Even if it is not in the exact field you are getting your degree in, it’s a foot in the door and may give you the option of doing a second internship or getting an entry level job in your chosen field with that organization. After all, they will know you, know your work ethic and know that you have already acclimated to their company’s culture. So explore different possibilities within the same organization – it might lead you down a new career path!

For example: Say you’re a Marketing major and HUGE Miami Dolphins fan. You might want to explore possibilities with that organization, but even if all they have open is an internship in Sales, you might want to consider taking it. While you are there, give 110% to your sales internship responsibilities but also make friends with the staff in the Marketing Department while you’re at it. When the time comes for applications for Marketing interns for the next semester or summer, you will have contacts AND a knowledge of the organization that other applicants won’t have.

Plan of attack

1. Look on the company’s website and see if they have an internship program. If they do, follow the directions and apply. If they don’t, then call the human resource department and ask if they take applications for internships and if so, in what areas of the company. Also ask who the person(s) is that you address your cover letter.

2. Assuming you’re on Linkedin – you can search by company and see if you have any mutual contacts. If you do – ask them to arrange an introduction. If you don’t, spend some time looking closely at employee profiles. Find out where they went to school, what their majors were, and what groups they are members of. It’s ok to be nosy! There’s even a Linkedin application that allows people to post what books they’re reading. Use all this info to figure out what qualities you possess that they value!

3. Taylor your resume to the intern position in question, tweak your cover letter to argue that you are a great fit for interning there, proofread your resume and cover letter, convert both docs to a PDF and send that baby off! If you are mailing it in, remember to use nice, thick, expensive feeling resume paper.

If you don’t hear back in a week or so, follow up with an email or phone call.

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 Benjamin Rudolph

Director of Business Development

Search Discovery

Many college students want to try out a new industry, but they are frustrated because companies require related experience.  How can you get experience if you’re trying to break into something new?  The answer is to be creative.  The key is to find a local business where you can offer your services for free during school.  Then when you go to apply for a job in the industry you’re interested in, they’ll see that you have relevant experience.  No one ever asks how much you were paid for an internship.  They want to know what you did.  You should be willing to work for free.  In exchange you should ask that you are doing college level work (not doing administrative tasks) and get some interaction with senior management (aka people who make hiring decisions).  Most companies have projects that they put off because they don’t have enough time or resources.  You can be the solution.  

I am speaking from my own personal experience.  I actually got rejected for an internship at Cox Communications, the 3rd largest cable provider in the U.S.  However, I got along well with the person that interviewed me and kept in contact with him.  While pursuing my MBA at Emory University, I had the opportunity to do a directed study as part of my coursework.  Emory required that I had to find a professor to oversee my work, which was not hard.  They also required that I had to work on an MBA-level project, and there had to be a presentation to senior management at the end of the internship.  Cox had a suitable project, and I spent a semester going in on Fridays to help them out.  I was able to offer my services for free, and in exchange I got relevant experience.  At the end of the project, Cox had no job openings, but they recommended me for a similar job at the largest cable company in the U.S., Comcast, where I spent four years.

So where do you get started?  First, identify the type of job you’re looking for.  Then make a list of companies where you’d like to work.  The best places to start are friends and family, followed by alumni from your school, and your LinkedIn network.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, create one today for free and start building your network.  Don’t contact people asking for an internship.  Start by suggesting a brief phone call or coffee meeting to get advice.  During that conversation, you should mention your interest in the industry and your willingness to participate in an unpaid internship.  At that point, you can ask if their company would be interested and/or if they know of someone who might be able to help.  You should try to come away from every conversation with another contact in the industry.  Even after you find a job, you never stop networking.  

Working for free may not sound glamorous or economical.  Certainly you should only do what you can afford.  But breaking into a new industry is tough, and relevant experience will be critical.  Think of this experience as an investment in yourself.  It’s hard for employers to turn down free labor, especially during a slower economy.  And when things turn around, you’ll be in an ideal position to market yourself for a new job opening.

Benjamin Rudolph is the Director of Business Development at Search Discovery, an interactive agency that specializes in search marketing.  He also teaches a senior seminar called The Search Marketing Revolution at Emory University.  Search Discovery helps companies drive traffic to their websites, measure the results, and make design changes based on how customers interact with their websites.  

Since I applied for my first internship in high school, I have listened to my parents tell me, “Finding a job or internship is half about what you know and half about who you know.” At the age of 16 I didn’t think about the weight of the advice they were offering. However, as I have gotten older and have had more extensive internship experience, I have noticed how on target they were. Keeping in touch with past employers and past interviewers has led to each of my following opportunities. And  when Lauren and I launched InternshipRatings.com, it was through contacts at previous internships and from networking events that led to discovering the members of our team. Following up and keeping in touch are two easy things that you can do for your career!

I encourage you to take Heather’s following-up  and keeping in touch tips to heart. I would like to extend these simple ways to stay on an employer’s radar to past employers and to past interviewers who may have not accepted you for a position. It is so important to keep positive relationships with these individuals, as you never know how they can help you in the future! Take a look at Darvika Sarin, the subject of a recent WSJ article, who was highly focused and followed through with each of her past summer internship employers and was  offered a full-time position for when she graduates!

–Stephanie

By Heather Huhman

Entry Level Careers Examiner

You’ve interviewed, sent your thank you note(s) and now you’re waiting (and waiting) for the call. I think waiting for the verdict after an interview is the worst part of the entire process. You’ve made it all this way—why won’t they just decide already?

The first way to help alleviate this feeling is to ask the following question during your interview: What are the next steps in the hiring process, and when and how should I follow-up? This way, you know if there will be yet another interview and/or when the organization expects to make its decision.

Nancy DeCrescenzo
Director
Office of Career Service
Eastern Connecticut State University

Students seeking internship should always attend campus career fairs. With rising recruiting costs, it is fair to assume that if an employer pays to attend, and releases human resources to such events, they have positions to fill. Most companies who participate in campus career fairs do so to meet prospective interns, as well as entry-level candidates.
Simply attending a career fair, however, is not enough. Students should be well prepared to take full advantage of the opportunity. Below are suggestions for what should be done before, during and after the event.

Before:
• Examine the list of participating employers and research, in advance, those that you will target. Most student schedules do not allow time for meeting all of the representatives in attendance. Moreover, meeting bankers and accountants when you are a social work major is an ineffective use of time. Know about the company and positions available before engaging with the recruiters.
• Update your professional resume and have it reviewed by a Career Services staff member.
• Invest in professional attire. Students should dress for job fairs as they would for job interviews.
• Attend pre-fair events sponsored by your Career Services staff. Alleviate any anxieties you may have about attending career fairs by getting some last minute coaching from your career counselors.

During:
• Navigate the fair alone. Do not attend with a group of friends, your parents or your puppy! You can portray confidence, initiative, and ambition by doing so.
• Turn off your cell phone, take off your coat and hat, and leave your book bag at the door.
• Be friendly and professional. Offer a firm handshake, maintain eye contact during conversation and smile.
• Introduce yourself to everyone you meet. Career fairs are networking events with many opportunities to interact with new people. Prepare a brief introduction that includes your name, major, career goal and purpose for attending the fair. Collect business cards.

After:
• Organize the materials you collected at the career fair.
• Send an electronic resume to any recruiter who requested one accompanied by an email message that references the conversation at the fair.
• Complete on-line employment applications as requested by recruiters.
• Send thank-you notes to any representative that gave you extra time, advice or guidance.
• Design a follow-up strategy based on important dates and information gathered at the event.

Career fairs are one of the many recruiting events hosted by your university. Your participation offers you the opportunity to explore new industries, assess hiring trends, and expand your professional network. These events are a great way to learn about internship and other employment options in the comfort of your own campus. Get to the fair and get hired!

By Suzanne K. Daley, Recruiting Manager, Wenham, MA
John White, Recruiting Manager, Winston-Salem, NC
Mullen

Getting your foot through the door, for an internship or an entry- level job can be a daunting task at any time and especially during a weakened economy.  We put together our best tips for helping you find a job (or internship) you’ll love.

Overall, you need to be engaged in the process—in the search, the interview, the follow-up.  You really have to want to be at the agency and to make a difference every day. Sincere enthusiasm and interest always shines through.

Your resume – it all starts here…

Your resume tells a story about you (and your interview should confirm that story).  It should be clean, easy to read/ digest, and one page (do not spill onto 2 pages—edit if you must!).

1. No grammar/ no spelling mistakes.  At all.  Ever.  You will end up in the recycle bin.  Proof, proof, proof your resume and then pass it to someone else to proof it again.

2. Don’t “over –embellish” your prior experience. If you waited tables, list just that and maybe one brief sentence. Don’t write things like, “assisted customers with menu selections and tabulated receipts,” it’s unnecessary.

3. Be sure to include any school activities or internships that are meaningful to you as it will show us more than just your academic background. However, if you only did a one-day charity walk, don’t bother to include.  We seek sincere commitments, not one time deals!

4.  It’s okay to be creative even if you’re not applying for a creative job.  The basics remain the same- perfect spelling/ grammar, easy to read layout, etc., but it’s okay to add personality to your resume— maybe use an interesting font for your category labels or put your name in a color, etc.  Be yourself and you’ll be fine.

You’ve got your version of the perfect resume, now it’s time to do prep work and figure out what great agencies you want to work at, what they seek, and all you can about them.

Agency research

1. Google!  There are no excuses if you don’t know the client roster, latest news, any big awards etc. anymore; you must know all you can about where you apply to work.

2. Read the job descriptions!  Don’t apply for every opening just for the sake of increasing your odds.  If anything, you’ll come off looking scattered.  You can’t be entry level and a Senior Vice President at the same time. Review the posted job description and really dissect it line by line to make sure it matches with what you want to do.

3. Network—ask pals, friends of your family, professors, fellow college alums, anyone in your network if they know someone who works at your dream agency and see if you can connect with someone in-house to learn more about the agency and how they got to where they are.

You made it to the interview stage, now what?

1.   Try and think of the interview as a conversation— these are the people you’d potentially be dealing with and interacting with a lot. As much as you can, try and make your time with them as friendly and normal in tone as possible. Also, if you’re asked “Do you have any more questions for me?” don’t say: “No. You’ve answered everything.” Ask your interviewer how they got their start in advertising, ask them about their role in the organization, how/if you’d be working with them etc.  Be engaged!

2.  Take notes during your interview.  This will help you with your follow up thank you notes as then you can mention specific conversation items.

3.   Remember that manners go a long way— have a firm handshake, make eye contact, show up early, etc.  If it means doing a dry run the night before to make sure you know where you’re going— do it! Also, be presentable and dressed in business attire. You don’t always have to wear a suit and tie (depending on the interview), but definitely look like you’re going somewhere special.

4.   Send a thank you note— email one once you get to your computer and post a handwritten one that evening.  It’s so competitive and these little things will make you stand out from the crowd.

Finally, good luck and enjoy agency life!

By Susan Perry
Hollins University

Internship durations vary from employer to employer and college to college; however, the length of the internship can greatly impact your experience. Internships during the summer are often full-time opportunities for at least ten weeks, but those offered during a semester may be only a few hours a week for fourteen weeks. Furthermore, some colleges offer a month-long mini session for full-time internships and research experiences. So which is most appropriate for you and your current needs?

Brief internships are great to determine whether or not you would enjoy the field in which you are interning and perhaps give you the opportunity for a longer, more intense opportunity in the future. Very often, first years or sophomores may use short internships to check perceptions of the field of interest and to narrow their career choices. Month-long internships are great for this because the commitment is over so quickly!

Full-time summer internships provide a true test of one’s fit to the field and/or organization. During this time, supervisors get an extended interview with the interns and truly see their strengths and weakness. Since the opportunities are full-time, the interns often graduate to higher level responsibilities quickly, once they prove themselves to the supervisors. Due to the longer and more in depth relationship between intern and supervisor, a full-time, summer-long internship is also a great networking opportunity. Supervisors can serve better references and seem more likely to offer future job or internship opportunities.

Semester-long internships offer interns the opportunity to build stronger relationships with supervisors because of the extended nature of the experience, but they do so without an extreme time commitment, often logging half the hours of a full-time summer internship. Since these interns may only be in a few hours a week, supervisors may be limited in the projects they can offer. It may also take several weeks to be trained or gain the trust of the supervisor to take on higher level responsibilities. This is a great opportunity for all students to network, but seniors may seek employment at the end of the year, and current interns would have a better chance of being hired than the unknown applicant because throughout the semester the supervisor provided training and observed the development of the intern.

Internships are an integral part of education and transition to the workplace. Be sure to select your internship and its length with purpose and direction specific to your goals.

By Richard Bottner
Founder and CEO
Intern Bridge

As a student preparing to embark on your internship experience, you have probably given significant thought as to your motivations. Chances are that you have decided to pursue an internship as a way to link classroom theory with real world experience, build your resume, experience work at a potential full-time employer, and maybe even earn a few bucks in the process. Have you considered the flip side to the coin - why your employer has chosen to host interns?

Many organizations utilize internship programs as a way to provide themselves with a risk free interview. Let’s be honest, what better way for employers to learn about your abilities than in a twelve week no-strings-attached interview? Employers also use internship programs to give supervisory experience to some of their employees and provide their organization with the kinds of fresh ideas that you possess from the college classroom. They’re also hoping that you’ll speak highly of them to your friends and become ambassadors that help them recruit future interns and employees.

So what does this have to do with you, the student? First of all, it’s important to realize that what an employer hopes to gain out of bringing you on-board, and what you hope to gain out of interning are not necessary in line. As you approach the internship experience, keep the following in mind.

First, try to identify if the internship you are applying for is legitimate before signing the dotted line and discovering on day one that you made a mistake. It’s important to ask employers questions during the interview process. Find out, specifically, what sorts of projects you will be working on and who (both internally and externally) you will be working with. You may also ask if the employer anticipates having any full-time positions available and if the organization intends on filling a vacancy with a past intern.

Second, once you have arrived at the internship, make sure that you are making the most out of the experience. That means being upfront with your employers about areas that may need improvement. Of course, you don’t want to be too picky. But if you were expecting to do X, Y, and Z and instead you are doing work that has nothing to do with what you were promised, it’s certainly worthwhile to speak up. Remember, the employer wants you to leave happy so you will tell all of your friends!

This advice might be great if you already have an internship targeted. What if you know of an organization or industry, but you don’t have any “ins” to gain an internship? A great recommendation would be to join the local membership association supporting that organization. Chances are that association has discounted rates for students, making the opportunity for you to network invaluable.

The bottom line with internships is to make sure that at the end of the day, you have a good experience. A great way to measure that is thinking at the end of the internship how much worthwhile information you have to discuss at a future job interview. The more you have to talk about, the better your experience may have been!

Richard Bottner is the founder and CEO of Intern Bridge, a college recruiting consulting and research firm responsible for the largest internship research projects in the nation. For more information, visit www.internbridge.com.

In tenth grade, I had the opportunity to shadow Jay Preble, the Public Relations Director of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the time, I was a junior reporter for the St.Petersburg Time covering a story on my beloved hockey team. It was until this day that I thought I would pursue a career in journalism–little did I know. Job shadowing provided me with an opportunity to learn about an Jay’s job responsibilities, the Lightning company’s culture, and all of the individuals who make up the organization. It was all of these facets that helped me gain an appreciation for the Lightning, and more importantly develop an interest in PR. Throughout the day I was able to participate in and oversee the various aspects of Jay’s job. I was involved in the morning skate, player interviews, press release distribution, team lunch, game warm-up and post game press conference. An interview can give you a glimpse into a company or a specific job, but it is job shadowing that really enables you to observe and interact with a company. –Stephanie

By Heather Huhman

Entry Level Careers Examiner

Job shadowing – arguably the next best experience to interning – is when you “shadow” a professional for a day (or more). There’s even an annual
Job Shadow Day – February 2 (Groundhog Day) – run by the U.S. Department of Labor and Junior Achievement.

By Rob Pitingolo

College Senior and Blogger

Extraordinary Observations

Internships are great for a lot of reasons, especially when it comes to immersing yourself in a company’s culture and determining whether you could see yourself spending 40 hours per week at a particular company when you are ready to launch your career. I’ve done six internships at five companies and I’ve witnessed a variety of corporate cultures. Some of my peers talk about finding a career with an enormous salary, others are looking for work that is both fun and challenging; not to say those aren’t worth seeking, but if you are anything like me, working for a company with a fun, open, and exciting corporate culture is most important of all.

There are quite a few ways to gauge a company’s culture. The daily dress code tells you something, as does the number of employee activities like happy hours and softball games; but one little-known method of learning about a company’s culture is based on how an office’s cubicles are laid out.

The first layout is generally found at companies with social and friendly cultures.

There are two desks in the cube, one against the back wall and one in the middle. The employee sits facing toward the cube’s opening. He or she can see everyone walking down the row and everyone walking past can make eye contact with him or her. Often times a chair sits facing the middle desk so a colleague can chat with the employee. This cube layout is typical for companies that support creative thinking and encourage employees to collaborate with each other on projects.

The second cubicle layout is generally found at companies with more conservative and traditional cultures.

Again, there are two desks but they are located along the back and side wall of the cube. The employee typically sits facing one of the walls, with his or her back to the opening. He or she cannot see anyone walking down the row nor can anyone make direct eye contact with him or her. This cube layout is typical of companies that strive to create an environment where employees can concentrate and work in a quiet atmosphere.

Of course, there are dozens of potential cubicle layouts; the two described above are merely examples of many possibilities. Plus, my examples may not necessarily hold true in every instance; there are thousands of companies, each with a unique culture, and sometimes cubicle layout may not match up perfectly. Finally, keep in mind that one layout is not necessarily better or worse than another. Some people prefer companies with a conservative culture and others thrive in social environments. The science of cubicles is far from perfect, but it can be a fun way to learn about a company’s culture during your time as an intern.