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 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 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.  

By Eugene J. Alpert, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

Thinking of an internship in Washington, D.C.? There was a time when you really had to know someone to get a good internship in Washington. Before the Metrorail system was built, the only way to get around Washington was by bus (not always air conditioned), and housing options for interns were very limited. Washington was a sleepy town with “Southern efficiency and Northern charm,” as they used to say.

Today, Washington is a vibrant, bustling city where there are office buildings, apartments, restaurants at almost every Metrorail Station in the downtown area, making it very easy to get around to work and live in far-flung parts of the city. Every summer, Washington is “Intern City,” where perhaps as many as 40,000 or more interns descend upon the nation’s capital at some point to intern with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations seeking (mostly) free summer help. Washington has grown dependent upon interns, not only as a source of well-educated talent, but also as a future source of loyal, talented, future employees.

The ease of finding an internship on the internet or though the services of a nonprofit, educational organization, such as The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (www.twc.edu), has resulted in much greater competition for the best placements. The task is to find the best and most worthwhile placements, especially ones that are worthy of academic credit. This helps mollify parents at least a little when you can tell your parents you are going to Washington for the summer to work for free, but, of course, gain valuable experience to land that first job.

So how can you prepare yourself and be more competitive for the best positions? Here are some bullet points:

1. Demonstrate that you have a good sense of purpose. Know what kind of internship you would like to have and why you would choose one placement over another. You often can do this by sending in a writing sample on a topic of interest to the agency or organization you are applying to.

2. Do your homework. Research not only your favored internship placements, but also those that involve work at different ends of the ideological or political spectrum. You might be surprised to find that your opinions on an issue may be a better match elsewhere.

3. Be prepared to ask good questions about the internship. Especially if you are arranging your placement long-distance and your only contact with the potential placement is by phone or e-mail, have a list of questions handy to ask when you make contact. Be wary of placements that are vague about your responsibilities.

4. Seek a placement where you can be mentored. The “best internships have the best supervisors.” If you know you will be reporting to someone who will be willing to take the time to mentor you and make sure you have some excellent learning opportunities, then you will likely have a very worthwhile experience.

5. Make sure you have realistic expectations. The worst thing you can do to the internship site and to yourself is to expect to walk into, say, a congressional office and ask where your own office is. Expect a tray table and maybe you’ll be lucky to get something that looks like a desktop. Expect to start at the bottom and figure out how to make yourself valuable to the office by being humble, showing initiative and figuring out how to make your boss look good!

6. Never expect to use the “B” word. Never be “bored.” Each experience has sometime to teach you, whether it is the most exciting thing you have ever done or the slowest paced experience you have ever had. Figure out how to make the most of the experience by developing some good academic and professional learning goals in advance. Then ask lots of questions and do what you have to do to achieve your goals, even if it is on your own with little supervision. Maybe your supervisor will be so tired of your questions you will probably get some good work to do to stop all those irritating questions!

Have a great internship in Washington, D.C. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your career.
Eugene J. Alpert is senior vice president at The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. He has served as past president of the National Society for Experiential Education and has been involved with experiential education programs for college students for over 30 years.

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 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 Nicole Crimaldi

Founder

Executive Vision, Inc.

Americans are known to love wearing and buying big name brands. My guess is that we buy brands in order to feel or look a certain way. Try this. I will name two brands in the same category. Think about the first thing that comes to mind for each of them:

• Bebe vs. Gap
• BMW vs. Toyota
• Panera vs. McDonald’s
• Mary Kay vs. Mac

Kind of weird where your mind goes, eh? If you really think about it, the products put out by these competing brands are almost identical. Yet marketers know how to make us view their brands in a more favorable light.
What is YOUR brand suggesting to others? If you want to pump up your career, I highly suggest you get your personal brand in order. What image, purpose and message are you sending to others around you? If I were to google you right now, what impression would I get? If I was a stranger walking into your office or classroom today, what type of person would I see?

We’ve all heard the term “first impressions are lasting impressions.” Think about what your handshake, clothing, tone of voice, and non-verbal communication suggests to those around you. It is said that 55% of the message you are trying to verbally communicate is derived from your non-verbal communication.

If you could pick three words that would describe your brand, what would they be? Make sure the words are clear and easy to understand. From here, focus on being consistent with your efforts to project this brand.

Building a strong personal brand will require promoting yourself. Don’t be afraid! I promise you don’t have to be that annoying person who only talks about herself. Instead, get your name and specialty out and do it frequently.

Here are a few actions you can take to strengthen your personal brand:

• Write a blog about your passion or specialty.
• Comment on other blogs in your field of interest.
• Make small talk with people and exchange business cards.
• Contact someone that inspires you and compliment his or her work. They may love to talk to you and give you some pointers.
• Observe successful people who are where you want to be and follow their lead.
• Write an article for your local newspaper or guest post for a blog in your field.
• Join a group you are passionate about.
• Join Twitter-and respond to your follower’s tweets daily!
• Have your elevator pitch mastered.

And of course, remember to smile and project confidence every day!

Nicole Crimaldi is the founder of Executive Vision, Inc. a financial services resource company providing financial education programs to businesses and consumers. Her blog, Career Girls, gives career and personal finance advice to ambitious young women starting their journey in the career world.