InternshipRatings.com

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.

By Angela Wayfer
Internship Program Specialist
San Jose State University Career Center

Internship interviews should be taken seriously. You ultimately want to remain competitive and stand above other candidates to obtain an offer. In fact, internship interviews can be compared to many games, whether it is football, online games, or chess; you prepare, practice, strategize and put in what it takes to beat your opponents.

For nine years, I worked as an internship program recruiter in several industries and now work as an Internship Program Specialist at San Jose State University’s Career Center. I want to share insider knowledge about what employers are saying about internship interviewing by paralleling it to elements of the game.

Before the Game (Pre-Interview)

Your preparation, research, strategy, and practice are all employer recommended steps to be completed before your interview. Going in without putting this time in is like showing up to the game without knowing how to play.
Prepare: Know your experience, skills, goals and job aspirations as it relates to the position you are interviewing for.

Do your research: Your knowledge about an organization, including current events, the history, and the duties of the position all helps as you connect it to your experience. Google them. Tap into your network of friends, professors, family and all people who might know something about the organization as well.

Strategize: Anticipate the questions the employer will ask you just like you anticipate the other players’ next move. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes, and ask yourself what they might want to know about your experience and what you can offer to their organization.

Practice: The more that you practice the more comfortable you will be when you actually interview. But is important to be flexible and draw from your prepared answers and experiences rather than sounding rehearsed. In games, the more you play and practice the better you get, but no two games are exactly the same.

Game Time (The Interview)

Interview day is your chance to show off of your preparation and bring all the skills you have developed so far to compete for the end goal-the win: a.k.a. an internship offer. Here’s some feedback I have gathered from my consultation with employers.

Professional Dress: Employers have noted the importance of dressing professionally because not only are you making an impression on the company representatives, it could also reflect how you fit into the culture of the organization or with their clients.

Make a good first impression. Arrive at least 10 minutes early. Be mindful of giving firm hand shakes, maintaining good eye contact, sitting up straight, and using minimal hand gestures.

Employers want to hire students who are confident, relaxed, and ready to meet challenges.

Show passion, enthusiasm and interest in the position.

Reply with concise answers in a positive manner, giving specific examples of your experience.

Have at least three questions to ask the interviewers. Employers want to know that you are interested in their organization and working there.

Post Game (After the Interview)

Some candidates fail to realize that you should maintain interview professionalism every step of the way when relating to an employer. This includes interacting with support staff, correspondence via phone and email, and entering and exiting the building. Failing to maintain professionalism is like getting to the big game and letting your guard down.

Send a thank you note to everyone you interviewed with, re-affirm your interest in the position and the organization, and thank them for their time. Although this may seem minor, not only does it leave a good impression; I have seen it get candidates extra points when deciding between two well qualified candidates.

Good luck in winning the game!

Erin Everhart
Marketing Intern
352 Media Group

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with the beginning lecture series that 352 Media Group sets up before actually diving into your specific track. Using the word “lecture’ does imply a negative connotation, and if not approached in the right way, it can border on the edge of a boring history class. And let’s face, being a full time student already, the last thing any intern needs is another class-like setting.

But in a sense, yeah, the lectures are like a class. But the difference is that most of the things discussed will be relevant to our career. (Not to say that the Boston Tea Party isn’t, it’s just a different kind of relevance.) For instance, I’m on the marketing track at 352 Media Group. In any other typical internship, that would be what I focus on and that would be the only thing I learn: Marketing. Not necessarily a bad thing because that’s what I signed up for to begin with.

But the 352 Media Group lectures are designed to give everyone a brief look into one of the four vital tracks that keeps this company afloat–Project Management, Programming, Design and Marketing. And after each lecture, we have an assignment–call it homework if you must–that hones in on what we just went over.

So instead of walking away from this internship with only one area of expertise, I’ll be able to say that I have a little experience in project management, programming and design. And for me, someone who’s only been in print journalism and faced with a depleting job market, getting all the experience I can is vital. Of course I’m not going to switch gears and start programming Web sites, but at least I can walk into an interview and say “Yeah, I know how to do that.” Which in the long run, isn’t that the main goal of an internship? To teach you a little bit about things you don’t know so you can use those skills later?

Erin Everhart
Marketing Intern
352 Media Group

I consider myself well-versed in internships. I’ve had a handful in a variety of media companies and seen a mixture of different environments–some good, some bad, and some very ugly. But the first day is always the same: A lame tour around the office, pointless introductions of people who’ll probably never talk to again and sitting through a seemingly never-ending overview of the company. So I had an idea of what to expect when walking into 352 Media Group for the internship orientation, but I was surprisingly taken back from what we actually got out of the first day.

Of course the format was essentially the same. There wasn’t a tour, but you got a good idea of what the office was like just by walking to the designated “Intern Den,” a room of about 15 computers designated solely for the interns. (Side note, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a room specifically for interns: It actually made you feel like you have a place in the company, and you aren’t just a second-thought for busy work and data entry shoved into some forgotten corner on a 10-year old computer.)

There were the brief introductions of various people who you’ll work with throughout the semester, but for some reason they stuck out to me, like you’ll actually work with these people instead of just among these people. I don’t expect them to know me by name in the first couple of weeks, but the upcoming BBQ lunch and initial meet and greet will probably help separate the interns as individuals and not just a huge group of 14 people.

And there was the rundown of what the company does and what the internship will be like. But again, it wasn’t generic. First off, the CEO, Geoff Wilson, conducted the entire orientation. That’s something that you don’t see every day. We got the overview, but they actually took the time to structure a presentation that’s informative and not a waste of your time. Plus, the internship is set up that before you even get into the nitty gritty, you learn about the entire company and every department. So, while the interns are broken up into four different specialties–Marketing, Project Management, Design and Programming–we’re all going to get a rundown of what each area does before we start into our designated track. And I think by knowing exactly how the company works, we’re going to be able to work better and more more efficiently.

352 Media Group is really taking a new approach to address internships and aren’t just going to enjoy four months of our free labor and then casually part ways. I have a really good feeling that I’m going to be get the most of this internship and do more than the typical intern.

By Mike Figliuolo
Managing Director
thoughtLEADERS, LLC

How incredibly glorious is it to intern at Goldman Sachs? Or Google? Microsoft? Apple? I mean, hey, you’ll have a huge brand name on your resume when you eventually seek employment. You’ll work at beautiful corporate headquarters next to movers and shakers. How much better can it get?
News flash - as a hiring manager I don’t care where you did your internship (and to be clear - in my “corporate” days I hired plenty of new hires who had prior internship experience). I say this for the same reason that I don’t care about your degree. It doesn’t matter. What matters is what you got done and what you learned. Given that, let’s explore your potential internship experience at a large company.

Most likely, you’ll be under the supervision of someone with the title of Manager (or Analyst). These folks will usually have 4-8 years of corporate experience. They’re responsible for teams of 1-10 people and may have some budgetary authority. The scope of their projects is typically within their division or business unit. The project you will be assigned is likely the next one on the priority list that said manager’s people simply can’t get to (and also because the manager is on the line for your results and is more interested in mitigating the risk of you screwing up than anything else).
Your large company internship experience, therefore, will consist of running a small, intra-departmental project of limited scope. You’ll do so under the guidance of someone with as many years of experience as you have years of school. Two questions for you: how much will you learn in that scenario and how large will the impact of your internship be that you can explain to future prospective employers? (I’m using a little trick here known as the Socratic Method…).

So a large company internship isn’t attractive any more you say? Here’s another option: do an internship with a small company. Sure they won’t have the pizzazz of a brand name on your resume. They will have things that are much more valuable.

Firstly, you’ll work directly with senior management. Why? Small companies are SMALL. They don’t have a huge staff of managers and analysts (and that’s why they’re so eager to have you come help). The senior management of a small firm will have between 15-30 years of experience. They’ve been around the block. They’ll teach you things you’d never learn at a large company (let alone in a classroom or textbook). You’ll daily drink from that font of endless business knowledge (yes, I know I’m being hyperbolic here).

Secondly, the projects you’ll take on will likely cut across multiple functions of the company (purely due to the small size of the firm). You’ll get exposure to sales, marketing, IT, branding, operations, finance, HR, etc., etc., etc. The projects will be meaningful as senior management is more interested in the growth and success of the business than they are in protecting their own careers/office politics. Senior management has already “made it” therefore they’re likely more willing to take a risk on you tackling a larger project that drives value versus drives a mail cart.
Am I biased here? Somewhat. Yes, I run a small firm. We serve big clients. As an intern, you’d get to work directly with me and my peers (all of us have several years of experience in running P&L’s, strategic planning, etc.). I don’t say this to puff out my chest. I say this to get you to look at the exposure, coaching, and development available to you in internships at small companies. And yes, I’m always looking for help. Drop me a line - there’s always something going on here. The projects are fun, big, and meaty. You’ll learn a ton (just like you would at every other small company internship). Be brave. Go against the grain. Go small. You’ll be glad you did.

- Mike Figliuolo is the Founder and Managing Director of thoughtLEADERS, LLC. He graduated from West Point and served in the US Army. After the army he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., a Director at Capital One, and a Vice President at Scotts Miracle-Gro. thoughtLEADERS offers training courses that build solid leadership, communication, strategy and operational skills. thoughtLEADERS’ instructors are differentiated because they are practitioners of the concepts they teach. Visit Mike’s thoughtLEADERS blog here.

By Laura Szadvari
Associate Director of Internships
University of Mary Washington

Congratulations! You have an interview for an amazing internship opportunity. Here are some things you should do to prepare for the big day:

• Know the company inside and out: Make sure you spend some time reviewing the company’s website. Understand who they are, what they do, where they do it, and how they do it. Take note of who their competitors are. Read their mission statement and review their core values. The better informed you are, the more impressive you will be.

• Know your resume inside and out: Anything and everything on your resume is fair game for an interviewer to ask about. Make sure that you review your resume ahead of time and refresh your memory with regard to your past experiences. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are and take note of what you liked most and least about each job. Make sure that your resume is truthful and that you can adequately explain all of your skills and abilities.

• Practice your communication skills: Practice makes perfect. Period. Practice your interviewing skills with your friends, family, and professors. Make an appointment at your Career Services office for a mock interview. Stand in front of a mirror and notice your body language. Look at a list of the most frequently asked interview questions (ask your Career Services counselor where to find this) and draft your responses. Keep in mind that how you act is just as important as what you say. Additionally, how you say something is just as important as what you say. Practice, practice, practice.

• Prepare questions to ask: Based on your research, you should prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. These should not be questions that can be answered in a word or two by looking at the company website. Rather, they should be insightful and designed to promote discussion between you and your interviewer. Examples include: What is a typical day in the life of a <job title>? In your opinion, what are the best and worst things about working at <company>? In what ways does <company> stand out from it’s competitors?

• Confirm the date, time, and place of the interview: Make certain that you know where you are going and when you are supposed to be there. If you have time, take a test drive out to the location in advance so that you know what traffic is like, what the parking situation is, etc. Plan to arrive approximately 10 - 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled interview appointment.

• Select your outfit in advance: This may sound silly, but on the day of your interview, you do not want to have to worry about a stain on your jacket or a tie that doesn’t match. Make sure you keep it professional - suits (navy, grey, or black) for both men and women, although women may choose between pants or a skirt. Make sure that you are neatly groomed and that you limit the amount of perfume or cologne you use. Your Career Services office can provide you with further guidelines on dressing professionally.

• Print off extra copies of your resume: Always bring extra copies of your resume with you in case they are requested. Make sure that these copies are on resume paper and printed via laser printer. Store them in a briefcase or a portfolio.

• Take a deep breath and relax: Sure, interviews are stressful and anxiety provoking. But being prepared can ease the tension and make a nerve wracking experience a lot more bearable. The more interviews you go on, the more comfortable you will be. So, try to relax and enjoy the experience. If nothing else, every interview is a learning experience which prepares you to do even better the next time around!

By John Sternal

Co-Owner

http://understandingmarketing.com

It goes without saying that an internship is one of the most valuable educational experiences for a PR student since it provides a chance to take what is learned in the classroom and apply in a real-world setting.

Most PR agencies, corporate departments and not-for-profits offer internship programs for PR students who hope to gain valuable experience as they prepare for life after college. Often, students get to participate in tasks such as media research, story development, press clips compilation and reporting, and press release writing. Companies, agencies and organizations also may allow trusted interns to make story pitch calls so they can begin to build relationships with some reporters.

Working in the office affords other valuable experience since interns are college students who rarely have worked in an office setting. Interacting with other professionals in an office is another area students need to learn that isn’t part of classroom curriculum.

But with the increased focus on electronic outreach, including email pitching and social media communication, much of today’s PR work now can be considered virtual. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that newspapers continue to cut staff leading to fewer lunches between reporters and PR professionals. If anything, applications like LinkedIn and Twitter, combined with blog commentary serve as the majority of today’s networking in a “virtual” setting between PR and the media.

Knowing this, is it still a requirement for interns to function in a traditional office environment in person? With much of PR going virtual today, why can’t a portion of intern work also go virtual? For example, a virtual internship would give PR students in Iowa the chance to gain experience for a leading PR agency located in New York City. What’s more, virtual interns could be extremely valuable to Web-based businesses whose business takes place in a virtual environment. I have been considering using a virtual PR intern for my business, which is web-based (http://understandingmarketing.com).

Finding a virtual intern isn’t an easy task, though. You need the right student combined with the right scenario. Virtual internships, although they sound like a promising fit, may not be appropriate or effective for every PR agency, corporation or organizational setting.

Since the essence of virtual is being on your own outside of an office setting, you’d have to make sure the intern is in a very advanced level of PR curriculum, and one that would require little oversight. Interns at the earlier stage of their PR studies, where they are not as seasoned in a real-world PR scenario, would be far less effective in a virtual environment. These students require more direct oversight and should remain inside the office where they - and the company - would have a much more mutually beneficial experience.

But for those students trustworthy enough to handle a virtual internship, the opportunity could be fruitful for both sides. In a perfect world scenario, I would want to structure a virtual internship where the student could be in the office at least once a week so as to not miss out on the entire professional interactions an office setting enables. Outside of the office, though, as long as there is clear direction on all tasks at hand, why not allow the intern to complete longer-term tasks such as media research, competitive intelligence, business social networking, press release writing, and to a degree even limited media pitching. All of these tasks can be distributed and evaluated either via phone or email.

The world of PR is slowly turning more virtual. With the right student and the right situation, it may be time to think about looking into a virtual internship.

Editor’s Note: John Sternal is the co-owner of http://understandingmarketing.com, a Web-based resource that enables small businesses in every industry to cost-effectively do their own PR and marketing. For more information, email jsternal@understandingmarketing.com.

By Kathleen Tellis

Director of Internships

Charles F. Dolan School of Business

Fairfield University

Students repeatedly ask, “Should I include a cover letter with my resume even though one is not required?” My answer is always the same - yes, if you can write an outstanding one and no, if you cannot. Some companies require a cover letter when applying for an internship, but many do not. Submitting a well-written cover letter along with your resume could immediately set you apart from the other applicants.

The following will assist students with the process of writing a cover letter.

Why write a cover letter if it is not required?

• Shows initiative and a commitment to put in extra time when required
• Provides an opportunity for introduction and to make a positive first impression
• Another tool to market yourself
• Can expand on information provided on your resume

What is the proper form of and content for a cover letter?

• Style should be a formal business letter
• Do not repeat what is already on your resume
• Write three short paragraphs
• First paragraph

o Show that you have done some research on the company or organization - mention some specific details
o Go on the company’s website and Google the company to learn more about them
o State why you are interested in an internship with the company
o What attracts you to the company - be specific (e.g. the product they offer, their commitment to corporate social responsibility, their management style, their creative marketing approach, etc.)

• Second paragraph

o What skills do you bring to the table?

• Opportunity to expand on skills listed on your resume (e.g. if you are a student athlete, you might expand on why you have excellent time management skills, or perhaps, how all those summer jobs of life guarding, babysitting, working in a restaurant have honed your people skills, allowed you to develop your self-confidence and provided opportunities to enhance your decision making abilities)

o Why do you think you are the best candidate for the internship?

• Third paragraph

o What do you hope to learn?
o What are your goals regarding the internship?
o How will the internship offer practical application of theories you learned in courses?
o Will the internship help to clarify your career goals, if so, how?

• Remember to say “thank you” in your closing sentence and give your contact information

What are some general suggestions for writing a cover letter?

• Do not use a form letter - write your own cover letter beginning to end
• Pay strict attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation - one mistake could cause it to be tossed
• Invoke spell check, grammar check and have someone else proof your letter
• Use language that reflects your education - don’t begin every sentence with “I”
• Be professional - don’t use slang or colloquialism
• Don’t ramble on - be succinct
• Show your enthusiasm, confidence and personality - interns bring a fresh perspective that is valued
• Offer to follow up with the company - turn the tables around if you are bold enough

Excellent written communication skills are not only highly valued in the corporate world, they are also required. It takes time to construct an outstanding cover letter but it is well worth the investment, especially when it results in an interview!

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.