InternshipRatings.com

By Michael Benstock

Chief Executive Officer

Superior Surgical

So you want to be an intern? You call the human resources department of a company and ask, “Do you hire interns?” They say “yes.” What do you do next?

Most likely you hang up and immediately begin to prepare your cover letter and resume without a second thought. However, you may have ALREADY forgotten a key component in preparing to present yourself to this company.

Consider this: before hanging up with the human resources representative, ask him or her “What is the company’s motivation for having an internship program?” I am assured by my senior director of human resources and by my own experience of 30 years that this question is (almost) never asked. It is probably the most important second question a perspective intern can ask as it will help you determine if you are a correct fit for the company’s program and if the company is preparing to offer a real learning experience or if they are more interested in receiving cheap (or sometimes free) labor. Also, if you get a thoughtful answer to that question you can better present yourself properly in the cover letter and to those who will interview you.

As you may already know, or as you’ll learn from asking the above question and experience, internship programs serve companies in many different ways. Sometimes it is how a CEO feels he can reinvest in the youth in his or her community– perhaps an opportunity offered to him when he was younger was life changing and he would like to offer the same for another person. Often times it is simply a means of filling jobs during peak periods (i.e. summer or holiday season). For many companies it is a recruitment tactic to help identify superstars, while other companies may offer internships to children of employees to increase employee loyalty. Whatever the reason, and there are many, it is imperative that you understand a company’s motivations if you want to be successful.

An internship is an opportunity to learn, to be part of a world that you might want to be a part of after you graduate and to be evaluated by people within a company so that you might actually land a job upon your graduation. It is an opportunity to hone your skills as an employee in a field that might be your chosen career. At the very least, the job you might be offered at the end of an internship once you graduate from college can be your safety net. However, before any of that can happen, you must get your foot in the door and get the internship. Here are some other tips for landing your dream internship:

· Put together a professional resume. You want to give the impression that you are actually looking for a job. There are plenty of writing tools on the Internet that will help you put together a great looking resume. When you send in the resume (whether e-mail or snail mail) don’t use emoticons or IM language in your emails.

· Follow-up. Make sure to call the company where you’ve sent your resume within a week of sending it. Companies often keep track of how often you call and how interested you seem. If they call or e-mail you, make sure to answer voice mails and emails promptly. Standing while you talk on the phone will often help you enunciate and avoid mumbling.

· Be proactive. If all else fails and you are unable to acquire an interview through normal processes, show up at the company’s door and ask if you can talk to the HR Department. Make sure to have your resume with you, dress in a manner that is appropriate for the world you are trying to enter, be professional, be cheerful, be positive, don’t be outwardly aggressive.

· Present yourself in a professional serious manner. It’s okay to be cheerful but don’t giggle. Prepare questions that make you sound interested in the job you are hoping to get. Research the company and the people who are interviewing you before you go into the interview. Google is a wonderful thing – use it! Bring copies of your resume with you; you never know if your interviewer has already seen it and he/she will appreciate you thinking ahead.

· Dress appropriately. As a matter of fact overdress a little bit, but not like you are going out clubbing. If showing the hair on your chest, your boxers, your thong or your cleavage could help you get an internship, then would you really want that internship? If you said yes to this question then don’t bother reading on since your chances of success are so remote. Dress conservatively and keep your areas of self-expression to an absolute minimum. Do not draw attention to yourself because of your eleven piercings, your tattoos or your face jewelry or your incredibly jelled spiked appearance or your belly ring or belly for that matter.

· Give a firm handshake and make eye contact. If you don’t know how to give a firm handshake then practice it with your friends or your parents. Look people in the eye when you shake their hands and look them in the eyes when speaking. It’s okay to blink, but it’s not okay to look out the window when they are talking to you. Sit up in your chair during the interview in fact lean forward a bit in your interview – it shows you’re engaged.

· Bring a pad and a pen with you. Take notes. Interviewers like people who are interested enough to write things down. Interviewers believe they are important and if you write down what they say they will know you also believe they are important. Don’t expect them to know that you have a photographic memory and don’t require taking notes (don’t tell them that either, it will sound too much like teenage bravado). Presumably you have been in school for a couple of years (whether you attended classes or not) so it is expected that you know how to take notes.

· Say the right things. You don’t have any experience…yet, but you have a lot of other great qualities. Tell the interviewer what they are. They probably aren’t going to ask whether you are resilient, have high energy, take direction well, can work independently, whether you are inquisitive (prove it by asking questions), that you learn quickly, that you are extremely adept at mathematics, finance or that your favorite class was psychology or statistics. Tell them, they want to know these things. They don’t care if you skateboard or excel at beer pong. Don’t call the interviewer dude. Ask them what they are seeking in a candidate.

· Write a hand-written, personalized thank you note. Make sure you do this for each interviewer immediately following the interview and send it that evening. They are interviewing more than one person for the job they are filling, set yourself apart from the competition. It’s ok to send an e-mail in addition to this, but do not send an e-mail instead of a hand-written note.

Lastly here is my advice to every intern, to every new employee and to my three kids who by the way all had incredible internships and now have great jobs. Do what you say you are going to do, always. That could be the subject of the next article some unsuspecting CEO might want to write about.

By Melissa Cech

AustraLearn Internship Department

The classroom is but one of many places to obtain an education and real life skills. Students can opt for a broader experience by participating in college internship programs. Internships for college graduates and undergraduates alike provide valuable work skills vital in today’s competitive job market. Students can even earn college credit for participation in some programs.

When evaluating the available opportunities, students seeking an experience above and beyond the norm can chose to participate in an internship abroad. Of particular note are New Zealand and Australia internship programs. These offer distinct benefits beyond work and educational experience.

The Benefits of Australia and New Zealand Internship Programs

There are several compelling reasons why college internships in the South Pacific are a great choice for students seeking a college experience of distinction.

• Cultural Immersion—An internship abroad in Australia or New Zealand provides more than work experience. It allows student to live and work side by side with Australian or New Zealand nationals, providing a unique glimpse into the culture and society. The experience leaves a lasting impression and affects the students’ perspective on the world and their place in it. Participants in New Zealand and Australia internship programs find the experience better equips them to communicate and relate to people of different cultures with ease. It also imbibes a greater appreciation for cultural differences and similarities.

• Professional Development–College internships are an excellent option for recent graduates as well as undergraduates. They provide the training needed to succeed in a career, as well as practical experience critical in qualifying for gainful employment. While an internship in general provides the opportunity for real-world experience, an internship abroad in the South Pacific includes experience in a global setting; truly a distinctive addition to any resume.

• Appreciation of Natural Splendor–A summer internship in Australia is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of Australia in a much deeper way than you might if you were to visit for a short vacation. Being able to take the time to explore all of the wonderful scenery and sites available, such as the deserts, rain forests, and beaches, is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that is possible through Australia summer internships.

•Affordability–It is expensive to attend college, but if you would like to experience a foreign country, then an Australia summer internship can be a cost-effective way to spend time in a new area of the world and experience it for yourself.

International internships offer students amazing opportunities to gain professional work experience while learning to be adaptable and understanding of other cultures. These characteristics improve the marketability of an individual and are a great way to build a resume for gainful future employment.

For more information:
AustraLearn

12050 N. Pecos Street

Suite 320

Westminster, Co. 80234

USA

Toll Free: 1-800-980-0033

studyabroad@australearn.org

www.australearn.org

Samuel Talbott
The University of Iowa
B.A. History, expected December 2009

One of the best parts of having an internship while still in college is the connections you make with people in the workplace and beyond. But, one of the most important steps to take after leaving your internship is to keep these relationships and your network strong—not the easiest task while managing an academic calendar and perhaps a part-time job.

The hard part was getting the internship that you did, but your work is not through. You spent the time at your workplace taking in everything you possibly can in meetings, over lunch or coffee, around the office, happy hour with co-workers, every chance you got to grow you took it.

As your time winds down at your internship start to think about what you plan on doing down the road. Before the time for you to leave work arrives, make sure that you have contact information for your coworkers and supervisor and additionally for people you met while interning—believe it or not some of the best connections I made at my summer internship were formed in the elevator from our lobby to the office. Write thank you notes to all of the people in the office who had a part in shaping your experience. Not only will they be touched by your polite gesture but it also gives them another reason to remember you 6 months down the road if they can look at your note and recall the hard work you did.

It is also a great idea to give people your personal contact information as it is likely that you wont have access to work email when you return to school. This can be done in several ways. I am a big fan of personal business cards as they too leave a great impression and its nice way to keep track of people’s information. If you haven’t handed out business cards during your internship, no need to worry (but keep it in mind in the future), just keep a list of people’s contact email’s or phone number. After departing from your internship, keep in email contact with people you met during your stint. Build upon that first handshake a relationship that can work to your benefit as you enter the job market. Also be aware that many people may not remember you off hand so some foundational sentences are always good when starting correspondence:

“Dear Mr. X
You may not remember me but we met while I was an intern at XYZ and I wanted to write to say that I enjoyed working with you. As a student at Univ. Anywere I have been really interested in your line of work and was wondering if you might be willing to speak briefly to get any insight or advice you may have. I hope this finds you well.
Best,
Student”

Stay in touch with people who’s work interests you or who’s personal experience motivates you in some way. Take advantage of the web 2.0 world in which we live and once you have a comfortable relationship with them, try to connect on LinkedIn or Facebook (are your pictures job search appropriate?), or follow them on Twitter.
Most importantly, be sincere in your correspondence, don’t send an email every couple of months to say ‘hi’ if you don’t have a genuine connection, as that could sour the relationship. Just remember that the bridges you build and friends you make as you expand your network are only as strong as the effort you wish to put into them and the more time you take to foster relationships the more likely they are to help you out in the long run.

Sam Talbott is a senior at the University of Iowa from Santa Barbara, California pursuing a BA in history. He was named one of the American Express Foundation’s Nonprofit Leaders of America while interning at the Pan American Health and Education Foundation in Washington, DC in the summer of 2009. After graduating a semester early in December he hopes to work in development for higher education.

By Dan Klamm
Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Syracuse University Career Services

As a Career Services professional at Syracuse University, I work with lots of intelligent, creative, capable students who would make wonderful interns at a variety of organizations.  They come to me seeking to strengthen their resume, tailor their cover letter, or formulate the perfect response to “What is your biggest weakness?”…yet sometimes they undermine all of this hard work with the content of their online social network profiles.

When I tell students that many employers “Google” them as part of a background check, they are surprised; some students call it “stalking.”  I would disagree - in fact, I think it’s a surprisingly cheap and effective way for employers to get a quick snapshot of a potential intern before investing resources in hiring and developing his/her talents.

Google your name; see what pops up among the top search results.  For many students (and non-students), it is their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other popular networking sites.  Does your content on these sites reinforce the message that you are a smart, reliable, low-drama potential intern?  Put yourself in an employer’s shoes.  If you’re faced with hiring Internship Candidate A (who has a clean online image, and maybe even some positives like a well-written LinkedIn profile or a newspaper article about one of his accomplishments), or Internship Candidate B (who has a public Twitter profile which talks about smoking pot and regularly blacking out from alcohol consumption) - who would you hire, all other qualifications being equal?  Most would go with Candidate A, who appears to be less of a liability and more likely to perform reliably on the job.

So before you pour time and energy into making the perfect resume or crafting the ideal answer to interview questions, take a look at what your online presence is saying about you.  If an employer Googles your name, will they be impressed or turned off?

Some simple steps to building an internship search-friendly online presence:

-          Don’t post online about illegal activities that you’re involved in…especially on public sites which pop up first when someone Googles your name.

-          Utilize the privacy settings on your Facebook account.

-          Use Twitter to post smart and relevant content; if you’re posting questionable stuff, privatize your account so only friends can view it.

-          Create a LinkedIn profile to show off your educational/professional accomplishments and ambitions.

-          Start a blog to display your subject area expertise and writing skills.

I was a college student just over a year ago; I know what it’s like.  Having fun and doing some crazy things are part of the college experience.  However, posting about these activities (particularly the illegal ones) can have a significant negative impact as you look for internships (and in the future, full-time jobs).  Don’t let something as small as an off-color tweet be the reason you don’t get hired for an internship.  If you’re putting attention and work toward the other parts of the internship search, it’s time you devote just as much energy to your online presence.

By Nancy Sterling
Senior VP, Strategic Communications
ML Strategies

What attributes does a great intern possess and what pitfalls can he/she easily avoid?

I have experienced internships from all angles.  At Boston College, I was a teaching assistant to the Chairman of the Communications Department which meant that I had a voice in internship assignments.  Then I was an intern myself, first at the NBC station in Boston and then at its ABC counterpart.  I never would have been offered my first job in television, right out of college, if I had not had that experience.  At the latter job, I was in charge of managing the TV news internship program.  Finally, in my current position, we utilize interns in our crisis communications practice.

Let me offer five rules that may seem basic, but I have personally experienced interns who did not follow them and seen the impact on a professional environment.

1. Always have a notepad and pen at a meeting, whether it is a client gathering or a one-on-one with your boss.  I had one intern to whom I gave a pen and notebook during a session and she still showed up without those basics the next time!

2. Let your boss know your schedule and any changes as soon as possible.  He/she is trying to run a business and will likely be amenable to a change with enough notice.  However, the boss does not want to find out the week before the semester ends that this will be your last week!

3. Proofread your documents before you present them.  A supervisor is going to think a lot less of an intern whose one page document has one or more errors!

4. If in doubt, check it out!  No matter how proactive you are trying to be, if you are uncertain about how to handle an assignment, do not just plunge ahead.  Wait and double check.

5. Act like this is your real job.  Whether you are working for course credit or money, be the best all around employee that you can be.

These tips to the top will give you the tools to move from being an intern to being a valued member of the staff.

By Aviya Slutzky
International Relations Major
Tufts University 2010
@aslutzk

Just a few months ago, I thought a PR person was the stereotypical short-blonde-go-getter-party-thrower. It was easy to confuse publicist with public relations and assume any publicity was good publicity.

Despite those negative stereotypes, I decided to intern at a top PR firm this summer – DKC. And with the summer coming to an end, all prior misconceptions have been thrown out the window. I am finishing my internship at DKC and I am hungry for more.

One of the reasons I decided to intern at DKC was my curiosity and desire to learn and work at an innovative firm. My past internships have ranged from translating Hebrew Holocaust survivor testimony at the Museum of Jewish Heritage to editing and updating programming at the Center of Women and Enterprise. Though they range in industry and field, the internships were challenging and demanded my commitment and creativity. DKC is no different.

I have sat in on several new client meetings and pitch presentations, several brainstorming sessions, and helped with a press conference for the launch of Climate Week NYC headlined by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

As technology continues to evolve, today’s media requires more attention. A key point that I’ve learned in my time here has been that firms can’t ignore bloggers, Twitterers, Facebook users, and rely solely on traditional media to market their products and services. PR is vital in navigating through the onslaught of communication outlets.

One of the tasks I have, as other interns can attest, is to compile media lists. For example, I searched through green bloggers and reporters to find appropriate contacts to pitch the USTA’s major green initiative at this year’s US Open. While the task is not as grand as attending the Open, I know I am a part of one of the most basic – yet important – details of a successful campaign. And I gained a better understanding of just how significant it is to connect clients to consumers.

In my mind, PR is no longer exemplified by a publicist trailing Lindsay Lohan’s escapades, but a powerhouse who networks, pitches stories, and navigates media coverage.

And while I may not be blonde, I have learned that PR holds a place for me.

By John Sternal

Co-Founder

Understanding Marketing

It’s no secret that an internship can do wonders to launch any college student’s career. As I mentioned in a previous article here on InternshipRatings.com, internships provide a chance to take what is learned in the classroom and apply in a real-world setting.

However, not all students get selected for an internship for a variety of reasons. Besides the fact that there are many more PR students than internships available, today’s economic conditions have forced many companies to cut back on their internship programs, further reducing the number of opportunities available.

If you fall into this category, don’t fret. There are still lots of ways to make use of your summer to gain PR experience outside the classroom. Always keep in mind that “where” you spend your summer isn’t nearly as important has “how” you spend your summer.

Volunteer Organizations

Are there any local or community organizations that have a special place in your heart? Maybe there is a local organization that helps underprivileged children paint or go on recreation activities? These types of organizations are always in need of additional help on a shoestring budget. You could ask to follow along on a few trips getting to know the organizers and a few of the children. Learn their stories. Take photos of their interaction and experiences. Your goal is to package together a story that documents these experiences and then pitch the story to your local newspaper.

Summer Sports Leagues

Summer is a time to get outdoors and have some fun. Many people enjoy playing outdoor recreations or in sports leagues. This is a great opportunity for you to also play the “Team Publicist” role. Even if your team doesn’t win that often you can still find the story behind the team. Learn more about the background of your teammates to see if someone has an amazing or inspiring story. Is your team planning any kind of fundraising initiatives? Package some of these stories up and again pitch it to your local newspaper or television assignment desk.

Local Small Business

Just because you aren’t interning at Microsoft doesn’t mean you can’t get a valuable internship experience at a company. Get to know your local small businesses to see if you can offer to publicize them this summer. It will give you a great experience in an “agency setting” since you will be publicizing multiple companies all at the same time. When you graduate you’ll be able to mention this experience and it will impress any senior-level executive at a PR agency.

Community Newspaper

PR is more than just pitching stories to the media. It’s also about writing well in a very compelling way – either in hard news format or feature “evergreen” stories. Get to know the editors and publishers of your local community newspapers. Tell them you’d like to write some stories this summer. Make sure you have a few school writing assignments handy so that you can show them you have the skills and ability to write for the paper. The stories you write will impress a future hiring manager in any PR department. 

Your Family

If you can’t seem to find any opportunities with the above areas, do PR for your family. Are you going on any exciting vacations? Document them and write a family feature story that may be of interest to a lifestyle newspaper reporter or a community newspaper editor. Remember to take lots of pictures and tell the visual side of the story as well.

Always remember that it’s more important that you end up doing something this summer that accentuates your passion, desire and ability to practice pubic relations. The persistence and drive you demonstrate in documenting these experiences will go a long way towards giving you a leg up on your competition when it comes time to interview for the real job after college.

Editor’s Note: John Sternal is the co-founder of UnderstandingMarketing.com, and the author of The PR Toolkit. For more information, email jsternal@understandingmarketing.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. I don’t cut corners.

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

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

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

By Holly Landau
Leadership expert and CEO
Landau Leadership

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article was originally published on Nolcha.com.

By Yoav Shapira
Vice President
HubSpot

When I was a college student, I knew there were plenty of jobs out there.  I had a few interesting companies in mind, and I had the resources of our career office to help me out.  But from the first moment I started working on my resume, everyone told me it had to be really good because there are many thousands of candidates out there.
I was told the typical person reading my resume would spend no more than 20 seconds on it before making a decision.   They won’t read everything, and they won’t fully understand everything they read.  So I should make sure my resume stands out.  But how do I do this?

This situation is very typical, very common.  It’s also just about the same problem many businesses faces when marketing themselves on the internet.  How do I, as a business, stand out from the competition?  How do I make sure people notice me?  They people in this case are searching on Google and other sites, or surfing on social networking sites like Facebook.  They’re just glancing at things quickly, evaluating many items within seconds, not minutes or hours.
At HubSpot, where I work now, the whole company is dedicated to helping our customers with this challenge.  I think some of the solutions we show our customers would have been helpful for me as a college student.

First, think about the position you’re applying to from the hiring manager’s perspective.  What key words or phrases would they be looking for?  These terms might be technical, like the name of a programming language, or they might be something else.  Make sure your resume contains those key words, so that people glancing quickly can hopefully see them.
But beware the trap of sticking all the buzzwords in a generic “skills” section that becomes a laundry list of stuff you don’t really know.  Instead, weave the key words into your main content: your experience and education.  Describe how you used a particular tool, method, or technology to accomplish a concrete purpose.  This sticks out much more.
More importantly, go out and network with the people you want to hire you.  Career fairs are far from optimal for this.  There are too many people and it’s hard to stick out.  The interviewers are tired and have seen many resumes today.

Instead, take advantage of social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook.  Look for the same keywords you picked above, and find people that have those keywords in their profiles.  Try to connect with them, or at least send an introduction message asking for information about their company.  You will find most people are very receptive to this sort of gesture.  They’ll be happy to chat and help you out.

This social networking may feel awkward, and it definitely takes time.  But it’s a very good investment and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.  Give it a shot today!