Yes, Steven, there is truth to your argument about Fair Labor Practices. However, I accepted this unpaid internship with InternProfits knowing full well that it was unpaid and that I would be working as an employee and not a busy worker.

 

Sure, many companies out there are exploiting interns and college graduates because the job market is so pitiful but that doesn’t mean that ALL companies are like that. And just because an article appears on HR Online doesn’t mean that it is fully accurate either. There are always two sides to every story. In my case, I see the positives.

 

Thanks for commenting though.

Christopher — I agree that interns should be able to choose whether to take an unpaid internship with a for-profit organization but the problem is that many, many organizations take advantage of the desperation by many students to land an internship — any internship — before graduation.

Actually unpaid internships are not illegal for for profit companies.  As long as the company follows the guidelines set out by the Department of Labor a business can offer an unpaid internship.  Unpaid internships have been around for a very long time and have been used by many companies.  The discussion around unpaid internships has been going on for quite some time and will likely continue.  The problem continues that some businesses are in fact offering unpaid internships that do not benefit the intern.  However, there are a lot of businesses providing incredible opportunities for interns – paid and unpaid. 

 

With the current economy a lot of internship programs have been shut down and likewise a lot of new graduates can’t get jobs – mostly because they have no experience and can’t compete with all the other unemployed out there who have a lot of work experience.  Additionally, a lot of businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and internships provide a win-win for both the intern and the business owner.  By working together to create an internship that works both for the intern and the business owner unpaid internships can be effective for all parties involved. 

 

Offering an internship (paid or not) should provide a learning experience for the intern and tangible work products and experiences the intern can take along and show future employers.  To say that all unpaid internships are illegal or not worthy of being offered or taken is short sighted and in the end hurts everyone involved.  Less internships for struggling college students and recent college grads (we get 10-15 resumes for every unpaid internship we offer) by saying that a company can’t offer an unpaid internship only hurts the student at the end of the day. 

 

I would encourage you to read some of the blog posts by our interns at: http://theinternprofits.com/ 

You will see that our unpaid interns work remotely (no commuting/relocation/transportation costs); on their own schedules (they can go to school, enjoy a full social life and have a part-time job) and work on real projects that they can show their future employer.  Unpaid internships when created with the intern in mind can and do work.

Debates like these are actually very good for internship programs in general and continue to push business owners who offer unpaid internships to provide great internship opportunities to their interns.

 

Three Reasons You Fear The Job Interview – And How To Conquer Your Fear

The Diagnosis

 

Are any of these symptoms familiar? At least some of them?

Your heart is beating faster than usual, your hands feel clammy, your mouth is so dry it feels like you have cotton inside – and the butterflies in your stomach are out of control.

 

Are these common feelings when you are going to be tortured – or going to a job interview? The answer is a Job Interview. For some the job interview is torture.

 

Why is the job interview so feared? What are “they” going to do to you that is so nerve wrenching?

 

Reasons For The Fear Factor And The Job Interview.

 

1. Fear of the unknown.

 

Ideally you would sit poised thumbing through a magazine, feeling relaxed as you wait your turn to have a conversation with the interviewer for the company. Not so when waiting for the interview.

 

Think about it – what do you have to lose here? What’s the worst thing that can happen? What if you don’t get this job – is the world going to stop turning? Realizing of course, that bills must be paid, but this is the wrong approach to present yourself. If you are coming across as desperate – “Please, please, hire me,” the interview is beginning on a defensive note.  Interviewers smell fear.

2. Fear of looking like you don’t know what you’re talking about – “brain freeze.”

 

You may have prepared – or not – but all of a sudden you forget everything that you have been preparing. Your mind goes “blank.” It happens all of the time. Who is putting the pressure on you to perform? YOU. Who knows you better than you know yourself? YOU.

 

So, you’re about to go in and talk about yourself. What’s so tough about that? For some people that is huge. They consider it bragging and they “hate” bragging and talking  about themselves and their accomplishments.

 

 

3. Fear of Rejection

 

Who wants to be rejected? Nobody. It doesn’t feel good at all. Somebody, and in the job interview often a complete stranger says, “We don’t want you – you’re not good enough.” At least that’s what you hear. The truth is that it may have nothing to do with you. It has to do with the interviewer/company getting the most for the dollar. And, there are tons of extenuating circumstances.

 

The Cures

A change in thinking

The first, and most important step is to change the way that you view the interview. This is not an appointment with the dentist who may inflict pain. It is a conversation with another person. What is the worst thing that can happen as a result of the interview? You won’t get the job, which may not have been the right job for you anyway.

 

Secondly, this is a conversation – a two-way process. You will be interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Is there a good fit here – both ways? What looks good on paper may not be what it appears – for either party. It will be part of your job during the interview to investigate whether this is a good place for you, and whether you want to invest a significant part of your life here. When you are not checking them out and what they have to offer, you are missing an opportunity that you may regret later.

 

Calming techniques

 

One of the best techniques to handle stress is through breathing. Take deliberate, shallow breaths. Take air in through the nostrils and exhale quietly through your mouth. This is a technique that should be practiced as a relaxation technique before the interview so that your body gets used to slowing down the breathing process and relaxing.

 

Relaxation techniques such as yoga, and meditation classes, are recommended for anyone who has an extreme case of “interview fright.” The interview can cause panic attacks if the fear is strong enough. Pre-conditioning will do wonders for this type of anxiety.

 

Preparation before the interview

 

These are competitive times and you should steel yourself to expect some rejection. Think about it this way, “Did you get a marriage proposal after every date?” Well, you probably aren’t going to get a job offer after every interview.

 

For every job you apply for there are more than likely three to four equally qualified candidates in line for the same job. Whether you stand out from “the crowd” will depend on your preparation and ability to show confidence in yourself – believing that you are the “best candidate for this job.” How can you possibly sell anyone anything if you don’t believe in it yourself?

 

Preparation will make you feel more confident and less anxious. Can you imagine giving a performance without some practice and preparation? “Winging” the interview in today’s market is a big mistake.

 

Fear of Rejection

 

You may have had a number of interviews with no offer. You may be feeling defeated, and it’s beginning to affect your-self esteem.

 

This would be true of anyone. But it is a mistake to take it personally. There are so many factors that could be affecting the offer that it is impossible to say what is happening. There may be internal candidates, relatives promised jobs, a competitor who is a perfect match for the job, a lack of chemistry between you and the new boss, a mismatch in salary needs, etc., etc.

 

Let it go

 

Give yourself credit for getting an interview – only a small percentage of people get this far in the process. Give yourself credit for going out there and putting yourself on the line, even though it is painful for you. Give yourself permission to not get job offers. Believe that an offer will come through when it is the right offer – the right fit for the company and for you. Take the control back and reject the feeling of fear.

 

When you have done everything to prepare for the interview, and you are satisfied that you can present yourself in the best light possible, the next step is for you to let it go. You can learn something from each interview.

 

Learn to enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences. Who knows you may even grow to like interviewing.

 

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The Interview Coach, Carole Martin, is a celebrated author, job coach, and speaker on the subject of interviewing and recruiting. Contributing writer at Monster.com and featured on talk radio. Carole is using her proven methods for coaching job seekers on competitive interviewing skills in technical and non-technical industries. http://www.interviewcoach.com

Follow The Interview Coach on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin by visiting her blog at www.interviewcoach.com/blog to learn about current workshops and seminars Carole is offering.

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Oprah, Lady Gaga, And Your Job Interview

Two very different women. Two very different styles and generations. So what do they have in common?

Oprah’s message has been clear almost since the beginning of her show – 25 years ago: “Accept yourself for who you are and believe that you can do what you want to do — live your Best Life.”

Lady Gaga’s message may not have always been as clear, but in her latest albums and interviews she seems to be sending a similar message: “Be yourself and don’t let others put you down or discourage you – even if you’re different.”

They may use different words but the message is clear: “Believe in Yourself – and be yourself.”  It seems like common sense: If you don’t believe in yourself – why would anyone else believe in you? But sometimes when it comes to “self” we forget about common sense and listen to our inner voice – the negative one. We doubt our ability, or are ashamed of something that we did or something that happened to us in our past.

 

Going into an interview with baggage from the past is like dragging a big black garbage bag along behind you and parking it next to your chair during the interview. And it is going to “stink” up the room after a while.

 

Nobody wants to hear about your problems and baggage. Some people’s lives begin to sound like a Soap Opera there have been so many extenuating circumstances. And, some people feel compelled to share every detail with the interviewer. Big Mistake!

The best advice is to let go of those negative feelings and move on. I know it’s easier said then done. But until you resolve the issues with yourself – through one form of exorcism or another – you will carry around your bag of garbage. A good interviewer can feel hostility the minute it walks in the door.

Here are five rules to encourage Optimism and discourage Negativity:

 

1. Accept that there will be ups and downs

It’s not unusual to have highs and lows during your job search. Some days you may even feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster. Everything looks hopeful one moment with a job prospect ahead, and then it changes to dark and dismal in the next moment when you receive a rejection. Accepting the fact that this is a stressful time you are going through and that a great deal of it is out of your control will help you put things into perspective.

 

2.  Give yourself permission to fail.

It is very disappointing when you feel like you “aced” the interview and then wait for the promised call that never comes. Be realistic – you aren’t going to get a job offer after every interview. And maybe that’s a good thing, at least some of the time. Remember, you are interviewing “them” as much as they are interviewing you.

 

3. Work on controlling stress

Stress becomes a problem when it begins to affect your lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a professional to get some advice about relaxation techniques.

 

4. Continue to get “out there”

Study after study published continues to indicate that “networking” is still the number one way to land a job. Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of people. No one can predict when an opportunity might come your way.

 

5. Prepare yourself

Preparing ahead of the interview will give you a definite advantage. What this means is getting focused about what you want the interviewer to know about you. You are presenting a picture of you with words. It is important to identify what makes you unique and what added value you can bring to the position. You want to let the interviewer know that you are the “solution to their problem,” and the best person for the job.

Keeping upbeat is a part of your job right now. When you begin to give into the dark side you will project that to others. You want to stay as upbeat as possible, particularly while interviewing. Bringing confidence and energy to the interview are the two most important ingredients to connecting with the interviewer.

The message of the two famous women, as well as the messages of many other people who teach self-esteem or life lessons, tell us that it is up to us to take charge and heal those old wounds and start accepting and believing in ourselves. Only then can others believe in us. Believing in yourself will boost your self-esteem and in turn you will have higher confidence. And, the key ingredients for a successful job interview are — you got it — “self-esteem and confidence.”

What method do you use to stay upbeat in difficult times? What helps you get through life when life turns against you?

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For more insights go to www.interviewcoach.com. The Interview Coach, Carole Martin, is a celebrated author, job coach, and speaker on the subject of interviewing and recruiting. Contributing writer at Monster.com and featured on talk radio. Carole is using her proven methods for coaching job seekers on competitive interviewing skills in technical and non-technical industries. Visit www.interviewcoach.com and follow The Interview Coach on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

 

How to Weed Out Intern Candidates With a Simple Email…

As we begin to receive resumes for our upcoming newest pool of interns we’ve come up with an additional resume/candidate screening tool to help us not only weed out candidates but more importantly…make the process much more effective and efficient.

After we receive a resume that looks like a good potential intern we send them an email similar to the one below:

Thank you for your interest in working with our company as a Social Media/PR/Marketing intern.

Before we set-up the interview please answer a few questions to confirm your understanding of the internship opportunity and your interest and needs in the internship.

1.       Do you understand this is an unpaid internship?

2.       Do you understand that this is a virtual internship?

3.       Do you have your own computer/laptop?

4.       When can you start?

5.       How many hours per week can you dedicate to the internship?

6.       Will you be seeking credit for your internship?

7.       If you are seeking credit for your internship have you been in contact with your career services center, academic advisor or professor who will be coordinating they credit to gather any documents or requirements you may need to fulfill?

Assuming you are still interested in an unpaid, virtual internship, we would be interested in setting up a phone interview with you next Tuesday, December 7.  We have availability from 9-10 AM, 11AM-1:30PM, or 4:15-5PM PST.

The email achieves a few objectives.

First and most importantly we confirm that the candidate understands that our internship is BOTH UNPAID and VIRTUAL.  That way we know that we aren’t wasting anyone’s time getting on the phone for an interview with a candidate who needs to be paid or has a desire or need to come into our office (this is big…learn from our mistakes, we’ve scheduled numerous phone interviews in the past to find out from the get-go that the person needs to be paid).  We also re-iterate these points on the phone interview.

Second, by asking the candidate to answer a few questions via email you learn first if they can follow instructions and how well they communicate and write.  As this will be a virtual internship and most communications will be via email it’s imperative that our interns be effective communicators and easily follow written instructions.

Third, by asking for the administrative details of their internship you can gauge what your responsibilities will be with the internship (will they be seeking credit?) and also how many hours they intern will be able to dedicate each week and their start date.  If you have a specific project you want your intern working on and his or her start date and time commitment does not fit the needs of your project then right away you know this isn’t the right fit.

Feel free to “copy and paste” our email to fit your needs in your recruiting process.  This is just one of the many tips, techniques and strategies we share with our Intern Profits System clients.

To learn more about our system please visit:  www.internprofits.com

Rebounding Economy Making Employers Nervous About Retention

With the economy slowly recovering, a new survey of human resources executives reveals that employers are increasingly concerned about losing their top talent to other companies.  As a result, many employers are bringing back some of the perks that were cut during the recession and others are introducing new ones to attract and retain the best workers.

In the survey conducted by global outplacement and executive coaching consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., 42 percent of respondents said they were growing more concerned about other companies poaching top talent, as the economy improves.  Meanwhile, nearly 49 percent of respondents said the poaching of talent is always a concern, even in a recession.

“Even in a downturn with widespread layoffs, companies still need talent.  In fact, this may be the most important time for employers to hold on tight to their highest skilled workers.  However, as the economy improves, companies could be worried not only about other employers poaching their best workers, but also about their top talent actively seeking new opportunities,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Such an exodus may be just over the horizon.  A recent survey by MetLife found that nearly 40 percent of all employees hope to work for a different employer in the next 12 months.  Another study, this one from the Corporate Leadership Council, found that 25 percent of high-potential employees (a.k.a. top performers) intend to leave their current employer within the year.

In order to hang on to their talent, more and more companies are reinstating perks that were cut or eliminated because of the economic downturn that began in late 2007.  According to the Challenger survey, 39 percent of respondents said their companies were forced to reduce or eliminate perks during the recession. 

With the economy starting to spring back, about 18 percent of those polled said their companies have been able to restore all pre-recession perks.  Another 41 percent have brought back some of the perks that were cut or eliminated.  Nearly one quarter (23.5 percent) of those surveyed indicated that they have introduced some entirely new perks. 

“Whether it’s something simple, like free bagels in the lunch room every morning, or something more substantial, such as tuition reimbursement or flexible scheduling, these perks can be an essential part of worker morale and job satisfaction.  Companies that are frequently identified as ‘the best places to work’ typically offer a variety of unique and well-regarded perks,” noted Challenger.

“Nice perks alone are not enough to instill worker loyalty.  In other words, a company can’t make up for mistreating employees with a free gym membership.  But in companies where perks are an extension of a corporate culture that views its workers as partners or team members and not cogs in the machinery, employees are more likely to feel valued, engaged and happy,” he added.

The Challenger survey found that the perk most effective in retaining top talent is the performance-based bonus, selected by nearly 80 percent of respondents.  About 70 percent of respondents said 401(k) with employer contributions was an effective perk.  Other effective perks included vacation/personal time (49 percent); wellness-related benefits (43 percent); flexible schedules (40 percent); and tuition reimbursement (27 percent).

“Cash is still king.  Bonuses are always going to be popular because it conveys to employees that they are an integral part of the team and that their performance directly impacts the bottom line, so when the company does well because of their hard work, they are rewarded with extra money.  But many companies are also finding success with low-cost and no-cost perks,” said Challenger.

Offering employees opportunities to telecommute is one example of a no-cost perk that is popular among workers.  About one in four human resource executives surveyed by Challenger said telecommuting is effective in boosting retention.  And many companies find that it is not only no-cost; it actually results in cost savings, as employers are able to reduce their need for physical space.

“Other amenities, such as casual work attire, early dismissal on Fridays during the summer, and pet-friendly offices are just a few more examples of perks that are extremely popular among workers and, because they add no costs to the bottom line, companies are not forced to cut them in rough times,” said Challenger.

These types of fringe benefits seem to be in line with what employees want.  A 2008 survey by Salary.com found the most popular benefits outside of monetary compensation are professional development, the ability to work from home, an additional week of vacation and a flexible work schedule.

It appears that companies are listening.  A January survey of chief financial officers by Robert Half found that 33 percent of companies plan to offer or already offer subsidized training and education.  More than one-quarter (27 percent) will offer flexible work hours/telecommuting.  Another 25 percent will provide mentoring programs.

How to land an entry-level job: 5 tips

Recent grads, get excited. A newly-released report by entry-level job site CollegeGrad.com reveals that entry-level hiring is on the rise. In fact, hiring of entry-level grads increased 22% this year, and is the highest it’s been in three years. An increase in jobs is definitely a good thing—if you are capable of landing one of them, that is. And how do you succeed at landing that coveted entry-level job? Based on the survey results, we’ve put together five tips to help you do just that.   1.Choose a relevant major. While many students believe that a high GPA will help you land a job, the study reports that the most important hiring characteristic is actually an individual’s undergraduate major. In fact, 34% of employers report that the major is important while only 3% report that GPA had any bearing on hiring decisions. So be sure to pick a major relevant to the industry in which you are seeking employment. 2. Intern. When it comes to careers, you gotta start somewhere. And an internship is the perfect place. Internships provide valuable hands-on experience that, according to the survey, employers regard as quite important in their hiring decisions. Even if you participate in an unpaid internship, check with your school to see if you can get course credit. At the very least, you’ll get to build your resume—and that’s worth every lack-of-penny! 3. Conduct informational interviews. Let’s face it: interviews cause anxiety. But in addition to an individual’s major and whether or not they have internship experience, the third most important factor in hiring is the way you communicate during your job interview. That’s why we recommend contacting professionals you know—professors, your parents’ friends, anyone—that will allow you to sit down with them to gain interview practice through an informational interview. Sharpen your communication skills—and watch your anxiety disappear! 4. Attend campus career fairs. While the buzz lately has been that social media is the hot new recruiting method, the CollegeGrad report shows the opposite: entry-level employers prefer traditional recruiting methods. In fact, good ol’ college campus career fairs are where the majority of entry-level employers do their recruiting. Go to them! 5. Be realistic about your expectations. While your dream might be to become an editor at a large city paper, if you are offered a position as a fact-checker, we suggest you take it. The survey reports that the majority of positions available to entry-level grads are administrative. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t work your way up; as we said before, you gotta start somewhere! By Loreal Lynch   CollegeGrad.com is owned by Schools.com’s parent company, QuinStreet.   Â

Top 6 entry-level jobs

The results are in! CollegeGrad.com’s 2011 Top Employers survey results were just released—putting the spotlight on some of the companies that hire large amounts of recent graduates. Spanning multiple industries—from education to retail—entry-level hiring is higher than it’s been in years. But what types of jobs are available at each of these top hiring companies?  

As it turns out, the job types are as diverse as the companies doing the hiring. Below, browse a selection of some of the positions available to entry-level grads. Do any of them look like a good fit for you? (If you need tips on how to land these jobs, check out this helpful article.)

 

 

1. Management Trainee. An early leader in entry-level hiring, Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers a management training program that allows recent grads to experience several facets of management and operations in order to hone in on a more specific career path.

2. Educator. As a Teach for America corps member, recent grads become long-term education advocates by serving as teachers in low-income communities, then going on as alumni to lead efforts that change the face of public education.

3. Retail Leader. At Verizon Wireless, entry-level grads have the option to learn the ins and outs of retail operations and running a business through the Retail Leadership Development Program (RLDP).

4. Consultant. PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG and Ernst & Young are three of the “big four” audit firms—and, incidentally, they are also among the “big eight” hirers of entry-level grads. Entry-level grads can obtain jobs as junior consultants, specializing in accounting and auditing.

5. Business Analyst. In 2011, Target, one of the top employers of entry-level grads, is hiring a large amount of analysts. Business analysts at Target can expect to become familiar with brand management, buying and planning.

6. Service Leader. By providing recent grads with one year of full-time service, City Year helps its corps members to develop civic leadership skills that they can use throughout their lifetime.

 

By Loreal Lynch

 

About the Author

Loreal Lynch is a content editor at QuinStreet who is passionate about issues of education. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Tufts University and currently volunteers as an ESL tutor in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Best Companies for College Grads

Third Law of Applied Terror – “80% of the final exam will be based on the one lecture you missed and the one book you didn’t read.“

We started interviewing our college interns a few months ago at my company and this Summer’s “class” will join in a few short weeks. Having graduated in what feels like a hundred years ago (and never having been an intern myself), I’m always interested in what the latest group of interns bring to the table in terms of background, tech knowledge and special interests. What is most interesting (since I didn’t do this at the beginning of my career), is the amount of time they’ve taken to research the companies where they are interviewing. Even more interesting, is that they’ve checked me out on LinkedIn and they know where I’ve worked and what I’ve done. Some have even taken time to see if they may know someone that I know based on my profile. So, if you are not getting the point by now, these college students are incredibly well prepared. Are you?

Today’s links are partially gleaned from Experience.com’s list of companies.

A Few Companies:

• Accenture – The college career page for Accenture has lots of great information. The left hand side of the page has an interactive map where you can find where you would like to work. The right hand side of the page has a summary of a few featured jobs as well as a ling to allow registration in as a job seeker. Take a look at The Entry Level Consulting piece as well as Internships and Student Programs.

• BDO – Their college career page has a mini slide show which illustrates all of the opportunities at BDO (which is an accounting firm). You can select the career path that interests you (or click “I have no idea”). Also take a look at the links on the left hand side of the page.

• Capital One Financial – Capital One also has a page dedicated to college students, but also take a look at their main careers page. Their college page has a special link for “Future Graduates” along with a list of all of the colleges where they are recruiting (hover over the college to see what jobs are available). Taking a quick look at available jobs, there are 56 job opportunities at the moment.

• Best Places to Work for College Grads – This article, from AOL.com’s Jobs section, provides some really good advice along with a bunch of embedded related links. Please check out the related links as well as the “Search Jobs” link on the right hand side of the page.

• 25 Best Cities for College Grads – You got the “who” above, what about the “Where”? This article, from thedailybeast.com provides a pretty deep dive into what cities to consider along with a bunch of criteria that is also important (like housing, average age and number of singles). Also take a look at the pictures so that you can get a view of the cities as well.

Good luck in your search.

Author info: CareerAlley.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.