My First Internship Day From Heck
I recently came across an essay I wrote for a college course about my first real job - an internship with a small newspaper in Maine. Given my recent post about the value of internships, I thought I should share a crazy first day moment from my first internship. And the newspaper shall remain nameless to protect their reputation from me...
On my first day of my first real job as an intern/desktop publishing assistant, I was asked by my publisher boss to take a load of scrap lumber to the town dump. Yes, an open pit of stinky garbage. He magnanimously gave me the keys to the company 20 yr old Impala wagon (think Gremlin wagon but flatter) and we loaded it up practically to the ceiling with some 2x4s. Having never driven a car other than our family 1978 VW bus, I had never experienced power brakes.
On the final curve to the dump, I began to brake - only to realize that brake in this car meant touch the pedal slightly and BRAKE! And in slow motion, I screeched to a halt in the middle of the turn and watched 2x4s slide into the windshield forming a spiderweb of glass. Being an eventual Princeton graduate, I had not stacked lumber behind my head so I was physically fine. But mentally I was not fine. At 17 years old, I was screwing up royally in my first job on the very first day. What a confidence killer! And this was a small town so there was no way I could hide my stupidity for long.
So in tears, after unloading the lumber (the windshield was still driveable), I returned to the office, fearing the worst - getting fired. But no, something worse would happen. My boss, a notorious cheapskate, came out and looked at the car and said, "if you were going to wreck the car, couldn't you have at least totaled it so insurance would pay for it?" I was relieved/horrified/disbelieving at his reaction. And later we all laughed.
There were other unpleasant tasks ahead in my future in this job, but they were doable when balanced with the higher-skilled responsibility I was later given.
And still later, my boss wrote me a wonderful recommendation for college and to this day, I continue to use the desktop publishing skills I learned from that job. I also learned about other menial tasks, sticking clip art on straight, and what it was like to work with great people.
I did not take the job because I knew for sure I wanted to go into newspaper production. I applied for the job because I had computer skills, enjoyed creative pursuits, and wanted to find out what it was like to work for someone. I was just lucky I kept the job after that first day; the funny thing is, my boss fixed that windshield and I saw it driving around for at least another 10 years. Do you have any funny internship experiences to share?
Article by, Juliet Wehr Jones, M.D. and courtesy of Career Key, striving to help all people make the best career choices, worldwide.
Posted by Candice Arnold on May 16, 2008 at 12:25 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
How Do Internships Prepare Students for the Real World?
For some recent college graduates, making the transition form the classroom to the workplace is a breeze. They lucked out and found good jobs with good companies, and all is right with the world. Others are not so fortunate. Why do some fair better than others? Well, smart choices is one reason, luck another. A carefully chosen internship can make all the difference in the world.
Katie Layous, internship coordinator at the Art Institute of California San Francisco, thinks "internships help students test the waters with companies. A student might think an organization works on way, but in reality it's completely different than they thought."
"A good internship is a preview of professional level work experience," said David Kowalczyk, co-director of Career Services at Assumption College. When looking for a quality internship the Career Services office is the best place to start. Most, if not indeed all, college and university campuses have one. Get to know your Career Services advisors in addition to talking to friends and classmates who have recently completed internships.
Continue reading "How Do Internships Prepare Students for the Real World?"
Posted by Candice Arnold on May 12, 2008 at 9:02 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
In Search of the Perfect Internship
In March of this year, Scottrade sent out a press release in which recruiter and internship coordinator, Amy Meister, listed seven things college students can do to optimize their internship or entry-level employment searches.
1. "Use all of your resources to find a great internship. You don¹t have to look too far to find a great resource. Take advantage ofthe career counselors and advisors at your college or university and look toyour network of friends. Upperclassmen may be able to recommend internships they have held or heard about.
2. Practice professional job seeking skills. Take your internship search seriously as if you were looking for a full-time job. Formalize your correspondence and avoid using ³text messaging² grammar or spelling. Make sure your e-mail screen name is appropriate. Set up a more professional user name, such as using your first initial and last name, or use a university or college e-mail address. Check your voice mail message and ask yourself if that message would resonate well with a potential employer.
3. Show an interest in the company. Your initial query or cover letter should be personalized and reference the company and position you are applying for. Do some research about the company and point out any prior experiences that relates to the company. Once you have booked an interview, take the time to research the company further and know what you seek to gain from the position and what you can contribute. When you sit down for the interview, ask informed questions.
4. First impressions are important. It is ok to be nervous, but show your confidence. A great handshake, eye contact, good posture and concentration are keys to creating a great impression. Although casual is in, dressing professionally and wearing a suit shows that you will take the job seriously.
5. Make your experience relate. Employers realize college students may have little professional experience, but that does not mean you should not have a solid resume. Include part-time jobs, volunteer work, fundraising and charitable activities, athletics and even school-related projects that may align with the internship you are seeking. Make connections that work. For example, working as a cashier might not sound impressive or even relevant to an online brokerage. By making these connections, you can show that you are accurate, have handled money and filled out deposit slips and most importantly, that you have experience working with others and resolving customer issues.
6. Think outside the semester Scottrade, like many companies, values its internship program as a source for hiring top young talent. Let the internship recruiter know that your goal is to work with that company beyond your internship.
7. Follow-up After the interview, send a thank-you letter by mail or e-mail. This will give you another chance to represent yourself to the internship recruiter and hiring manager and reiterate key points from your interview and your interest in the internship.
As their importance continues to grow, finding the best internships will become increasingly difficult, as will finding the best entry-level jobs. Work to improve your soft skills - oral and written communication, professionalism, work ethic, critical thinking, problem solving - and always keep in mind that a large percentage of employers start with their interns when looking for the best entry-level employees.
Posted by Candice Arnold on May 6, 2008 at 3:27 PM | Leave a Comment (2)
Internships Benefit Employers As Well As Students
Because the job market is getting tougher, today's college students are encouraged to do at least one internship, if not more, before graduating; and they're being advised to begin doing them as early as their sophomore year. This is because employers want entry level employees who are not only educated but experienced, and the only way to get experience is by getting a job in the industry where one wants to work. This common cunundrum no longer applies to recent college graduates. They can do internships, so there's really no excuse for not having the experience needed before going out in search of a career.
No one ever disputes the value of internships that actually put interns to work on projects that will enhance what they've learned in their classrooms. What isn't often discussed is how interns benefit employers.
Mary Lin, Marketing and Public Relations Director of Prescott College, has had a "fantastic experience" with the two interns she hired over the past two years. Not only were the interns "cooperative and enthusiastic" even when they're sometimes asked to put in extra hours, but they also gave Lin's staff an opportunity to learn the "latest" and to act as mentors, which can be very rewarding. "Interns feel like valued members of the process and systems of work," Lin said.
Patricia Harman is the director of communications for the Restoration Industry Association (RIA), "the leading trade association for cleaning and restoration professionals worldwide." Harman, who also teaches at a college in her area, outlined her top 10 list of the reciprocal benefits of hiring interns:
"1. Today's students are extremely well versed in new technology. Our interns work on our website, create our PPT presentations and show a lot of our "old dogs" some new tricks.
2. They add a great outside perspective to many of our projects.
3. They help us find creative solutions we may not have considered.
4. Because they're anxious to learn and get experience, they're willing to work on just about any project we give them. (We give them real work and try not to waste their talents on mindless tasks.)
5. They're a great source of new employees for our company.
6. We work hard to give our interns real experiences that will look good on their resumes or in their portfolios, so they'll have an advantage over other job applicants.
7. We can afford them.
8. They can be a big help when regular staff members leave or go on vacation, or we have a major event that requires more staff.
9. They usually have very good ideas and aren't encumbered by politics or past history. 10. Since we publish a monthly magazine and an e-newsletter, I benefit from having additional writers on staff."
While it's true that not every company can afford interns, those that can do themselves a disservice by not creating an internship program that will not only help college students get much needed practical work experience, but will also help the company teach older employees how to use new technology, bring in fresh perspectives, and facilitate their searches for quality new hires. For example, when Harman's assistant got another job, she chose one of her interns to fill the position. And at Prescott, exemplary interns in Lin's office were able to "move into other positions as a result of their execllent service as interns." Clearly, internships are beneficial all around.
Posted by Candice Arnold on May 5, 2008 at 9:31 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
Even Unpaid Internships Can Pay off
I just read an article from the Chicago Tribune, Even unpaid internships can pay off, by columnist, Barbara Rose. In it, she tells the story of a copywriter, Thomas Kemeny, who did an upaid internship for a major Florida ad agency in 2005. The difference in Kemeny's case is that he landed this internship after his graduation from Columbia College.
Although Kemeny was given a lot of gofer duties like getting lunches for everyone else in the office, he was motivated. When an opportunity to work on a project presented itself - like when employees faced pulling an all-nighter - Kemeny volunteered to help and they welcomed his efforts.
Brandon McArthur, a senior at the University of Illinois, had an unpaid internship last year, but was able to get a paid one this year. When he worked on his unpaid intenship, he also had a regular job to help pay for expenses like putting gas in his car. The need to get a regular job while working on an unpaid internship is a reality that must be faced by students whose colleges or universities don't pay stipends. Another alternative is to ask family to help, or take out a bank loan to help finance summer expenditures.
As someone who was a nontraditional student, going into college with a full-time job, working on two unpaid internships didn't pose a problem for me. Another plus to my internships is that they were year-round. Internships don't have to be reserved for the summer months. If a company or organization near the college or university offers internships during the fall and spring semesters, it's a good idea to give them a try, especially if they're unpaid, as Rose said many internships with social service or arts organizations are.
Paid internships are certainly better, especially since interns nowadays are earning as much as $16.33 per hour for undergraduate internships. According to Edwin Koc of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, this rate "approaches the national $17.24 average hourly workers who make up four-fifths of the workforce."
Elise Kidd, also a student at the University of Illinois, secured two paid internships, which she did during consecutive summer breaks, She had the privilege of working for big companies, but admits that the twelve-hour days - including travel time - she put in with one employer were stressful. Kidd's hard work and dedication weren't without rewards. The employer compensated her and their other interns with perks like "free tickets to sports events, river cruises, and time off for professional development."
Although McArthur wasn't as fortunate as Kidd with his first internship, he doesn't complain. On the contrary, he felt the experience was valuable because he worked on a real project with an investment advisory firm that was close to his parents' home, he learned marketable skills, and he learned how to dress properly in an office setting. An additional bonus is that he can include the work he did during his internship on his resume and include the company's name. As far as McArthur is concerned, it was a win-win situation.
I agree. Unless an intern is being pointedly denied any opportunity to work on real projects and gain practical, hands-on knowledge, any internship, paid or unpaid, is a plus. Something else to consider when deciding whether or not to do an internship is that, according to Rose, "big companies that hire lots of young workers recruit as man as 75 percent of them through internships."
With the competition in today's job market steadily heating up, it's professional suicide for any student to opt out of doing at least one internship before graduating. Even if, like Kemeny, an internship is done after graduation, it's really a good idea to get some experience before shopping resumes around to desired employers.
Posted by Candice Arnold on April 29, 2008 at 10:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
From Web 2.0 to Web Infinity with Virtual Organization Management
Virtual Organization Management exponentially accelerates the evolution of the Web by leaps and bounds. Although we're already in Web 3.0 stage---the processes and procedures tinkering stage---many of our colleagues are still talking Web 2.0--the social network stage. Nonetheless, regardless of which numeric [x.x] we attach at the end of the word "Web", we will never be able to truly tap into the FULL power and potential of the Web, which I call "Infinity", until we first understand and adopt the virtual organization management concept.
I guess the first thing that most likely comes to the mind of many is, "Wow, that's a really loaded statement!" To make my point, let me take that initial statement a bit further with the following Precious Water and Glass-Container analogy:
All that the Web has to offer is equivalent to that PRECIOUS WATER we use to not only quench our thirst but also for a countless number of other uses and applications. But Virtual Organization Management is the GLASS or CONTAINER we use to hold that precious water. Without that glass or container, we will never really be able to harness the full power, potential, and benefits of that water.
Right now, we're currently in the midst of a transition--a serious disruption--that no one is quite sure how to deal with. After all, what the HELL is a virtual organization or a virtual environment and why do we need virtual organization management? Almost everyone seems to understand the meaning of the words "Technology, Web Technology, the Internet, Blog, etc.," however, most of us are not quite sure as to where this is really headed, hence, the confusion about what to do and what sort of new processes should be put in place in order to adapt to, and set the stage for, this new world; a new world that is rapidly evolving right there in front of our eyes, with no end in sight. As you can see, this uncertainty keeps us in a state of limbo, without any sense of urgency, even though the alarm bells are ringing all over and everyone is talking "globalization" and "adaptation."
Our view is that there is NO uncertainty with respect to where the world is headed. At the risk of sounding INSANE, it is clear on our end that we are heading toward a near 100% virtual world. A revolution of gigantic proportions--a transformation unlike anything the world has ever experienced---and a paradigm shift from the way we are accustomed to doing things.
That's right, with the exception of construction, manufacturing, transportation, hospitality, and other industries which require hard boots on the ground and a brick and mortar presence, these huge tower buildings will one day become relics of the past--architectural landmarks. A lot of them will be transformed into virtual data centers, although most new data centers will be built underground in highly secure, fire-proof and blast-protected bunkers.
Homes will have to be redesigned differently in order to adjust to the realities of the new workforce. Shopping centers will radically be transformed into entertainment centers. After all, form follows function. Employment and tax laws and benefits will have to be revised or be entirely scrapped off the books. Compensation and benefits formulas will require drastic overhauls. There will be a Global Virtualization-eCommerce Renaissance and prosperity shall flourish and abound in every corner of the globe. Our entire way of life will be affected.
Today's methods of warfare will seem so archaic and primitive. Wars will no longer be fought on the battleground resulting in lost lives and limbs and destruction of physical infrastructure. Rather, they will be fought in a virtual environment between virtual networks with crippling and deadly accuracy. The first such world war could be called Virtual Network Apocalypse I.
Children will be taught about virtual organization management during pre-school and kindergarten in order to prepare them for the new world, just the way we begin to prepare them today at that age for today's brick and mortar world. We see a future whereby the morning and afternoon rush hour traffic congestion is a THING OF THE PAST, some distant memory.
This future, my friends, is, relatively speaking, all possible within a short number of years with Virtual Organization Management--NOT Virtual Team Consulting--and those who begin to prepare for it TODAY will reap huge rewards and fortunes that are unimaginable by today's standards.
At the risk of sounding alarmist, the ramifications for our entire global civilization are huge and astounding across the board. The adoption of Virtual Organization Management will generate not only tidal waves-but also huge tsunamis-of changes that will engulf and wash away those who are left unprepared for the changes coming our way.
For additional information regarding Virtual Organization Management, go to: http://www.virtualorganizationinstitute.com/
ABOUT AUTHOR: Pierre Coupet is the Founder, Chairman, CEO & Doctor of Virtual Organization Management at Virtual Organization Management Institute; the founder of the modern virtual organization management discipline and the world's foremost expert on virtual organization management and recruitment. To contact the author, call 818-804-5959 or send email directly to chairman@virtualorganizationinstitute.com.
Copyright 2008. Pierre Coupet, Virtual Organization Management Institute, NetWEB Elite Solutions, Inc. Cannot be reproduced without permission. All rights are reserved.
Posted by Pierre Coupet on April 20, 2008 at 3:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
From Web 2.0 to Web Infinity with Virtual Organization Management
Virtual Organization Management exponentially accelerates the evolution of the Web by leaps and bounds. Although we're already in Web 3.0 stage---the processes and procedures tinkering stage---many of our colleagues are still talking Web 2.0--the social network stage. Nonetheless, regardless of which numeric [x.x] we attach at the end of the word "Web", we will never be able to truly tap into the FULL power and potential of the Web, which I call "Infinity", until we first understand and adopt the virtual organization management concept.
I guess the first thing that most likely comes to the mind of many is, "Wow, that's a really loaded statement!" To make my point, let me take that initial statement a bit further with the following Precious Water and Glass-Container analogy:
All that the Web has to offer is equivalent to that PRECIOUS WATER we use to not only quench our thirst but also for a countless number of other uses and applications. But Virtual Organization Management is the GLASS or CONTAINER we use to hold that precious water. Without that glass or container, we will never really be able to harness the full power, potential, and benefits of that water.
Right now, we're currently in the midst of a transition--a serious disruption--that no one is quite sure how to deal with. After all, what the HELL is a virtual organization or a virtual environment and why do we need virtual organization management? Almost everyone seems to understand the meaning of the words "Technology, Web Technology, the Internet, Blog, etc.," however, most of us are not quite sure as to where this is really headed, hence, the confusion about what to do and what sort of new processes should be put in place in order to adapt to, and set the stage for, this new world; a new world that is rapidly evolving right there in front of our eyes, with no end in sight. As you can see, this uncertainty keeps us in a state of limbo, without any sense of urgency, even though the alarm bells are ringing all over and everyone is talking "globalization" and "adaptation."
Our view is that there is NO uncertainty with respect to where the world is headed. At the risk of sounding INSANE, it is clear on our end that we are heading toward a near 100% virtual world. A revolution of gigantic proportions--a transformation unlike anything the world has ever experienced---and a paradigm shift from the way we are accustomed to doing things.
That's right, with the exception of construction, manufacturing, transportation, hospitality, and other industries which require hard boots on the ground and a brick and mortar presence, these huge tower buildings will one day become relics of the past--architectural landmarks. A lot of them will be transformed into virtual data centers, although most new data centers will be built underground in highly secure, fire-proof and blast-protected bunkers.
Homes will have to be redesigned differently in order to adjust to the realities of the new workforce. Shopping centers will radically be transformed into entertainment centers. After all, form follows function. Employment and tax laws and benefits will have to be revised or be entirely scrapped off the books. Compensation and benefits formulas will require drastic overhauls. There will be a Global Virtualization-eCommerce Renaissance and prosperity shall flourish and abound in every corner of the globe. Our entire way of life will be affected.
Today's methods of warfare will seem so archaic and primitive. Wars will no longer be fought on the battleground resulting in lost lives and limbs and destruction of physical infrastructure. Rather, they will be fought in a virtual environment between virtual networks with crippling and deadly accuracy. The first such world war could be called Virtual Network Apocalypse I.
Children will be taught about virtual organization management during pre-school and kindergarten in order to prepare them for the new world, just the way we begin to prepare them today at that age for today's brick and mortar world. We see a future whereby the morning and afternoon rush hour traffic congestion is a THING OF THE PAST, some distant memory.
This future, my friends, is, relatively speaking, all possible within a short number of years with Virtual Organization Management--NOT Virtual Team Consulting--and those who begin to prepare for it TODAY will reap huge rewards and fortunes that are unimaginable by today's standards.
At the risk of sounding alarmist, the ramifications for our entire global civilization are huge and astounding across the board. The adoption of Virtual Organization Management will generate not only tidal waves-but also huge tsunamis-of changes that will engulf and wash away those who are left unprepared for the changes coming our way.
For additional information regarding Virtual Organization Management, go to: http://www.virtualorganizationinstitute.com/
ABOUT AUTHOR: Pierre Coupet is the Founder, Chairman, CEO & Doctor of Virtual Organization Management at Virtual Organization Management Institute; the founder of the modern virtual organization management discipline and the world's foremost expert on virtual organization management and recruitment. To contact the author, call 818-804-5959 or send email directly to chairman@virtualorganizationinstitute.com.
Copyright 2008. Pierre Coupet, Virtual Organization Management Institute, NetWEB Elite Solutions, Inc. Cannot be reproduced without permission. All rights are reserved.
Posted by Pierre Coupet on April 20, 2008 at 3:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
