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)

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)

Creating a mock interview space in a college dorm room or off campus apartment that simulates an across the desk meeting can help you land the job or internship you want says Robert Graber, founder of WallStJobs.com. "Even if it means having to clean up a space cluttered with clothing, books, or pizza boxes, setting up a faux-office will help put you in the correct mindset."

Graber suggests that students alter the traditional "desk-against-wall" layout to allow for the more traditional interview scenario of being seated across the desk from an interviewer. "Many students are initially uncomfortable with making eye contact and sitting upright," said Graber. "By creating this environment, students can begin to hone their skills."

"College career offices have typical interview questions for the type of position you are interested in," said Graber, "so get a copy of these and have your roommate or a friend sit behind the desk and ask you these questions. Repeat the process until you are able to answer each question comfortably and with a minimum of 'likes' and 'you knows.' Make eye contact and don't fidget."

Graber also suggests the following:

• Wear interviewing clothes (Is that collar too tight? Buy a new shirt!)
  
• Assume the role of interviewer at least once (What things do you find distracting from a candidate? Learn from others.)
  
• Consider organizing others in the dorm and use a common area for the mock office (It will be larger and you won't have to clean up your own room!)
  

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on April 11, 2008 at 8:24 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Due to an overwhelming response, Sodexo has created additional internships for this summer... these are PAID internships!

What is the Future Leaders Internship Program?

Sodexo's Future Leaders Internship Program is a ten week paid summer internship program that runs from June 2nd through August 8th. This program is designed to offer students the opportunity to gain management training and experience while working in the fast-paced and growth-charged contract services industry.

What are the benefits?

-- Learning about contract services as a segment of the hospitality industry while being paid!

-- Opportunities in Food Service, Environmental Services, and Facilities Management

-- Mentoring from a Sodexo manager who is matched to your career interests

-- Bi-weekly professional development webinars

How to apply?

Please submit the following:

1. Your current resume

2. A 250 word essay answering the following questions:

a. What type of internship are you seeking?
b. Why are you seeking an internship with Sodexo?
c. What are you hoping to gain from the internship?

3. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member

Courtesy of Sodexo Careers Blog Making every day a better day.

Posted by Candice Arnold on April 10, 2008 at 6:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

College students who participate in paid internships may well find the hourly salary attractive, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Employers responding to NACE's 2008 Experiential Education Survey reported offering their undergraduate interns an average of $16.33 per hour--and nearly $25 per hour for interns at the master's degree level.

A variety of factors affect internship salaries, including the student's degree level, year in school, and field of study, as well as the organization's industry and location.

For example, a senior studying for a bachelor's in one of the engineering fields averages $19.44 per hour, while a sophomore engineering student averages $16.65. Similarly, overall, undergraduate business majors earn less per hour than their counterparts studying the computer sciences--$15.62 versus $16.68, respectively.

The purpose of the program also has an effect on salary.

"Average hourly salaries to interns are even higher among those organizations that use their internship programs to help them recruit full-time hires," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

Among respondents whose organizations have recruiting-focused programs, the average hourly salary to an undergraduate intern is $16.69, and $25.93 to a master's level intern.

In fact, nearly all responding organizations that use their internship programs as part of their college recruiting effort pay their interns, and there is evidence that pay is important to their programs' success. A NACE study of the students from the Class of 2007 found that students who reported dissatisfaction with their internships tended to be in unpaid programs. Moreover, says Mackes, "they tended to cite lack of pay as a key reason for their dissatisfaction."

With interest in internship programs as feeders for full-time hiring rising, paid internships will likely also increase.

"The paid internship is an increasingly important tool for organizations that want to hire new college graduates," says Mackes.

Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on April 8, 2008 at 4:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Effective recruitment is no longer enough to maintain a strategic edge. The pursuit of talent is becoming increasingly competitive as labor and competency gaps continue to widen. Employers that develop reputable internship programs can increase appeal among discerning students in search of the best work experience and give their organizations a competitive edge.

As the talent crisis reach a pain threshold and companies struggle to do more with less, internships represent an unprecedented opportunity to infuse the economy with an untapped pipeline of student talent and productivity.

The good news is that a groundswell is building as multiple constituencies aim to address labor shortages, talent gaps, 'brain drain,' and productivity deficiencies. As that groundswell peaks, more and more businesses and educators will begin to see what's truly been right under their noses: the opportunity to turn internships programs into a strategic business advantage.

However, until recently, relatively few companies have fully harnessed this potential. The unfortunate reality is that most employers either don't know what they're doing, don't have the tools to do it right or, in many cases, don't realize what they're missing.

Savvy HR professionals view internships as a recruitment strategy. Some go further and emphasize training with the aim to convert interns into more competent and loyal employees. In effect, this is about fulfilling the potential (and corporate responsibility) of internships as a workforce development effort to close the gap between school and work.

Some employers, particularly those within small to mid-sized companies, may be more motivated by the productivity gains that internships can generate. In this case, conversion may be more about improving time management and efficiency to achieve what couldn't otherwise be done and, ultimately, to increase bottom line returns.

In fact, it's very feasible to combine all of these interests. HR professionals are in the absolute best position to lead and help their organization realize the full benefits of having interns. They can create and develop a world class internship program to achieve more than recruit the top college talent. They can go a step further to help students and young managers gain valuable experience while enabling the organization to benefit from valuable productivity and literally "home grow" future employees.

As competition increases to recruit the best and brightest, the companies that win the war on talent are those that take a holistic approach to internships, including creating a well-structured and managed program to provide students with an experience that will instill students with a genuine desire to stay a while.

-- Matthew Zinman founded The Internship Institute to make internships THE solution to close the gap between school and work. He has created several internship staffing management products to make it as easy as possible for employers to create the best program. These solutions include: The Blueprint for Internship Success, a supervisor training video (DVD) of proven best practices, the Intern Toolkit with step-by-step resources and downloadable templates, and The Intern Supervisor Guidebook to improve where the internship experience truly happens: one-on-one. These solutions combine his experience managing more than 200 student interns with his passion to make a difference. The professionalism of these products reflect his expertise in communication management and business strategy consulting to nearly 100 companies since 1989. He is a frequent lecturer and author about related topics.

Posted by Candice Arnold on April 3, 2008 at 5:18 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're struggling to find a great internship, our partners at CareerTV recently published a video that you'll want to watch:

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on April 3, 2008 at 10:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The best internship program will not succeed with the wrong interns. Likewise, having the best interns is pointless if you fail to fully utilize and develop their talents and skills, or leave them disappointed and disillusioned. The Internship Institute's Blueprint for Internship Success provides employers with every insight about proven practices. Here are five of the key elements to make an internship successful.

1. Commitment starts with internal buy-in. Company executives must promote an organizational culture that values students' abilities and contributions. Putting commitment to work requires the means to build your internship program with the proper structure. You will need to:

• Budget for program costs such as campus recruiting, technology tools and compensation;


• Allocate proper staff resources and allot them time to manage the program; and


• Invest in the one-time cost and effort to develop program resources to support effective hiring, orientation, training, evaluation and sustained improvement.

2. Planning begins with taking a comprehensive work inventory well ahead of time. Among other things, this project pipeline is what defines recruitment goals, program metrics, resource needs, budgeting, and sets the stage to make interns most productive.

3. Ownership is about making someone accountable for all aspects of the internship program. This person should be fully qualified to supervise students and be innately motivated to do his/her best for the organization and interns alike. Avoid assigning this responsibility to novice managers. This individual should possess at least two years of supervision and project management experience.

4. Engagement is about commitment in action to recruit and manage interns most effectively. Apply the same standards and diligence as you do to recruit full-time employees, especially if hiring them upon graduation is an ultimate goal of your program. Start by identifying two to three schools close by that have academic programs to match your criteria. Forge relationships. Seek guidance from career services professionals and faculty advisors who have an inside track. Make personal connections within alumni associations, and student organizations that match your business needs.

5. Development means going beyond "on-the-job-training" to balance productive work assignments with opportunities for growth. The sooner you train students to be more capable, the sooner they can apply that competency to be more productive. Lectures, textbooks or tests can never substitute for the hands-on experience your organization can provide.

-- Matthew Zinman founded The Internship Institute to make internships THE solution to close the gap between school and work. He has created several internship staffing management products to make it as easy as possible for employers to create the best program. These solutions include: The Blueprint for Internship Success, a supervisor training video (DVD) of proven best practices, the Intern Toolkit with step-by-step resources and downloadable templates, and The Intern Supervisor Guidebook to improve where the internship experience truly happens: one-on-one. These solutions combine his experience managing more than 200 student interns with his passion to make a difference. The professionalism of these products reflect his expertise in communication management and business strategy consulting to nearly 100 companies since 1989. He is a frequent lecturer and author about related topics.

Posted by Candice Arnold on April 1, 2008 at 5:13 PM | Leave a Comment (0)