Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Going Green Internships
Since the country is pushing the green scene, (and my best friend is an advocate for going green!) I am offering advice on green internships.
Considering I have little knowledge of this "green scene", I am gathering advice from the best and providing it to you, my little environmental internees!
Here are a few sites to visit when searching for a green internship!
GreenDaily.com - Ellen Slattery writes an article "Want a Green Internship". It offers advice on leadership programs for green peeps!
GreenAmericaToday.org - They offer, like Monster.com, a list of job/intern opportunities. They also include volunteering!
GreenOptions.com - Green Options gives tips on finding green internships!
Drexel University - They have a list of PAID, green internships for the summer!
Need more information on the "green scene"? Check out a few of these other websites!
The Big Green Internship Book
API/Exxon Mobile Environmental Internships
GreenForAll
GreenCorps
Also, read up on your "green scene" internships with articles all about them!
How green internships are a win-win.
Washington Internship Institute on green internships.
Summer Interns Green Fortune 500 Companies.
The green scene needs you! And if you're interested in environmental internships, you should definitely check out these sites and articles to help you in finding the perfect green internship.
Happy green interning!
Love, Alice
What are Employers Looking For in Interns?
If you're looking for a spring semester internship, you're probably on the lookout for job/intern openings. You've checked Monster, LinkedIn, all over. You know what the description of the internship says but you're unsure of what the employers are really looking for. How do you know what an employer is looking for in an intern?
For starters, you'll want to read up. Explore Baltimore County's Catonsville Times recently posted an article on employers receiving education on hiring interns. Check out what employers are reading up on, find articles about hiring interns and what to do with them. Google.com is always a great place to look. Click the news tab on the upper left hand corner!
After you've checked out what the news is saying, take a look at other sites. The Internet is WONDERFUL.
- Business.com - Q&A on hiring interns for your business.
- Berkeley - The University offers tips from employers on interning at a non-profit organization.
- University of Washington - "Finding Gold", an article on hiring great interns.
- Career Builder - Explains to employers why hiring an intern is a good choice.
- Michigan state University's Career Services - Offers insight on hiring interns.
- The Human Resources Blog - How to make your business's internship program a success.
Research, research, research! You'll have to do it at your internship, so you should start now! Researching what your employer/employers are looking for offers you a foot up when it comes to walking into an interview. Really look into what tips employers are taking in hiring interns.
Best tip: If you know where you might be interning, check out the company's website and their careers tab. You'll often find a list of what employers are looking for in employees. Research them! (Then you will know what their company stands for as well!)
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
5 More Things to Know About Interning
- Make sure you're getting college credit! - An internship is great, but without college credit (or pay), you're offering free labor to the company. It is your choice to stick around longer, if the internship is offering great experience, however, keep in mind that they are getting free work out of you! (And everyone is looking for free work these days!)
- EXPLORE! - Sit in on group projects, even if you're not in your department; Observe how the "big-wigs" work, watch how they interact with others; Check out how their computer programs work! Don't be afraid to explore how the company works, it will help you to gain experience and knowledge of the in's and out's.
- Ask for a reference! - Make sure that before your final days at your internship, you ask for a reference. As EverydayPublicRelations points out, you should not expect to get a letter of recommendation in the mail. Don't be afraid to ask for one!
- Phone calls - Don't be afraid to ask for guidance when it comes to making phone calls. There's no shame in using a script when calling people!
- Be memorable! - Check out Ithaca College's "How to Be a Memorable Mentor" and be awesome!
Remember, use common sense, smile, and always arrive on time! Need more helpful hints on interning? Leave a message and Intern Alice will be glad to answer all of your questions!
Happy Interning!
Love, Alice
Monday, November 2, 2009
The First 5 Things to Know About Interning
Intern Alice's Five Things You Should Know About Interning
- Know Your Company - Is there a mission statement? A set of goals your company has? Rules and regulations? If they have clients, know your clients! Know it all! When you go into a meeting on the first day and shock your boss because you've done you're homework and read up on their clients, it'll be a great feeling. You can thank me later.
- Bring a sweater! - You're office is probably cold and according to BNET, studies have shown that this could affect your productivity.
- Your opinion does matter! - If you're brainstorming in a meeting, don't be afraid to put in your two cents! No matter how outrageous your idea may be, it is always worth offering to the group!
- Become familiar with your building - Some corporate buildings are like mazes others are tiny! You'll want to make sure you know your way around. (Especially where the bathroom is!!)
- Always write down your passwords! - Write down and keep all your passwords in a safe place and keep them together, just in case you ever forget them. If you're in charge of social media, make sure you alert the other employees who may be using the sites. Plus, you will probably get a password to get on the company's site and that you will not want to forget.
Seem like common sense? Make sure to write down those passwords, bring sweaters, and don't be afraid to put in your two cents! Keep your eyes peeled for the second list of things you should know about interning, coming soon!
Happy Interning!
Love, Alice
Internship Success Stories!
- University of Tennessee's Jasmine Davis worked on The Late Show with David Letterman.
- Grand Valley State University's Alyssa Ruedisueli interned for Oscar de la Renta in New York.
- UC Santa Cruz's Jenny Jiang has worked with a variety of top law firms.
- UNC- Charlotte's Levonda Norman interned for (then) Senator Barack Obama.
- American University's Emily Creveling found what she was passionate about with her internship.
- BusinessWeek has featured multiple Intern Success Stories!
- Read about IMPACT 2007's Intern of the Year Award (PDF). (Maybe you are eligible to apply!)
And there are countless other students who have posted their success story, spoke to a class, or were interviewed for their school paper.
The great thing about a successful internship, whether it was a cake-walk or rough and tumble, is you are able to share your experiences with others. This is extremely helpful for the many students who are unsure if an internship is right for them. You have the ability to help guide them, let them know what they are in for, and give them tips and pointers, just as I am doing for you! So, not only you are benefited by the experience, but you allow others to benefit too.
This means...
Happy internees and pre-internees! (And one happy Alice as well.)
In other words, your internship may be good or bad or just plain ugly, but the experiences you gain don't just help you! They help those "pre-internees" who are in need of guidance! (Yes, you can call them internees, I will allow it.) So share! After your internship tell your success story and be a mentor to someone who wants to intern!
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Good, the Bad, the Internship Experience.
OF COURSE I HAVE, MY FINE INTERNEES!
Dear 'ole Alice has been giving you advice, tips, and information on how to find, get, and keep an internship. Hopefully, they have been helpful, whether you're searching for an internship or at an internship now and you're struggling with any ethical decisions.
What I have failed to mention, however, is that in reality sometimes...
SOMETIMES
...internships don't always have the fabulous outcome you were hoping for.
Whether you realize you didn't like the job/career/field, you and the boss man did not get along, or perhaps you're like me, and you just set your expectations a little to high. The truth: sometimes internships just aren't what you were looking for.
Here are a few examples of some peeps who had terrible internships and lived to tell about them.
- Richard Bottner - He interned at one of Boston's largest companies and had a tough time. He makes an awesome point when he discusses the moral of the story!
- Dan Marley - He writes about an internship at The New York Sun, where he expected it to be completely...different. (He is an insanely hilarious writer!)
- "The Atlantic" - Offers jobs to interns with requirements that really shock them!
- The Gawker - Writes about the worst internship ever.
Now that you've read about bad internships, it's time to put you in the middle of the madness! You are an intern (if you're not already), you are interning for a company you thought you would love but you HATE. Despise. Loathe. Not only do you have to get coffee everyday but, excuse my french because I'm going to say it, you're their little intern bitch. That's right, it's not just coffee, it's lunch, cleaning, printing, mail, errands. (I consider this the "stereotypical internship" because I know for a FACT not all internships are like this, but most TV shows, movies, books, all make internships sound like this.) So, you're interning and it is the pits. How do you deal?
Have no fear, miserable internees! Quint Careers is here to help you! They offer you advise on how to make the most of your internship, even when it sucks.
The key is to make it your own. So you have to get coffee everyday and hand out mail and bla bla bla. Say you're at a TV station, as I was, and you want to learn the ins and outs but your boss is only interested in you answering phones and running prompter. Yes, you are learning something, but you want to edit and record and all that good stuff! What do you do? YOU TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS, INTERNEES! You want to make sure you're getting what you want out of the internship! Make friends who will teach you about the career and help you learn programs, explore on your own! As Quint Careers explains, take initiative, ask questions, NETWORK. It may suck, but you could get a better internship out of meeting the peeps in the office and getting to know them and who they know.
DEFINITELY read the full article on Making the Most of Your Internship, it will help you whether you love or hate your internship! (Especially hate.)
So, your internship is crap. Take the advice of Quint Careers and don't be afraid to take matters into your own hands. Your internship is what YOU make it. Plus, the important thing is what YOU get out of it, and if you don't want to leave with permanent burns from coffee and paper cuts from mail, then do something about it!Lastly, if you really really really REALLY hate your internship and there is absolutely no way to fix it and make it better for you, talk to your boss/advisor and see what other options there are available for you. If worst come to worst, you can always leave. Because sometimes, as you know, internships just don't work out.
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
The Best Places to Intern!
If you're on the prowl for a grade A internship, you're probably wondering where the best place is to look for one. Luckily enough for you, precious internees, look no further!
BusinessWeek is one of the country's prime business magazine, ranking with Fortune and Forbes magazines.
Every year, BusinessWeek releases an annual list of the Top 50 Best Places to Intern and I have for YOU the 2008 list! (As 2009 comes to a close, keep your eyes open for a '09 list in early '10!) BusinessWeek ranks these companies according to pay, the percentage of interns who get full-time jobs, student feedback, as well as research. YAHOO!
For you, internees, I will supply you with the COMPLETE list but I want to highlight the top 10.
- Goldman Sachs - An investment banking company who (in 2007) offered 79% of their interns a full-time job. This rate is not the highest, however, their PAY RATE is what you really should jump up and down about. In 2007 their hourly pay rate was almost $30.
- PriceWaterHouseCoopers - PWHC is an accounting firm who reached BusinessWeek's number two spot because in 2008, the percentage of interns who received full-time job offers reached an astounding 93%. This rate was 3% higher than in 2007. Accounting anyone?
- Ernst & Young LLP - This is another accounting firm and although their pay is not as high as Goldman Sachs and PWHC, their intern hiring rate was extremely high. In 2007, it reached 98% and in 2008 it was 90+%. CALLING ALL ACCOUNTING INTERNEES! This is the place to be!
- Deloitte - Keeping it steady with the accounting firms, this company (in 2007) had a pay rate of approximately $25 an hour with an 85% full-time job offer to interns in both 2007 and 2008.
- KPMG - Again, accounting. Full-time job offer rate? 95% in 2007. AND 95% in 2008.
- JPMorgan - Investment banking. Although their full-time job offer rate was only 80% in 2007 and 70% in 2008, their pay rate is rather high at almost $30 an hour.
- Microsoft - A technology driven company (as we are all aware) that continues to have a pretty stable full-time job offer rate. In 2007 it was 83% and in 2008, 85%.
- IBM - Information technology products and services: approximately a 50% full-time job offer rate for both 2007 and 2008. Their pay rate is at $22 per hour.
- General Electric - Good ole' GE and their manufacturing of all sorts of products! GE's full-time job offer rate and pay rate are both significantly lower than previous companies. Though, their job offer rate was 60% in 2007, it was only 30% in 2008. Their pay? $19 per hour.
- Walt Disney - The happiest place on Earth! Which means you'll be the happiest intern on Earth, working here! At number ten, the media/entertainment company has more rates significantly lower than the other companies. A staggering 17% of interns were offered full time jobs in 2007 and it only raised to 22% in 2008.
Not satisfied with the JUST the top 10 best internships of 2008, according to BusinessWeek? See the complete list with links, percentages and both rankings to compare from '07 and '08.
You can also check out lists of the best places to intern by MSNBC, Fortune/CNN/Money, and, for those of you internees who are looking for a little laugh, CollegeHumor also has a list.
And remember, keep your eyes peeled for the 2009 lists in early 2010!
Good luck and happy interning!
Love, Alice
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
International Interns
As you are aware, internships are important!
And there are plenty opportunities to go around here in the United States.
But there are more...
Look at the map below. Ever see yourself traveling to England? Iceland? Austria?
You don't even know what Haggis is.
- To find an internship, check out StudyAbroad.com. Here they offer featured programs and highlights, as well as a search engine that let's you choose which country you would like to intern.
- International Internships or Transitions Abroad offers tips on where to look for opportunities, links to these sites and lists International Organizations, such as government, that you may also want to consider interning with.
- If you'd rather see something in print, your university should offer a study abroad program or office where you can find information by the tons.
Now you have found your dream internship overseas. So what is next?
- GET YOUR PASSPORT!
- (Enter language here) to English Translation Dictionary - These helpful lil' guys are your bible while you will be interning. You can find these translation dictionaries on Amazon, Half, or at your local Barnes & Noble. They give you every word you will ever need and some even offer full phrases to help you. (There are also electronic ones!)
- READ UP! - Google your little heart out, about your country! What are some do's and don't's in the city? What is polite and impolite? What cities are close by? Don't be afraid to be ahead of the game! MapQuest has international maps, which would be excellent to look at before you go. ASK ALICE TIP: Find the closest McDonald's. Remember, they are everywhere. Just in case.
- Home Sweet Home - If you are not staying on a university campus, continue corresponding with the host family you will be staying with. Learn about what they like or don't like, get to know them and let them get to know you. Host families, if you do not know, are families that open their homes to students who are studying abroad. Rather than paying for a hotel, you are able to stay in their homes with their family. Consider it your international home, away from home.
- You PACK IT UP. - What will the weather be, what season is it? Will you need electronics? Can you bring your computer? Are you able to bring more than one bag? Can you buy school supplies there? What's the currency exchange?! Keep these questions in mind while you are packing. A great organizational tip is to make a LIST. And trust me, one list, is never enough.
Still struggling and need more advice on how to prepare? Amherst College gives a great summary of what to expect and how to prepare for an overseas internship. Also, the amount of knowledge and advice at Intern Abroad can help you, not only find an international internship, but will assist you while you are abroad!
Internee! Are you still not convinced? You know internships are AWESOME but you're skeptical on the whole overseas, different country thing? Life Changing Travel has a great article on how an overseas internship can boost your career prospects and also the benefits of an international internship.
So, internee, as per Stephen Stills' song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOSE?
Plus, a little information never hurt anyone! Check out international internships!
Gelukkig interneren! Interner heureux! Glucklicher absolviert ein prakikt! Interning feliz! Or just, happy interning!!
Love, Alice
Friday, October 23, 2009
Great News for Interns!
It has been far too long. But I have not forgotten about you!
I have been doing some investigating and I have found some pretty awesome information to share with you!
Schmoogle GOOGLE founder, Eric Schmidt, is looking out for the interns!
Turns out, Schmidt has given an undisclosed amount to launch a website to help people who are looking for internships, connect with companies!
And not just ANY companies. Fortune 500 companies. YES!
The idea arose because of that damn economy. BOO!
The site is called InternInc.
It began in March 2009 in Denver, Colorado.
Keep in mind, the site is still under construction. You can, however, sign up for it.
heck out all the details at Venture Beat.
As for you, Eric Schmidt, you have just received an infinite amount of cool points. Thanks for looking out for us interns.
I'll keep you posted, internee, with more news on interning and internships!
For now, happy interning!
Love, Alice
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Intern Sex Scandals: The Mother Load
A sex scandal with an intern, of course.
I don't need to tell you, my little internees, that inter-office dating is a big no-no.
(We've discussed this once before.)
So, I'll assume that you know that inter-office "sexing" is an even bigger NO.
Actually, it's more like an ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Ooooh, it may seem like a good idea...your boss is hot. He/she is definitely flirting with you. You're imagining...WHOA! Enough.
Inter-office dating/sex often has extremely severe consequences. Don't believe me?
ALAS! The proof! (Is in the pudding. Eww.)
Alice's List of Intern Sex Scandals Throughout History
- "Devil with the Blue Dress" - The Clinton/Lewinsky Scandal - The President of the United States and a White House intern. It was impeachment at first sight.
- "Funny Honey" - Letterman/Hester Scandal - Late night talk show host, David Letterman, gets into quite a bit of trouble for having an affair with a former intern for his show. Jokes on him.
- "Love Train, Love Train" - Stanely/Morrison/Watts Scandal - Tennessee Senator Paul Stanley and intern get hot and heavy, which, in turn, makes the intern's boyfriend pretty hot tempered. Can you say triangle.?
- "Let's play a Love Game" - Adams/Breedlove Scandal - Portland, Ore. Mayor Sam Adams has sexual affairs with 17 year-old, male intern. "Oregon. We Love Dreamers."
"We're playing basketball" - Marbury/Intern Scandal - Oooh, the New York Knicks. From Ewing to Mason to Curry, they have quite the reputation for sex scandals. Enough said.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
WHY INTERNSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.
But, lo-and-behold! I have forgot something mucho important.
It is key to understand that if you do an internship in college, you will definitely have a leg up when it comes time to graduate. This is why:
- They help you decide if THIS career is right for you! I have done 3 internships because my first 2 made me realize that it wasn't what I wanted to do. This was extremely helpful.
- They prepare you for the real world and what a real job is like.
- It's AWESOME experience for you.
- It lengthens your resume! (See below for resume help!)
- Connections, connections, connections. The people you meet at your internship could possibly help propel you into the work field.
- It keeps you aware of what skills you may need to improve.
- You could gain full-time employment from an internship!
- It helps you to determine your "next step".
- Internships are often, but not always, required from universities.
- They help you understand what employers are looking for in a new hire.
Take it from Lindsey Pollak, author of the book "Getting From College to Career", who says "Internships are more important than ever." THEY ARE!
It is interesting, I often hear students and friends talk about internships, but that they do not have the time or desire to really get involved in an internship. Guess what? Internships have perks! Such as:
- You can receive school credit for signing up for an internship through your college/university.
- Sometimes, but not always, you get PAID. Yep, more moo-la for you, my dear internee.
- You meet friends! And EVERYONE loves friends, come on!
- You build your resume, gain experience, all the good things I listed above! (Helloooo, leg up?)
- Plus. You automatically gain millions of cool points. Who's the coolest thing since sliced bread? YOU ARE! You pass go AND collect $200!
Seriously. Take it from someone who has done 3, count 'em 3, internships. They are absolutely, 100% worth it and extremely awesome for your resume and your LIFE! YEAH!
So, if you're interested in being ahead of the game when you graduate college, definitely consider an internship. Strengthen your resume? Get school credit? Be uber awesome? Yep, internship. So get out there and be all the intern you can be!
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Interns, Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew!
In the REAL Wonderland, Alice has this issue with becoming too small or too big.
If you remember the 1951 film, Alice eats part of a mushroom and she grows so big that she ends up stuck in a house.
What does this have to do with internships, you ask?
I will tell you.
Ask Intern Alice Tip:
- Treat your life like a mushroom. If you eat too much of it, you become too big, get too overwhelmed. Although, it is awesome to have the opportunity to be involved with internships, keep in mind, the other things you have in your life. I'll use mine as an example. I work (a paying job), intern, school, and I also do volunteer work. I am often on overload because I perhaps, have bitten off a bit too much of my mushroom. Sometimes, things like my social life or even my school work, tend to suffer because one class is more demanding than another or I had to pick up a shift at my job or I have to work an event for my internship. Plus, if I am stressed, I will often fall ill. Which, with a busy schedule, does nothing bu create more problems. I want you to stay happy, healthy, loving life interns! Not miserable, stressed, frazzled interns.
Say you're like me and you're saying, "But Alice, I can DO THIS! I want to do this! I need to do this because... (enter excuse here on why you need this busy schedule, for me, I need to do this so I can graduate on time!)"
Well. I have another tid-bit of advice to assist you in your busy life!
If you have taken on a bit too much during a semester and you're feeling like your school work or your state of life is suffering, always always always talk to your internship boss first. Say you're there 3 days a week and you really want to cut back because you're classes are really hard. You can simply tell them the situation and ask if you can come in 2 days instead of 3. BE HONEST WITH THEM! You're boss will respect you for a) being honest and b) caring about your school work.
Don't expect sympathy from them if your "state of life" is suffering but you're only taking 2 classes and you want some time off.
This is not an excuse for you to be lazy, silly pants! Internships are important, they give you the experience you need for the "real world". And these people in charge of your internship will be writing letters of recommendation. You definitely don't want them to write that you were a lazy S-O-B, now do you? Exactly.
Check out this story from a student who was overloaded. Accounting? Ouch. He needed to eat a little less of his mushroom.
Or how about this student who needs to look into an internship!
So, REMEMBER. Life is like a mushroom from Wonderland, if you bite off too much, you may get maxed out. Don't bite off more than you can chew! Do what you can. Intern when you can, work when you can. Keep college your number one priority. Organize your time so things in your life don't suffer! And if you ever feel overwhelmed, talk to your boss, they'll understand.
And always stay happy, healthy, and keep smiling.
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Monday, October 5, 2009
Resume Writing 101
Resumes.
When you get an internship, you must provide a resume. When you head out to your next endeavor, you must provide a resume. When you apply to a job or graduate school...jeeze, if you make pancakes, AUNT JEMIMA might even need to see your resume.
Since we have distinguished in that short paragraph that a resume is extremely important, you are going to have to GET ON THAT!
But what? What was that, dearest internee? You do not know how to write a resume?!
POPPYCOCK.
(Insert Superman entrance music here)
This is what I am here for! I shall assist you in beginning your lovely resume!AND give you great sites to check out for additional help!
Here we go.
The first thing you're going to want to do is make a list of EVERYTHING you've done. Every group you've been involved with, sport you played, job you had...include everything. As they say, the more, the merrier! Here is a list for you to start with:
- clubs, sports, groups, titles you held (such as student body president or student government treasurer), if you took AP classes or were involved in the "accelerated track", volunteer work or projects, jobs, etc. Anything you deem worthy and feel like someone at a job interview should know that you were involved with a certain performance, group, anything. Write it down!
Next, make a separate list for all of your education background. You do not need to include elementary/middle school, only high school and college (unless they tell you to do so). For college, write down a couple of classes from your core curriculum (your major) that you can list on the resume.
Before we begin putting it all together, keep in mind, there are VARIOUS different templates or ways to build your resume. A lot of websites offer sample resumes such as How to Write a Resume and About.com (this is the site I used) both offer a lot of sample templates on how to make your resume look. I, however, am going to teach you the most common template. You can always change it up.
Moving on.
When you have your list of activities, educational info, and job lists together, you can begin putting it all into a word document. This will need to be TYPED. I believe, if you were to give a future employer a hand written resume, they would laugh at you. Many websites will be different in the way you list things on your resume (as I said before). I don't think there is necessarily a wrong way to write a resume, but you will ALWAYS want to make sure the most important information is at the beginning of your resume and the not-so-important is at the end.
So, with that said, here is the way you should begin constructing it (Take a peek!):
- CONTACT INFORMATION - Include your full name, address, phone number, and email
- EDUCATION - Most current goes first. So, if you received you Master's, you would want to list that first and then your bachelor's degree. Example: MBA - University of Texas, BA - Texas A&M, High School - Texas High
- EXPERIENCE - Again, current goes first! Your present job should be the first one you list and so fourth and so on.
- ACCOMPLISHMENTS - The example resume I offered as accomplishments at the beginning, however, being that you may be fresh out of college, your accomplishments should come after experience UNLESS you have some really important accomplishments. In that case, go you! Accomplishments should include awards you have won, contests you've been involved with, etc. (National Honor Society, Best Person Ever...those awards go here).
- VOLUNTEER WORK - I had quite a lengthy list of volunteer work. If you do as well, include it in it's own category! Internee! What a good heart you have.
- ACTIVITIES/INTERESTS - All those sports, clubs, extracurricular activities go here.
- SPECIAL SKILLS - Computer skills, MAC skills, software, camera/video equipment, that goes here.
- LANGUAGE - Make sure to include if you can speak/are fluent in a different language. (his is good for southern areas of the United States!)
KEEP IN MIND
Feel free to change items area, switch it up like this admin resume, a target resume, or this one!
You can always make your own categories if you want, no harm in adding more stuff AS LONG as it is significant. I would advise you NOT to make 60 thousand different categories with one item listed in each. Don't try to force it to look long! Your resume will be superb!
Always put the most recent first!
Dates are important! You worked at Burger King from 2000-2005 or you were an intern from May 2009 - July 2009. It is not necessary to provide EXACT dates, but you can if you really, really want to.
When it comes to the dreaded job descriptions, which you will want to include when you list your jobs/experience, don't be afraid to look online for help. This teacher resume has extremely detailed job descriptions. If you worked at Burger King, one of the descriptions you will want to include is cashier/cash register work and cleaning duties. But, again, don't be afraid to utilize the Internet!
This should definitely be enough to get you started writing one awesome resume! Need more assistance? I'd be happy to answer your questions!
OR. You can use these sites with more pointers on resumes!
A How-to video can be found my clicking here!
Rockport Institue has helpful tips on how to write the ultimate resume
Or you can click here for a resume builder.
GOOD LUCK and happy interning!
Love, Alice
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Tardy Intern: "I'm late for a very important date!"
So. When it comes to your internship, you always want to look, act and do your best.
This includes: SHOWING UP TO WORK ON TIME.
My middle school band teacher always used to say, "To be five minutes early is on time, to be on time is to be late."
Unfortunately, he is, even thought I don't want to admit it, right.
Being on time for your internship is key! Be sure to make sure when you FIRST receive your internship that you calculate the amount of time it will take you to get where ever you may be going. Use good ole' MapQuest if you're in need of someone to calculate for you!
Also, be aware of traffic!
I drive pretty far to get to my internship and often get stuck in traffic on the busiest highway. It is terrible because I am constantly calling or emailing them to tell the office that I am running late.
HOWEVER, this does not mean it's okay.
Internees, I am an example of a big no-no. No matter how long I've been a part of the PR firm/internship, it's still my responsibility to show up on time.
Check out this article by AIGA - The Professional Association for Design.
The number one item mentioned under the "good intern" category? BEING ON TIME!
Take my advice. Show up on time for you internship. It proves you're reliable and responsible.
Your internship is your important date, so don't be late!
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Search for the Best Internship!
(Insert aww here.)
Today, I want to share a few websites where you can (if you have not already) find awesome internships!
El numero uno: Internship Programs
This site allows you to search for the world's most perfect internship.
You can search by employeer, field, date, or location.
Keep in mind, many companies are searching for SUMMER interns.
They also post recently added internships, and there are quite a few from Boston Pads and The Art Farm!
Two: Student Jobs - A government based website.
This site helps you to create a resume and search for jobs/internships.
They also offer a scholarship. (and don't we all just LOVEEEE free moo-la!)
Three: Intern Zoo
You must have a login but they offer search engines and awesome internship advice.
(Not as good as mine, but I try not to be selfish! I want you to be an awesome intern, so take ALL advice!)
Four: MONSTER! College
Monster.com is the most amazing website, designed for students (as well as those seeking jobs).
They have absolutely everything you need to find an internship, so as I stated once before, DEFINITELY sign up with Monster.com.
However, be prepared that everytime you search on their site, they send you emails.
I get, at least, 5 a day. It's great.
And the fifth and final website: InternWeb
What's uber awesome about this site is on the home page is a list of ALL the recent internships available AND they range from California to Pennsylvania.
So anywhere you want to go, you can!
There are many other awesome sites available online, so make sure to utilize that google, man!
When you search these sites make sure you check out a few minor details!
- Do they pay? (A major plus if they do!!)
- How many hours MUST you be there or how many days a week, etc?
- What will you be doing? HELLO, you DO NOT want to apply for a PR internship where you're going to be scraping dog poo off of sidewalks.
- Do you need letters of recommendation? If it's for a summer internship, you're going to want those letters written before school gets out because during the summer, you may not be able to contact the professors.
- Get the contact information!!
Hopefully you find these websites as helpful as I did when I was looking for an internship!
Happy internship hunting!Love, Alice
Friday, October 2, 2009
Life's a Journey, but Don't Stop Believing!
In order to help you become the best intern EVER, there is one serious topic I want you to be knowledgeable on.
There is this thing people refer to as "the ladder". This "ladder" is an invisible thing you must climb in order to move up in the ranks. Whether it be from intern to paid employee or account executive to CEO. It is often understood that you must pay your dues, work your way up, in order to become "something". Everyone in corporate America knows about the ladder.
And, trust me, as an intern, you will hear about this "ladder". From employers, employees, family members, jealous colleagues, it's all about this DAMN LADDER.
Intern Alice Story:
When I worked at the TV station, I was convinced (as most girls going into television often are) that I wanted to be an entertainment reporter. I thought I could rock it and that is what I wanted to do, no questions. When I told one of the reporters who was showing me the ropes my dream, he told me "Oh, well, you can't just do that. You have to work your way up the ladder, first. Gotta start somewhere."
That was, undoubtedly, one of the worst moments in my life, thus far. Not just because of what the reporter said, but because picking up the pieces afterward was a mess. I questioned myself: if that was what I REALLY wanted to do, what was I going to do with my life now? Does this mean I am not a good journalist? Am I just not good enough? My confidence was shot. And recovering from such a tough blow, it just wasn't easy.
Internees, I'm not telling you this story to scare you or to get sympathy from you. I want to tell you this secret, give you a clue to one of the most important lessons you will learn at your internship.
Glee - Don't Stop Believing
Don't ever stop believing, in you.
Happy Interning!
Love, Alice
Friday, September 25, 2009
Internship Ethics: The Cheshire Cat.
SO. I ran into quite an issue the other day that I want to share.
It involves ETHICS.
(We all remember the classic scene from Billy Madison regarding, business-ethics.)
So first, what is ethics?
Well. According to the dictionary there is a fabulous and lengthy definition for ethic(s).
However, in addition to giving you the smart definition, I'm going to give you the Alice definition.
GOOD VS. EVIL. YOUR MORALS.
It is how you deal with right vs. wrongs in situations.
Now you're probably thinking, "Alice, WTF? What does this have to do with internships?"
And I say, EVERYTHING, MY DEAR INTERNEES, EVERYTHING.
(It certainly ties into office behavior!)
Intern Alice Story:
The company I intern for also is closely associated to my actual "paying job". So close, I often have the big-time business guys coming in to tell me about something they need me to look into or they have something for me to do the next time I'm at my internship. A few days ago, one of the big-wigs strolled in and gave me the usual speech. "I need you to email me...", "Can you look into...", "What ever happened with..." but rather than be the polite, professional business man he is, he did something that caught me totally off-guard. He began to bad-mouth my company. No, there was no f'bombs or name calling, but he said enough to put me in a really uncomfortable position. What do I do now?
- You can't be a taddle-tale. Running back to the PR Firm and telling on him makes you look...like a taddle-tale.
- You can't say something to the owner, because he'll fire your ass quicker than you can say money. (Plus, what ever would you say to him? He has the upper hand.)
- You can't demand. You're an unpaid intern, so going into the internship and demanding he treat you better will do absolutely nothing.
- You can't throw the owner under the bus. Again, like being a taddle-tale.
Ahh, the grey area where right and wrong are blurred.
It's like the Cheshire Cat, laughing at you because you have no idea which way to go. There is up and down and right and left, so many ways to go! But only one will lead you home. And, it is the same for making ethical decisions. I could have yelled at him, I could have told him he was wrong, I could have cried to my boss at my internship.
Still not too sure about internship ethics? Check out KPMGGo's Channel on YouTube. They have some great videos on internship, ethics, and internship ethics!
Remember, internees, DO THE RIGHT THING! Being in the grey area is a sticky situation, but if you use your head, you'll be well on your way!
Happy Interning,
Love, Alice
Friday, September 18, 2009
Internship Tweedle DO(S) and Tweedle DUMB(S).
This calls for a pep-talk.
Ohhh that's right, I'm going there.
Many internees can get through the interview.
thing.
INTERN ALICE STORY:
So, to help you become the most perfect, successful little intern you can be, I have created:
- No cursing, even if everyone in the office does. Swearing is not classy and a potty mouth doesn't give your boss the greatest impression of you. They may not allow you on the phone if you're constantly dropping the f-bomb. Or...they may just drop you. Definitely, at your internship, watch your mouth.
- My Mom always told me, "Keep your nose clean." Don't get caught up in the "office gossip". Take it from THE OFFICE! It's not a good idea.
3. ABSOLUTELY NO INTER-OFFICE DATING! Yes, the older women are hot! Yes, the cute account executive was flirting with you! STOP, before you get yourself into a whirlwind of trouble! Seriously. IT IS A BAD IDEA.
4. Since Social Media is extremely rampid, there are a couple of tips for this:
- Adding your boss as a Facebook friend is up to you. Intern Alice's suggestion? No. Why? Because it allows your boss into your personal life. For instance, a colleague of mine at the PR Firm added our boss as a friend and then the boss began to poke around in her personal life. Plus, things like THIS can happen. Yet, this is completely up to your disgression.
- BEING ON FACEBOOK AT WORK. Fortunately, my internship entails working on Facebook, so for me, being on Facebook is a constant thing. However, when I was at the radio station and the TV station, I never was on it. It's just not proper internship etiquette. You're there to learn, not to be on Facebook.
5. Do ask questions! Never be afraid to ask your boss (or co-worker) what to do in a certain situation. Of course, gauge the question first in order to decide who it's appropriate to ask. Normally, I stick to asking my co-workers! (Like I did when it came to my blog-ski!)
6. A few friends never hurt anyone! Some will argue that making friends at an internship is inapproprate, but I disagree! Making friends will not only be beneficial to you as an individual, but also, these lovely new peeps may be able to offer you connections when your internship comes to a close. This can also become a sticky situation, such as drinking with co-workers, which I believe is not a smart decision when you are an INTERN.
7. Don't drink and intern. No. Bad, little internee. This is a terrible idea.
8. Use your manners. Please, Thank You, May I, Excuse me, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. These days, using manners, being genuinely kind, and civility are hard to find. (Cough, cough, Kanye West, cough cough, Joe Wilson, cough, cough.) Businesses and corporations are looking for employees that are NOT ONLY hard workers, but that are good people. And as Flannery O'Connor said, "A good man is hard to find". So use those manners! (Please.)
9. Go above and beyond. Boss-lady wants you to take out her trash, take out everyone's trash! Boss-man wants you to get coffee for him, ask everyone if they want coffee! Perhaps these are silly situations, but when an employee or boss sees you going the extra mile, THEY WILL NOTICE. And they will appreciate it! Being an intern is a privilege, prove to them you deserve it and do a little extra!
10. COMMON SENSE. COMMON SENSE. COMMON SENSE. For heaven's sake, use GOOD JUDGEMENT!
I could list 230434534530239485 things for you to do or not to do at an internship. I can give you my advice, my opinion. But what it boils down to is your own GOOD judgement. If you feel comfortable adding your boss as your friend on Facebook, more power to ya! Want to have drinks with your co-workers? Fine. But use common sense when it comes to the way you act at the office.
Don't be a Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum when it comes to your office, act like a professional. Smile! Be kind! Don't get wrapped up in the unwanted gossip or petty arguements. Watch your mouth. Be aware. Don't look at porn on your office computer!
With the help of these tips, you're well on your way to your first day as a fabulous intern!
Stay tuned for more helpful hints from yours truly!
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
P.S!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Intern Fashion: "OFF WITH TH....that JACKET!"
A few days ago, I sent my fabulous blog link to my Mom for her to take a peeksee at!
Ahhh, BINGO!
Professional Attire.
I am NOT an expert on fashion.
Therefore, I am bringing in the experts.
Wardrobe 911 is a helpful site for you fabulous female interns who are in need of some serious FA-Shion advice.
Here are a few of the tips they offer:
Pencil skirts: a must have for the workforce! Make sure to keep it knee-length, any shorter is an absolute no-no. (Unless you're interning at Hooters.)
Jackets or boyfriend jackets will help to dress down any casual khakis. Make sure to accessorize with more colorful necklaces.
Cashmere cardigans in pastel/neutral colors. You never would want to wear neon to an internship. (Unless your internship is for a company that hosts RAVES.)
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY AN ARM AND A LEG FOR CUTE CLOTHES! Check out XXI, TJ MAXX, and Express!
Gentlemen! I have not forgotten about you! Check out Boardroom Ties for what NOT to wear to an internship.
More Formal = Grab those penguin suits and ties. Less Formal = Khakis and Polos.
Gentlemen, for you: Banana Republic, Macy's, and Kohl's! (Plus, as ZZ Top once said, "Every girl crazy for a sharp dressed man.")
- ALWAYS ask your boss about the dress code first!
- It's always better to overdress rather than underdress.
- Think of these words when dressing for your internship: Neat, Classy, Professional.
- Keep the colors neutral.
- Don't over-bling. Clubbing jewelry belongs at the club, not the office.
- And remove the ring in your nose or eyebrow or anywhere else. Sorry. NO.
- For heaven's sake, nothing see-through.
Monday, September 14, 2009
TEA TIME with Intern Alice.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
YOOOUUU-WHOOO, LITTLE INTERN! IT'S REALITY!
I refer to this face as, obviously, the SpongeBob SquarePants. I look EXACTLY like this when I'm stressed.
You've got "Student Stress" - School, part-time job, etc. etc. And you need to find an internship? Pshht! NO TIME.
Luckily enough! There is a reality savior! HELLOOOO MONSTER.COM!
Ask Alice Tip 2
Get an account with www.monster.com, immediately!
Monster is the perfect tool for all your job-searching needs! You can search for internship positions, entry-level positions, from Florida to California to Fiji! (Ah, sunshine!)
Also, you can search any occupation, title, salary. And being a busy college student, it's hard to take time to conduct a serious job/internship hunt.
It's a REAL LIFE MIRACLE!
They help you! Cut time, costs...BRILLIANT!
Make sure to check out Monster.com today to help you make REAL LIFE a little less stressful.
Happy interning!
Love, Alice
Saturday, September 12, 2009
To Pay an Intern or Not to Pay an Intern? That is the Question.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The office is HOT! And so are smart phones!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
WELCOME INTERNS!
Wondering what an internship entails?
Want to find or apply for an internship?
Need advice on a situation at your professional internship?
Are you just feeling lost? In need of a place to start?!
Welcome, my friends, you have stumbled on to your rabbit hole...into InternshipLand!
I'm Alice and I'm an intern.
Currently, I work at a Public Relations Firm.
But I've also worked at radio and television stations.
I have done everything from make copies to writing press releases.
AND I WANT TO HELP YOU!
Ask me, Alice the Intern, and directly you'll be directed in the right direction for all your internship needs!