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Showing posts from July, 2016

College Internships: What's the Secret to Success?

In an op ed in the New York Times earlier this month, Ford Foundation president, Darren Walker, speaks to the value of college internships. Walker noted the personal impact: "As a low-income kid from a small town who entered college without an extended network, my internships equipped me with the skills, confidence and relationships to channel my potential into a rewarding career." Mr. Walker offers a blunt assessment of internships: "Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not." He suggests that those who want to improve growing levels of inequality "actually - and often unconsciously - reinforce the dynamics that create inequality in their own lives." His solution is to offer paid internships, with the government stepping in to compensate interns in work settings like the nonprofit community for those students who do not have other established networks to support them. Mr. Walker provides examples of federal programs that could be used to &quo

College Students: You Simply Must Do an Internship (Better Yet: Multiple Internships)!

As both an educator and a partner in Quintessential Careers, I get very frustrated when college students graduate and then tell me that they can’t get a job because employers disdain their lack of experience. We try to impress on students how phenomenally important it is that they complete at least one internship, and preferably several. But since we still hear from students facing the how-can-I-get-experience-if-I-have- no-experience dilemma, some students are probably wondering why they should complete internships. Let’s start with the No. 1 reason and work down the list of reasons you must do an internship: 1. Employers increasingly want to see experience in the new college grads they hire. A staggering 95 percent of employers said candidate experience is a factor in hiring decisions, according to an annual survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Nearly half of surveyed employers wanted new-grad experience to come from internships or co-op programs. If yo

Here’s What Interns Can Do Differently to Impress Their Bosses

Your professionalism should extend beyond the office. The Leadership Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question “How do you turn an internship into a full-time job?” is by Edward Fleischman, CEO of The Execu|Search Group. Rule number one: Treat any internship like a working interview. The company you’re interning at may or may not hire interns for full-time positions, but you should still put your most professional foot forward. Even if you’re not offered a full-time job when your internship is over, the connections you make can be invaluable as you progress in your career. You should start exhibiting professional behavior from day one. When you first interview for the internship, be sure to take notice of what people in the office are wearing. That way, on your first day, you can make an effort to wear clothes that either match

How to Make the Most of Your Internship

The quality of internships varies greatly. It doesn't really make a difference whether your internship is paid or unpaid. When an organization has a formal internship program, you may have opportunities that you wouldn't get in the absence of one. This is generally because supervisory responsibility and duties are clearly outlined as part of a formal program. In a more unstructured environment, you may find that it's difficult to maneuver without a designated boss and work stream. Both arrangements have pros and cons. If you're lucky, you may be assigned a mentor or supervisor who will take you to meetings and answer your questions. However, you may find that you don't have enough to keep you busy or you may not know who to reach out to with questions. If you are in that position, here are some ways you can get more out of your internship. Find out where your support is. It may be uncomfortable to do or require digging, but you must figure out who can help you. If

10 Tips on How to Get the Most Out of an Internship

Over the last week, I have been interning at Finn Partners Europe. An internship is a position within a company for a student or trainee and is an opportunity to gain work experience and obtain new skills. An internship can be useful for many reasons; it not only looks great on your CV, but it’s an opportunity to potentially meet your future employer and get your foot on the employment ladder. However, being an intern can be both scary and intimidating, not least because you’re in a strange environment and you’re surrounded by people you don't know. Following these top 10 tips will not only help to calm your nerves, but they will ensure you get the most out of your internship: • Preparation is key: Walking into a company that you know nothing about is never going to be a good start, or give off a good impression. Before your first day as an intern, research the company; find out who you’re going to be working with and the kind of projects you could be working on. • Dress for succe

Internship has been a learning process

When I came in to interview, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. I figured working for a newspaper would be a cool summer job and could be a great resume builder for the looming college application process, but I didn’t really know what to expect. The idea to apply for the internship came when I realized how journalism was a consistent part of my daily routine. For example, the four most visited sites on my iPhone right now are as follows: Pitchfork (music news/reviews), The Ringer (sports news), Buzzfeed (pop culture/goofy news), and the Star Tribune. But it wasn’t until I interviewed that I fully realized why I like news, and what makes for good journalism. After quickly going through a few standard questions my interviewer, Daily Journal Editor Tim Engstrom, asked an unexpected one. “What do you do if you’re writing an article about a short person?” What? I hadn’t expected this question and had no idea what the right answer could possibly be. I scoured my mind to come up

3 Key Skills You Need for an Internship

We are right in the middle of internship season! Each summer, thousands of students move to office spaces in business casual with the hopes of building new skills and getting broader insight into their future potential career paths. Despite the excitement that comes with getting "real world" experience, many students get very stressed about the transition from academic life to intern life. I sat down with three of our interns at NextGenVest, the Money Mentor for every student, to share their top tips. Talk to Real People to Find the Best Internships Joy, a sophomore at New York University's Undergraduate Stern School of Business, is a NextGenVest Operations Intern, where she works to develop the strategy and build student teams to launch in new cities across the country. She noted that she tried posting on a lot of job sites but it's easy to get overwhelmed if you don't meet the requirements in the job descriptions, especially as a college student. Applying to &qu

What Every Intern Gets Wrong About Landing a Job

It’s not all about friendships. Over the past 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to discuss mentorship and individual success with hundreds of MBA students and working professionals. For those trying to convert an internship into a full-time job, I’ve found these four approaches to be valuable: Listen and read between the lines Listening might sound simple, but there are several layers to it. Certainly listen for what you’re supposed to be doing, but don’t limit an internship opportunity by only working on what was listed in the job description. Listen to what they actually want from interns, and to the people around you—your supervisor, their colleagues, and their leadership. This will help you get an idea, not only of what they’re looking for from employees, but of the organization’s culture. By observing how they interact with one another, you can assess whether it’s an environment you want to be in long term and how you can fit in. Adapt and stretch yourself Be willing to adapt an

The 2 Questions Interns Should Ask to Prove They Want a Full-Time Position

You have to stay on your toes. In the scramble to turn an internship into a permanent role, it’s easy to lose sight of an internship’s inherent benefits: the chance to learn more about what you like and what you’re good at. Though I never had the opportunity to be an intern myself, I’ve managed many interns in my role as CTO at Vacasa, and I’m convinced that internships are one of the best ways to find talented, motivated employees. Internships aren’t just good for employers; they’re good for prospective employees. Internships allow your skills to blossom, give you insight into a company’s culture, and enable you to form potentially powerful relationships. The best internships empower you to work hard and get better at what you do. That said, if you land a great internship, you’re definitely going to want to turn it into a full-time job. Here are some tips for making that happen: Be curious Use your time as an intern to identify your own aptitudes. If you’re a developer, would you rath

How To Turn Your Internship Program Into A Mentorship Program

When my co-founders chose our company headquarters near our alma mater, we were all inspired (in part) by romantic notions of coming full circle to give back to the community that made us who we are. We imagined interns folding under wing like our very own hatchlings and hanging on our every wise word. Then, shortly after the move, I mistakenly introduced an intern as a mentee and the sophomore shot me the most confused look. Suddenly, I felt silly and presumptuous. That’s when it dawned on me: my high-mindedness had only made a difference for my ego. So, I set out to build a strategy around better engaging our interns so that their time with us truly does enhance their lives as well as their resumes. Here are five ways to incorporate mentorship into your internship program. Make Your Aspirations Known Early On Initially, fear of failure prevented me from admitting how ambitious we were about our intern program. Saying “I want to be your mentor” felt like telling someone you just met t

The right way to use summer interns

Who wouldn’t want to spend all summer by the pool or lake? But while lifeguarding and camp counseling are still popular ways to fill the mid-year months and earn some cash, more young people are seeking out temporary placements with businesses instead. For employers, internships are a low risk method to recruit and develop the next generation of talent. There’s rarely a shortage of willing young people, since internships can launch careers and provide valuable work experience. But despite the benefits, many small companies don’t offer summer placements. One reason: Bad press. Some companies and industries have landed in hot water for failing to pay their temps. For example, Lionsgate, a U.S. entertainment company, faces a significant lawsuit over unpaid work performed by its interns in 2014. And in August 2014, Bell Canada cancelled its unpaid internship program following a federal labour dispute. The Ontario Ministry of Labor – and other provincial standards – makes clear that simply

The significance of Internship in the Finance sector?

The internship is a must in the financial sector. Survey of some management institutes projects that most of the recruitment happens in mostly in Consulting, sales and finance sectors. It is a highly rewarded and competitive field. Many students select finance as their major in colleges and aspire to join with banking or consulting sectors. Finance internship opens many opportunities for the enthusiastic and ambitious students. In today's date with the rise of the social media world is connected and small. To get in touch with the CEO's and important people is just a tweet away so students need to be aware of their social presence and create a resume full of recommendations and powerful skill set with experience. So is it too easy to get what is mentioned above let us discuss? Well. Getting the desired finance internship is a difficult process you need to have a powerful resume, clear goals and knowledge about the companies providing internships. The internship should be after

The significance of Internship in Law sector?

Law sector is very challenging and critical. According to statistics 72% graduates were working in law firms in 2015.Getting a career break in law sector is very hard, people look for talented and experienced people so how do you portray yourself eligible? Apply for Law internships. Law internships give you the following benefits Experience : Interns can get trained in a hands-on project in their field of interest. Real challenges, realistic client cases and real brainstorming sessions make you prepared to face the job requirements. Ability to take a decision. The law sector has a lot of employment opportunities like corporate law, litigation, academics and working, working for NGOs and criminal law etc. Interns can get acquainted with their career choices by internships where they can polish their skill set and make excellent choices on the basis of mentors opinion and their choice. Motivation:Apart from skill set you should have a motivation to yourself. Interns directly dealing with

Things you should know about India before doing an internship in abroad?

Incredible India is what is called! India is a beautiful and culturally rich land. India is known for the beautiful scenery, a land of mountains, beaches, north is cold and snow clad and south is warm and filled with sunshine beaches. Country of many temples and many gods! Here are few things you should know before taking an internship in abroad. India is developing fast. Industrial revolution and increase of Information technology have made it the most promising country. There are a lot of multinational companies placing their offices here in India to get quality workforce. All types of industries are here. Start from well-known Bollywood of song and dance. Many opportunities for film making internship. Speaking of Bollywood how can we not include fashion. India has given some of the great fashion names like Aishwarya rai, Sushmita Sen etc as Miss world and Miss India boasting the fashion and modelling industry. People like Aishwarya Rai and Sonam Kapoor are the face of a big fashion

How to get along with your new colleagues in your internship

Colleagues are important during an internship. Having a good relationship with your colleagues is necessary however it is not always easy, especially for interns who have never had work experience before. Below are some tips for you to get along smoothly with your colleagues. 1. Find a common interest and socialise during your lunch time Finding a common interest is a good way to break the ice. For example, it can be a common favourite movie, a common hobby or a common favourite meal. Take initiative to have lunch and chat with your colleagues during a break. It can be advantageous to know and to be known by your colleagues. If you have a good time during lunch, it may help you to start or strengthen a relationship. However, you can not expect that everyone in the company will be your friend. Be sure not to talk about sensitive topics, such as religion, politics or something too personal. 2. Be respectful and adaptable Especially for interns who work in a multicultural c

If You Offer Mid-Career Internships, Flaunt It

Have you heard of the 40-Year-Old Intern? Or the 50-Year-Old Intern? These are people returning to the workforce after a career break for child care, elder care, or other personal reasons by taking an internship like you might have had out of college or graduate school. Professional mid-career internships operate on the same principle as any other internship: they provide employees the opportunity to be evaluated on an actual work sample instead of a series of interviews by an employer that might want to hire them. Part work, part training, and part exposure to a company culture to see if there is a match, professional internship programs are short-term, non-binding work arrangements that provide a testing period. For employers or hiring managers that view hiring from the return-to-work pool as a riskier proposition, this trial period lowers the perceived risk. Professional internships are emerging as a special category of progressive action for employers and a powerful return-to-work

Do you have the zeal to work in the fashion industry: Utilise our pursue Asia internship program?

Internships are very important in the fashion industry. The student is so interested in working for big fashion houses that they do not bother about the hours they are working or the internship paid or not. But it is the combination of skill set hard work and timing that the internship converts to the permanent job. So what zeal is required to sustain the constant pressure? The fashion industry is fast changing and trends are hard to follow. A fashion interns should be quick in adapting to this changes and should be smart enough to track the changes in the trends and should be able to predict which trends are to be repeating. All this sounds simple but it is not. Interns should be clear on which role is best for them before taking the internship otherwise chances are that you may end up doing the groundwork for big fashion houses. Be smart and do not get confused in the limelight of fashion world. Choose the fashion internships in fashion journalism, merchandise designing, fashion desi

PursueAsia International Internship Program

PursueAsia provides International Internship programs in India, Dubai, and Singapore. The company provides internship programs to global students from various universities, into Asian multinational companies for various professional sectors.For further assistance related to Internship related queries in India, Dubai or Singapore, please visit: http://www.pursueasia.com . -WhatsApp : +91 7768033776 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtB_fmeuaIU

6 Ways Employers Can Make Unpaid Internships Worthwhile

A recent court ruling decided that unpaid internships are fair to students if the internship offers the student educational value and learning. But, this ruling is a little vague. What elements in an internship make it a valuable experience? To make an internship program beneficial for both parties, employers should ensure interns apply knowledge learned in the classroom within the workplace and leave the internship with multiple quantifiable accomplishments. The trade-off, of course, is employers gain ideas from the fresh perspective of a current student learning new industry trends. I firmly believe this ruling should not be used as an excuse to not pay interns. In fact, any company that hosts an internship program should compensate interns with at least minimum wage for their hard work, if not right away, eventually. But I do appreciate the focus of internships returning to the quality of the experience received rather than just money in exchange for work. After all, internships are

9 Tips for Hiring and Managing Interns Startups Need to Know

Ah, cheap labor. The idea of hiring low-paid or unpaid interns is quite a compelling prospect for cash-strapped startup founders. Indeed, a team of talented, productive interns can allow startups to remain focused on high-level strategy while others do the busywork. What entrepreneur could refuse such an opportunity? The problem is that many startups do a terrible job hiring and managing interns, causing the process to become more time-consuming than not having interns in the first place. We know this at Brainscape because we've made plenty of mistakes ourselves. Hiring interns at a startup can be quite different than hiring at big companies. Below are some best practices we've learned about hiring and managing interns at an early-stage startup: 1. Remember to highlight "WIIFM." To even consider a low-paying position at an unknown company, a candidate will clearly need to know “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM?). After all, having done nothing but mindless data entry for

4 Lifelong Benefits You Get From an Internship Abroad

Hundreds of thousands of internship opportunities exist for U.S. college students. Our company, BRIC, has offered internships at our Shanghai and New York City offices the last four years, and interns have said the experience enhanced their lives immensely. By doing an internship, you are setting yourself up for the future by distinguishing yourself from your peers in the eyes of employers. It’s a great experience and could be a means to snagging that first job. I cannot recommend strongly enough that every college student do at least one internship while at school. There is, however, one thing more I would recommend: If you’re looking for something to do during the summer that will challenge you, get you out of your comfort zone, let you see the world and change your life, do an internship abroad. Here are four reasons why an internship abroad should be a priority. 1. Experience Sure, you can get experience here in the United States; an internship stateside is definitely an option. Ho

How to Run an Awesome Unpaid Internship Program

Twitter and Facebook may be able to pay their interns what many of us would hope to earn full time, but for employers outside of Silicon Valley, that's wishful thinking. More than 4,700 companies across the U.S. are hiring interns right now, according to career database Glassdoor, and very few have anything approaching the tech giants' resources. Is it possible for a company who can't afford to pay its interns minimum wage, much less Silicon Valley prices, to recruit top talent? Yes, says Glassdoor's senior vice president of people Allyson Willoughby. If you can't offer money, however, you have to provide valuable experiences. Here are her tips for running an unpaid internship program that will nonetheless attract desirable candidates. 1) Offer real world experience. Internships are valuable because they offer students professional exposure in an industry they want to enter and can often help them land a job down the line. While some companies try and lure free help

Five benefits of completing an Internship

Internships are where higher education meets employment; they allow students to gain experience working in an organization while studying at university. They can be paid or unpaid and allow you to work in an organization for a set period, which could be anything from one intensive week, to interning once a week for twelve months. In some courses, such as medicine, nursing and education, which require access to hospitals and schools, industry placements are standard and are organized by the university. Other courses, such as those in the arts, business, engineering, law, information technology and science fields, vary between institutions and may or may not include industry placements or internship subjects, placing the onus largely on the student. Even if your course does contain an internship component it doesn’t mean that you can’t take on another internship at other stages of the course; after all, the more experience you have, the better. It is likely that your lecturers and tutor

5 Keys to Building a World-Class Internship Program

As a summer intern with an east coast consultancy, I worked 80 hours a week scrubbing data for an econometric model of long wall mining. It was as terrible as it sounds. I had the classic intern experience -- a constant flood of tedious, low-value work. Here at Vivint, we decided to build an internship program that was the exact opposite of what most companies offer. We wanted to elevate the intern experience from the basement to the executive wing. As an emerging technology company, we knew the value that could come from an infusion of young, forward-thinking individuals. A good internship program welcomes young professionals who may be less experienced, but who have fresh ideas that can be partnered with the insight and supervision of those who have more developed business perspectives. We’ve just completed the second summer of our Vivint Fellowship Program. Looking over what we’ve learned so far, I’d like to share five ways a company can build a world-class internship program for th