News Archives
How to survive your first month of classes
Ah, the month of August. The air is getting cooler, the corn is growing tall, the humidity is disappearing…and itâs time to go back to school. As you make the transition from swimming pools and sunbathing to lecture halls and homework, you may be in need of a couple tips to help you survive that first month back.
Show up to class
Itâs always extremely tempting to blow off the first few weeks of class, but once you finally decide to show up, youâll realize youâve already dug yourself into a hole. Those classes in the beginning will provide you with an overview of the course and the expectations youâll need to meet if you want to succeed. If you arenât there for those first few days, youâll miss that information. Plus, college is expensive! You donât want to pay for something that you arenât even utilizing.
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Internship Description Refresh
Youâve posted your internship onto IndianaINTERN.net, and you start waiting for the applications to roll in. However, after a few weeks youâve yet to get a response. What could be going on?
If you find yourself in this predicament, the first place you should check is your internshipâs description. Poorly written and vague descriptions leave students unclear of what your internship has to offer. Your internshipâs description needs to clearly state what it entails and what type of student you are looking for. It should attract students to work for your company and leave them eager to apply.
Promote your organization
The description section of your internship is the perfect place to include details about your organization. Share some information about what your company does, where itâs located, any awards it may have received, etc. Really sell your organization to potential applicants.
In this section, you can also include information …
Four Email Examples That Will Keep Your Network Strong
As spring internships begin to wrap up, one of the most important things  you can do before departing is to record your supervisorâs, mentorâs, fellow co-workersâ, etc. contact information. The connections  you make during your internship can become extremely valuable down the line.
But collecting contacts isnât enough. You have to actually stay in touch with them! The Intern Queen recommends reaching out to your professional contacts at least three times per year. This will help ensure that your connections remain strong.
Use these email examples if youâre struggling to figure out what to say:
____________________________________________
“A good network is like a garden â if you want it to thrive, you have to put in a little effort.”
____________________________________________
You notice your connection accomplished something
Hi XXXX,
I happened to  see on LinkedIn that you received a promotion! Congratulations! What does …
Camisa Vines: Making an IMPACT
Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nomineesâ successes.
These are their stories
Camisa Vines is a senior at John Adams High School and is expecting to graduate in June 2018.
Indiana INTERNnet: Are you planning to attend college? If so, what school(s) and major/minor are you considering?
Camisa Vines: I plan on attending Purdue University and majoring in computer information technology and/or computer science. I am also considering a minor in Sports Media or some sort of graphic design.
IIN: Describe your internship with South Bend Code School.
CV: Within my internship, I instruct younger students how to build games and websites.
IIN: How did you become interested in coding and computer programming?
CV: For as long as I can remember, …
Interns and Mentors Invited to Five Summer Events
Interns and internship supervisors from organizations throughout central Indiana are invited to events at The Childrenâs Museum of Indianapolis (May 31), Fountain Square Theatre Rooftop Garden (June 1), Indianapolis Zoo (July 10), Indiana State Fair (August 3) and meet@TheChallenge (August 23). Each will offer professional development and networking opportunities in addition to time to explore the venues and have fun.
The Childrenâs Museum of Indianapolis event will begin at 9 a.m. with an interactive workshop. Prior to that, check-in will be held at 8:30 a.m., and interns will be invited to participate in a networking game. Following the workshop, attendees will be free to explore The Childrenâs Museum until it closes at 5 p.m. Guests will have access to The Riley Childrenâs Health Sports Legends Experience. Lunch will not be provided, but attendees may bring their own or purchase at the museum. Capacity is limited and online registration is …
Marissa Smith: Making an IMPACT
Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on February 7, 2018 at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nomineesâ successes.
These are their stories.
Marissa Smith is a junior at IUPUI studying journalism and public relations. She serves as the communications intern for local nonprofit Indiana Futsal, writing articles, managing social media content, and assisting with the coordination of the organizationâs many events.
How the IMPACT Awards Indirectly âImpactedâ Me
In addition to having started my campus job just over a year ago, it has also been roughly a year since I began my internship with locally-based nonprofit Indiana Futsal! What originally began as temporary internship for a sport Iâd never heard of before (Oops) has flourished into a yearlong position Iâm highly grateful for.
Today I attended the Indiana INTERNnet IMPACT Awards …
Timing is Key When it Comes to Posting an Internship
Can you believe that summer internships are already being posted on IndianaINTERN.net? Some employers may be thinking this is way too soon, but itâs the perfect time. Unlike recruiting full-time employees, interns have multiple things to consider like short-term housing, class schedules and receiving college credit before being able to accept. Thatâs why itâs so important for employers to give themselves plenty of time to recruit internship candidates.
According to Indiana INTERNnetâs Employer Guide, students often apply to summer internships in February or March. However, highly competitive programs start recruiting in the fall prior.
During the summer, some students may be interested in interning at a company thatâs far from their hometown. Since this will require them to set aside time to find short-term housing, they start searching for internships early. That way, if they receive an internship offer, theyâll have ample time to figure out their housing situation.
This …
What to Do When You Donât Know What to Do
Oh, the holidays. Itâs a time for friends, family, food and prying questions about your future. Before I graduated high school, my family members spent some time during our holiday gathering to ask me what I wanted to do with my life. The questioning only intensified after I started college. I would always have an answer, but I honestly didnât know exactly what I wanted to do until the second semester of my sophomore year in college.
Some people know exactly what they want to do and where theyâd like to work. While others may not have any idea, and thatâs OK! Your career path is an extremely important decision that greatly affects your life, so take as long as you need to figure out what youâd like to pursue. Hereâs some resources you can explore to help you weigh your options:
Browse IndianaINTERN.net
Even if you arenât ready …
Internship Woes? Speak Up!
After weeks of searching, applying and interviewing, you finally receive an internship offer! Youâre super excited about the projects youâre going to complete and the people youâll be working with. However, after the first month of interning, you realize that your role and responsibilities are not what you expected. You might feel like your skills are not being utilized or developed, but what can you do?
Talk to your internship supervisor
Your supervisor is the person who is tasked with providing you with the resources you need to have a successful internship. If youâre unhappy, theyâre the first person you should speak with. Review your internshipâs description, and if it doesnât match up with the work youâre doing, let them know.
Express your eagerness to take on more projects. Then, work with your supervisor to come up with a workplan so you have a structured outline of what you …
Dress to Impress for Less
Earlier this year at one of Indiana INTERNnetâs intern engagement events, Pete the Planner explained that after graduation, youâre going to need to spend quite a bit of money to develop a professional wardrobe. You canât show up to job interviews wearing oversized college sweatshirts, jeans and Converse shoes! But, what if you donât have the money for a snazzy suit? Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find affordable and stylish options.
Thrift Stores
You can find many hidden gems at your local thrift store! Places like Goodwill offer a variety of menâs and womenâs suit separates, dresses, shoes and ties. Since blazers are about $5, slacks are $4 and a full suit is $10, you may be able to afford alterations. Tailoring can totally transform your look and have people thinking you spent hundreds. ShhâŠyour secret is safe with me!
Consignment/Resale Stores
Most of my professional …
So, You Received an Internship Offer â Now What?
After weeks, if not months applying, you receive the call youâve been looking for: you got the internship! Before saying âyes,â there are a couple of things you should do to make sure that your internship experience is going to be a great one!
Confirm details
Make sure that you are on the same page about your pay rate and schedule you will be working. Determine what your first and last days will be, and mention any planned vacations you may have. This will help your internship supervisor plan ahead for the days you will be absent.
Also, if your company doesnât have a private parking lot, ask for parking information. Some companies can provide a monthly parking stipend to interns, but some may not be able to. If you will be on your own for parking, ask for the most affordable options, and reserve your …
Virtual Internship â INDEAL
Have you ever wondered what a virtual internship is like and how it works? Kristi Rubino from INDEAL found her virtual summer marketing intern, Emma Wright, through Indiana INTERNnet. In the video below, youâll learn about Wrightâs virtual internship and what Rubino thinks are the benefits of having a virtual internship.
This video was produced by Indiana INTERNnetâs summer 2017 intern, Emily Brooks.
Donât Become Stressed Out, Burnt Out and Cranky
On Wednesdays during the fall semester of my senior year of college, I would intern until 5 p.m., go to a night class until 9 p.m. and then do homework until 12 a.m. The other days of the week, I was either interning or in class. On the weekends, I worked part time at a department store.
I needed an internship for experience and to graduate. I needed to go to class to graduate. I needed a part-time job to pay to graduate. Plus, I had to do all of this while maintaining relationships my family and friends.
I remember scrolling through Twitter one night, seeing this graphic and thinking, âYES! This is exactly how I feel!â
By October, I was stressed out, burnt out and cranky. When I would be at work or with my loved ones, I would be thinking about homework or my internship. I realized …
Intern-to-Hire: Madison Stis
Madison Stis was nominated for the 2017 IMPACT Awards for her outstanding work at her internship with the Indiana State Fair Commission. After her Employment Office internship, she was hired as a full-time assistant manager of human resources. Stis graduated from Indiana University with a major in health administration and a minor in human resource management.
Indiana INTERNnet: Describe your internship with The Indiana State Fair (ISF). What was the most valuable experience?
Madison Stis: My internship at the ISF was the best experience I couldâve had. I was shown major aspects of human resources in a very short time period and received excellent hands-on experience. Mark Anderson, the director of human resources at the ISF, really helped me grow and realize human resources was the field I wanted to pursue. The most valuable experience I had at the ISF was the ability to hire and schedule the employees …
4 Essential Emails Youâll Send During the Internship Search
While youâre waiting to hear back from employers during your internship search, it can be easy to forget that communication goes both ways. Employers appreciate the little things like a thank you email after an interview. Plus, an email that takes you five minutes to write can make a huge impression and help you stand out. Below is a list of the four essential emails youâll need during your internship search.
The âpost â interviewâ email
Regardless of if your interview was casual and over lunch, or a grueling hour â long panel, you should always send a thank you email. Sometimes, if the top two candidates are neck and neck, the final decision could be based off something as small as whether or not someone thanked the interviewers. You donât want to have an amazing interview, only to lose the position to someone else because you never sent a …