Tag Archives: INTERNnetwork
That’s Not A Barn – It’s Not Red!
This is a guest blog by Armenda Boyer, a sophomore at Purdue University. She is currently working toward a dual major in Agricultural Communication and Agricultural Economics. This past summer, she was an education intern for the Indiana State Fair Commission. Â
âWhere are we going?â asked a wide-eyed little boy as I led his summer camp group to the Mac Reynoldâs Barn at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
As an education intern for the Indiana State Fair Commission, my team and I often hosted student field trips. My favorite days working at the fair were the days when children flooded the Fairgrounds to learn about agriculture. This summer, I realized that helping children learn is one of the most fulfilling things I can do. When that learning is regarding agriculture, an industry I am passionate about, I am even more excited to share information.
I answered the eager …
Wrapping Up Your Internship
Itâs the latter half of July. Where does the time go? For some of you, your internship may be wrapping up in the near future. You should consider how you will finish your internship experience. For exampleâDo you need to begin âtying up loose endsâ on projects? Should you schedule a âthank youâ coffee or lunch with your boss? Have you kept a portfolio of your work thus far?
Your internship experience may lead to a job within the company, or it may be the last time you work for them. No matter the result, make sure you have networked with the people with whom you are working. When your internship ends, you will need references, and having a solid group of people who will provide you with positive references is an important final step in your internship experience. Howeverâtake noteâreferences should be people who know you personally and can …
The Freddie Factor: Tales from one of Indiana INTERNnet’s own
An internship, as defined by Websterâs Dictionary, is âa student or recent graduate who works for a period of time at a job in order to gain experience.â The goal of Indiana INTERNnet is to be an internship-matching program linking employers, students, high schools, colleges and universities. It worksâwell, it did for me!
Hereâs how:
Ever since my arrival as a freshman student at Indiana University, internships have been stressed by faculty and staff as important learning experiences. Not wanting to disappoint, that very year, I went on- the-hunt for the mighty internship. The process seemed straight forward: make a great resume, apply, and interview. How do you find the internship, though? Most colleges have career services, which provide help locating internships and jobs, as well as preparing your resume for career fairs and interviews. These services are invaluable. In addition to checking out my collegeâs career services offerings, I …
Internships Open Doors
Entry by Pat Patterson – from the January 2011 INTERNnetwork
You never know when opportunity may come knocking on your door. Nick Ewing is a great example. A few days before graduating from Columbia City High School, Ewing received an unexpected call. Working at a Dairy Queen with no intention to attend college, Ewing received an internship offer that would soon alter the course of his life.
As a student at Columbia City High School, Ewing was involved with numerous video projects, as he completed more than 10 video related courses and worked as a lead anchor for his school news. When the Whitley County Community Foundation needed an intern familiar with video, Ewing’s name was mentioned, and the director of the Foundation was impressed with his work that she viewed on YouTube.
When Ewing was introduced to the Whitley County Community Foundation’s opportunity, he did not know too much …
Weekend Food for Thought: How Do I Choose an Internship?
Entry by Pat Patterson
If you are convinced that pursuing an internship is a good idea, but you are not sure what type of internship to search for, the following information from the November INTERNnetwork may be helpful. (If you would like to subscribe to Indiana INTERNnet’s montly e-newsletter, click here.)
Here are a few ways to discover your passions and explore different careers:
Career/personality assessments
Career/personality assessments can help provide a clearer understanding of the type of professional work you may enjoy doing by helping you to identify your interests, motivations, work habits and personality traits. Ask your career services office if it administers them. Three of the most popular are Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Keirsey Temperament Sorter, and Strong Interest Inventory.
What can I do with a major in …?
If you have decided on your major (or even if you are …
How to Secure an Indiana Internship as an International Student
Entry by Pat Patterson; from the October INTERNnetwork:
It is no secret that internships are becoming more competitive, especially if you are an international student who may not be completely assimilated into American business culture. For this reason, Gary Beaulieu, Butler University director of internship and career services, advises, âIt is important for international students to start looking for an internship early â as early as a year in advance of when you plan on interning. Also, begin networking immediately and visit your career services office early and often.â
Students need either an F-1 or J-1 visa to intern in the United States. We highlight the differences below:
F-1 visa: With an F-1 visa, an international student can intern as either part of his or her Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
General OPT Requirements:
Employment must be âdirectly relatedâ to the studentâs major. Student must maintain …
Career Fairs 101: Selling Your Company to Potential Interns
Entry by Pat Patterson
From the 2010 September INTERNnetwork:
Now that you have established a need for interns in your organization, you need to make sure you have students that are interested in your internship opportunities. And although having too many interested candidates may not be a bad thing, it is important that the candidates you attract are qualified for your positions and are the right fit for your organization.Â
Conveying a clear, concise message about your organization and its mission is vital in attracting the type of talent you would like to fill your internships. Here are some tips on how to sell your company to interns, specifically at career fairs:
Have a section of your website dedicated to your internship opportunities, including detailed descriptions, which you can direct interns to visit (the link can be included on any literature students are provided before the career fair), attend those …
Southeast Indiana Economic Opportunities 2015 (EcO15) Initiative
Entry by Pat Patterson
As described in Monday and Wednesdayâs blog entries, valued partners such as the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber’s Graduate Retention Program and the Southwest Indiana Education and Experience (E2) Initiative are using Indiana INTERNnet‘s technology platform to facilitate internship matches among students and employers.
To the southeast, another group, the Economic Opportunities 2015 (EcO15) Initiative is working with high school students to promote internship interest in the advanced manufacturing, tourism, and health care industries.
Here is a brief overview of EcO15:
Economic Opportunities through Education by 2015 (EcO15) is initially focusing on education and careers associated with Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Hospitality/Tourism for 10 counties in Southeastern Indiana. Counties include: Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, and Switzerland. Advanced Manufacturing is the value-added combination of people, processes, and products, which remains competitive in a high-wage environment in the pursuit of continuous improvement. Advanced Manufacturing …
Southwest Education and Experience (E2) Initiative
Entry by Pat Patterson
As I have stressed numerous times, internships are invaluable experiences for both students and employers. After Indiana INTERNnet was established, some regions realized the necessity to create their own additional programs to promote the significance of internships.
From a statewide perspective, Indiana internships are being promoted by Indiana INTERNnet and its regional partners. In Mondayâs blog entry, I described how the Greater Fort Wayne Graduate Retention Program utilizes Indiana INTERNnet’s technology platform to facilitate internship matches among students and employers; The Southwest Indiana Education and Experience (E2) Initiative works to do the same in nine Southwestern counties.
Former Indiana INTERNnet intern, Anastasiya Elaeva, describes E2 in the August INTERNnetwork:
With just a few people on staff, the Southwest Indiana Education and Experience (E2) Initiative team, also known as the E2 initiative, has been enthusiastically working on boosting the region’s talent retention. Since its start in …
Greater Fort Wayne Graduate Retention Program
Entry by Pat Patterson
As I have stressed numerous times, internships are invaluable experiences for both students and employers. After Indiana INTERNnet was established, some regions realized the necessity to create their own additional programs to promote the significance of internships. From a statewide perspective, Indiana internships are being promoted by Indiana INTERNnet and its regional partners. Valued partners such as the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber’s Graduate Retention Program use Indiana INTERNnet’s technology platform to facilitate internship matches among students and employers.
The Graduate Retention Program is a business/education partnership facilitated by the Workforce & Business Development Division of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce:
The Graduate Retention Program is designed to attract and retain college and high school graduates in Northeast Indiana. Our strategy is to increase awareness of area employers by promoting the development of meaningful internships for college and high school students.
As Mike Landram, the Greater …
Utilizing Twitter Lists for your Internship Search
Entry by Pat Patterson
If you are not already on Twitter, then you are missing out on a huge, free opportunity to market yourself. Twitter, at its core, is a marketing tool. Companies use Twitter to market their goods and services; it only makes sense for you, as an internship/job seeker, to use Twitter to market your skills.
Since you do not include as much personal and professional information in your Twitter account, it is easier to create a professional Twitter profile. Here is a recap of the tips to build a professional Twitter profile, which I included in the July INTERNnetwork and last Fridayâs blog:
Use your real name, use a head shot photo as your profile picture, create a Twitter name that is appropriate and easy to remember, list a website for yourself â a professional profile such as LinkedIn, an online resume, an online portfolio, or your …
How to Use Twitter for your Internship Search
Entry by Pat Patterson
In the July INTERNnetwork, I included some tips on how to use Twitter for marketing, networking, and research. Here is a recap:
Some tips to build a professional Twitter profile:
–Â Use your real name,
–Â use a head shot photo as your profile picture,
–Â create a Twitter name that is appropriate and easy to remember,
–Â list a website for yourself â a professional profile such as LinkedIn, an online resume, an online portfolio, or your blog,
–Â customize your profile with a clean, professional design, and
–Â tweet about your interests, internship/career search process, articles related to your industries of interest, opinion on current events in your industries of interest, etc.
Besides acting as a marketing tool, Twitter is great for networking and conducting research. Some tips on how to use Twitter to network and research:
–Â Follow individuals with similar interests,
–Â follow Twitter …