Tag Archives: internship

What I’ve Learned So Far

I have officially hit week 10 of my internship with Indiana INTERNnet!

I feel it is the perfect time to update you on everything I have done thus far, and also talk through some things I have learned along the way.

First things firstĀ 

Internships are a great way to discover the types of things you want out of your career, while also “test driving” different paths you may want to look into. For myself I learned that I truly love social media marketing. Before Indiana INTERNnet, I had zero experience running social media accounts that weren’t my own. I found myself looking forward to creating posts and researching trends that would boost engagement on our site. Creating content feels like second nature at this point and I will most definitely be looking for careers that will allow me to have that creative freedom in the future!

The most rewarding …

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Virtual Summer Events for Interns

Iā€™m so excited to announce that I am back on the Indiana INTERNnet team for the summer! If you remember my name, you know I was an intern last year through the summer and fall semesters. I am now back as the interim program assistant. It’s good to be back.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many internships around the state. Despite the challenges, employers throughout Indiana arenā€™t letting this stop professional development. Instead, theyā€™re providing virtual opportunities as they strive to prepare the stateā€™s future workforce.

Indiana INTERNet and other Indiana organizations are offering free events to enjoy from the comfort of your own home while learning from career professionals in a wide range of areas. Young professionals can use these opportunities to understand and develop new skills by understanding personal branding, learning how to utilize LinkedIn and much more.

While these experiences may be different than what many are …

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Virtual Internships: 10 Thoughts You Have as a Virtual Intern

It’s theĀ unofficialĀ summer of virtual internships — we’re celebrating the successes and sharing the struggles that come with it. Be on the lookout for a blog post about virtual internships every Friday!

As I mentioned in my introductory post, Indiana INTERNnet is the fifth place Iā€™ve been an intern. But itā€™s the first place Iā€™ve been a fully virtual intern, which makes it a unique experience for me. I know Iā€™m in good company, though ā€“ many of you have just started your first virtual summer internship too. So, now seems like a good time to reflect on the first week or two of telecommuting and let you know youā€™re not the only one whoā€™s had some of these thoughts recently:

1. I miss company Keurigs. Remember the drawers full of fun K-Cup flavors we didnā€™t have to pay for? Well, I certainly do.

 

2. So much for the …

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Kayla’s Goodbye to Indiana INTERNnet

This is my last post here on IndianaINTERN.net and while I am so incredibly sad to leave, I am so excited for what the future holds. That is why internships are so amazing, you get a shortened amount of time to get your feet wet in a career field and see what the future could potentially hold. I know I have said this a lot but starting my internship search and experience early has been a huge impact and influence on my life. I hope all you Indiana interns out there you are stepping out of your comfort zone and applying for as many internships out there. I hope that my blogs either made you laugh or gave you some sort of insight to being an intern or college student.

Indiana INTERNnet Team:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Coming into this position I was so unaware of what I …

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Beyond the IMPACT: Salvador Espinoza

In today’s blog post, Indiana INTERNnet intern Kayla Walke interviews Salvador Espinoza. Salvador was the winner of the 2016 High School Intern of the Year IMPACT Award, and has been nominated for College Intern of the Year multiple times.

Indiana INTERNnet: What are some of the best lessons you learned while interning?

Salvador Espinoza: I think the best lesson I ever learned was to never underestimate the power of an internship. I was 16 years old when I got into my first internship and it was for a manufacturing company. That already doesn’t sound appealing to most teens trying to make a quick buck over the summer, but it sounded like a great opportunity and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I was an intern for the same company for 6 years and learned so many things. I learned about marketing, human resources, what …

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Beyond the Impact: Gabriella Blauert

Gabriella (Moline) Blauert graduated from Butler University in May with a degree in journalism and moved to Columbus, Ohio. Sheā€™s currently working as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Pelotonia, a non-profit organization in Columbus whose proceeds go toward cancer research.

 

Indiana INTERNnet: What are some of the best lessons you learned while interning?

Gabriella Blauert: My internships provided me with opportunities to practically apply the skills I learned in class. I learned how to utilize these skills, while also managing my time effectively. Another important lesson I learned was how to interact in different job settings and how to present myself in a professional way in each one.

 

IIN: What advice do you have for current interns?

GB: I would tell current interns to not be afraid to go to their supervisor or mentor with big ideas or questions they have. One of the most important …

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Online Internship Fair: A New Way to Meet Employers

Some internship fairs can get too hot, too awkward and just all-around exhausting. That is why Indiana INTERNnet is so excited to host another online internship fair! This experience serves as a great way for students to network and learn about so many amazing opportunities out there. Now is a great time to start looking at positions for spring, summer or fall. If you were on the edge about signing up, I have some reasons as to why you should join us for the fair.

How to get started

Make an IndianaINTERN.net account and complete your profile on CareerEco. This profile allows you to upload your resume, add your education background and indicate when you are looking to intern. Setting up your profile beforehand can allow for employers to look at your resume before the fair even begins.

How it works

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. ā€“ …

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What To Do If Your Internship Isnā€™t The Best

Recently, Allison wrote a blog post about what to do if an intern isnā€™t doing their best. I think we should also talk about what to do if your internship experience isnā€™t the best. Unfortunately, even though every internship posted on our site must be approved by a staff member, some internships are not what you were hoping they would be.

Remember itā€™s temporary

Internships are great because they are only temporary, which allows you to see what work environments you do or donā€™t like. Some days will be harder than others, but remember that you donā€™t have to be there forever. Take every opportunity you can to learn and network as much as you can. Just because you donā€™t like the place you are at doesnā€™t mean the experience is a waste of time.

Donā€™t burn any bridges

You might think that because you’re ā€œjust an internā€ you can …

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What I’ve Learned Outside the Classroom

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts throughout the summer (and now into the fall) you’ll see that I often mention how so much learning happens outside of the classroom. Internships, for example, allow students to be a part of the workforce and get hands-on experience before they graduate. While I understand the important roles school and education play in our lives, it should be noted that learning doesnā€™t just happen in the classroom.

Youā€™re dressed, but is it to impress?

While in college you’re basically able to show up in whatever you want. Interning is different. You donā€™t get to have comfy days with t-shirts and sweatshirts. While youā€™re at work, you must follow the dress code every day. This also applies for interviews and beyond. Make sure that everyone who sees you can tell that you’re there for a reason.

The handshake

It wasnā€™t until …

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Staying on as a Fall Intern

I’m so excited to say that I will be staying on the Indiana INTERNnet team through the fall! With the summer coming to an end, I was more and more sad with each passing day that I would have to leave this amazing team that I have been able to work with. When I was asked to stay on through the fall, I was ecstatic and so proud of myself.

Iā€™m so thankful for this opportunity to continue to grow and learn with Indiana INTERNnet. I know that this summer Iā€™ve learned so much, but thereā€™s still so much for me to learn. I love growing and learning in this environment and canā€™t wait to see what the fall will hold.

To everyone that read my posts or watched my videoā€™s for Indiana INTERNnetā€™s YouTube channel, thank you. Iā€™m so excited to continue creating content for interns all around Indiana.

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What I’ve Learned This Summer

This summer has been such an amazing experience at Indiana INTERNnet. I have been so incredibly lucky to work with such amazing people and learn so much along the way. Between seeing behind the scenes of event preparation and learning how to correctly navigate the workplace, this summer has been the best learning opportunity. While learning in the classroom is important, there are some things that canā€™t be learned while listening to a lecture.

The Importance of Connections

Of course, meeting new people and expanding your circle of people is important. But it wasnā€™t until I got an internship that I realized how important networking really is. You never know who can help you get ahead or if someone you know has the perfect job for you. It’s important that you continue to grow your connections and keep up with the relationships that you make.

Asking Questions Only Makes You …

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Emily Sclafani: Reflecting on a Summer Internship

Purdue University rising senior Emily Sclafani joined Matchbook as a Communications intern this summer, before going back to complete her major in public relations and strategic communication. At Purdue, Emily is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, public relations officer for the Purdue Italian Club, and is in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Dance is one of her passions, and sheā€™s a member of the dance company Higher Ground at Purdue. With Matchbook, Emily learned more about public relations strategy and technique as they function in the real world, as well as translating her skill sets and knowledge to create meaningful work for clients that have a purpose.

 

An internā€™s greatest fear is that they will spend their summer making coffee trips and doing busy work. At Matchbook, that is not the case. Right from the start, we were given real, hands-on work for …

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Intern Extravaganza at the Indiana State Fair

Last week Indiana INTERNnet hosted the final Summer Engagement Event of the summer at the Indiana State Fair. The event allowed interns from all over the state to come and network while enjoying an iconic Indiana event. It was a day full of networking, prizes, games, and a lot of fun.

The event started off with hearing from a returning State Fair intern, Mary O’Connor. It was a great chance for interns to hear about the importance of internships. She also talked about how helpful they can be when trying to find what the future holds. Mary’s current area of study is in a science-based field, but her internship is in HR. She highlighted that there are still many learning opportunities with internships that can be used in any career path.

Interns in attendance were also able to hear from Julie Schrader from Butler University. She gave helpful tips on …

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Indiana Intern Day 2019

With our friends from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, on July 25th, 2019 the first ever Indiana Intern Day took place at the Statehouse Market. Interns were able to take a break from their crazy schedules and relax with some food trucks and friends.

For those that were not able to make it to the Statehouse, social media was blowing up all day with posts celebrating interns and all the hard work they do. Employers showed their support and appreciation for their interns by pledging to celebrate and spreading the word about Indiana Intern Day.

The meetup was a great way for local organizations to show their interns how much they mean to them and give them a chance to spend some time with coworkers outside of the office.

Whether it was surprise coffee and donuts or going to fun outings, employers celebrated the day by showing their support …

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The Best Friday Advice for Interns

Fridays are exciting because they mean you survived another week and you get two days to rest. Sometimes I get in that weekend mindset a little too early and Iā€™m not as productive as I could be on Fridays. To save you from making the same mistakes, Iā€™ll share some of my best tips for making it through Friday.

Reflect on the week

On Fridays, I like to look back on the week to see what I accomplished. During this time, I like to see what I did and what I need to do to make sure that everything is how it should be.

Stay on top of your to do list

I know it might seem easy to push things to the side, but I promise getting them done now instead of waiting until Monday will set you up for a much better week. The busier you stay the …

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