Tag Archives: internship
One Post is All it Takes: A Reminder to Keep Your Social Media Clean
By now, everyone has heard the cautionary tale of the NASA intern who was fired because of two profane tweets. Homer Hickam, a former NASA engineer, had tweeted a warning to the now-former intern about her language use, but she was unaware of his identity and used profanity in her reply to him. While the story was certainly cringe-inducing, many people may think the same situation may never happen to them. But chances are, employers will look at your social media. You just wonât be lucky enough to get a warning.
Social media is fun and engaging, and many of us have the habit of posting anything and everything we do. But more employers use social media in the hiring process than ever before. A 2017 survey by Harris Poll found that 70 percent of employers used social media to screen candidates.
This is both your greatest advantage and disadvantage.
This doesnât mean you should delete your accounts. …
Tips to Become an Intern-to-Hire Success
At Indiana INTERNnet, we love a good intern-to-hire story. Weâre always on the lookout for tales of individuals around the state who were able to turn their internship into a full-time job offer. As a senior in college, I enjoy these stories on a personal level for the hope that they bring me. Throughout this summer, Iâve heard of several different people who were hired after their internship was over, and itâs made me wonder â what could I do to help make that happen? So, for both your benefit and my own, here are some tips to help all of us interns (hopefully) get hired:
Take Initiative
It is not unusual for interns to run out of things to do at work. Rather than give in to the temptation of playing on your phone or doing other non-work-related activities on your down time, find ways to be productive. If …
Shaping Futures by Improving a Local Community
Katie McGinnis is an incoming senior at Indiana University Bloomington graduating in May of 2019. She is majoring in Media Advertising with a minor in Marketing. Katie is currently working at Helmer Scientific as a Marketing Communications Intern for her second summer with the company.Â
On Saturday, July 28th, I joined other interns and Helmer Scientific team members to volunteer with the Indianapolis Intercollegiate YMCA volunteers and staff to transform the Laurelwood Community in Indianapolis. The Intercollegiate YMCA works with four universities to provide experiences that enhance students overall. They especially focus on leadership development programs for the students they work with.
The Laurelwood Community in Indianapolis consists of around 160 units in a low-income neighborhood. Before the Indianapolis Intercollegiate YMCA began their efforts in the community, Laurelwood had been long considered one of the roughest communities in Indianapolis. After ten years of partnering with the YMCA, the community …
Keep in Touch: A Guide to Following Up
You faced your fears and attended a networking event â perhaps it was one of Indiana INTERNnetâs summer engagement events â and made a great connection. You feel as though you navigated the conversation successfully, kept your stories relevant, and bonded with the person. You even went so far as to remember to ask for their card, so you have all the information necessary to follow up with them. How do you go about doing it?
Following up with someone, whether it is a stranger you met at a conference or a past supervisor you had for an internship, does not have to feel awkward. It can seem daunting to put yourself out on a limb and reach out to someone that you donât know well or that you havenât spoken to lately. The main thing that will help in either of those situations is to be confident in what …
Post-Graduation Internships
Perhaps you were busy with other responsibilities during undergrad and you didnât have time for an internship. Or maybe you changed majors part of the way through your college career, and it set you back a little bit. Many students pursue internship positions during college, and assume that once they graduate, they will be done with them. While that is the case most of the time, there is nothing wrong with accepting an internship post-graduation. Hereâs why:
The job market can be tough, especially if youâre are seeking employment in a small city where there is lots of competition â namely, your fellow graduates. Full-time positions can be scarce, depending on the economy, your profession and the area in which you live. An internship can help to provide you with some money and additional experience as you search for a salaried role.
Oftentimes, graduates instinctively accept job offers that do …
Timing Your Internship Search Right
Many degree programs require students to obtain an internship experience for credit. It is something that is expressed in the graduation requirements that freshmen learn about, but at that point junior or senior year can feel very far off. It is important to keep internships in the back of your mind, no matter what point youâre at in your college career. It can be difficult to work these types of roles into your schedule, and if you wait until the last chance to get an internship under your belt it may not be an experience that proves helpful for your post-graduation pursuits.
Here are three tips to help keep you on track:
Keep tabs on your favorite companies
Do some research on companies in your area and figure out which ones youâd like to look for. Keep a spreadsheet handy and record all the details you can find about their …
Meet the Intern: Marissa Smith
Hello, my name is Marissa and I am excited to be Indiana INTERNnetâs intern for the summer of 2018. I have just wrapped up my junior year at IUPUI, where I study journalism, public relations and advertising.
Prior to relocating to Indianapolis for college, I attended high school near my hometown of Losantville, Ind. Though Indy is a relatively small city, it is huge compared to Losantville, which has a population of less than 300 people! I definitely prefer city living and plan to move somewhere even larger later on in my career.
My previous positions have all been communications or event management related, taking place at locally-based organizations such as the Indiana State Museum, Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis, and Indiana Futsal. In addition to my new position here, I am also currently interning with HWC Engineering as part of the firmâs pilot program creating public relations plans for …
Creating a Meaningful Internship Experience
Logan is a senior in the Lacy School of Business at Butler University studying marketing and finance. His passion for people and desire to apply his business and leadership skills led him to FirstPerson where he interns on the Sales & Advisory team. He is responsible for assisting advisors, growing the book of business and exploring creative benefit approaches in the marketplace.Â
An internship is a two-way street. For the intern, itâs an opportunity to âtry things onâ and apply knowledge gained from hours of sitting in class each week. For the employer, it leads to enhanced perspectives, increased workflow capability, and a pipeline for top talent.
Having been an intern at organizations both small and large, operating in multiple locations, and in various industries, Iâve realized there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In all internship programs, however, it is important for organizations to incorporate their beliefs and values to …
Dress For Success: Dressing For An Interview
One thing that I always struggle with the day of an interview is the age-old question: âWhat am I going to wear?â Iâve walked into rooms where Iâve been the best dressed and the worst dressed, although I prefer the latter. Attire is a problem that affects every professional, even people who have been in the workforce for years. Here are some important things to remember when choosing that perfect interview outfit.
Make an impression. Your attire shapes the first impression you give to potential employers, so itâs extremely important to make the right impression. I always like to make sure that my outfit accurately represents the professional I am. I want my outfit to say âIâm competent, qualified, and can make a great impact on your company.â The way you dress should represent the way that you feel about your abilities as a professional. Showing up in jeans and …
Meet Our Spring 2018 Intern!
Iâm thrilled to be joining Indiana INTERNnet this semester as the communication and special events intern! I am currently a junior at IUPUI studying journalism with a concentration in public relations. Iâm originally from #TheRegion (Northwest Indiana), but have since transplanted to Indy and instantly fell in love. One of the best things about going to school at an urban campus is that there are SO many opportunities for professional development and growth. Not only do I get to learn about interesting topics in school, but I also get to directly use those skills in my work environment.
Interning has been the theme of my college career. In the past three years, Iâve held seven positions with experiences ranging from IT/technology support, graphic design and even event planning. Through these internships, Iâve learned what I love, what I donât love, and the ins and outs of so many different areas. …
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 …
Celebrate Internship Excellence at the IMPACT Awards Luncheon
Join Indiana INTERNnet in celebrating internship excellence at the 12th Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon, sponsored by Ivy Tech Community College. Check-in for the luncheon begins at 11 a.m. on February 7, and the program will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The IMPACT Awards spotlight the importance of internships and applaud the individuals who make these experiences meaningful and successful. Indiana INTERNnet will recognize nominees in the categories of Intern of the Year (high school, college and non-traditional), Employer of the Year (for-profit and not-for-profit) and Career Development Professional of the Year during the luncheon.
 Chris Heeter, award-winning speaker and founder of The Wild Institute, will deliver the keynote address: Guiding the Team to Success.
Featured on The Discovery Channel’s National Geographic Today, Heeter brings decades of leadership experience indoors, working with teams and leaders to recognize that leadership and teamwork doesnât have to be so complicated. She …
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 …
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 …
Internships: Communicating and Learning the Odd Soft Skills
Noah Simpson is a project manager based out of Indianapolis. He graduated this previous May from the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelors in Human Resources. During his time at the Uindy, he was the founder of water polo and entrepreneurship clubs. Noah also served as a business liaison for the University and completed three internships with corporations across Indiana.
Any college student who has gone through orientation should know that getting an internship is important. However, it is not always made clear to students why an internship is important. My first year at the University of Indianapolis, I was blessed to have a faculty mentor hold me accountable on developing myself not just as a student, but as a communicator. My education and mentors provided me with a base skill set to succeed. However, I have found that the huge difference in my abilities as a communicator today …