Tag Archives: Work experience

How Taking a Chance Can Benefit Your Future Self

ā€œYou miss 100% of the shots you donā€™t takeā€ -Wayne Gretzky

Even though everyone, everywhere, frequently mentions this quote (especially if you’re a fan of The Office), it really carries a great meaning.

Big changes are difficult and scary. I had no idea what to expect when I started my first internship here at Indiana INTERNnet. I had had a few jobs before this, but no internship experience or working in a professional office space. A week before I started, I second guessed myself as to whether I made the right decision to take the position. I had just finished my freshman year of college and was completely convinced I was not ready to take on this responsibility

Whether itā€™s moving to college or starting a new job, change can be scary. If you donā€™t try, you donā€™t know. I hope that if you are considering making a change in …

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Don’t let experience keep you from a job

Nothing should stop you from going after your dream internship or job.

That being said, professional experience does not always match job requirements, especially for new graduates. Even if you have little to no relevant experience or are applying for your first internship, you can make your resume stand out to potential employers. The Muse offers these tips to impress when looking for a position in a brand new industry:

Focus on transferable skills: Let your past jobs and academic work speak for themselves. Skills like communication and collaboration are universal, and should be a focal point of your resume. If you are proficient in certain types of software, this is the place to tell employers. Once they know your capabilities, they can integrate them into the position to build on your strengths. Donā€™t disregard the classroom: Long-term projects and academic work are particularly important resume points for new …

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Thankful Intern Shares Grateful Moments

The below freezing temperatures hint at the brewing winter and signal a string of holiday celebrations. Every November, Thanksgiving is celebrated in Indiana with only the juiciest of roasted turkeys and the sweetest of pumpkin pies. As family and friends gather around the table, a sense of gratefulness fills the air almost competing with the blend of nutmeg and cinnamon. I find myself reflecting on the internship opportunity I have enjoyed with Indiana INTERNnet.

Grateful for the chance to gain work experience: Graduating with my MBA right after college, I had no experience in marketing. For the past 6+ months, I have learned how to manage social media accounts, design print and web materials, analyze website metrics and write content. My marketing internship has not only expanded my skill set but also provided me with relevant work experience.

Grateful to be building my portfolio with skills-focused projects: …

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Interview Like a S.T.A.R.

Entry by Pat Patterson

From the January 2011 INTERNnetwork:

In internship interviews, employers commonly ask behavioral interview questions that focus on past events in your life and your responses.Ā  Since a student will typically not have much work experience, behavioral interview questions are open-ended questions that focus on past performances to assess behavior ā€“ in particular, how you may respond to similar situations in the future.Ā  ā€œCan you tell me about a goal you accomplished at a previous job?ā€ is an example of a behavioral interview question.

Since behavioral interview questions are open-ended, they can be difficult to answer.Ā  Therefore, you need to be prepared.Ā  The S.T.A.R. technique for interviewing is a method for thoroughly answering behavioral interview questions.Ā  Using the S.T.A.R. technique, you describe your actions in past situations to answer behavioral questions.Ā 

S.T.A.R. is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Situation ā€“ Provide some …

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An Internship May be Your Best Personality Assessment

Entry by Pat Patterson

From the November INTERNnetwork Intern in Action Spotlight.

Determining your future career is no easy task. While personality assessments can be extremely beneficial, practical experience in different industries and jobs may help narrow your choices even more. Just ask Alissa Fricke, a University of Evansville junior who has learned more about her interests and passions through interning.

As a communication student, Fricke first sought work experience to gain knowledge about various careers and boost her future hirability. ā€œI want to be able to set myself apart when I begin job searching,ā€ she remarks.

Since she has always enjoyed traveling, her first internship was with a local Evansville travel agency, where she worked with social networking and other new media marketing. Not completely sold on the travel industry, Frickeā€™s next internship was with the University of Evansville athletics department, where she …

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