This blog was written by Nina, our Intern Queen Campus Ambassador at Erasmus University in The Netherlands! Nina has traveled all over the globe!

I spent most of November and December applying to universities in the United Kingdom for my masters. It was definitely one of the most stressful things I’ve ever had to do because applying for masters has become so competitive and universities really focus on filtering applications to find the top students. When applying for internships, cover letters are often the most important thing and it’s the same for your masters: you really need to write a great application letter. I never had the top grades, but I had a CV that stood out – I started applying for internships in my first year of my bachelors and I made sure that I did as many as I could. Filling my application letter with the experience gained during my internships was probably a game-changer for majority of the admissions board that reviewed my application letter.

Many universities in the United Kingdom require a CV and state that a CV will only make your application stronger. Students like myself that have trouble regurgitating crammed knowledge in the exam hall need to make up for it with internships because it shows dedication, motivation and extensive time management skills. Some of us are just more practical than theoretical, there’s nothing wrong with that but you need to show the admissions board that you’re not just lazy. Most universities will ask you to write about where you see yourself in five years and how this specific course will help you when starting your career. If you have internships, you can back up virtually anything you write and your application letter will only be better. I know from personal experience that without a masters degree, especially in Europe, you won’t be getting far. Internships won’t only help you getting a job later on, but they’ll definitely help you be the candidate that universities are looking for when applications start piling up in the admissions office.

This blog was written by Steph, our Intern Queen Campus Ambassador from Drexel University.

Tell me about yourself. It’s the first question your employer will ask during your internship interview, but has always been one of the hardest for me to answer. What do they want to know? After almost 20 interviews in the past two years, here’s what I’ve learned about how to get past the first interview question and impress your employer:

• Don’t forget the basics: Make sure to include your major, year and past internships in the first 2 sentences. Even though they have your resume in front of them, it’s still good to highlight the credentials you have right up front.
• Keep the jargon to a minimum: Instead of telling your employer that you’re hard working, dedicated and detail oriented, give them a specific example of a time when you were dedicated to a group project or previous intern assignment. For example, if you increased your media lists by 15% due to research you initiated, highlight that upfront in your speech. It will have the employer asking more and eliminates the “dedicated, hard working” jargon.
• End with a personal touch: While the “tell me about yourself” question is asked in a formal interview setting, it’s also a great way to include something personal about yourself. If you like to run 5ks or follow fashion blogs, let them know!

This blog was written by Saya, our UCF Intern Queen Campus Ambassador. Do you go to UCF and want to be involved? Comment on this blog post and Saya will be in touch!

The search is over and you have landed an interview with your dream internship! Congrats! Take a breath, but now the challenging part is just about to begin.  From the hypothetical work situations, to highlighting your skills and achievements, and being bombarded with questions about your previous work experience is overwhelming. That’s why preparing for the interview is crucial. Here are a few interview prep tips to make your interviewer say, “wow!”

Back to Basics

Your first impression is just important, if not more important, as your last. Taking the extra time to iron your professional attire is a must – your interviewer will notice. Make sure to look clean-cut and nicely groomed with your hair properly brushed before you enter the interview. Give yourself enough time to check yourself one last time in the restroom before you enter the interview. Don’t apply any cologne or perfume for your interview. You never know if the person will be allergic or have it trigger any unwanted emotions.

Come Prepared

It is always necessary to bring extra copies of your resume. Even if the employer already has a copy of your resume, it will show that you are prepared in case you are being interviewed by more than one individual. Create a portfolio with any previous projects you’ve completed (whether in class or for work), references, and letters of recommendation in a nice, professional folder. This will not only give you an advantage to your competitors, but it will give the interviewer a chance to see your skills first hand and see what you are capable of creating. Of course, you can’t forget a pen and notebook for notes!

Spotlight on You

Then comes the question we all dread being asked, “What are your weaknesses?” Your weakness should be answered as a strength that will benefit the employer. Emphasizing on a weakness that you have overcome over your employment history shows that you do have flaws, like everyone else, and you are still being honest. One of the best responses is incorporating these attributes in personal accomplishments. Take a step back and put yourself into the employer’s shoes. If you were the one doing the hiring, what would you want to hear?

Thank You

Take a breather, the stressful part is over! You have finished the interview, now what? Follow up with your employer and send a hand-written “thank you for your time” card. It shows that you are serious about the job offering and they will admire that you took the time to send one.

Use these tips as a helpful cheat sheet for your next interview and just relax, be yourself and you’ll do great! Good luck!

This blog is written by Jessica, our ambassador from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

An important thing for college students to think about is their personal brand. Having a strong personal brand is something that will separate you from your classmates after you graduate and begin looking for jobs. I originally heard of personal branding after I got my first internship at Weidert Group. One of the things that was stressed to me by our internship coordinator was that it is imperative to figure out what makes you unique and to capitalize on it.

So how do you start creating your personal brand? Below are a few tips to help you get started.

Find what makes you unique. Like I said above, everyone has something that makes him or her stand out from the crowd. It may be a special skill or a unique internship experience that you’ve had. Whatever it is, the first step is to identify it and to strengthen it.

Believe in your skill. After you’ve identified what makes you unique, start believing in it! The more that you are confident in your skill set, the more that other people will believe you, too. The biggest part of displaying persuasiveness to your future employer is having confidence in yourself.

Develop a unique resume. This next step is perhaps one of the most important. In order to properly display your uniqueness to employers, it is necessary to create a resume that resonates with your skills and personality. Everything from the font on your resume, to the color in your header, to the way that you layout your information will have an effect on the brand that you display.

Create a personal bio. Just as important as the resume itself is your personal biography. This should be about 3 to 5 sentences long and should be the core of your personal brand. This is the place where you get to show your personality and your skills together. It should be solidly written and should concisely explain who you are, what you can do and where you want to be after graduation.

Expand your brand. The last thing that you should do is expand your brand into all of your social media profiles. This can be as simple as making sure that all of your “about me” descriptions contain your personal bio. By streamlining the information about yourself, you will create a very strong image for prospective employers. Another important part of this step is making sure that all of your social media profiles have links to one another. This will make it very easy for people to find you online and see what you have to offer.

As always, if you have questions on personal branding or anything else related to internships, don’t hesitate to reach out to any of the Intern Queen campus ambassadors.

This post was written by Alicia, one of Lauren’s own interns! She goes to school at Towson University. Alicia is a Mass Communication major (with tracks in Public Relations and Advertising) and an Italian minor.

This week, I will be focusing on my summer internship applications – and I think you should be, too. Most of the agencies I am applying to have deadlines as early as the first week in January, and those deadlines are rapidly approaching. Take the time this week to knock out all of your applications so that you have the rest of your winter break to relax.

For starters, research all of the companies you want to apply to. Make a list of around 15 organizations, big or small, that you want to intern with. While that seems like a lot of companies, it’s better to keep your options open and have multiple offers than to be without an offer for this summer.

When I am looking into companies to intern with, I make an Excel spreadsheet that organizes company information with my application status. For each organization, I list:

• links to the internship application so I can find it easily when I am ready to apply
• notes about the company – including things I like about the culture, practice areas I’d like to work in, clients I want to work with, and most importantly, contact information of anyone I know that works within the company that could put me into contact with the internship coordinator
• application due dates
• date I apply, in case I need to reference it in a follow-up conversation
• company’s response – in some cases, you might be told that you don’t meet the company’s qualifications (I’ve been rejected based on my class standing before, some companies only hire seniors in college in order to hire them after their internship) – but it’s good to note these things so you can apply again in the future
• salary offered – however, you shouldn’t expect many companies to offer paid internships unless they are full time
• interview date – to keep track of when I am scheduled for interviews so I don’t schedule interviews at the same time
• and finally, I have an offer column in case I am lucky enough to be offered multiple internships –this section is particularly helpful if you are looking into internships for which the time commitment is only a few hours per week; that way, you can accept multiple internships at different companies

Organizing your internship applications will really help you stay on track to land your dream summer internship(s). Good luck with your internship search and remember: any company would be lucky to have you as an intern!

This blog was written by Jeanette our campus ambassador from Arizona State University. If you go to ASU, and want to blog for us, please comment on this blog!

Ever feel as if your internship isn’t up to par or that you’re not receiving enough tasks? Take initiative! Rather than sticking with the main public relations or marketing coordinator that you are always with, ask if it would be okay to help out other associates as well. During my last internship, I was able to work with many associates and learn more than I ever expected. Moreover, I was able to get to know more people in the office and I got to network with them over lunch. Not only did I receive more tasks, I was able to receive more opportunities. For example, I was able to work with the special events coordinator and act as a representative of the company during a weekend event. I even revised the company’s internship program to make it more effective for the company as well as future interns. If you ever feel as if you can do more at your internship, then do more. Take the initiative, meet more people and receive more opportunities— you won’t regret it!

This blog is written by Jessica, our ambassador from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

As first semester is winding down, all that seems to be on my mind lately is when to start applying for REAL jobs. The thought beginning the application process seems quite daunting.

We are all in the same boat. We all want to be ahead of the game and I’m sure we would all like to secure a job before graduation. So that got me thinking… When IS the right time to apply for jobs? Should you start a whole semester early, or wait until a month before your graduation date?

I’ve asked many professionals about this and the responses are always mixed. Some say that you should apply as soon as possible, while some say that you should begin to apply after you graduate. Through the foggy opinions, a few sound words of advice stuck out to me. I hope they help you if you are graduating soon!

If you are planning on graduating in May…

Make a target list of companies. Look and see what jobs are open around you and start keeping your eye on those companies. If a job happens to be open now, apply for it! Sometimes the hiring process can takes months to complete and there’s no sense missing out on a dream opportunity.

Start attending networking events in your field. If you are a PR major, locate your closest Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapter and get to know professionals. The more relationships you have, the better your chances will be of being referred to for a job. If you are in marketing, look for a Sales and Marketing Professionals (SMP) group in your area. For journalism, consider contacting someone at your nearest Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ).

Define your dream job. If you have your heart set on a certain company and they don’t have any jobs open currently, start perusing them. They may have something open in time for when you graduate. The best thing to do first is to email someone from the department you are interested and introduce yourself. Always send a resume, too! Once they respond, see if you could set up a job shadow or an informational interview. This helps get your foot in the door, even if you aren’t interviewing for a job there. After the job shadow, they will have a more personal relationship with you and, chances are, you will be at the top of their list when a job opens up.

Consider your salary requirements. This is often something that companies want to know before they hire someone. Since you have a few months before you graduate, start researching average salaries in your area so that you know what you’re worth. Remember—it’s ok to negotiate! Just don’ t get too crazy.

Lastly, always keep in mind that the InternQueen has a ton of connections! If you are interested in a certain city or state, don’t hesitate to contact one of the Intern Queen Campus Ambassadors. We’re everywhere, and if we don’t have the connections ourselves, we’ll find someone who does! Visit the Intern Queen’s Facebook page for our contact info.

Erica Moss is the community manager for the Masters Degree in Nursing program at Georgetown University. She adores photography, Mexican food and her English bulldog, Mona.

A couple of years after I graduated college, I found myself working a part-time job from home, and while that sounds somewhat glamorous, it wasn’t, and my dissatisfaction led me to start seeking opportunities elsewhere.

At the same time, I had really started ramping up my presence on Twitter, and I had formed a lot of great connections on the site. I was talking to other professionals in my field, looking for job opportunities and reading up on all of the latest industry trends.

Then one day I saw a tweet from a gentleman I had built a great rapport with and who worked for a local company. He made a witty remark about his employees, something very simple, and I decided to interject with an innocent comment, something along the lines of: “Have you ever thought about adding to that great team of yours?” I took a chance, but I really never thought anything would come out of it.

He tweets back: “Actually, I have. Why, are you looking?”

And just like that, we started a dialogue. A dialogue that I almost assuredly never would have had without the awesome tool that is Twitter. I explained to him the situation, and he asked to see my LinkedIn profile; he must’ve decided that I had the right experience for the job, because he asked me to send him a copy of my resume, which he then forwarded to the person who would, ultimately, be making the hiring decision. Two days later, I was sitting in a conference room at the company’s offices, answering questions about my background, where I was going, and how I might fit into the team dynamic.

They were proposing a full-time internship with benefits, with the possibility of the position becoming permanent down the road. It wasn’t ideal for a college graduate, but it was very appealing at the time, given my lack of enthusiasm for my current gig. They ended up offering me the position a day later, and while I turned it down in favor of a full-time job offer at another company, I’m still incredibly grateful for the experience because it illustrates just how powerful the relationships you foster on the site can be.

Now, I’m not implying that this strategy will work for every person in every situation, but I do think that, more and more, internship and job seekers will have to think outside of the box in order to land that dream gig.

Needless to say, I love when naysayers ask, “Can you really get a job using Twitter?” because it means I get to tell that story and confidently say yes, you can.

This blog is written by Caitlyn, our campus ambassador from University of Louisville!

We always have blogs that give you advice on the internship search process and blogs that help you deal with issue that inevitably come up when you are intern. So what about those of us who are coming home after being away on AMAZING internship? Last semester I got to have the experience of a lifetime interning for Walt Disney World resorts and parks and if I am being honest coming back to Kentucky and leaving behind all of the magic of Orlando was a bit hard! I know I am not the only one out there who is coming down from the high of a great internship. So ladies and gentleman I am here to help.

1)      Realize that while you are away from home things change! I guess I just figured everything would stay the same while I was gone and everyone could just pick back up where we left off when I got back. Funny right? Honestly, you will miss some stuff but it will be worth it! You have to remember you just experienced something that not that many people experience and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

2)      Prepare your answers for the millions of questions you will get! I can promise you the main one will be “So what did you do anyway?” While some of the questions will be repetitive if you had a great time than you should be more than willing to talk yourself and your internship up!

3)      You will most likely have internship withdrawals! One day after your internship you will be sitting in your room doing some homework that you aren’t exactly excited about and think to yourself, “Goodness, if I could only go back to interning at Disney instead of doing this.” Trust me it will happen! It is totally okay to miss your friends and job and internship “life” but remembering how much fun you had should be a healthy reminder! What I do when this happens is look at some old pictures or call/Skype my friends from Disney because they always are willing to reminisce!

It is inevitable that you will get the home from internship blues at one time or another, we all do! Just remember it isn’t the end of the world and having all the amazing memories and experiences should help you through it. If you are having a really tough time being back I will let you in on my little secret: Start looking for your next potential internship! Why should the fun stop at just one right?

This blog post is written by Lauren our campus ambassador from Montclair State University.

One of the hardest things to figure out when preparing for an interview, whether it is for a part-time job, full-time, or internship is figuring out what you’re going to wear. The way you present yourself is just as important as the skills and knowledge that you bring with you. This is your first impression on your potential employer and you have to make a lasting impression if you want them to consider you. Sometimes you have several or even hundreds of other people competing with you for the job so you have to make sure that you dress to impress! Here a few helpful hints for dressing for interviews:

• Keep in mind the position you are applying for. Depending on the job that you’re interviewing for, you might have a different way of dressing. For example, a job in the fashion industry might mean that you have more freedom with how you dress while a job in an accounting department is more structured and classic work attire, such a suit. There isn’t one specific way that you have to dress for all interviews. It can vary greatly from one job to another.  If you are unsure what to wear for a certain job or industry, don’t be afraid to talk to other professionals in the field and find out what appropriate attire would be.
• Try on different outfits and ask your friends for advice. It’s important that you try on your outfit in advance to make sure that it looks good. Getting advice from your friends is great because they may have suggestions on how to tweak your outfit a bit or tell you that you look great. You always ask your friends for advice with outfits for going out on the weekends so why not ask them if your outfit is fitting for your interview. Maybe they’ll suggest a different outfit entirely from what you’re wearing. It could be that extra edge that gets you the job.
• Don’t forget your hair and makeup! You may not even think too much about it, but your hair and makeup are just as important as your outfit itself. For your hair, it can vary from job to job but for the most part, you don’t need to spend extra time on it. Just make sure that it is well-groomed and styled appropriately. As for makeup, it’s usually best to make sure it’s natural looking and not too dramatic. Remember you’re asking to be hired for a job, not going out to the club so don’t go over the top.
• Be yourself! The most important thing is to stay true to yourself. Don’t wear something that you’re uncomfortable in because it will show. Wear something that not only fits the part but that you feel comfortable in as well. You’re trying to sell yourself to the hiring manager so, you want them to get a feel for who you really are and the way you dress really can show your personality.

I hope these hints will help you out and good luck on all your interviews this fall!