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Q: Hi Lauren,

I am applying and interviewing for several internships for the fall semester.

I’m afraid that the facilities will assume I will accept it since I interviewed for it. However, I want some time to weigh my options before I decide. How do I maneuver this situation without breaking ties and being perceived as unprofessional?

Laura

A: Hi Laura!

I’m glad you are already on top of your fall applications! Unfortunately, you don’t always have too much time to decide on internship offers. Once you get the offer, I suggest that you use your best judgment and either accept the internship on the spot or ask them if you can have a week or so to decide and  get back to them since it’s  to early in the year. Make  sure you say, “thank you so much for the opportunity, do you mind if I take one week to make my final decision and get back to you?” If you feel that this statement might make them pull back the offer, go ahead and accept the position. If you get offered another position that you’d rather take and you think is better suited to your career needs, call the internship coordinator. Do not email the internship coordinator as it’s hard to get the right tone across over email. Thank them for their time, apologize, and tell them you received another offer that you think better suits your career goals and you wanted to let them know you would be unable to intern for the fall ASAP. This is an awkward situation but it happens all of the time – at the end of the day, you must do what is best for your career.

Good luck! You will be amazing!

Lauren Berger

“The Intern Queen”

Meet our New Ambassador, Ariam!

Journalists are ordinary people who hold powerful information to society. For years I have worked to channel my energy into writing for the better of the community and as a journalism student at Stony Brook University, I’ve been explored to a world of phone antics, pressing deadlines, and rigorous red marks known as the “copy-editing” guidebook. As an aspiring journalist, it is essential to obtain internships to strengthen networking skills and build connections with different publications and companies. So far I have interned at two virtual internships; the first is Bleacher Report, which is one of the nation’s leading online sports publication and emcBlue.com, which is a social media community blog dedicated to music and fashion. As a remote intern, I had the advantage of using social media to promote the companies branding and communicated with editors and fellow interns via e-mail. Other extracurricular activities include blogging for Double Dutch magazine, which is an up-and-coming magazine geared towards empowering young women and being a guide to learn about New York City programs. I am also a student member of New York Women in Communications. This is my first summer as a member, so I am hopeful in becoming more active and participating in some of the programs this summer.

I am a rising junior at Stony Brook University and am expected to graduate in May 2013. I am working towards a BA in Journalism and a minor in political science.

This is a guest blog written by Adam Britten, a recent grad of Syracuse University, who is part of our Intern Queen Blog Network. Adam starts his post-grad internship at American Eagle very soon! If you attend Syracuse University and would like to contribute – please comment on this blog.

So you want a social media internship?

Social media jobs seem to be everywhere right now. Given the fact that our generation has grown up using these emerging technologies, some companies are defaulting to our experience. It’s easy to assume that any member of Generation Y is a natural fit for a social media internship, but this isn’t exactly the case. Companies are looking for specific skills, not just a presence. If you are on the hunt for a social media internship, make sure you adhere to the following tips:

Try your hand at any platform you discover

Everyone has a Facebook, so that’s not going to impress anyone. If you want an internship in social media, I’d say that twitter and Linkedin accounts are a must. On top of that, I’d recommend registering for an account on tumblr & foursquare, and you should seriously consider starting a blog on WordPress or Blogger.

Keep it clean

Social media symbolizes the face of a brand. No company wants to hire someone that they can’t trust to represent their organization in a positive, professional manner. Take some time to go through your Facebook pictures making sure that you are “putting your best face forward.” Think twice before complaining about your current job on tumblr, and never under any circumstances tweet under the influence. (You don’t want a Red Cross situation on your hands.)

Introduce yourself

In the social media realm, getting the attention of the right person can be a huge deal. Twitter is a great opportunity to virtually network with people in your desired industry. Instead of just sending a resume, you should follow employees of the company, especially anyone who might have authority over who is hired. Don’t be afraid to start talking with them; ask questions about the company, comment on articles they publish, etc. Once they start to narrow down the candidates, your name will already be in their head.

Amplify your presence

Why not take the last suggestion one step further? Think outside the box, and you’ll certainly be a candidate to remember. If you take the time to make a video for your prospective employer, there’s a good chance they will take the time to watch it. Check out this article to see what one job seeker did in order to catch the attention of Krispy Kreme’s marketing department. He was contacted within hours of starting a “hire me” campaign, and just days later he got the job.

I can personally attest to the fact that these tips work, when appropriately executed. I was hired as a Student Social Media Strategist for Syracuse University without ever talking to my future boss (except on Twitter, of course.) I followed her on Twitter, starting engaging with her, and soon enough I had a job offer in my direct messages. This summer I will be working as a Social Media Marketing Intern at American Eagle Outfitters. The day after I applied, I got a call from their campus recruiter saying that the department manager had looked at my online resume and read of a few of my blog posts before I even submitted my application. (I had been following her on Twitter as well.)

The important thing to remember is that even though this is a relatively new type of position, you can’t go in unarmed. Companies are still expecting you to show that you are well qualified. Even if you don’t have any professional experience working with social media, you can still prove that you are the best candidate by maintaining a strong, professional presence on a variety of networks.

–

@AdamBritten is a recent graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in marketing management.

This is a guest post from Campus Ambassador Melinda Price from Miami University of Ohio.

Since internships are a valued experience for your future employer, it’s pretty much expected you’ll have some experience upon college graduation. However, holding an internship during your college career can be a challenge to work around.

Between classes, extra-curricular activities, office hours, a social life, and sometimes a paid job, when in the world will you have the time to commit to an internship? The answer for some people, including myself, is a virtual or online internship. This type of internship works around your schedule and you can do it on your own time.

For example, I am currently an editorial intern for Pretty Young Professional. The start-up website is aimed at young, professional women who are looking for career and life advice pertaining to subjects related to women. My job in particular for the company is creating content, editing, generating ideas for new topics, social marketing for the site, and I work closely with the founding team. But I do it all from my own college room.

The articles that I edit and write are generally due within a week, but I can do them whenever I find time in my schedule. For the most part, this means I do my internship assignments in morning when I’m not in class, in my breaks between classes, or after I get home from work at night.

A lot of online internship employers are also willing to have some kind of flexibility with deadlines. Since they are hiring college students, your boss will realize that you have a lot on your plate and can give allowances. Also, they don’t care when you work on it, as long as it is done in a timely manner.

Another advantage of an online internship is that all the resources you need are on your computer. Not only is this really convenient because most students today haul their laptops around anyway, but you can work from anywhere with an internet connection.

Since everything is on your computer, it is important to back up your files with a flash drive or other device. It might make for an angry employer if you lose necessary content.

One important thing to note when looking into an online internship is your phone and email etiquette. Since a lot of your contact with your boss, co-workers, and potential clients will be via email and phone, it is important to note that you are being professional in your conversations. Make your voicemail message one that you want employers to hear and your email content worth reading.

Many times, in a virtual internship is a special skill to know the social media language. Candidates for virtual internships (and all jobs) have an advantage when they are fluent in using new media. My advice is to create a Twitter or Facebook, if you don’t have one already, to test the waters so this area will not be your weakness.

Holding a virtual internship does have some requirements, but is a great option for someone who can’t find time to hold a full-time internship but want to gain some experience in their field. This will also signal to future employers that you are familiar with being professional in your communication and have knowledge of the online world.

This is a guest post from our campus ambassador Andrea Teggart from Ohio University.

Hopefully this list gets you excited for your internship and fabulous summer in DC! I also found this post: ”Fun Under Age 21: A Guide to 21 Things To Do in Washington”. That will give you even more ideas and suggestions for making this summer an absolutely amazing time. Enjoy!