This is a guest post from our campus ambassador Emily Vontum from Eastern Michigan State University.

This year, I am heavily involved in a lot of things. I am a full time student, a member of PRSSA, part of the Residence Hall Association, a tutor, I work part-time and I am a campus ambassador.

            Sometimes it gets stressful to keep track of everything I have to do! That is why I rely on To Do Lists! I love, love, love “to do” lists. They give me a realistic look at everything I have to get done.

I have three steps for my To-Do Lists:

1. Write down everything for every class, organization and job that I have that I need to get done with the date they need to be done.
2.  Next, I take a good look at everything. You would be surprised by how many of the things on your To-Do List are quick and easy things that will just take a few minutes each. I get those done right away.
3. Finally, I put everything else in my planner on the corresponding date. That way, I have it in my mind whenever I open my planner.

Of course, my system won’t work for everyone. You need to figure out what system works best for you and stick to it. To Do Lists and planners are very important ways to stay organized, keep your priorities straight and go through college with ease.

This is a guest post by our campus ambassador Angeliz Torres from University of Puerto Rico

Hello everyone! I hope you’ve found my last two blogs to be useful. This will be the last
part of my Study Abroad series in which I’ll talk about what happened and what I did
once I was back home. Besides getting hit by reality, there are a few things I had to think
about, and you should to.

Reflect your experience, accomplishments, new friends, knowledge gained, and
everything else you got involved with! Now comes the tricky part, what are you going
to do about it? Personally, I did a lot of volunteer work and community service and was
involved in Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) so I started looking for community service
initiatives in Puerto Rico and get to know the local SIFE coordinators so I could begin
working with that here at home. So, think about what you did while you were abroad
and look to continue your efforts at home whether it be by joining the local chapter of an
organization or doing your own thing.

There’s a newfound confidence in you, make the most of it! I had just been away from
home for a semester, I had grown independent and I wasn’t going to back down. Take
initiative in looking for internships, mentorships or student advisor positions. Have faith
in your decisions and stick with them, believe me, conviction goes a long way.

Share your experiences with your friends and classmates. I believe everyone should go
abroad at least once during their college life and take on the challenge a new culture
presents. Volunteer to be a Study Abroad Advisor (I did!) and help others achieve what
you did. Like I said before, reflect and remember what you went through before and
during your study abroad experience and motivate others into searching for different
programs in order to find the one that best suits their needs.

Finally, don’t forget to keep in touch! I met lots of new friends, professors, and faculty
members that made my experience unique and I still tell them about how life’s treating
me now that I’m back in Puerto Rico. Professors like to know about your academic
progress and that you’re really trying to better yourself. Also, you always want to know
how your friends are doing, add them on FaceBook and Twitter! You never know when
you’ll need their help.

I hope everyone found my Study Abroad Series useful and I encourage you all to go
abroad and explore the world beyond your country of origin. You never know what
you’ll find and learn.

This is a guest post from our campus ambassador Ashley Otis from Columbia College.

The ability to translate the way your body “speaks” to you so you know and understand what your body can and cannot handle when making your class, work, or social schedule(s) can save you from a World of stress, bad health and exhaustion. Become familiar with your body’s limits and understand what it is and is not fully capable of doing. You know the saying, “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.”? It’s good to get into lots of activities and events while in school but not when it’s come to a point where your body can’t physically handle it.

So, how do you know? If you find yourself to be extremely tired or exhausted every day, you may be doing more than your body can handle. If you can’t get AT LEAST 6 hours of sleep in before waking up the next morning, you may want to reschedule or think twice about those particular activities or classes that won’t allow you to get the rest your body needs.

If you’re stressing out, it may be because your body is “upset” and needs a break from the cramming (ooooh the cramming). Try not to let your assignments pile up too high. “Knock them out” or get them done as soon as you can. When you don’t feel like it, make yourself feel like it and get it done! LOL Do your homework the day or night it was assigned. Doing this will make things much easier on you. It won’t seem like you have a ton of work to do if you do a little bit every day and not all at once. Secondly, you don’t always have to hang out all through the night. Your friends get tired too. They’ll understand. You have the entire weekend to do whatever you want. You don’t want to regret staying up late last night when you can barely wake up for class the next morning.

Lastly, create your schedule according to what your body can handle. Don’t just schedule it because you have the time. Physically, you may not really have that time to spare. Of course you won’t know this right off the bat but you’ll get the feel of how your body responds to your schedule gradually as you continue through the school year. Luckily, you have second semester to adjust your schedule. Everyone’s body reacts in different ways so its up to you to be able to translate and recognize those reactions and do something about it so that you won’t have difficulty going about your day.

This is a guest post by our campus ambassador Alicia Valko from Towson University.

Perhaps it’s because I live and breathe PR, but I believe that everyone is essentially a brand. Did you know that the word “brand” started out as a way to identify livestock? Today, a “brand” is an identity; it gives the product or company a personality that distinguishes it from competitors. In business terms, a brand is a specific product, service, or company that can be identified by a name, sign, symbol, color combination, or trademark. How does this relate to you? Well, in terms of internship or job hunting, you should be looking at yourself as a brand. Your brand is what differentiates you from the many others vying for a specific position. In some cases, you may be competing against similarly qualified candidates, so your brand is what will stand out to employers. Like it or not, you are already a brand – do you like what your brand says about you? Look at everything you send to potential employers, look at everything you post online, look at your resume. Are these things consistent? Do they display your personality? If your current brand isn’t what you’d like employers to see, adjust it. Your brand needs to reflect your identity. My best advice is this: Hunt around online for business cards that show your personality. Then try to incorporate the color scheme, font, or graphics (or all three, if you can!) into the materials you send to employers. Make sure they scream your name, but keep it classy! Last year, I bought great business cards online (when you look at them, you can immediately tell they are mine) and used the graphic on my resume, cover letter, and some writing samples when appropriate. I also kept within the same color scheme for my personal blog. Be sure to keep your brand consistent, it is what you will be remembered by!

This is a guest post by our campus ambassador Michelle Langer from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

So this semester I ended up biting off a lot more than I thought I could chew.  Working an internship, a job, the maximum credit load, and extracurriculars, plus I did want to see my friends periodically.  I had to learn about the glories of time management and I had to learn it pretty fast!

The most important thing I learned was, “Never let them see you sweat.”  No matter how stressful things got for me, I never showed it.  I came into work or into classes ready to learn with an eager and willing face.  I interned with someone who always showed how stressed he was and because of this our boss ended up giving me the more interesting tasks and he got the busy work because she was afraid he would not be able to handle more.

The other thing I learned is that it is okay to say “no.”  I have always been the type of person who is not able to tell someone that I cannot do it.  After I learned how to do this I found that people were less upset with me then I thought, they were actually happy that I did not take on more then I could.  The reality is this, people would rather you do less and put in 100%, then do everything and put in 50%.

Finally, it may seem simple and really straightforward, but I started to color organize my calendar and make sure that everything I need to do was written down.  I write down all my assignments and all my meetings and appointments.  This small and easy thing really helped me to make it through this semester.  My calendar may be full to the brim with all of the colors in the rainbow, but hey, I made it through the semester with barely any emotional breakdowns

This is a guest post by our Intern Queen Campus Ambassador Sarah Fitterer from University of Missouri.

Trying to find a balance for myself this semester began as a challenge.  I am taking more credit hours than I previously have and am also holding an internship.  Over the last few weeks I have finally begun to find that balance that I have been looking for, here are a few things that have helped me:

1.       Find your ‘go-to’ location- Find that place that will allow you to stay focused and work your best.   I found that having a consistent study environment has helped my mind wander less and I am able to stay focused on what I need to accomplish.

2.       Keep a planner- It may take a while to get in the habit of keeping a planner, but it will be worth it.  I am always making mini lists of what I need to accomplish for the day and for the rest of the week.  What I found easiest was to assign a certain color to each class, to outside activities, and another for my student organization’s activities.

3.       Acknowledge small achievements-   Once I have finished my list for the day I like to look back to acknowledge what I have accomplished.  Just by finishing simple tasks on a to-do list can give you a positive attitude to do the same the next day.   Set reasonable goals for yourself.

4.       Prioritize- Decide what is most important for YOU. I like to take on my most challenging task first; it seems to make everything else get accomplished a little faster.

5.       Schedule time for you- This is something that you enjoy that can help take your mind off what you have been working on.  By doing this, you can come back and be fully focused on what you need to accomplish.

6.       Keep away from social media- I know checking Twitter and Facebook is very tempting, but it is also very counterproductive.  Whatever status update you missed will still be there once you have finished your task.

This is a guest post from our InternQueen Campus Ambassador Kim Pham, marketing major at New York University.

You know the old adage: “all good things must come to an end.” Sadly, your internship doesn’t last forever and there are a few essential things you need to complete before your stint ends – an internship bucket list, of sorts. Some of these tasks are silly, and some are serious – but all will maximize the time and effort you spend interning.

- Follow the company brand on Twitter/fan them on Facebook.

With social media taking center stage for many businesses, remember to stay in the loop about how your company is presenting itself to the public. Plus, it shows that you are loyal and attentive to the brand.

- Send a thank-you card to the intern coordinator/immediate superior.

This person is your direct connection, responsible for your hiring and current position. Let him or her know that you have truly appreciated all of the help and guidance, and that you intend to continue the relationship past your internship position.

- Attend a company bonding event.

Whether it is the weekly dinner, holiday party, or team lunch, a company bonding event is a great time to get to know your coworkers on a more personal level. It is also an opportunity to show off your shining personality and charm, beyond just being a competent intern.

- Offer to run an otherwise “mundane” errand.

Even if you find yourself busy with crucial tasks, offer one of those errands dreaded among interns: i.e., make a Starbucks run, take the office dog for a walk, drop off envelopes at the post office, etc. It is a humbling reminder of just how hard you sometimes have to work to succeed, and also demonstrates that you do not consider any task too “below” you.

- Get a reference letter from your boss.

Getting an additional reference letter never hurts, especially if you performed well; you never know when a potential employer or school might need one! I worked as a marketing intern for an online company back home in Boston two years ago, and received a killer reference letter from the CEO of my company afterward. That letter was particularly impressive when applying for my current internship at a tech-startup here in New York City.

- Network with at least three other people – outside of your company.

Whether it is a client or competitor, make sure to connect with people other than your immediate coworkers. It is a chance to expand your network beyond the walls of your internship; broadening your contacts is an essential, timeless skill that will always be beneficial, regardless of your position.

- Tackle a project that seems “bigger than you.”

Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself at the internship – it is a chance to show your superiors that, despite lacking experience or education, you are fearless and willing. If the company plans to hire an intern full-time later on, your desire to learn will really stand out.

The “bucket list” mentality will really help you remember that your days are limited – remember to take advantage of every day at your internship. Regardless of what happens after that fateful last day, be proud of the hard work you have done at your internship and (hopefully) the new doors that have opened.

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

It’s interview season so hopefully you’ve been applying for summer internships this week! Many of you have probably had phone interviews, but one type of interview that is always a little tricky to plan is the Skype interview. Get your game face on (literally!) because more and more companies are asking potential interns to interview via Skype. I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks to breeze through your next Skype interview.

• Get in the right location! Skyping while lounging in your bed may work while Skyping with your mom, but NOT for an interview. At Ohio University, our Career Services office has rooms for students to conduct phone and Skype interviews in that are professional, clean and quiet. Your school probably does too! If not, find a place with no noise and a plain background. Avoid busy areas and places with distracting backgrounds. Think plain and simple so the interviewer can focus on YOU!
• Eye contact! You know how important it is to maintain eye contact in interviews and in meeting people anywhere, but it’s a little awkward when Skyping. We are drawn to look at the screen and the image of ourselves, but peel your eyes away from the screen and to the top camera icon on your computer. When you look at the camera, you are “looking” directly at the interviewer rather than yourself
• Practice, practice, practice! Ask your parents or friends if you can “conduct” a more serious Skype interview with them to make sure you understand how each button works, how to make the screen larger, etc. Treat these examples as practice interviews and use the time to work out any kinks or confusion you have with the Skype software.
• DRESS TO IMPRESS: Just because the interviewer can only see you from the chest up does NOT mean you should be Skyping in pajama pants! Put on a FULL interview outfit including shoes. You never know if will be asked to stand up or something like that and it would be horrifying to be dressed on top, but not on the bottom half of your body. For girls, opt for a blouse with a blazer or sweater and show off your personal style with a patterned scarf or necklace. Guys, I’d go with a sweater or collared shirt! Obviously, your dress code depends on the type of internship you are applying for, but make sure to dress the part even if though it’s a video interview! Don’t forget to keep your hair out of your face!
• Speak clearly. Dont rush, don’t whisper, don’t yell. Speak in a modest tone and articulate your words so the interviewer has no problem understanding what you are saying!
• Last minute tips! Conduct a trial run…turn on Skype, make sure the volume and speakers are on. Take a photo on your computer of what you look like to make sure you are at the right level. The picture of me on this blog post is actually one I took before a Skype interview! I also suggest placing your computer at a table. It’s vital to do this quick trial run in advance to make sure your posture is correct, the camera angle is flattering, your outfit works and the background is flattering.

I had the opportunity to speak with Amanda Montgomery(@acmontgomery), the Marketing Manager for Social Media Delivered, an international social media optimization form located in North Texas, Paris, and France (www.socialmediadelivered.com), about the importance of networking and using LinkedIn.

Latest LinkedIn Facts via press.linkedin.com:

- LinkedIn has over 85 million members in over 200 countries.

- A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second, and about half of the members are outside of the U.S.

- Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members

Q: How do you personally use LinkedIn?

A: I personally use LinkedIn to 1) follow up from professional industry networking events, to connect with people online so I can maintain relationships. 2) as a cross recruiting tool for people on a more personal level. 3) to participate in trade groups and discussion about industry news and buzz. I use groups to stay on top of my A-game in breaking Social Media news. And 4) to expand our brand as an organization.

Q: What do you feel makes LinkedIn important?

A: Online Netiquitte, -80% of people check you out on Facebook and LinkedIn. I see LinkedIn as becoming the primary way you should be listed online. It’s such a wide gamut of infomation you can post there. I personally think it’s the greatest thing to happen to social media as it drives return on relationships. I encourage people to break their addiction with Facebook and try out a little LinkedIn medicine!

Q: How do you think it helps in a professional world and in actually finding jobs?

A: A great thing about LinkedIn is that you are able to connect with job seekers and job searchers – you really go back to the core principal of creating a network and establishing an online reputation by learning and continuing to educate yourself.

Q: What about having LinkedIn while in College?

A: It’s a vital tool. Critical. More vital than air. I mean, you have to breathe but if you could trade, it’s more important than air. If you want to be taken seriously, that’s where you need to be. Your profile needs to be optimized. Have the right things plugged in. Be proactive. Reach out in groups. Don’t be afraid to send notes. If you’re going to events trying to find job leads and you meet some people, don’t be afraid to send them notes. Most people I have hired have been from referrals, and LinkedIn is a great way to connect. The term “if you know 10 people you know 10 thousand”  is really true for LinkedIn.

Q: What do you think LinkedIn’s roll while seeking internships is?

A: internships are a job, in my opinion, and you should act accordingly. When you treat an internship as a full time job the long term benefits will be ten fold. When you set a pattern in your behavior, you set standards for yourself. All of it is centering around an optimized professional that knows all the information they can.

My new Seventeen Quiz for you to take!  Take the quiz here: How Will I Land My Dream Job? ]]> http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2010/10/another-lauren-berger-intern-queen-quiz-from-seventeen-com/feed/ 0