This a blog by Danielle G., our Campus Ambassador from the University of Connecticut. Danielle is a Communications major with a concentration in Sociology. She will graduate in May.

As the months become colder we start switching out our flip flops for our Uggs and our light fleece jackets for our puffy winter ones. We find ourselves worrying about wind burn instead of sun burn and cannot leave the house with out a hat instead of sunglasses. Yes Mr. Winter is here and with that every intern needs to begin to think of the new essentials they will need while interning this winter.

1. Hand Crème/Sanitizer

An intern should always carry portable hand sanitizer because of all the places and people we come into contact with on a daily basis. Riding the subway, grabbing lunch, touching door handles and computers, and just shaking hands is a great way to catch the nasty winter viruses, which could hinder your holidays and your interning work ethic. Since it is winter though try switching to a hand sanitizer that doubles as a lotion too. With less humidity in the air your skin becomes very dry lacking its usual moisture. No one wants to shake a crocodile hand so lotion them up and your hand will thank you.

1. Portable Tissues

Even if you aren’t sick, going from the freezing temperatures outside to the warm buildings can cause your noise to run. You do not want to be the sniffling intern in a meeting or greet someone with a drippy nose. By carrying the little packs of tissues you will be able to compose yourself and your noise before even hitting the elevator. Bonus: These are also great if you find the wind makes your eyes tear. You wont have to worry about if your mascara is running because you could fix it with a tissue.

1. Touch Screen Gloves

Finally our prayers have been answered. They now make affordable gloves with a different material on the fingertips that touch screens media devices are compatible with. This means that you no longer have to take off your gloves to answer your touch screen phones or change a song on your touch screen MP3 players. What’s even better is I found these gloves at Walmart in all different colors for just $3! These gloves are the greatest invention yet. They are definitely something every intern needs and can afford.

Winter can be a fun and exciting time. Even though the weather changes and it gets darker quicker, we seem to spend more time with our family and friends, curl up with the latest seasonal drinks (Gingerbread Latte anyone?) and take in all the holiday cheer. It is also a great time to try a Wintership! If you do, hopefully my 3 tips above will help you brave the weather. Happy Interning!

This blog is written by Ariam, our campus ambassador from Stony Brook University.

Most associations/organizations hold career conferences for its members and the public. It’s a fun-filled day of meeting and networking with professionals in your desired field. Often the different committees within the conference anticipate this event and YOU shouldn’t miss out on the action.

Do Your Homework

The clock is ticking, and there’s one week left till the conference. What to do? Any recognized organization will begin promoting their conference months in advance. Do your research on who’s attending! Even if you’re completely stumped on panelists, check out who came the previous year. Create your own biographical sheet on these panelists—may want to include a picture to help you remember their face and look into their position at the company.

Pack the Essentials

• · Registration/confirmation e-mail—to check-in
• · Business cards—check out moo.com or vistaprint.com which offer great deals
• · 10 copies of your resume
• · 2 pens
• · Pad of paper
• · Purse of tote bag

Tip: Pack your essentials in a folder, so you don’t look like you’re pulling out of a hat all-day!

Look Simple, but Sharp

Just like any other event on-campus or professional setting, you want to dress appropriately and leave a lasting first impression to whomever you come in contact with. Looking sharp doesn’t equate sporting the most expensive pair of slacks or watch, but wearing attire that is suitable for your frame. DRESS COMFORTABLY as you’ll likely be standing on your feet for most of the event.

• · no heavy make-up
• · SHOES- flats or 3-inch heels (maximum); remember comfort is a MUST
• · Skirts should not be 3-inches above the knee
• · Try to match colors

Ladies: white button-up shirt or blouse with dark grey jacket and pencil skirt. Gentleman: Ideally black or dark brown shoes to accompany your suit will do.

Use Your Smartphone

Engage with the panel and other attendees throughout the conference by live-tweeting questions, comments, or answers that may surprised you using the appropriate hash tag! You never know—your tweet may end up in a post-coverage event.

Market Yourself

Think of this conference as a second-interview. You are already in the ballgame, so you must view your position as a student professional. Don’t fray the idea of bringing SAMPLES from your portfolio to show off your work.

Tip: If you’re looking to bring press releases or any other writing samples, make sure you include most recent work.

• Strike a friendly conversation with someone
• Take notes while they are speaking (if needed)
• Exchange business cards—it’s about who you know and WHO KNOWS YOU

FOLLOW UP WITHIN THE NEXT 2 DAYS. Send a friendly e-mail, tweet. But as always handwritten notes are most appreciated when done gracefully.

Going into an internship on the first day, it’s hard to know what to expect to get out of it. For me, my internship with Teen Vogue changed my life and goals forever. I worked in Teen Vogue as a spring intern in the marketing and events department, where I got to help prepare for events and work on Teen Vogue programs and social media. I thought could be a great fit since I was both interested in business and working with people. I was a freshman at Parsons School of Design in New York City and was ready to declare my major as fashion design. I had no idea that walking through the doors of Conde Nast, and working with Teen Vogue could alter my career and educational goals so much. While I learned amazing lessons on the value and skills needed to market a magazine, I became so interested when I walked past the art department to see them working on graphics. They would put together beautiful layouts, talk about photo shoots and create designs for invitations posters and more. Eventually, I approached the art director, and told her that I had experience with photo shop and illustrator and if she ever needed any extra help I would love any opportunity. Before Teen Vogue Hate Spot, a launch of a Teen Vogue pop up store, she approached me and said they needed help. I came in an extra days, and got hands on experience seeing how they create layouts. It was everything that I loved, combining my love of art and creativity, with my interest in graphic design and marketing. I looked into different majors at my school and ended up switching to communication design, a major that focuses of information graphic design and I can emphasize on editorial layouts.

For many interns if it weren’t for their internship, I may have not found something that they were so passionate about. For me, it came from seeking an opportunity in a different department. I think internships can shape a clearer picture on the reality of an occupation because it allows you to see for yourself the good and bad of a particular job. I will always look back and love my time at Teen Vogue. So for anyone who isn’t sure what major to go into, trying an internship before you declare can save a lot of time and lead you are meant to do. While most my freshman friends were off exploring the city, I dedicated myself to three internships my freshman year. Looking back, I am really glad because it formed my interests and got me to where I am today.

First impressions are extremely important. We have heard that our whole life. But how does that translate into the working world? Some might say that first impressions at an interview are crucial, and I agree. But many times you have to first impress your potential employer with your cover letter and resume in order to get asked to an interview.

One of my bosses, Kim Banks, wrote a great post on our company blog a few months ago about cover letters. She agreed to let me share a few of her tips with other interns for my blog post. Here are a few tips she suggests for hopeful job candidates…

Don’t tell them they should hire you because…

• You need a job
• You need money
• You need internship credit

While those things may be true, that’s not why they should hire you. Think about what you have to offer them, not what they have to offer you.

Do…

• Know what the company does
• Tell about recent successes you may have had – and how you can contribute to their workplace
• Tell them how you have worked hard and gone the extra mile in one of your classes
• Compliment them. Do you like their website? Enjoy reading their blog? Think they do a great job with their Twitter or Facebook account? Tell them!
• Spell their names right.
• Read the company blog if they have one. It shows you not only researched the company itself, but you also dug deeper to catch a glimpse inside the day-to-day activities of the office.
• If you attach a resume, title it with your first and last name- not just “Resume1.doc.”

I hope these tips were as helpful for you as they were for me. Do you have any other tips you have found particularly helpful?

This blog is written by Hannah, our campus ambassador from Loyola Marymount and one of Intern Queen’s fall interns.

It is every intern’s dream to spend a summer in a big fabulous city with an even bigger and more fabulous internship. Well congratulations! You applied, interviewed, and successfully nabbed that dream job – but now what? Sleep in subway bathrooms like Will and Jaden Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness? I don’t think so. Here is your ultimate guide to finding a (temporary) home for the summer your dreams.

University Housing

The great thing about university housing is that they always have vacancies, which means the school will do just about anything to get that room filled and paid for. Check the housing websites of all the universities in the city of your internship and see if they have an exchange program of some sort. I know for a fact that NYU in New York hosts hundreds of interns every summer.

Subleasing

There aren’t too many times that you will find the perfect apartment with a landlord that is willing to give you a 2-3 month lease. Thus, you should really check all your resources for people that need subleasers. Newspaper classifieds, Facebook groups, and websites like Uloop and Craigslist are all great resources to find people that need to rent out their apartment for a short period of time.

Networking

I know what you are thinking, that networking is generally a concept and activity used to further your career – well think again! Maybe you have a friend of a friend who’s cousin lives in the city and could use a couch surfer to help pay the rent. You can get details on the apartment, good information on the roommate you are sticking yourself with, etc. It’s like being backstage at a concert – you get all the nitty gritty details first!

Ask the Company!

Chances are, you are not the first intern to come from out of town. Maybe the company has a deal for cheap rates with the extended stay hotel across the street. At the very least, they have the emails of former interns, and it never hurts to shoot them an email and ask them what they did for their stay.

So good luck! And congrats on getting a fabulous internship and your impending adventure in a new city. Use these resources and you will be good to go!

This blog is written by Jenna, our Campus Ambassador at Chico State. She is a junior journalism major and just finished an internship with a magazine in the Bay Area.

“If you can deal with us for another summer, we’d love to have you back next year.”

Two weeks before my summer internship ended, my supervisor casually threw this in at the end of an email. I was absolutely thrilled with the thought, and I became increasingly excited about my future options. Here are some things I did that I believe made them want me back.

Connect with everyone. Talk to everyone in the office. Create relationships with them and continuously ask if they need help with anything. This way, if your supervisor asks around to see who would be happy with having you around for a while longer, everyone will be familiar with you and associate you with being a helping hand.

Learn what people like. There are certain ways people like things done. Pay close attention to the details and it will be appreciated. I noticed that one of the editors in the office wanted me to use paper clips instead of staples when compiling files for her, so she could later keep them in a binder. Also, my supervisor was huge on communication, so I made sure to forward her many of the emails I sent.

Send daily updates. I found that sending an email to my supervisor that included a list of what I accomplished at the end of each day was really helpful. She loved the organization and it was also easier for me to check things off my list. Don’t flood their email inbox – just try it out one day and see how they respond. Some people may receive too many emails already and would prefer to only talk about your day in person.

Go above and beyond. Step out of your comfort zone and make your daily goal to make someone in the office say, “Wow.” Let them know you’re dedicated and ask a ton of questions. I once had the assignment of interviewing someone and writing a short bio. She told me she could only speak with me at 8 p.m. that night or the following week. If I waited, I would miss my deadline. I then took initiative and “worked” after leaving the office. It paid off.

I am not entirely sure of my plans for next summer just yet, but I had some other Campus Ambassadors weigh in – to intern with one company twice as long or move on and gain experience from multiple?

“I interned at the same company twice and now I have a full time position there!” Cat from University of South Florida

“My Work Experience teacher at school told me you should only stay at an internship if you are going to continue learning new things.” – Vanessa from San Diego Mesa College

“I interned at the same company three times but I always did something different.” – Sarah from University of Missouri

For my last blog I shared with you all some major DOs of a Chicago internship, but there were several lessons learned the hard way unfortunately. So I thought I’d share some major DON’Ts with you in order to keep you from making silly mistakes and having the same misconceptions I had!

1. Don’t expect a lot of praise: As an intern we don’t always receive the recognition that we feel we deserve, but that’s OK because no one else in the office is getting constant recognition either. The work place is a high energy, fast paced environment, and just because someone doesn’t recognize your hard work doesn’t mean they don’t notice it!
2. Don’t make excuses: I definitely learned this lesson quickly. For my magazine internship this summer in Chicago myself and another intern were in charge of a TV segment for my editor and made some grammatical mistakes when typing it up. Luckily, she caught the mistakes before the segment, but we tried to explain ourselves and she wasn’t having it! She told us that there were no excuses basically. Always just accept responsibility for your mistakes and move forward. You will earn more respect that way as well.
3. Don’t expect a ton of huge assignments: I went in thinking I would get a ton of writing experience as an editorial intern for a print magazine. However, most stories in print are written by freelancers; therefore, interns don’t get a ton of opportunities to work on big stories. However, I did get a ton of great opportunities to write for the web! So don’t get down if you don’t get to work on the big projects you had been hoping for, look to gain experience in all the other small tasks you are given! The more you prove yourself in small tasks, bigger tasks are often given to you!

This a guest blog by one of our Campus Ambassadors, Marysa. Marysa is a senior majoring in Communication Studies.

Every once in a while I get a surprise when a potential employer asks to meet at a coffee shop or for lunch rather than in their office for an interview.  The coffee shop interview may be a progressive take on the in-office cousin interview but it should not be taken any less seriously.   Here are some hints for the coffee shop interview!

DO offer to pay for your drink:  it shows that you have manners and are not just expecting anything to be handed to you (whether it be a cup of coffee or an internship)!

DO dress professional:  just because you are in more laid back environment does not give you the right to wear shorts, low cut tops or tennis shoes.  You want to reflect yourself in a professional manner, even in a coffee shop.

DON’T sit lower than the person interviewing you:  many times in coffee shops, there will be tall bar stools as well as large single chairs.  If the chairs around a table are at different heights, sit in the one that will make you at eye level.  You don’t want to have to look down or up to the person who is with you.

DON’T sit with your back to the door: if you get there early, sit near the entrance, facing the door.  It will make it easier for the interviewer to spot you rather than if you are hiding out in a corner.

This is a blog written by our Intern Queen Campus Ambassador, Bianca, who attends Belmont University in Nashville, TN.

This semester, I’m taking an eight-week course called Internship Lab. Many of you are probably wondering, what exactly is an Internship Lab? Well, my university requires students pursuing an internship in the entertainment industry to complete this lab, because it provides students with the fundamental knowledge needed to successful in searching for and landing an internship. In the past few weeks, we’ve been discussing interview strategies, and I’ve garnered some new tips and tricks that will help you in perfecting your interviewing skills and make you stand out from other applicants. Many of these resources are provided by my university’s career services department, a wonderful resource that I’ve tended to overlook. Here are some reasons why career services should be your new one-stop shop for interview preparation!

1. Ask your career services department about online interviewing practice!

Many career services departments have subscriptions to interview practice websites. For example, my university has provided students with access to InterviewStream, an online program that allows interviewees to take part in practice interviews that are recorded using a webcam and can be re-played to look for weaknesses and flaws in one’s interviewing skills. Another similar resource is Perfect Interview. Contact your university’s career services department to find out more information and to receive login credentials for these useful interview practice sites.

2. Take advantage of mock interview opportunities!

In addition to providing online interview resources, it’s likely that your school offers mock interviews for students seeking jobs and internships. This is a great opportunity to receive feedback and constructive criticism from professionals at your university. Schedule a mock interview when you have a particular job or internship in mind, and you can tailor your answers in respect to that job’s requirements. Even though you won’t be able to predict what questions will be asked at your interview, a mock interview will help your practice proper behavior, mannerisms, and strategies that will apply to any interview.

3. Résumé Review

Although many of us have résumés made up and ready to go, there’s never any harm in taking your résumé and cover letter to get reviewed by career services. If you have an internship or job you’re determined to land, take your résumé and cover letter to get reviewed before sending them off. It’s always good to have an extra set of eyes review your professional materials, not to mention by someone who specializes in job placement! One of my assignments in my Internship Lab was to turn in my résumé, cover letter, and reference sheet, and because I have interest in a highly selective internship program for next summer, I wrote my cover letter to that particular internship position. Now that my academic department has approved my cover letter and résumé, I feel confident that my application is ready to send off to the employer.

4. After the Interview – It never hurts to say thank you!

Once you’ve gone in for your interview, follow up afterwards. My university’s internship coordinator places a strong emphasis on following up with the potential employer right after the interview is over. She suggests sending an e-mail and mailing a thank you card on the same day of interview. Make sure to grab a business card, so you can send a proper thank you in the mail! In your follow-up correspondence, thank the potential employer for taking the time to meet with you and mention how much you look forward to hearing from them in the near future. Keep the card simple and sweet, as you don’t want to sound like you’re absolutely desperate for the position!

Your school has a career services department for a reason. Don’t waste an opportunity to receive assistance from professionals and useful resources for interview preparation.  Your current interview skills and resume may have landed you an internship already, but there’s always room for improvement and advice from career specialists.

This blog is written by Yonas, our Campus Ambassador from the University of Louisiana Tech. See what he has to say about the benefits of getting an internship, even though it’s unpaid!

Many students understand how vital an internship is during their time in college and make it one of their top priorities to attain one. However, the idea of an internship is not always perceived to be a job lacking fiscal compensation. In other words, money is weighed at the same level as experience in some cases. I have found myself in the past, at times, forgetting where the real value of an internship lies. The intangibles that are received from an internship outweigh the tangibles in my opinion.

I understand that the image of us college students are always reflected as broke and in need of spare change because we’re at the point in our lives between high school (where we were heavily supported by parents or guardians) and the post graduate life (where we adapt into the “real world” and are forced to support ourselves independently). However, an unpaid internship should not be voided during the internship search because of the idea that a company will not pay you. The main pieces that root the value of an internship are still in place. Knowledge, experience, skills are all still there for you to gain from the internship. Like education, you are investing in your future with the experience that you would gain in an internship whether it is paid or unpaid. Why not make the sacrifice and take a chance when the reward is high and the risk is rather low? As far as reward, future employers would appreciate the fact that the student worked a job for the sole purpose of experience with no financial compensation.

I personally just completed a summer internship that was unpaid and don’t regret it at all. I gained experience in a field that I studied and was able to pad my resume for the future. To top it all off, I got a great recommendation letter from my employer that will benefit me during my job search after school. I would strongly recommend to anyone who doesn’t find an unpaid internship appealing enough to take a chance on to remember what the most important benefits from an internship are.