This blog is written by Laura M., our campus ambassador from Clemson.

This past week, I attended my first career fair. A career fair can be an overwhelming experience, especially for a college student who desperately wants a job after college. I wanted to share a few tips with you so your experience can be profitable and might even help you land you a job (fingers crossed!).

• Update your resume. This may seem obvious, but I am not just talking about updating your work experience. Have someone else look over your resume for you. Ask your teachers or advisors for tips. The career center at my school had a resume blitz this week to help students prepare for the career fair. I went and they were able to help me with formatting my resume in the best way possible and gave me some helpful tips. This leads me to my second point…
• Go to your school’s career center. Most schools have a career center, or at least have career services. The career counselor who helped me answered my questions about the career fair and also gave me some tips to use when talking to representatives.
• Research the participating companies. Your school should let you know what companies will be represented at the career fair. My school put an insert in the school newspaper the week before that had a list of the companies and what majors they were looking to hire. Instead of trying to talk to all of them at the career fair, I picked a few relevant companies and researched them online to find out more about them.
• Dress professional. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I was surprised about some of the outfits I saw. Girls, stay away from short skirts and dresses. They might be ok in college, but they aren’t in the professional world. Personally, I would suggest not going more than a 2-3 inches above the knee, at least for this event. I am all for accessories, but bangles that go halfway to your elbow might not be appropriate in this case. Also, wear comfortable shoes. I didn’t and regretted it. Guys, a suit is your best bet.
• Bring a folder or portfolio. Make sure you have something to store your resume and the business cards you will get.
• Relax! Smile and do your best to carry on a normal, professional conversation with the representatives. Be yourself, well, your professional self in this case. Career fairs are an opportunity for you to present yourself as a potential job candidate, but also a time for you to have the chance to find out more about the companies you are interested in. Feel free to ask questions, that’s one of the reasons the representatives are there.
• Follow-up. Follow-up is crucial. Keep those business cards and email the representatives you spoke with. They talked to lots of students, but all of those students won’t follow-up. Make sure you do.

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.

I want you to go to your computers right now and change your email addresses to something professional that does NOT make your email sound like any of the following:

A. Look like spam
B. Look like you are a pornstar
C. Look young and immature.

Your email should be some version of your name and I suggest you get a Gmail account. Try firstname.lastname@gmail.com OR firstinitial.lastname@gmail.com. Hotmail accounts are blocked from some individuals accounts because of the spam factor.

You can always keep your screen name that you’ve had forever from Instant Messenger. Mine is still Princessl84. However, you must work and send your resumes from an email account that looks dignified and professional. I don’t want to see anymore resumes being sent to me from “BeachBaller” or “IluvNelly” – remember, your email address is a reflection of your future. Make it look nice and represent you properly. That’s all

xo Lauren Berger “The Intern Queen”

I’m begging you to please stop blowing off internship interviews. I’ve heard from a number of employers  about students who apply to specific internships, respond to the employer, and then blow off the interview.  This is extremely unprofessional. You MUST communicate with the employer. If you cannot make the interview for whatever reason – just be honest and send them an email ASAP. Completely blowing off an interview is not acceptable and remember – everyone knows everyone. You have no idea who these employers know in their personal and professional networks. Make sure you don’t burn a bridge with anyone. If you are no longer available for the internship, don’t feel bad, just be honest and send a nice note declining the opportunity. From an employer’s point of view, they would much rather hear that you cannot do the internship before they bring you on board.

Please take this  note into consideration when/if you are contemplating blowing off an interview or employer’s correspondence.

You can do this and you can do this the professional way!

Best,

Your Intern Queen, Lauren Berger

]]> http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2010/08/stop-blowing-off-interview/feed/ 2 http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2010/08/stay-in-touch-with-contacts-ask-the-intern-queen/ http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2010/08/stay-in-touch-with-contacts-ask-the-intern-queen/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:13:39 +0000 Lauren Berger http://www.internqueen.com/blog/?p=493 Q: Hi Lauren,

I’m coming to the end of my internship at WGN News in Chicago, IL and I’m wondering what I should do for my supervisor? I’ve worked closely with him all summer and he’s really taught me a lot. Is a thank-you card enough? Or should I do something more personal? –I  want to make sure he remembers me so I can use him as a reference when I apply for jobs.Thanks!  – Katie

Answer:

Hi Katie,

Thanks for your note. I think student’s across the nation are asking themselves the same question this week. You do not need to buy your internship coordinator/supervisor a gift. If you feel that’s appropriate – that’s fine but it’s not expected or needed. Make sure you MAIL a HAND-WRITTEN Thank-You Note. If you want to go above and beyond, you could do something creative like baking cookies or find out your supervisor’s favorite candy and bring some in to say thank you on the last day. Let them know that this is a small token of your appreciation.

The best thing you can do is STAY IN TOUCH. After you send the Thank-You note, make a “keep in touch” plan on your calendar. Towards the end of each semester, make sure to send over an email to your contact. The goal is to not let them forget who you are. Good luck!

Feel free to bring this up during #internchat tomorrow night on Twitter at 7PM EST.

Lauren Berger

“The Intern Queen”

My advice for networking events is two fold depending on if you are an intern or a recent graduate/entry-level employee.

I suggest that interns get involved with everything they can on a trial basis. As an intern, constantly ask people about the networking groups they are involved with. When you have the opportunity to chat with executives and professionals at your company, ask them what networking groups they belong to. Also, ask them if you might be able to attend one of that organization’s events and who you should contact to try it out. In another city for the summer? This is the perfect time for you to check out new networking groups and see which are a fit.

Before you go, ask yourself the following:

1. What is my objective? What to I want to get out of this event?

2. What types of people do I want to meet and what do I want to make sure they know about me?

For entry-level employees & those who have been around networking events in the past, it’s time to be a little more selective. You will learn after time that it’s actually not that much fun to go to a different networking event every night and it actually costs lots of money and can prevent you from getting other work done. I encourage you to write out all of the groups that you currently have relationships with. Then take a moment and ask yourself, “what’s missing?” What are you NOT getting out of these groups, pretend you are an intern again, go back and experiment with new groups and find what you are looking for.

Remember, don’t be a part of a group because your friends are. Do this for yourself. Make sure that you see value in your time commitment. Decide which group is most important to you and become very involved and active – even seek out executive board positions. It’s the people who want to be involved in everything and who cannot say no that seem to have the most problems with networking events. Be selective. Come prepared. Take something away.

SECRET #1

START REQUESTING MEETINGS.
You have been at your internship for about 2-3 weeks or so by now. It’s time to request meetings with the execs and high-ups. Make a list of anyone you admire within the company. Think big – any department works. Approach your internship coordinator and ask if you can request general meetings with those people somewhere from now until the end of your internship.

THE NOTE.
Send short, to-the-point meeting requests to the person or their assistant (ask what the proper protocall is). In your email, state that you are a student, your school, year in school, the department where you are interning, and what your request is. See below:

Mitchell Baker,
I’m a student at University of Arizona and currently interning in your drama development department with Rob Gold. I’d love to request a brief meeting with you at some point over the next 8 weeks. I’m here until August 8th and very interested in pursuing a career after graduation with your company. I’d love to here how you got started and introduce myself.
Best,
Aaron Brandy
Email: Abrandy@gmail.com
Direct: 787 888 8888

WHAT TO SAY.
Some executives won’t give you the time of day – BUT others will. I’ve sat down with at least half of the people that I requested meetings with as an intern. Remember, keep your meeting short and sweet. The goal is to introduce yourself, make a great impression, have a firm handshake, clearly state your career goals, have questions prepared, and thank them for their time.

A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK.
1. How did you get started ?

2. What was your first position at this company ?

3. If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would do differently ?

4. What do you suggest I do to best prepare myself to enter this field ?

5. What newspapers, websites, blogs do you suggest I read to keep up on the industry ?

REMEMBER TO SAY….“Do you have a card so that I can stay in touch?”

I just finished my freshman year. I’m from VA and I found it difficult to get an internship for the summer here. I found your website online while looking for internships. I was impressed by how much you interned during college. Do you have any advice for me? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Nitisha

INTERN QUEEN: Hi Nitisha. My advice for you is start small. It all begins with baby steps. Start by researching any employers of interest in your area. It’s not about the big name companies. My first internships were with companies you have never heard of. It’s all about getting some solid experience on your resume when you are young and then slowly building upon that. Try to intern in your hometown at a local company for this summer. Next summer, you can reach a bit higher and set your sights on a company in NYC. Good luck !

Q: Hello,

I am a recent graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. I came across the quarterlife website and see that you have very intriguing internship postings and i was wondering if you do the same with jobs? If not, I was wondering if you had any suggestions on where a good place is to look ( monster.com is not very helpful), Thanks so much.

Brittany

INTERN QUEEN: Hi Brittany, Congrats on graduation ! That’s a huge accomplishment. The first step in finding a job is to make sure that your resume is completely updated and ready to go at a moments notice. The quarterlife site does have a few job listings under GIGS on http://www.quarterlife.com. Otherwise, I suggest checking out http://www.collegerecruiter.com which has tons of great jobs listed from all over the country. I also suggest the Grapevine Agency who run a great job coaching program. Let me know if I can be of greater assistance. Good luck !