Leave No Intern Behind: Part II

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Internships are like a test-run. While they're not full-time, real-life jobs, they should be taken as seriously; and although you may be paid less (if at all) than you're worth, it's an extended job interview that will reap great rewards for you.

In Part I, you learned about the benefits of interning, including work experience in your major, improved networking and interview skills, references, replacing nervousness with confidence and a competitive edge over your classmates, and the ability to apply what you learned in the classroom and your career. In this half, you'll learn 10 Steps to Getting an Internship and view a sample timeline for planning and applying for internships that'll prove valuable toward your success. So, let's get to it...

The best time to look for summer internships is during the spring semester (or quarter), but if you'll be too busy with course work, then start looking during the winter break when you'll have more free time. It's better to have booked an internship while attending to final exams and finishing the semester on a strong note.

Step One: Check on whether your school or department head has an internship program or know of available internships in your field of interest. Then, visit their websites and collect info about the internship positions, including deadlines, prerequisites and qualifications for each. Also, choose which ones best fit your abilities. For instance, if you don't have a car and an internship is far away from where you live, that may not be the best fit for you.

Step Two: Ask your advisors, professors, past and current employers for recommendation letters. What others have to say about your personality, potential and achievements hold enormous weight when your application is reviewed. Have one or both talk about your personal and professional self, including the traits mentioned in the previous sentence.

Although you can 'recycle' a recommendation letter, be sure that each letter is aligned with the internship you're applying for. For instance, don't use a letter that speaks mainly about your public service work for an nternship that didn't list public service as a prerequisite. If all that employer cares about is your great personality and good grades, then use a letter that's attesting to that.

Also, be very careful to change addresses and names on each letter you decide to recycle to prevent denial and embarrasment.

Step Three: Research local companies that you would like to intern. Utilize search engines and ask your advisor and professors for a list of companies you should try. Doing this might result in them making a few phone calls on your behalf. Also, just because an employer did not advertise that they're looking for or host interns does not mean they won't hire you as an intern. Be aggressive! Be proactive!

Step Four: With your new list of potential employers, decipher which will provide the most experience, guidance, knowledge and stand out the most on your resume. No one wants one of those 'fetching coffee' internships... unless you're fetching Donald Trump's coffee and offered him a few investment tips.

Step Five: As mentioned in the first half of this series, employers don't expect collegiate to be gurus in their field (or you'd be applying for a 9 to 5, right?), but they do expect hard work, genuine interest and competency. Make sure your skills and interest mimick the company's services and mission, and that they're displayed in your resume and cover letter.

Step Six: If your major is journalism, like mine, or graphic or web design, photography, fashion design or anything artistic, a portfolio is the receptionist that introduce potential employers to your quality of work. "Hi! Welcome to John Doe, where brillance and creativity is paramount. Would you like to see more?"

Use about 10-12 samples of your best work. For those that don't fit in the above majors, use personal and class projects, and research papers to develop your portfolio. Your completed portfolio may include your resume, cover letter and contact info (although it should be on your resume, it's okay to repeat this, I feel). My portfolio reads like a magazine with a personalized, yet simple cover. It's also available in pdf form, allowing me to quickly email employers for competitive jobs.

Step Seven: Speaking of emailing... nowadays, the first moment of contact with employers is via email. The body of the email has become your cover letter, so the same rules apply. Briefly, explain who you are, what you admire about the company, what you hope to gain from an internship there and which qualities you possess will be an asset to the company. You can attach your resume and portfolio then.

Step Eight: Once the email is sent, follow-up within three days with a phone call to confirm receipt. Be cheerful, but professional. If you get a voice mail, leave a message with your phone number. Speak slowly, but not 3rd-grade-education slow. If the call is not returned, call back the next day.

Step Nine: When you hear back from a company rep, this shows interest. They'll most likely make arrangements to interview you or ask for more information.

Some companies are busy year-round, so be aggressive in scheduling an interview after they show interest. Although, there is a thin line between assertiveness and stalker, so maintain professionalism. It's kinda like having a crush on a cheerleader, but you play it cool whenever she passes by. She knows you want her, but has no idea how much. Play it cool!

Step Ten: Finally, once you secure an internship, be sure you understand your duties and the little, but also vital details, such as what time should you be at work, work attire, etc. If you're not sure about these details, make sure you ask on your first day.

In doing research for this blog, I realized there aren't much resources about applying for internships. The numbers are scarced compared to online info about scholarships and applying for college. I did, however, stumble upon a refreshing website, Intern Queen Inc. that provided a Summer Internship Timeline. Use this sample to organize your own strategy to land an internship, whether it be during the summer or next semester. To calm your nerves, this website also offers interview tips and a personalized list of internships in your area—all of that in one place... incredible!

We covered sooo much in two halves. Now, all that's left is seizing all the blessings God has for you. Enjoy!

What questions do you have about internships? Employers, any advice for our potential interns?

Leave No Intern Behind: Part I

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Just like scholarships and a college degree, applying for internships are as vital and crucial to your post-graduation success than a 4.0. It's the cherry on top of a sundae. It's the extra candy that rattles out of the vending machine. It's the... well, you got it.

This post was split into two parts: In Part II, you'll receive 10 Steps to Getting an Internship and a sample Summer Internship timeline. In this half, we'll explore the benefit of internships and dismiss the fear that the old and experienced or the young and inexperience are somehow disadvantaged in applying for internships. We have a lot to cover, so...

The Benefits

After spending my summers at paid (and unpaid) internships, I was shocked to hear my fellow graduate classmates admit they'd never interned while in undergrad. Four years of college. Each summer lying on the couch doing nothing toward their degree. Quite simply I was dumbfounded and my ego shot up couple notches, because I realized the edge I had on my classmates. Always the competitor, I calculated how my job history would award me coveted writing assignments, jobs and other internships over my classmates. While these 20-somethings feared the newsroom, I'd raked up broadcast and print mentions on my resume. Whether or not you get the internship, you'll eliminate nervousness and sharpen your interview skills long before your job search if you start early.

Other interns will also attest that working in their major improved their understanding and classroom participation.

Lastly, and probably the most valuable benefit from interning, is networking. There's really no value you can place on networking with other professionals in your field. That's why you should never turn down an unpaid internship without first evaluating the experience and networking pool, where you'll rub shoulders with executives and CEOs—future employers and references. You can't compare $8 an hour (depending on where you're earning it) to experience and a reference letter from a prominent employer.

Older & Experienced

In the post, Suit Up! Get Back in There! you learned that you're never too old to earn a college degree. Time can never elapse on your dreams if you let it. Here's more proof: one of my favorite people and PhD candidate at Southern Methodist University, Chris Davis shares how he, at age 27, interned and how it redirected his career:

The program I was aligned this past summer is called Education Pioneers. Ed Pioneers is a national organization that recruits talented individuals to the education sector. Most people who participate are in MBA, Education, JD, MPP (public policy) or PhD programs. A lot of my fellow pioneers this summer were in school full-time while I was looking to make a career change.

Ed Pioneers partners each fellow with an education institution partner. Mine happened to be Teach for America. I worked on a strategy project for the Teacher Preparation, Support and Development wing of Teach for America.

The internship made sense for me, because I was looking to change careers. The internship was the best opportunity and the opportunity I was really looking for. I am now connected nationally and locally with all education key players. I have a better understanding of what Texas and the rest of the country are facing as far as the "achievement gap."

I had to quit my full-time job at TXU Energy, because they would not support my 10-week fellowship. This was ok, because I knew TXUE was not in my immediate plans and sticking around would only show a lack of faith and courage. When I decided to quit TXUE to complete the fellowship, I had no job in hand except for two part-time positions. This was a far cry from the salary I was making at TXUE. However, God blessed me with a full time position with Dallas ISD which was where I wanted to be, making more money. I was offered the job roughly two weeks after resigning from TXUE and two days before I started my fellowship with Teach for America. God is good.

Advice: If an internship will get you to where you want to go, don't be scared. Leap out on faith knowing God will have your back. If I were still at TXUE, I would have a paycheck but no fulfillment. At Dallas ISD, I have a larger paycheck and, more importantly, fulfillment.

Chris' words and the true story-turned movie about Chris Gardner's The Pursuit of Happyness proves that older college students are not crippled when applying for and benefitting from internships. Played by Oscar nominee Will Smith, Chris Gardner is a homeless salesman and single father who interns his way to a broker job for a better life.

One of my favorite scenes from the movie is when he tells his son: "You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you (that) you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period."

Young & Inexperienced

Likewise, don't believe that you're too young or inexperienced to ace an internship interview. Employers don't expect you to have a whole lot of experience, anyway. They just want to see passion, potential and purpose. If you love learning about your major that you want to gain as much knowledge as possible then you'll be sure to be hired. What if you're not hired? Treat not getting an internship as practice for the one you will get.

The key to applying for any internship is preparation and displaying all those traits in your cover letter (which we'll explore in Part II). The fact that you're young is a plus, meaning you're impressionable, a clean slate. The benefits are the same for you as are for an older intern. Take advantage of them.

How did you benefit from interning? What do you know now that you wish you knew back then about internships?

Redeem Your Academic Pursuits with Three Rs

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Two months ago I wrote about the importance of writing out your six-month, one-year and five-year plan for enrolling or graduating from college. If you read the post FINAL CALL: Hop On The Train to Success then you know how important it is to write and spiritully digest your goals. In case you've fallen off, there's redemption, as I've created a more in-depth outline for you to get back on track:

You didn't think I would let you off the hook that easy, did you? Aha!

Re-Group & Do Over
First things first—write a new list of goals, beginning with your 6-month plan with a deadline for each item. It may include items as simple as "mail off my college application by Dec 31st" or "email my advisor about the status of my application this week."

Next, complete your one-year plan of what you'd hope to accomplish in a year's time, such as "earn a 4.0 in my first year" or "have saved $4,000 toward my tuition." Whatever your goals may be, make them practical and attainable.

Finally, in your five-year plan write down your post-graduation and career goals. In this list, you may include such items as, "graduate with honors," "land an internship or permanent job with a Fortune 500 company" or "begin applying for graduate school." Remember, all things are possible for those who follow & trust Christ.

Re-Mix & Do Better

Place your list of goals in a prominent place. I've written mine in my devotional notebook, so whenever I flip through my church notes I'm prone to stop and take a look. Immediately, I'm reminded of my goals, my progress in accomplishing them and how I can do better. My PhD-pursuing sorority sister has hers on the refridgerator door, so every time she wants a late night snack, she's reminded that she should be studying, instead of pigging out. Your special place may be the bathroom mirror, your wallet or the back of your bedroom door.

Whatever space you decide upon, outline it with scriptures and motivational quotes that'll uplift you and propel you to your destiny. In Part II of Pigeons or Eagles: Which Are You? I offered several quotes that'll do just that.

Re-Connect & Due Time

In my own academic, financial and spiritual pursuits, I've realized that they are all linked. My academic dreams depend on my spiritual desires just as much as my financial goals do. I need a closeness with God in order to be patient and discipline to get out of debt. Likewise, I need God's favor and guidance while in college. You see? It's all connected.

I encourage you to also find the connection. Ask God for guidance, wisdom, knowledge and faith to accomplish everything on your lists in His time. I promise, the rewards will be great.

For more assistance, email me about joining my (free) Xclusive Mailing List for in-depth, one-on-one encouragement on pursuing your educational goals.

What are you struggling with in writing or pursuing your academic goals? How are your academic, career, physical (health), emotional and financial goals connected to your relationship with God?

When Waiting Gets Tough

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Waiting—there's nothing I detest more than waiting. Waiting for the bus. Waiting behind two miles of traffic. Waiting for the water to boil. Waiting on the hot water to come through the pipes. I'm ashamed to admit it now, but I've even gotten tired of waiting on the Lord. (gasp!) Oh, am I the only one?

Waiting to hear back from a scholarship selection committee or an acceptance letter can be a dreadful, worrisome segment of your college career. Waiting for a call of acceptance into grad school meant I stopped breathing each time an unfamiliar number appeared on the caller-ID, as I anticipated the 'yes' or 'no' that would change my life.

It's like waiting for the results of a tumor. C'mon doc!! Is it cancerous or benign or what?! Sitting in a waiting room for 10 minutes can seem like a decade. Anxiety has bitten your nails to stumps and hammered a cramp in your left thigh.

We can be anxious, too. Maybe you were like me, saying: I want all the stuff that the devil stole from me NOW!! What a spoiled brat I was. Before snapping out of that selfish, blasphemous mentality, I thought because I was ready to be blessed, God should simply bless me. Sooner than later, I learned that it's in the waiting room that God molds us. Waiting on the Lord offers more tips on this concept.

For many, the economy has slowed life down. It takes longer to get out of debt, purchase a home, refinance the car and earn a degree. Every day we grow older, move slower while working twice as hard to reach our academic dreams. Even while praising Him every day and reminding God that your greatest desire is to graduate from college and earn a degree, it can be disheartening. You pray: Lord, I need this 'A' on my final exams. I need a financial breakthrough to pay for my tuition next year. The Lord knows. He heard your prayer. He keeps His promises.

Just like the children from Egypt, God waited generations (or 40 years) to deliver them from the wilderness, and even more from Pharaoh, before leading them to the Promise Land. He allowed Joseph to suffer at his brothers' hands, slavery and captivity before sitting him on the throne. Joseph was refined and polished in his spiritual relationship before receiving his divine destiny.

Surely, in the presence of your haters you will graduate from college. Surely, God will bless your career beyond your imagination... if you just wait. And while you wait, have hope, have faith and never take your heart off of God and what He promised you. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to not be anxious for anything, but be prayerful and rest in the peace of God.

While we may be impatient about trivial things like 5 o'clock traffic and waiting for the water to boil, take comfort in knowing that God has your best interest at heart for the bigger things. His supernatural power and divine intervention exceeds deadlines and cut-offs points. Be anxious for nothing, but giving Him the glory in advance.

What are you waiting on the Lord for? Have you ever gotten impatient with God or the destiny that you see for yourself?

When the Door's Locked, Try a Window

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Faith without works is dead, work with no faith behind it is a waste of energy—you've seen this scripture paraphrased on this blog many times like this that it may seem like a broken record. To over analyze that logic, one might say that a missed opportunity is the product of workless faith. We all have good intentions. You had good intentions when you filled out your college application. You had every intention to get an A on that test last week, but when you decided to go out instead of study a failing grade was inevitable.

In every aspect of life, we have windows of opportunity and, regardless of our good intentions, we must prepare for them whether we know when they’re coming or not. Let’s look at two scenarios I made up on a whim:

Tom is about 20 years your senior. He the wisest man employed at Render, Stucky and Associates. As the senior partner of the firm, Tom entered the ranks as a Columbia graduate and through thousands of team projects and a rolodex-filled with clientele he proved himself over the years to be a prime gem in the company. But, like everyone else that reaches the top with nowhere else to go, Tom's time has expired. In fact, the rumor is that the CEO wants to replace him with a fresher, younger version of Tom very soon.

So, here’s a window of opportunity so wide open you can fit an elephant through it. And, then there’s you—a cubicle employee, who has proven himself loyal, eager and determined, but will never go beyond what he’s asks. He comes to work at 9 am sharp and leaves, with precision, at 5 pm into a maze of traffic everyday. Too bad, the job offer goes to Mark, the corporate buddy. Not only has Mark exceeded his job duties, but he goes to work early and leaves late. What could he possibly be doing in the cubicle next to you? At least once per week, Mark looks for new clients for the company, assists other partners in landing deals and has moved the company ahead without even receiving a bonus for his efforts. He’s done exactly what Tom did when he first got to Render, Stucky & Associates. He seized the opportunity and a corner office with a view of downtown. Yep! Life is grand for Mark, Tom has a great retirement package and… oh yeah, you still have a cubicle square.

Now, let’s apply this to your academic world. You’re walking past a bulletin board. On most days, you’d just skid on by, but something grabs your attention. It’s a poster advertising a $10,000 scholarship. Man, could you use that money to pay off your student loans, buy books for next semester and pay off an outstanding balance with the university. Just before you drift into a “what I could do with all that money” daydream, you scan the requirements. You’ll need a resume, a 200-word biographical essay and a 500-word essay on what you want to do with your major. Pretty easy, right? Not for someone that’s not prepared. With the deadline a week away, the Mark of this world will print out a saved copy of his resume, tweak a pre-existing scholarship essay and mail them off without a hitch, while you missed the deadline because you created the documents from scratch with no time to spare. Meanwhile, Mark awaits his $10,000 prize. $10,000—in some cases, that's the price of being prepared when opportunities come.

In order to seize the degree, career or academic opportunities God has for you, you must go the extra mile. Be like Mark in the first scenario. Be a go-getter. Make yourself stand out from the other college applicants, who, by the way, are talking the same gibberish as you. Rather than say what makes you special, show it, reveal it before you’re asked.

What are some opportunities you’ve missed that you wished you’d jump through? What did you learn and how are you preparing never to miss out again?