Tag Archives: internship

The Lessons I Learned At My Summer Internship

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By Erica Clapp, Career Services’ Student Assistant, ’14

Howdy! I’m Erica Clapp, a junior majoring in Advertising and minoring in Policy Studies. This past summer, I interned at Penske’s Corporate HQ in Green Hills, PA. I learned a ton at my internship and tried to capture some of that in this blog post. I hope it’s helpful for those of you who are interning now or are planning to in the future!

At first, I was surprised by the amount of freedom I was given. I realized that, with no one standing over my shoulder, it was up to me to get things done. Lesson: You’re only as good as your work ethic.

However, you should strike a balance between work and play. Get to know the people in your office, because you’ll be spending a lot of time with them. Connections of some kind will probably emerge and may work to your advantage. (Note: you should always stay professional while at work).

Initially, I had the urge to ask many questions, but I realized that my colleagues were full-time professionals and very busy. Lesson: Learn how to accomplish things yourself. Be aware of the resources to which you have access. You can find the answer to almost anything if you try hard enough. Keep in mind that the solution doesn’t have to be perfect. Simply getting the job done and producing results is the most important thing.

On the first day, I realized that taking meticulous notes like I do in lectures here at SU wouldn’t work because there was simply too much to learn. Lesson: Just jump in and you’ll figure things out. Don’t worry about knowing every detail beforehand. You’ll naturally ask questions and pick things up as you go.

I’m used to going from class to class here at school, so this next lesson took a lot of self-discipline. Lesson: Focus on one thing at a time. There will be many things and people competing for your attention, which you can’t always control, but you should try to limit distractions.

One of the most valuable assets I gained is learning to communicate properly, which is the key to getting what you need. Lesson: Don’t assume people know things. However, it never hurts to ask. You have no idea how someone will respond to a question, and the worst he or she say is “no.” Also, you should be aware of different contexts. Something may not occur to you in the same way it does to other people, so try to have an open mind.

I didn’t do any envelope-stuffing or coffee runs, but some tasks did seem monotonous after a while. Granted, this is part of almost every job, but something that can make these tasks more bearable is if you have a clear understanding of the overall goal. Most projects are intricate and involve many steps that can make it hard to remember what you’re really trying to accomplish.

Last and certainly not least, take ownership for your actions. If you make a mistake, admit it and move on; your honesty will be appreciated.

 

Summer in the City…the City of Syracuse, that is!

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By Alyssa Austin ’13

During mid-semester last year, I decided to browse OrangeLink in an attempt to find possible internships for the summer. I filled out each selection box as specifically as I could and not before long, a unique looking name called “Terakeet” was presented as the best possible suggestion given my previous answers. A Search Engine Optimizing (SEO) Company located right in downtown Syracuse was looking for interns, and I wasted no time in sending an email to the person named, as well as a copy of my resume.  Short of two weeks, I received my first email response and after a few more email conversations and one in-person interview, I was awarded an intern position. Now I encourage every SU student to use OrangeLink to find internships and possible jobs for the future.

I’m not much of a “city-person,” so I was happy to find that downtown Syracuse is the perfect balance of bustling city life while maintaining intimate settings for hanging out with friends or grabbing lunch – something I did on a regular basis with other interns. Within our hour break, we got to see a lot of downtown Syracuse, relishing in our memories of being there during freshmen orientation. On more than one occasion I, as well as other interns, ran into Terakeet employees on the weekends, illustrating the intimacy one can achieve in the city. It was not only comforting to recognize other individuals, but an enjoyable experience.

Not only did my internship teach me the art of doing specialized research through social media, forms of professional writing and dynamic investigative reporting, but they also made the summer worthwhile and most importantly, taught me how to be successful after college in whatever I choose to pursue. Sometimes arriving early allowed me to talk with other employees about their experiences, for example, how they decided to enter the workforce over graduate school or how they simultaneously decided to do them both. I gained not only skills I will utilize in the workforce, but valuable advice on life after undergraduate studies and I have my internship to thank.

There are so many avenues to pursue while in college – it can be a tad overwhelming, but thankfully, we SU students have exceptional assistance at our disposal. I could not be more grateful for OrangeLink and Career Services.

Check out Mac Cummings, CEO of Terakeet, when he speaks at the Tech Garden on Tuesday, September 25th at 6:00p.m.!

Ready, Set, Go…To The Career Expo!

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By Shannon Feeney

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to connect with employers!

If you’re looking for an internship or full-time job, hoping to expand your network, or exploring different opportunities for life after college, don’t miss our Spring 2012 Career Expo!  The Expo is Wednesday, February 8 in Goldstein Auditorium (Schine) from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and is open to ALL students and alumni.

This semester, we have more than 60 employers attending to recruit SU’s finest!  Career Services is welcoming more than 30 new employers to the Spring Expo including: Aflac, Agro-Farma (Chobani), Citizen Schools, FlexTrade Systems, The Hershey Company, Intern Sushi, Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, Omnicom Media Group, Parsons, Vanguard, and MORE!  And new this year, we’ve asked employers to identify key majors and interests that would be a good fit for their positions so you find the best opportunities for you. Curious about what positions they’re recruiting for? Log in to OrangeLink for a full list!

Not sure if you’re ready for the Career Expo?  Here are some quick tips to help you prepare:

1)      Do your research.  Check out the companies and opportunities available on OrangeLink so you can target companies of interest and prepare a resume tailored to their positions.

2)      Update your resume.  Stop by Career Services for drop-in hours or for Resumania on February 7 (9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Schine Suite 235) to have your resume reviewed by our career counseling staff and employer experts.

Have your resume reviewed by employer experts!

3)      Practice your elevator pitch.  This 30-second introduction makes a HUGE difference in an employer’s first impression of you.  Eye contact, a firm handshake, stating your name, as well as 3-4 skills and traits that make you a good candidate are a great place to start. Practice this introduction with your friends to get comfortable with what you’re saying.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, February 8!

A special thank you to the Spring Career Expo Platinum Sponsors: General Electric, Macy’s/Bloomingdale’s, and JPMorgan Chase; and our Orange Sponsors: Iberdrola USA and the New York Army National Guard.

A TV Junkie’s Success Story: Turning an Internship into a Job in LA

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In light of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, I’ll put it this way, I’m the 1%. But unlike the target of the Occupy Wall Street movement, I realize how lucky I am – I got a job in my industry while still studying at Syracuse. It’s rare in television to have this happen because unfortunately the TV model isn’t built to allow students, even the very bright ones – and there are a lot of them at this University – the opportunity to intern, prove themselves, leave for six months to wrap up a degree, and then return to a job. It’s because in Hollywood, most of the entry-level jobs are ones that need to be filled in a day’s time. Unless they’re giving you the corporate jet, you ain’t making that kind of commute in time.

Andrew Graham, Newhouse '12

However, despite the TV model, this feat can be pulled off, and it’s not about accepting internships but rather vetting them. A lot of students are in the habit of just getting an internship for the sake of having a professional company to put onto their LinkedIn profile or a resume. And while having a few internships on your resume is important, it’s not nearly as important as making sure you’re lining yourself up for a quality internship in which you’ll have the opportunity to be an integral part of the day-to-day operations. That last part really is the secret to nabbing the job: don’t take any internship in which you’re completely expendable. I’m saying this from experience; I’ve been there and it was my fault for not fully investigating the company, its culture, and seeing where I might fit in.

I’m writing this of course from the perspective that you’re a bright All-American go-getter who’s got chutzpah and is ready to pull yourself up by your own boot straps, and since you’re reading this on the SU Career Services blog, then chances are that you probably fit that criteria. I say this because if you’re not ready to throw yourself 150% into every project, then obviously it doesn’t matter what company you’re at, it’ll never work out.

Some of this involves being at the right place at the right time, but it’s more about knowing what to look for. So, to give you somewhere to start, below are three things I’ve learned to look for through my experience in both good and bad internships.

1) Is this the right environment? When you go in for your interview, look around at the other interns. Are there a lot of them or a few? Are they just hanging around on Facebook or hard at work? How about the guy/girl who interviews you, what does their mood seem like? Ask a lot of questions about what you’ll be expected to do. Remember, you’re going to work here.

2) Is their growth in this company? Look at their development slate and see who they’re talking to and what they’ve sold. Talk to the interviewer about their projects; if they’re not developing or selling much, then there’s probably not a lot of room to grow and likely the company isn’t worth your time as an intern.

3) Be aware of company mandates. MTV is a great company, has a strong brand, lots of growth and largely happy interns. Seems like the perfect place, right? Maybe not. No Viacom company will hire without a degree. I actually heard a story about someone interviewing for a SVP position that was turned down because he didn’t have a degree. Is a company like this worth your time then as an intern? You make the call.

If you are able to land an internship at a company that has growth + genuinely needs you in order to operate day-to-day, then you stand a large chance of scoring a job. It’s harder than it sounds, but simpler than people make it out to be. Be selective about where you work and then give that company that’s given you a shot your all. Best of luck!

Andrew Graham currently works for Bogner Entertainment Inc., a production company with an overall deal at FremantleMedia. Follow him on Twitter @MistaGraham.

By the way, Bogner Entertainment Inc. is looking for interns for the spring! Interested parties can visit them online at www.BognerEntertainment.com and send resumes and cover letters to info.beiTV@gmail.com.

Tips for Internship Success from a Recent Intern

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by Cristina Nogueras, SU ’12

This summer I had the opportunity to be part of the Grow @ Grey internship program offered by Grey Group Puerto Rico. I was officially a public relations intern, but was also assigned tasks from other departments. Although I did learn a lot of technical skills in my internship, I want to share with you some practical things that can really apply to any field.

Always be prepared. Of all the things I learned during the 12 years I was a Girl Scout, that motto has turned out to be more relevant and useful than I thought.

I could not be present the first day of my internship this summer because I was sick, so my first day was really every other intern’s second day. I dressed very professionally and, in fact, seemed a bit overdressed. It turns out I made a good and professional first day impression. This brings me to the first thing I learned in my internship: It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Be careful with what you say. I was walking in a parking lot with my supervisor and one of our clients, and as part of our light chat I commented that I did not like a specific car that was parked there. It turned out that the client’s spouse owned one. I was lucky that saying a car is ugly is not a big deal, but just imagine if I would have commented on something more serious, like politics or even a person. This does not mean that you can’t speak your ideas and opinions, but always be respectful and keep in mind that what you say might hit a nerve.

“There are no stupid questions.” I had heard this a thousand times, but I had not internalized it until this summer. It turns out it’s better to ask a “stupid” question than to work two hours on the wrong document just because you didn’t ask… because you thought it was a stupid question.

Punctuality is supposed to be a “must” with everything you do; keep it that way. Being a punctual person not only reflects your commitment, it also shows you’re reliable. Even if people working above you are not punctual and even if you can be 10 minutes late without a remark, stay punctual.

Don’t lie about what you can do. If your supervisors assign you a task that you don’t know how to do, don’t lie and say that you know how to do it. Instead, be honest but say that you will learn how to do it and ask questions. This will not only show your integrity, it will also demonstrate your dedication to what you do.

This advice is pertinent to any field you might be interested in entering. Technical skills are essential, but it’s the little details that tend to remain more present on the mind of your employer. The way you carry yourself professionally, at the end of the day, will set you apart from other interns.

How to update your resume after a summer internship

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By Tracy Tillapaugh
Career Counselor

Did you just finish a summer internship, job, study abroad or other career-relevant experience? Well then, it’s time to update your resume! Before you groan, remember that your resume is a living document. Constantly updating it allows you to show your most current experiences and skill sets.  This is a surefire way to make sure the best information about you is being shared.

If your internship or work experience is directly related to your future career aspirations, then listing that information toward the top of the resume is key. Employers often spend just 10 to 15 seconds visually scanning each resume. Don’t let your most recent and relevant experience get lost!

Make sure to think through the bullet points and write them out strategically. Emphasizing your real world experience will certainly impress your next internship company or employer after graduation.

Be descriptive. Include the specific tasks you performed at your internship. If you worked for an event planning company, instead of writing “helped plan events,” you can write “worked with supervisor to assess catering needs and place orders with catering company for a series of networking events” or “worked closely with interior designer to ensure the appearance of the event space matched client’s expectations.”

Quantify the work that you accomplished. Continuing with the event planning example above, make sure to include the number of events you assisted in planning, as well as the number of attendees at these events.  If you had a certain budget to work with, that would be good to include as well. Not only will this showcase the scope of your work, but it will reflect your attention to detail (a great skill to possess in almost any job).

If your internship or job experience does not relate to your future career goals (i.e. you want to be a journalist but spent the summer waitressing), IT’S OKAY! Look for transferable skills. Where do your skills as a journalist intersect with your skills as a waitress? Both journalists and waiters: communicate with individuals, multi-task several duties at once, and serve external and internal customers on tight deadlines. Those are just a few things that transfer from being a waiter to being a journalist. Can you think of others? Draw attention to these transferable skills on your resume!

Good luck updating your resume with your summer internship experience. When you’re ready and want an extra set of eyes on it, bring it to Career Services during our 15 Minute Drop-In Hours to be reviewed and discussed!