College is all about education. You attend class to learn, but those classes don’t always give you the experience you need for your career. An internship is a great way to gain experience and learn so much! Today there is so much competition for students to get the internships they want to further their experience in the fields they are studying! Here are some tips that could help you get that dream internship!
#1: Perfect your resume
A resume is the first thing employers will look at when considering you for a position. Although they are meant to be detailed and expose your best qualities, they are not paid much attention. Employees will look at the basics on your resume. They skim it! SO KEEP IT SHORT!
A resume should not exceed more than a page! It should include your name, address, and contact information in the header. In the body there should be an objective, your 3 most recent job experiences, education, and skills. Your objective should be a short summary of what you can do for the employer and their positive qualities you have that will benefit the company. Your 3 most recent job experiences are the most important. The name of the company, your position, and the length of time you worked for this company should all be included. There should also be a short summary of your duties with that employer. The education portion of your resume should include details about your education. It should include any sports or clubs or extra curricular activities you were involved in during high school or college. The year you graduated should be included as well. (Putting your GPA is not necessary unless it is something you feel the need to highlight or unless the employer you are applying to requests.) The skills part of your resume should be short. Who would have though? It should include and special skills you have experience with. Whether it be Microsoft systems, Apply systems, photoshop, Search Engine Optimization, etc… anything like that!
The purpose of a resume is to inform the employer of the qualities and successes you have had in your life. It is to show the employer why you are different from others applying and to stand out from the competition. What makes you the best candidate for this position?
DON’T FORGET TO PROOF READ YOUR RESUME! Try sending it to a parent or a friend and see what suggestions they would make or any changes that would make your resume better! Other opinions can always help, too!
If you don’t know what your resume should look like, try googling “example resumes” into images. You can see resume templets and sometimes download them. Very helpful!
#2: Create a Cover Letter
For many job applications, employers will request a cover letter. The purpose of a cover letter is to explain why you are the best candidate for the job. The cover letter is the best place for you to tell employers what you can offer the company. The one hiring you will look to a cover letter for a more detailed description of your experiences. The cover letter is a place for you to show you have the right skills, experience, and abilities. Do you have the same goals as the company? Do you have what the company need to be better? Do you want to do the work the company is asking of you? Your cover letter can tell employers if you and the company are a right match. The cover letter is the place to be detailed and thorough. It is your chance yo explain! Use the opportunity!
Need more info about a cover letter? Check out www.coverletters101.com
#3: Letter of Recommendation
It is always good to have some kind of recommendation letter on hand. Whether it is a teacher, counsellor, or previous employer, recommendation letters are extremely helpful! Usually employers get verification from others of how you are the right employee. A second opinion can help sway a decision one way or another!
#4: Apply to anything interesting!
When applying to job opportunities, make sure you are truly interested! Don’t be afraid to apply to an opportunity! You may possess some of the qualities employers are looking for! If an opportunity sounds like something you might like then try it! The old saying applies: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. So go ahead, take a chance and apply for that job!
#5: Don’t forget to follow up!
So you applied, now what? Contact the person in charge of the position you applied to! If you haven’t heard from them then you might not have gotten the job, but you will never know if you don’t ask. By continuing to contact the employer, you are showing them you are persistent and truly interested in the job! That is what they are looking for in future employees. If they say they have not made a decision yet, then thank them and tell them you look forward to hearing from them! Following up is always important! Be persistent!
#6: Job Interview?
Okay, so you have been considered! Now you have to go to a job interview! The job interview is just another obstacle you have to overcome for the position. It is most important to remember to BE PROFESSIONAL! That means dressing professionally, acting professionally, and talking professionally. Jeans and tennis shoes are not the proper way to dress in a job interview. Nice pants, shirt, and shoes are what employers want to see. Ladies, make sure your shirt is not too low cut and your skirt is not too short. This might not be the right time to pull out your highest pair of heels! Boys, a dress shirt and tie is the proper way to dress. No sagging, your future employer does NOT want to see your underwear! Be able to have an intelligent conversation! No cursing or slang. The purpose is to talk about your resume and what you can offer the company. Be the best you can be!
#7: Send a Thank-You!
The job interview is not the final step. You are not done working hard until you snag the job! After your interview, call or send a thank you letter telling the employer you appreciate the opportunity to have an interview. Express to them how important the job would be to you and how much you desire the position. If you are going to send a thank you via snail mail, make sure the letter goes out the same day. The sooner they get the letter the better. If you are going to make a call, do it the same day. Give the employer a few hours to think about the interview and gather their thoughts, but don’t wait too long! Show your gratitude and how much you care about the position.
Kat VonD
I’m reading Nutrition
After a couple months of being out of the house and developing your own life, the feeling of homesickness starts to kick in. Obviously after 18 years of living with your parents, living on your own is a huge new adjustment. Everyone is feeling this way a little bit, even if they don’t always say it. When you are having a low day and wish you had the comfort of home to cheer you up, you have to find some things to temporarily replace that while at school. Nothing replaces family, but you can still get that homey feel when they are no right here with you.
Get Involved
Find groups, Greek life, drop-in sports, anything to meet new people and get your mind off the people you are missing. These activities are fun and allow you to enjoy plenty of people that you can focus on building friendships with.
Skype
It can be very refreshing to get off the phone with your family and begin seeing them in person. Skype allows you to chat and interact with your parents, siblings, or even see your dog.
Print Plenty of Pictures
Decorate your whole bedroom with pictures of family and friends that show your best memories with them. You could even make a little scrap book to flip through when you are feeling lonely.
Write Letters
In college there are not many times that you receive mail in the dorms or at your apartment. If you begin writing friends and family, it keeps you excited for that next time a letter is coming.
Ask for Care Packages
Along with letters, ask your mom, grandma, aunt, or someone else crafty to send you a little care package with cookies and things to remind you of home. Even have them send a living room blanket or something can give you a small touch of home!
Get Ahead in Your School Work
To consume more of your time, get ahead in your studies. Even if you are just sitting around watching a movie feeling lonely, make some note cards for your text the next week. This will put your mind on something more beneficial than feeling down.
Find Local Home Cooking
Whether it is at your friend’s house whose parents live a few miles away, or a downtown restaurant, it is nice to have some home cooked food. All college students get sick of having the same old campus food ever day and night, so it is nice to have a homey meal that reminds you of your parents.
These tips should make the lonely time as a college student a bit more uplifting and positive. Everyone gets homesick sometime, but instead of getting down about it, have some fun. And remember, only a few weeks until family time at Thanksgiving!
Kelsey the Intern
I’m reading Health, Safety, and Nutrition
Sometimes living with a complete stranger is hard, but if done the right way, could be very beneficial and have a positive ending.
Speaking from personal experience, I can say that I have been in the same boat as you. My current roommate and I had major issues, and recently we have agreed to try and work it out. I will let you all in on a little secret. Your roommate might not like you just as much as you don’t like them. Keep that in mind…
I found that trying to have an adult conversation about your current feelings is the best way to try and settle your differences. Start by writing down a list. On this list are all of the things that bother you about what your roommate does. This is not a personality attack checklist. Meaning, you are not trying to attack who they are, just their habits and behaviors. Use this list to address each and every problem you are having. Your roommate might think, “Wow, you made a list of all of things that you don’t like about what I do?” If the list alone doesn’t make an impact hopefully you expressing your feelings will. Using a list can insure that you bring up ALL of your past and current problems at one time. Offer your roommate an opportunity to give you feedback and off their opinion on you and your behavior. It is only fair. Keep in mind during this conversation that it should be civil and under control. After you both have expressed your thoughts and feelings, you all should brainstorm ideas of how things could change to make your living arrangement work.
It is important to remember that it is easiest to address situations right when they happen. Do not allow your feelings to build up. Usually, when you are given more time to think about a negative situation, your feelings just become more and more negative after constantly thinking about it. If your roommate leaves their clothes all over the floor, simply say “Hey, could you clean up your clothes?” Don’t let the two or three shirts on the floor pile up to mountains of shirts and socks. If you let your anger build up one day you might go nuts and totally blow up on your roommate, who might not have even known it bothered you! People are not mind readers; do not expect your roommate to know what you are thinking.
If all of this does not work, and there are no improvements to your living situation I advise you to see someone who is responsible for housing. Explain to them the situation and the measures you have gone to, to try and have successful living arrangements. No promises are ever made, but you may be able to find a way to have the problem fixed.
Hope this all helps! With love,
Kat VonD
I’m reading Personal Finance
With School starting up for everyone in these next few weeks you may feel unprepared and confused about your new surroundings. For many incoming freshman, college can be an intimidating new experience. Here are a few helpful websites from your friends here at eCampus to help you get the 411 on college life!
- Can help student get an extra edge on a class and help students get a better idea of what is expected of them from their professors. Through this website students can search by school and comment on their past professors and give them positive or negative ratings as well as tips on what is expected of each student in class. This is a really helpful tip when scheduling classes as well, so you can not only schedule classes that fit your goals and personal life but schedule according to professors that have received positive ratings from their students.
- Another great website to help students plan their schedules and even offers a free iPhone flash card application for you to study on the go. This website gives you old exams from your classes, more professor ratings, class ratings, and past class data. With all of this info, you will know the class as if you have already taken it!
- This is a new website that has just recently been launched. Right now not all schools are available, but the idea of the website is to have a Facebook-like website that is available to college students ONLY. This was the original idea of Facebook before parents, employers, and kids began taking over. CollegeOnly will provide a safe website to post all the fun, wild college photos and posts you want, without future employers or your parents being able to creep through and look at them. Definitely be on the look-out for when this website opens up at your school.
- Last but definitely not least, eCampus is the best place to rent and buy all of your textbooks for this upcoming year. With cheap prices, fast shipping, and an easy process, there is no better place to save money on your books ☺
Hope these tips help and have a great year!
Kelsey the Intern
I am reading Management Information Systems
