28 March 2009

Language at the Internship: Yes, m'am

Yes, m'am. Yes, sir. No, m'am. No, sir.

Do those phrases pop out of your mouth when you speak with professors on campus? The language of campus and classroom is often formal and respectful. Will it be the same at your internship site? Not necessarily.

You may be accustomed to using formal conventions with your elders but in many workplaces that is not the custom. You may be asked to call everyone by first name, and you may not hear a ma'am uttered.

To understand the language customs of a new internship site, you can either ask or observe. Of course, you can comfortably start out with a formal tone, using titles such as Ms. and Mr. If staff members then ask that you use their first names, immediately do so. (They wouldn't suggest it unless they meant it.)


The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

21 March 2009

Email Best Practices for College Internship Applications

Adopt some email best practices before you start sending out applications for internships or jobs!

Save, Don't Send
Get into the habit of saving drafts as you compose emails.

From:
Use your school or other "official" email address that makes clear that you are an adult. (Skip the moniker you use with friends and Facebook.)

To:
Leave the To line blank until you have written, spell-checked, and proof-read your message. Think about it—no more accidental sends.

Cc and Bcc
Avoid using the copy function as much as possible. Emailing to multiple people can set up a good friend for awkward problems later if someone is unwise or rude in a Reply All. Emailing blind copies gets more people into trouble than it ever helps anyone. Resist the urge.

Subject:
Get your emails read immediately with strategic wording on the Subject line. (Great for applications!) Good strategies: use key words that clearly state your purpose, include your surname, spell-check. Terrible strategies: using the word help, using the word me, using the word please.

Attach a file
When you must attach a file (great for applications!), follow these basic rules: keep the file size down, send a universal file type like RTF or PDF, create a meaningful filename that includes your surname. Be forewarned: not everyone has the same software that you do and they won't buy it just to be able to open your file. (Common problems: Microsoft Works files and newer versions of Word and Excel that have "x" on the end, like .docx)

Add Event Invitation
Unless you know the recipient wants your invitations to meetings and Facebook and other events, don't use the power of email address books to invite the masses.

Formatting tools
Keep your message simple. Use few colors and typefaces. If you are emailing to an older person (that might describe someone old enough to be hiring you or approving your internship application), select a font of 12 points.

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

14 March 2009

Planning the Internship Calendar

Take a calendar to your internship interview.
  • 1 - Know in advance your best starting date.
  • 2 - Know what days/weeks you can/cannot work.
  • 3 - Estimate when school will have to come first.
It can be any kind of calendar!
  • 1 - A cell phone calendar will work.
  • 2 - A school calendar will work.
  • 3 - A time diary or journal will work.
College internship mentors know that interns have other responsibilities besides coming to the site on the agreed-upon schedule. Your mentor will respect your forward thinking in setting a tentative calendar for the internship.

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com

07 March 2009

College Interns: Strategizing in the Economic Downturn

Do lay-offs translate into more internships or fewer?

If a business is laying-off regular employees, it is more likely to restrict or eliminate intern spots.

Non-profit and government agencies are more likely to keep their intern slots.

Be prepared for more competition in all settings. New college graduates who are unable to find employment may go after the same internships that students seek.

Strategies to begin in spring months, well before the summer internship season:

1 - Broaden your search beyond paid internships. Expect to apply for "volunteer" intern spots, too.

2 - Indicate your willingness to take a part-time internship. Even 5- or 10-hour per week slots will provide you with experience. If you are flexible for night or weekend assignments, you will be more likely to edge ahead of the competition.

3 - Don't overlook volunteer internships that provide free meals and lodging. Does this include summer camps? Yes!


The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com