25 July 2009

Golly, I have no idea.

Research suggests that gossip plays an important and even positive role in human communication. That's just great. But for interns, gossip has no up-side.

The smart intern eschews gossip. That means not participating.

A sure-fire way to avoid being pulled in is to answer the question, "What do you think of that?!?" with, "Golly, I have no idea."

With that answer, you haven't fueled the gossip with an opinion. And you haven't given any lectures about gossiping. And since you have no new information to offer, the gossipers will start leaving you out of the conversation.

And that's the safe place for an intern to be.


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

18 July 2009

Asking Questions & Saving Answers

When you have a question, it is important to ask for help. Before asking though, think about who you will ask.

Is your supervisor the best person to ask for help with the fax machine? Maybe so, but if that supervisor is busy, you might want to ask an administrative assistant or another intern.

It may be possible to search on the internet to find the answer you need, such as a phone number for another organization or even the date of an event hosted by your organization (if they have an up-to-date web page about the event).

In a fast paced environment, you may be expected to ask avquestion only once. Writing down the answer you get will help you remember, so you do not need to ask for help again (at least on that question).

Real story from an internship:

"I never could remember our phone number, fax number, and address, so I wrote them all down on a sticky note and attached it to my computer monitor. Whenever other people asked me for the fax number, I told them and showed them my sticky note. Then other people started doing the same thing."


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

11 July 2009

Expectations of College Interns' Work Hours

Here's a real story from a real intern:

"At a residential internship I was provided with "free" housing and food. I was also provided a small stipend that was like an allowance for small purchases. I asked the top boss what hours we were expected to work. The boss laughed and said that he thinks about work all the time."


Of course, at a residential internship, the "job" may really be on your mind most of the time. But no internship coordinator or mentor would actually expect an intern to think about work "all the time."

Some questions are best directed to the person who supervises interns. This person serves as a mentor and keeps the intern's perspective in mind when answering questions such as workplace expectations.


Can you ask another intern for guidance on hours and expectations of the supervisors? Of course, you can. But don't assume you will always receive an accurate answer. The best person to ask about expectations is the person who actually has the expectations!


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

04 July 2009

Answer Interview Questions with STAR

Here are a few ideas for preparing for an internship interview. Actually they work for any interview: job-hunting, applying for graduate school, and internships. The model is called S-T-A-R and it is a simple way to direct your attention to "getting ready" to achieve a goal. But first, orient yourself to the purpose of your interview.

* Learn about the organization by browsing their website or talking to someone you know there.
* Think about why you want the position and why you are qualified.
* Think about what you will bring to the program (e.g., lots of energy for working with young kids at an after school program).
* Practice interviewing with a friend.

When answering an interview question, try to hit these four points:
Situation
Task
Action
Results

Using STAR as your guide for answering questions has several benefits:
* Answers are focused.
* Answers are relatively short (no rambling!).
* It gets you started.

Not sure how to tell a story from you last job? Start by describing where you worked and what you did. Just tell a simple story and then respond to questions.


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 http://www.marybold.com/