31 October 2009

Apply Early for Summer Internships

Maybe you want a New York summer internship. Start applying now!

Popular locales attract many applications and a timely start to the process can be important. Fog Creek Software describes its summer intern opportunity in terms of stipend, qualifications, and expectations for the work to be accomplished. Check out Fog Creek's announcement even if you are not into programming. You'll learn a lot about what a company looks for when interviewing applicants for a paid 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

24 October 2009

Dress Code: Costumes at the Intern Site

If you are interning for George Lucas, by all means, get competitive and try to win the costume contest at the Halloween party.

If your internship is at any other workplace, weigh your costume choice against these tips:

1. Check out the company dress code. Does it specifically outlaw costumes?

2. If costumes are the norm, don't try to out-dress everyone else. Let the regular employees shine.

3.
Dress in layers and skip specialty make-up. Even if costumes are acceptable, you want to be able to convert to a "regular" look in case of impromptu meetings with company executives.


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

17 October 2009

From Internship to Paid Employment

Most internships do not turn into paid jobs. That would imply that every company were expanding, every year, and hiring only from the intern pool. The more realistic picture is that a company may hire just one or two interns; and a small company may never hire an intern.

But if you land in the perfect internship, can you try for a job there? Yes! Be realistic about the prospect of going on salary as a regular employee but also put your best foot forward. (The worst that can happen is that you are told no, but your realistic expectation will have you prepared for that possibility.)

On a more optimistic note, outstanding interns have the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their value. Your own self-evaluation is important: can you point to your contributions? Can you tell a manager how you can bring even more value as a regular employee?

Don't hesitate to say, "I would like to work here." It's amazing how many job applicants forget to say that. And it's a statement that managers pay attention to!


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

10 October 2009

Self-Introduction: Choosing a Name

The internship is a good time to try out a workplace name if you've been waiting to make a change. Does everyone do this? Of course not. But if you've wanted to leave behind a childhood nickname or simplify a hard-to-pronounce first name, you can try out a replacement that you think you'd prefer as your "professional persona." Just use the new name in your self-introduction. Everyone will accept it.

And if you don't like the change, it ends with 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

03 October 2009

Not snapping the photograph


Whether your internship is located in a bank or a bike shop (or a bank of cubicles), you probably have an impulse to photograph it. Maybe put the image on Facebook? Maybe just send it to a friend?

Resist the urge.

1. You may have signed an agreement not to disclose the location of your internship in a public manner. (This can be especially important if you work in a location that serves clients.)

2. You may need to think through common provisions of privacy. Visual cues can invade the company's or a coworker's privacy.

3. You may need to ask, "Will an image disclose a location that makes someone vulnerable to an outsider?"

Workplace exteriors can be just as sensitive as interiors. Take a mental snapshot for your memory. Forget the recorded kind.


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