Technical internships are competitive. That's not a surprise. So, start early for NEXT summer. On this page for Yahoo! Internships, you'll find a link to Search. Of course, the current links are for the current season. So, you won't want to apply! But you can read about the specific positions that Yahoo! makes available for college interns. That helps plan how to be prepared to make a successful application when the next season's openings are advertised.
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. © 2010 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/
31 July 2010
23 July 2010
Ideas from the Web
Here's a tip to get the mind on task: check out web sites about travel and study abroad, even if the sites will not be your sources for selecting a specific internship. Transitions Abroad displays the range of possibilities. Of course, international (and all) internships must be based on the college's requirements and standards. Just use the web to get ideas.
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. © 2008 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/
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. © 2008 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/
17 July 2010
Dreaming of DreamWorks? Apply!
DreamWorks Animation works interns. As you might guess, the company receives a lot of applications so you have to be prepared to never hear back from them. On the other hand, if you do hear back from them, you'll know you were an outstanding applicant!
The DreamWorks Internships web site has two crucial divisions: Artistic Jobs and Non-Artistic Jobs. The application process is different for these two types. Read the web site thoroughly before you start your application. And good luck!
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. © 2008 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/
The DreamWorks Internships web site has two crucial divisions: Artistic Jobs and Non-Artistic Jobs. The application process is different for these two types. Read the web site thoroughly before you start your application. And good luck!
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. © 2008 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/
10 July 2010
Internship at Disney: Florida or California
Chances are, you grew up on Disney movies. And maybe you took a vacation at a Disney park, too. Well, as a college student, you can apply to be an intern at one of those parks. And get paid!
The Disney College Program runs at both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. Fall and Spring internships offer a paycheck and housing for a low fee. (The rent can be deducted from the paycheck.)
Applications for 2010 are closed. Applications for 2011 will be gearing up in Fall. Recommended: visit the web site (small tabs under the headline link to the two locations) and plan the application, even if you must wait a couple of months to make the formal submission.
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. © 2010 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/
The Disney College Program runs at both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. Fall and Spring internships offer a paycheck and housing for a low fee. (The rent can be deducted from the paycheck.)
Applications for 2010 are closed. Applications for 2011 will be gearing up in Fall. Recommended: visit the web site (small tabs under the headline link to the two locations) and plan the application, even if you must wait a couple of months to make the formal submission.
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. © 2010 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/
03 July 2010
Search Tool for Internships
Search—or just read the whole list! The Jobsource search page of the Orion Grassroots Network emphasizes employment in public service but also includes internships. The search page has a column on the right called "Experience Level" with an option checkbox for "Internship."
The checkbox displays the number of entries. The day I checked, there were 25 internships listed. That's a small enough number to skim without narrowing the search. So, just checkmark that box and then click the Find Jobs button.
Locations are all over the U.S. Remember: even if you cannot travel to a particular internship, you can follow up with similar employers and agencies in your own geographic area.
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. © 2010 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/
26 June 2010
Penn State's Internship Web Page
You don't have to be a student at Penn State to benefit from the school's tips on internships. Go to the web page for Liberal Arts Internships for general information to guide your investigation.
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. © 2010 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/
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. © 2010 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/
12 June 2010
Phone Hero at the Intern Site
When to be a hero with your phone: For just about any circumstance at the internship, your phone should be off. It's a tool for personal communication and work sites are not the place for personal communication.
Still, your phone can be a tool that benefits everyone in the conduct of business. Stereotyping just a bit: young people can access more information via cell phone than most middle-aged bosses can with the power of a computer.
Services you (with a phone) can provide on the job:
1 - calculator to confirm numbers being tossed around in a meeting,
2 - address look-up for locations under discussion (might include lunch!),
3 - text message to a colleague for information when phone and email would elicit a slower response.
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. © 2010 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/
Still, your phone can be a tool that benefits everyone in the conduct of business. Stereotyping just a bit: young people can access more information via cell phone than most middle-aged bosses can with the power of a computer.
Services you (with a phone) can provide on the job:
1 - calculator to confirm numbers being tossed around in a meeting,
2 - address look-up for locations under discussion (might include lunch!),
3 - text message to a colleague for information when phone and email would elicit a slower response.
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. © 2010 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/
05 June 2010
On Time Delivery: Intern Work
Imagine yourself at the end of your internship. You and another student have put in 4 months of hard work. You know there's a chance that the agency will offer a job.
One intern sometimes reported on a project with, "I'm still working on that."
The other intern always reported with, "It's ready for you." Or maybe "I finished it early" or "It will be on your desk in an hour." Timely work is a mark of professionalism and these are the phrases that announce that.
Now, if you were the boss making the job offer, which intern would you be learning toward?
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. © 2010 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/
One intern sometimes reported on a project with, "I'm still working on that."
The other intern always reported with, "It's ready for you." Or maybe "I finished it early" or "It will be on your desk in an hour." Timely work is a mark of professionalism and these are the phrases that announce that.
Now, if you were the boss making the job offer, which intern would you be learning toward?
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. © 2010 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/
15 May 2010
Semester Break
The blog is on break. Will return with summer school.
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. © 2008 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
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. © 2008 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
08 May 2010
Practicum or Internship?
The words can mean the same thing but most colleges have specific meanings for each. At a lot of schools, a practicum is a short "observer" assignment while an internship is a semester- or year-long "learn on the job" assignment.
That said, a practicum may also be a "practice" experience, with the same meaning as internship. How the terms are used may be discipline-specific.
Tip for getting along at the site: regardless of how the college labels the experience, the wise student adopts the term used out at the site. So, if your academic program says Practicum, but your assignment calls you an Intern (in an Internship), adopt the internship language when you are at the site!
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. © 2010 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
That said, a practicum may also be a "practice" experience, with the same meaning as internship. How the terms are used may be discipline-specific.
Tip for getting along at the site: regardless of how the college labels the experience, the wise student adopts the term used out at the site. So, if your academic program says Practicum, but your assignment calls you an Intern (in an Internship), adopt the internship language when you are at the site!
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. © 2010 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
01 May 2010
Looking for Internships... Every Day!
When the internship season is in high gear, you'll probably be on the web every day, searching for leads. A helpful web site for that purpose is One Day One Internship. Can you guess what it does each day?
The site is based on One Day One Job, which reports on entry level jobs. Reading a profile of a company (or internship site) doesn't get you in the door. But it will help you understand the priorities of a site and thus help to prepare your application, either for that place or a similar one.
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. © 2010 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/
The site is based on One Day One Job, which reports on entry level jobs. Reading a profile of a company (or internship site) doesn't get you in the door. But it will help you understand the priorities of a site and thus help to prepare your application, either for that place or a similar one.
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. © 2010 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/
24 April 2010
Internships for High School Students
Internships can start before college! The College Board (the folks who publish the SAT) provides a good overview of internships for high school students. The examples ring true, too.
Even though high school interns may not have the same type of school credit that college students earn, it's a good idea to visit with a school counselor about how the internship fits your school career.
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. © 2008 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/
Even though high school interns may not have the same type of school credit that college students earn, it's a good idea to visit with a school counselor about how the internship fits your school career.
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. © 2008 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/
17 April 2010
When You Must Take a Call
Regardless of how well you plan, there's bound to be one day at the internship (or on the job) that you must be able to answer a personal phone call. Amid all the warnings to not use your cell phone on the job, what's the best way to take that call?
1 - Try to arrange the time of the call. Chances are, you can take a lunch or coffee break at the appointed hour and remove yourself from the business setting.
2 - If you must be available all day for the call, make the interruption as unobtrusive as possible. Put your phone on vibrate and take a seat near the door if you must attend meetings that day. Excuse yourself quickly to take the call, exiting the room before you start speaking into your phone.
3 - If you must have more of an alert than a vibrating phone, then select a short and muted ring for the day. A low-volume chime may suffice. This is definitely not the day for musical rings, nor barking dogs and quacking ducks. Those rings may have amused you when you selected them and they may be so customary now that you don't even imagine their impact on other people. For most settings, they are too distracting.
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. © 2010 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
1 - Try to arrange the time of the call. Chances are, you can take a lunch or coffee break at the appointed hour and remove yourself from the business setting.
2 - If you must be available all day for the call, make the interruption as unobtrusive as possible. Put your phone on vibrate and take a seat near the door if you must attend meetings that day. Excuse yourself quickly to take the call, exiting the room before you start speaking into your phone.
3 - If you must have more of an alert than a vibrating phone, then select a short and muted ring for the day. A low-volume chime may suffice. This is definitely not the day for musical rings, nor barking dogs and quacking ducks. Those rings may have amused you when you selected them and they may be so customary now that you don't even imagine their impact on other people. For most settings, they are too distracting.
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. © 2010 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 April 2010
Figuring a Salary: Fast Math
A paid internship (or a summer job) may be described in the pay per hour. A quick multiplication task will tell you how that pay would translate to an annual salary.
Pay per hour X 2000 = approximate annual salary
$8/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $16,000 per year.
$10/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $20,000 per year.
$20/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $40,000 per year.
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. © 2010 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
Pay per hour X 2000 = approximate annual salary
$8/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $16,000 per year.
$10/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $20,000 per year.
$20/hour pay is roughly equivalent to $40,000 per year.
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. © 2010 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 April 2010
Dress Code: Hair Styles
Is there a hair style in this line-up that doesn't belong on the job/intern site? Could be that they are all OK!Hair style as part of dress code: context is everything.
If you are interning in food service, you already know the rules and they may include hair nets. If you are interning in an office setting, the rules may be unwritten (and have more to do with distraction than health). And in another setting a purple spike may be admired and honored!
If you land in a conservative setting but yearn for a dramatic new hairstyle, you will probably have to wait until the end of the internship to enjoy it. In the meantime, remind yourself that the internship is a learning opportunity and self-expression is not a feature of 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. © 2010 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/
27 March 2010
Texting on the job: r u lol?
As web-enabled mobile devices became more common, communication followed. We now routinely expect to send and receive work-related text messages. As an intern, you may have need to communicate "on the job" via email and text. Tip for successful business communication: use the technology but not the shortcuts.
So, keep text messages (as well as email) as short as possible while using standard spelling and capitalization.
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. © 2010 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
So, keep text messages (as well as email) as short as possible while using standard spelling and capitalization.
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. © 2010 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
20 March 2010
Snow Day @ the Internship
Three concerns for a snow day:1 - Safety
No one at the internship expects you to risk your life in treacherous travel. Research with weather and traffic reports before you leave home!
2 - Responsibility
Know what your responsibility is during extreme weather. Virtually all work places have BC (business continuity) plans. Rarely does an intern have a responsibility for BC in extreme or emergency conditions. But you may have a responsibility to your mentor or to a client to give notice of inability to travel to the site.
3 - Field Hours
The last concern—in third place—is how a snow day affects the tally of your field hours. Don't assume that a missed day will be excused from the tally of hours you are supposed to complete for your internship. You'll have to ask your mentor or campus instructor.
And enjoy the snow day!
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. © 2010 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/
13 March 2010
Sick Days During College Internship
As a college intern on assignment, you are on the clock. That means that someone (maybe just you) must keep a record of your hours. So, what happens when you're sick?
1 - Employees at a site are likely to have an allotment of "sick days" that they can use without losing pay. As an intern, you don't!
2 - If you miss an assigned day due to illness, you will probably have to make up the hours in order to claim that you have accomplished the internship.
3 - If you miss more than a couple of hours during the semester, you should alert your campus professor. Absences from the internship can be problematic when it's time to receive credit on your transcript!
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. © 2010 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
1 - Employees at a site are likely to have an allotment of "sick days" that they can use without losing pay. As an intern, you don't!
2 - If you miss an assigned day due to illness, you will probably have to make up the hours in order to claim that you have accomplished the internship.
3 - If you miss more than a couple of hours during the semester, you should alert your campus professor. Absences from the internship can be problematic when it's time to receive credit on your transcript!
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. © 2010 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
06 March 2010
College Internship: When the Dress Code Calls for a Uniform
A college internship sometimes meaning putting on a uniform. For some students, it's the first ever experience of buying and wearing prescribed clothing.
If the site requires uniforms, you don't have a choice but to conform. Still, you can ask these questions to minimize your cost and inconvenience:
1 - Is there funding for the uniform so that I don't have to spend my own money?
2 - If I have to buy the uniform, can I ask around for a used uniform from an employee?
3 - Can I wear my choice of shoes and accessories?
The internship supervisor or mentor may have good suggestions for making your uniform inexpensive. Just ask!
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. © 2010 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
If the site requires uniforms, you don't have a choice but to conform. Still, you can ask these questions to minimize your cost and inconvenience:
1 - Is there funding for the uniform so that I don't have to spend my own money?
2 - If I have to buy the uniform, can I ask around for a used uniform from an employee?
3 - Can I wear my choice of shoes and accessories?
The internship supervisor or mentor may have good suggestions for making your uniform inexpensive. Just ask!
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. © 2010 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
27 February 2010
Planning Spring Break... to Plan a Practicum
Spring Break = March. At least for most students, March is the month. How does that relate to a practicum or internship?
Taking action in March is timely for the application for many Summer internships. In fact, some businessess and agencies will not even open the application season before March or April. So, it's smart to read applications well ahead of time so that you can meet the deadline.
Taking action in March may also be timely for the Fall internship. Competitive placements may well require planning 6 or more months ahead. How do you know which internships are competitive? Your professor should be able to give an indication but there's no substitute for calling the site yourself. "I am interested in becoming an intern at your site next year. Can you recommend a good time for me to start that process?"
Taking action in March may also be timely for an internship a full year in the future. Typically, that's the international practicum. Do not delay! Start today!
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. © 2010 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/
Taking action in March is timely for the application for many Summer internships. In fact, some businessess and agencies will not even open the application season before March or April. So, it's smart to read applications well ahead of time so that you can meet the deadline.
Taking action in March may also be timely for the Fall internship. Competitive placements may well require planning 6 or more months ahead. How do you know which internships are competitive? Your professor should be able to give an indication but there's no substitute for calling the site yourself. "I am interested in becoming an intern at your site next year. Can you recommend a good time for me to start that process?"
Taking action in March may also be timely for an internship a full year in the future. Typically, that's the international practicum. Do not delay! Start today!
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. © 2010 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/
20 February 2010
I'm Sorry: The Prompt Apology
Most people hate having to say, "I'm sorry," when they have made a mistake. But at the internship site, a simple apology is nothing to fear!
It's not a matter of expecting interns to make errors. It's a matter of being tolerant if interns make errors. Because the internship is a learning experience, this tolerance is almost always kinder than a response to an error-prone employee.
Of course, the intern should strive for error-free work. But if a mistake is made, the next best thing to being error-free is being apologetic. Always report mistakes immediately and offer to remedy the situation if that is possible. The prompt reporting will impress your mentor. In fact, prompt reporting practically makes up for the error!
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. © 2008 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
It's not a matter of expecting interns to make errors. It's a matter of being tolerant if interns make errors. Because the internship is a learning experience, this tolerance is almost always kinder than a response to an error-prone employee.
Of course, the intern should strive for error-free work. But if a mistake is made, the next best thing to being error-free is being apologetic. Always report mistakes immediately and offer to remedy the situation if that is possible. The prompt reporting will impress your mentor. In fact, prompt reporting practically makes up for the error!
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. © 2008 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
13 February 2010
Interning with Your City
Your city's government offices might not be the first place you think of when you consider internship sites—but these offices are homes of great training programs. And some even pay!
Locations may include the Fire Department, Parks & Recreation centers, Libraries, City Hall, and even Ambulance services. Social service centers (such as youth probation, child protective services, etc.) also invite interns. Expect to have to make an application several months ahead and be prepared to interview with an internship coordinator.
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. © 2008 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/
Locations may include the Fire Department, Parks & Recreation centers, Libraries, City Hall, and even Ambulance services. Social service centers (such as youth probation, child protective services, etc.) also invite interns. Expect to have to make an application several months ahead and be prepared to interview with an internship coordinator.
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. © 2008 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/
06 February 2010
Google: Summer of Code Preview
For about a thousand student programmers, the news is good that Google will again sponsor a Summer of Code (SoC) for interns working with mentors. Around the world!
In what is a frustrating Spring season each year, news of the internship doesn't solidify until early March. But there are reports that SoC is confirmed even though the official Google web page still displays 2009 events.
The best resource right now: wikipedia.
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. © 2010 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/
In what is a frustrating Spring season each year, news of the internship doesn't solidify until early March. But there are reports that SoC is confirmed even though the official Google web page still displays 2009 events.
The best resource right now: wikipedia.
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. © 2010 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/
30 January 2010
Plan for Fall 2010 Internship
Who would start planning in January for a Fall semester internship?
The smart college student who knows how complex it is to get an international internship or practicum!
Application deadlines are commonly 6 to 9 months ahead. Passports and immunizations should be achieved 4 to 6 months ahead (for the safety net). And the logistics of travel and housing can easily take 2 to 4 months, especially if those logistics include applications for funding.
Don't just dream about an overseas internship next year... begin with the plan, now.
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. © 2010 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
The smart college student who knows how complex it is to get an international internship or practicum!
Application deadlines are commonly 6 to 9 months ahead. Passports and immunizations should be achieved 4 to 6 months ahead (for the safety net). And the logistics of travel and housing can easily take 2 to 4 months, especially if those logistics include applications for funding.
Don't just dream about an overseas internship next year... begin with the plan, now.
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. © 2010 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
23 January 2010
Search Craigslist
In the Jobs category of craigslist (first search by state and city), you can checkmark "Internship" to pull up entries in a wide variety of fields.
You can also go to a city's list of "Gigs" and enter a search for "internship."
Like any web source, craigslist is a site you still have to investigate for truthfulness and accuracy. (Remember, anyone can upload anything.) There's no way the good folks at craigslist can check out every listing. Your task is to vet* the listings that interest you.
*Vet means confirm and validate. It comes from the informal language around race tracks: veterinarians check out the horses. A horse that is "vetted" is healthy and sound. The term is used in business routinely to mean check out, run a reference check, confirm, etc.
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. © 2010 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
You can also go to a city's list of "Gigs" and enter a search for "internship."
Like any web source, craigslist is a site you still have to investigate for truthfulness and accuracy. (Remember, anyone can upload anything.) There's no way the good folks at craigslist can check out every listing. Your task is to vet* the listings that interest you.
*Vet means confirm and validate. It comes from the informal language around race tracks: veterinarians check out the horses. A horse that is "vetted" is healthy and sound. The term is used in business routinely to mean check out, run a reference check, confirm, etc.
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. © 2010 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
16 January 2010
Summer Internship: Aim for the White House
Like many other government facilities, the White House sponsors summer interns. For 2010, the deadline for applications is early February and requires 3 letters of recommendation.
Competitive? You bet. But you can give it a shot as you plan other applications at the same time. Use the White House app as your motivation to write great essays that will lead to a fun and stimulating internship. You won't want to depend on only the White House app for your 2010 plans but that doesn't mean it's a waste of time.
Remember, someone will be chosen and you won't lose anything by volunteering yourself as a prospect!
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. © 2010 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/
Competitive? You bet. But you can give it a shot as you plan other applications at the same time. Use the White House app as your motivation to write great essays that will lead to a fun and stimulating internship. You won't want to depend on only the White House app for your 2010 plans but that doesn't mean it's a waste of time.
Remember, someone will be chosen and you won't lose anything by volunteering yourself as a prospect!
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. © 2010 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/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
