Ask an Internship Coordinator

Answering the "what do I want to do with my life" question

2008-12-14T11:43:00.001-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to help answer specific questions posed by people who are in career transition. My background has mainly been working with college and graduate students, who are focused on either switching to a new career to advancing in a chosen profession.

A prominent question that comes up for people I work with are: How to I figure out what I'll like to do? This is a question asked not just by young college students who don't have too much life experience, but by mid-career professionals with 20 years of experience who think they want to switch careers but aren't sure what they want to do next. It can be an unsettling feeling for anyone, regardless of age or experience.

As a career advisor, I try to avoid pat and cute answers... because there are none. Some folks simply don't end up identifying themselves by their careers, but rather by other parts of their identity, like their hobbies and interests, family relationships, where they live, their nationality, religion or spiritual beliefs, or (worst case scenario!) things they own. But for the bulk of people who are trying to identify themselves based on their career, a career transition is a tough situation to be in.

I often suggest for people to start by doing self-assessment, reflection, and maybe taking some "time out" to do something quiet and individual for themselves (a weekend retreat etc.). Think back to things you've done and enjoyed-- what did they have in common? Are there any themes? Find a career search partner, friend, or counselor to talk to. Identifying your own skills and interests isn't always easy. But starting with thinking through some themes in your past can be a great place to start on the career identification process.

I'll give some more specific ideas in my next post about how to identify your career interests, skills, and personality.

What has worked for you, when trying to figure out what you want to do with your life?

Internships for Credit

2008-03-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a question I just got from a student:
Q: Wanting to apply for an unpaid internship that is open to freshman,
but that requires the school to give me academic credits, I am
wondering if you can help me out since I do not meet any of the
prerequisites for any of the school's departments. Give me your advice. In addition, I would like to learn more about the issuance of academic credits for unpaid internships - for instance, how many credits do I get per internship
and the breakdown of hours per week and the respective credits.

A: Why is it that employers ask students to receive credit for internships? This often mystifies students. A great explanation is available at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i28/28a03601.htm
Students often guess that the employer thinks they're compensating you via college credit. In reality, there's a specific legal reason employers require students to get credit. College credit is typically a way for employers to try to avoid violating the Federal minimum wage requirements (otherwise known as the Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA).

The rules of the FLSA as it relates to unpaid "trainees" (they don't actually use the word "intern") read as follows:
* The training, although it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in a vocational school.
* The training is for the benefit of the students.
* The students do not displace regular employees, but work under the close observation of a regular employee or supervisor.
* The employer provides the training and derives no immediate advantage from the activities of students, and, on occasion, the operations may actually be impeded by the training.
* The students are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period.
* The employer and the student understand that the student is not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

Sound like your internship? Probably not, especially the "derives no immediate advantage" part! But if an employer can get your college to acknowledge that your internship is an official part of your studies-- i.e. a professior is actually providing you academic credit for your experience-- then it goes a long way to making sure the employer won't get sued for not paying you.

There are other problems with college credit for internships. A biggie is that, like any college course, there are prerequisites to fulfill, which you might not have met. Or, your college might not even offer credit for internships at all. So you might have to look into getting credit creatively, by either creating an independent study course or trying to get credit through another college.

Looking on the bright side, receiving credit for an internship gives you two important advantages. First, you have a professor to turn to if you have questions about your internship, need advice, or want to reflect on your learning experience. Second, you can use your professor as leverage with your employer. If you're not learning enough, you can always politely approach your employer and say "I'm really enjoying this internship, but because I'm receiving college credit, my professor says I need to get a learning experience. Could I work on the ____ project so I have more to report back to my professor?" Hopefully a smart employer will see this as an advantage and let you take the initiative to learn more.

Welcome to my blog!

2008-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

If you are seeking an internship, are thinking of switching careers, or don't know what direction to go in, you've come to the right place.

I've been a college internship coordinator and career advisor for the last nine and a half years. I've worked with over 10,000 college students and experienced candidates, as well as thousands of employers from all industries during that time. For the last six years, I've been the Internship Coordinator for all 12,500 undergraduates at Baruch College, one of the best public business schools in the nation.

I've received hundreds of questions during that time from students and alumni seeking internships and jobs. I am hoping that internship seekers from around the world will reach out to me for advice and ideas through this blog.

I'll start with a common question I've gotten from many internship candidates:

Q: When writing a resume, should I include previous work experience that isn't relevant to my future career?

A: It depends on what else you want to include, and what you're looking for. If you are just starting your career and don't have any relevant experience, it's important not to underestimate what work experience you do have. Just holding a job shows your responsibility and ability to get along with others. Your work experience might be more related than you think. For instance, your bartending job may illustrate your ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment, your ability to remember details and your level of responsibility in handling cash. Your administrative assistant position might illustrate your attention to detail, your work ethic and your communication skills. Your job as a camp counselor may demonstrate your level of responsibility, your ability to handle multiple activities at one time and your creativity. Of course, it is very important to build up experience that relates more directly to your future career goals (we'll get into where to look for opportunities in future posts).

If you are trying to choose what to keep in a resume and what to toss, always think from the perspective of your ideal future employer. What skills are they looking for? Just read some job descriptions in your chosen field and check out what they seek. Prioritize accordingly; and think in the big picture about how your experience might be relevant. But don't underestimate what you have already accomplished - it may impress employers more than you think.