INTERNSHIPS WORKSHOP-TUESDAY, 4/9, 5PM, MCLAREN 250

 LAST CHANCE FOR INTERNSHIPS WORKSHOP
 Learn How To Get An Internship And Why You Should Have One
TUESDAY, April 9, 5:00-6:00 PM
MCLAREN 250 (PLEASE IGNORE POSTERS STATING FROMM-MAIER)

*The Best Internship Resources
 *Paid Vs. Unpaid Internships
 *How much should you be paid for an internship?
*Get a full time job from your internship
 *We will announce fresh, never before seen internships during the presentation!

 Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Center
 University of San Francisco
 2130 Fulton Street, UC 5th Floor 
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
415-422-6216
www.usfca.edu/csc

-Nate

Interested in Internships? Here's A Good Start...

Previously I discussed how difficult it could be to make decisions in college. Today I am going to talk about something else. I recently met a junior who was looking for an internship. She told me she had looked on DonsCareers in hopes of finding an internship she liked. In short, she had an idea of what she was looking for, but didn’t have any previous job experience. This is a common problem for many students.

Our homepage, www.usfca.edu/career, has a four year plan checklist of where you should be at each year of your undergraduate education.  If you are having trouble looking for an internship, there are a few things you can do that can help you along the way. Bring your resume with you to our drop in hours (11am-2pm Monday through Friday); let a counselor edit your resume or cover letter. Most importantly, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be proactive.

Keep looking on DonsCareers (include the search agents feature) because it is updated all the time. Try Nacelink, Indeed, UCAN Internship Exchange, and even go to your professor or advisor’s office hours to express your interest in internships or part time jobs. This website: (http://spirit.usfca.edu/stuemp/on_campus.htm) has on campus jobs if you prefer to work on campus. Is there a certain company you are interested in working for as an intern? Look at the company or organization’s website to see if they have any internship programs available.

The main thing to keep in mind is to keep looking; there are internships and jobs out there, and as students our job is to be proactive in looking for the right one for us.

If your resume is lacking job experience, consider getting a summer job to build your resume. Even if your summer job is not your dream career, that’s completely alright. It’s better to have some job experience than none at all, and it will give you something to talk about when you get an interview for that dream internship you’ve been wanting.

Happy internship hunting!

-Elaine

Final Part 3: Long Story Short...

Clearly, it's taking me way longer than it should to finish all the parts of my story... I think it's senioritis... -_- so I'll try to sum it up succinctly and make the long story short.

After I met the recruiters at the Fall Career Fair and they asked me to send in my resume, I was extremely hesitant to follow through for many reasons: one was because I was in the process of waiting to hear back from another internship; other reasons simply included that I did not make time for it (in other words, I procrastinated).
But that Friday, bored at work in the office, I applied on their website and submitted my resume (literally 3 days after I was asked).... and.... with no cover letter.... *Disclaimer: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!* - you should ALWAYS send a cover letter even if they don't ask for one and try to do so in a timely manner. 3 days is pushing it. It may have worked for me but it will not work for everyone especially when planned happenstance is not involved.

So they receive my resume and I guess they liked what they saw, because on Monday I received a call from their Headquarters. Little did I know this was the screening call/the first interview.
*Advice: ALWAYS be ready and on your toes when speaking to any representative of the company over the phone. You probably won't be able to tell it's the first rounds of interviews.

By the end of our conversation, I was invited to a mixer/group interview a few weeks later. Totally unexpected.

The day of the group interview came around and had it not been for a follow up call I received that same day from the same rep whom I had been keeping in contact, I would not have gone to the interview. I was feeling extremely lazy and simply "not feeling it" anymore. All I have to say is: *Advice: Please be sure to follow through with any scheduled calls or interviews with a prospective employer.

Suffice it to say, the road to landing the internship was filled with planned happenstance. After leaving the group interview/mixer I was pretty sure I wan't going to get the job buuuuut I was offered the internship (the next day) and 2 months in, I am absolutely loving every part of it!

I am happy and comfortable with where I am and in the end, that's the most important thing. :)


Hang in there gang,
Rosie

Summer Internship

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great summer, got some work experience (internship/jobs) and had the opportunity to expand their network. I personally had a amazing, stressful and intense summer. I was looking for something not too intense or difficult,... but received the opportunity to work at Bank of Hawaii, ranked #1 in "Americas Best Banks" by Forbes. I worked in the Hawaii Branch and Business Banking Division for the bank as a summer intern. This was a great learning experience where the bank spent a lot of time and money on us interns with high expectations. The bank flew in many people from around the world to talk to us about different things including "managing younger people" and explaining the importance of lending. But with these great experience came long, 10-12 hour days and a lot of time outside of work to complete task and prepare for the next day. Competition was also high between the interns, who came from very prestigious college/universities. I would highly recommend this internship to anyone from Hawaii looking to go back home for a summer, who is looking to challenge themselves but also foresees that the opportunities could be endless. Overall it was an amazing summer networking with many different people and expanding both my knowledge and personal skills. 

Tell us about your summer and email us at: careerplanningpeer@usfca.edu 

We would love to post more experiences of other students and their accomplishments!

Aloha, 

Nate

SOCIAL MEDIA

How important is Social Media? 
Social Media is progressively getting more important in this growing futuristic changing world. There are many different ways Social Media can be utilized and exploited when finding a job.
1. Landing a job (there are more and more Careers/Jobs in Social Media due to the new demand)
2. Great Networking Tools (For example adding people you might have meet/worked with on Facebook and updating you statues or giving updates make them know or feel like they still know you or what you have been doing- is a great way to keep the big boss looking at your progress just in case they know someone that knows someone)
3. A way to be approached for jobs (Linkedin has many employers looking and searching for the ideal candidate for a job opening they have)
4. Searching tool for jobs (Linkedin has a section where employers post jobs looking for future employees) 

5. Information/news (updates that might help you have a successful interview or networking opportunity) 
+ More!!!! 

Things are changing on the fly and it is important to stay ahead of the curve so attend the Careers in Social Media Panel! 

Aloha,
Nate

CAREERS IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Panelists (including Twitter & Zynga) share their work experiences and provide tips for students
Thursday, April 26th, 5:30-7 PM, Fromm Hall - Berman Room

A panel of professionals from Twitter, Zynga, IBM, and Viator will provide insight into the world of social media by sharing their experiences in their line of work. Other topics that will be addressed include: Trends in social media, important skills to gain to become prominent in the field, and challenges and successes on the job.

Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Center
University of San Francisco
 2130 Fulton Street, UC 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
415-422-6216
www.usfca.edu/career

Summer Internships!

Hey guys!

Are you looking for something to do over the summer? Are you looking for a summer job or even better a internship to gain some experience? Well its that time of the year again when many companies are looking to hire summer interns. CHECK OUT DONSCAREER for postings of internships in the bay area and also come into see us during drop-ins so we can check out your resume and cover letters.

We also have a workshop to help students find internships:

Last Chance for Internships Workshop

When: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Where: Fromm Hall, Maier Room

Description:

Learn how to get an internship and why you should have one.

• The Best Internship Resources
• Paid vs. Unpaid Internships
• How much should you be paid for an internship?
• Get a full time job from your internship
• We will announce fresh, never before seen internships during the presentation!

So get your internship on this summer! There are a lot of opportunities out there.

Aloha,
Nate

Business Professional versus Viral Sensation

May I be the first to say that I can do a total of 0 proper pull-ups? So, naturally, I would choose not to include this in my resume. One would assume that one would not include certain things in a cover letter or resume if they did not sound professional or relevant to the job description. Well, apparently one junior at NYU completely missed the memo about how one should not include the number of pull-ups they can do or appear over-confident to the point of arrogance. In case you would like to see how cover letters and resumes should be done properly, you can download our resource guide FREE.

Do NOT make the same mistakes that this student made hoping for a summer position at J.P. Morgan. He sent in a resume and a cover letter chalk full of examples of what NOT to put in a cover letter.
Enjoy and Learn!

----------------------------------------
1/23/2012
J.P. Morgan
Dear Sir or Madame:
I am an ambitious undergraduate at NYU triple majoring in Mathematics, Economics, and Computer Science. I am a punctual, personable, and shrewd individual, yet I have a quality which I pride myself on more than any of these.
I am unequivocally the most unflaggingly hard worker I know, and I love self-improvement. I have always felt that my time should be spent wisely, so I continuously challenge myself; I left Villanova because the work was too easy. Once I realized I could achieve a perfect GPA while holding a part-time job at NYU, I decided to redouble my effort by placing out of two classes, taking two honors classes, and holding two part-time jobs. That semester I achieved a 3.93, and in the same time I managed to bench double my bodyweight and do 35 pull-ups.
I say these things only because solid evidence is more convincing than unverifiable statements, and I want to demonstrate that I am a hard worker. J.P. Morgan is a firm with a reputation that precedes itself and employees who represent only the best and rightest in finance. I know that the employees in this firm will push me to excellence, especially within the Investment Banking division. In fact, one of the supporting reasons I chose Investment Banking over any other division was that I know it is difficult. I hope to augment my character by diligently working for the professionals at Morgan Stanley, and I feel I have much to offer in return.
I am proficient in several programming languages, and I can pick up a new one very quickly. For instance, I learned a years worth of Java from NYU in 27 days on my own; this is how I placed out of two including: Money and Banking, Analysis, Game Theory, Probability and Statistics. Even further, I am taking Machine Learning and Probabilistic Graphical Modeling currently, two programming courses offered by Stanford, so that I may truly offer the most if I am accepted. I am proficient with Bloomberg terminals, excellent with excel, and can perform basic office functions with terrifying efficiency. I have plenty of experience in the professional world through my internship at Merrill Lynch, and my research assistant position at NYU. In fact, my most recent employer has found me so useful that he promoted me to a Research Assistant and an official CTED intern. This role is usually reserved for Masters students, but my employer gave the title to me so that he could give me more work.
Please realize that I am not a braggart or conceited, I just want to outline my usefulness. Egos can be a huge liability, and I try not to have one.
Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Mark
[Article can be found at: http://digitaljournal.com/article/319375#ixzz1n3qvvpSj]
----------------------------------------------------------

Don’t let this be you! Stop by drop-ins and let us help!

--Victoria

P.S. Don’t forget our CAREER FAIR is THIS FRIDAY! Get your resume touched up just in time to meet potential employers!

University of San Francisco
Career Services UC 5th floor
FB: USF Career Services
Twitter: @USFcareer
usfca.edu/csc

Um, Like, Whatever... So yeah.

Okay so, you know, we are all guilty of, like, using filler words. If only, we could, like, train ourselves, you know? Um, we would get to the point faster, and, oh, sound a bit more confident.

Everyday we get questions about what one should do to prepare for an interview. Usually, we will help students with their resumes/cover letters and go over a few practice questions. Also, we recommend that students take advantage of our services and sign up for a mock interview!

I am adding something to the list, here... *drum roll* … a filler counter. “Filler” being words we often use to stuff our sentences, words that don’t hold any real meaning in the context of your sentence [i.e. like, whatever, you know, um...etc.].
    Often we want to appear as if we are not struggling with a question by answering as quickly as possible. Often, the first words to jumble out of one’s mouth are filler words.

EXAMPLE:
Employer: So, what brings you here today?
Student: Oh! Um, well, I have always, um, wanted to work with a company in this, uh, industry.

The use of filler words not only makes the student look unprepared, but it also makes him or her sound like they don’t  believe their own answer either.

Quick Tips to AVOID speaking in FILLER:
*Observe others around you. Count how many times someone in your class or work will say a filler word (i.e. "like").
*Pay attention to what you are saying. It’s OKAY to take a second to think about a question. No need to let filler words make an impression for you.
*Record yourself. You might be shocked to find out just how many times you can say “you know?” in 3 minutes.
*Schedule a Mock Interview! Practice, Practice, Practice!

Don’t let your words lose meaning!

--Victoria
University of San Francisco
Career Services UC 5th floor
FB: USF Career Services
Twitter: @USFcareer

Interviewing Questions

Hi Guys,

I know "On Campus Interviews" have begun and everyone is trying to prepare but I wanted to share an article I just read on Yahoo YAHOO ARTICLE . This article could possibly help you out and give you insight on some questions you might be asked during an interview. The article title is "10 Companies with the Toughest Interview Questions" and it talks about what companies are known for their extremely hard questions.

For example at Red Ventures they ask their interviewees questions like "If you were an animal, what animal would you be?" or even "Tell me a joke."  There are also companies like Bain that ask questions like "What is the revenue of an inner city Sydney gym?" for an associate consultant position. Its a really interesting article that takes interviewing to a new level so take a look! If you need any help with interview preparation or just want to talk about interviewing, you know where to come the CAREER SERVICE CENTER on the UC 5th floor for drop in hours 11am - 2pm Monday through Friday. Also check out the new tab on your USF Connect account called “My Career Plan” for some interesting internships and hot jobs!!

Aloha,

Nate

Summer!!!

Aloha Everyone,

Welcome back to school! I hope everyone is looking forward to the new school year! Time to seems to be flying, I can't believe I am a junior already. So how was everyone's summer? Well I just wanted to give you all a heads up on how my summer went.
This summer I went to New York/New Jersey and interned at Northeast Private Client Group in May and June. They are a smaller private advising company, with higher end clients compared to bigger companies like Fidelity and Northwestern Mutual. It was a great learning experience and I gained so much from the people there. I attended appointments and meetings with the president and a few of the directors. I also put together financial portfolios and serviced the clients needs. During my last days at the company I was offered a job with the company upon graduation. They stated that I would work in New York for a few months to a year than move to Hawaii to create a new client base.
Many internships turn into jobs so I would suggest putting your best foot forward at all times, because you never know what could happen. I also would recommend if you're ever given the opportunity to take a job in New York, to take it. It is an extrodinary experience and a world on its own. So break out of your comfort zone and try something new, something different and grow. Not to mention it would be something great to put on your resume.
After interning with Northeast Private Client Group I came back home to Hawaii in June and interned at the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau(HVCB), under the Hawaii Tourism Authority for the rest of the summer. It was also another great experience meeting people in Tourism and working in Waikiki. At HVCB I got to work on a few projects dealing with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) that is coming in November and a new project that I created which was a green meeting planners guide for Hawaii coming out next quarter.
On weekends or when I had free time I would spend time with family and friends eating at all the local spots or going to the beach. It was an amazing summer and I gained so much experience and a better perspective of the world. So get out there and look for those internships and if you need any help come into our office in the UC building 5th floor for some advising.

I hope everyone had a great, fun filled summer!

Aloha,

Nate

Should I? Should I not?

People always ask, when do you send in a cover letter? or Do you need to send a cover letter in even if they didn't ask for one? The answer is yes, yes, yes. Always send a cover letter no matter what, unless the job description says "please do not send in cover letter" or if the company’s website doesn't allow you to post a cover letter. It is always better to send a cover letter even if not stated because most employers think it is expected and it looks really good, showing your research and knowledge. It also looks bad when you do not send one in and another applicant sends their cover letter in.

A cover letter is also a great way to introduce yourself and show how you can contribute to the company you're applying to and why you're not only the best candidate but you have the experience and knowledge they are looking for. So the best thing to do is try your best and get a cover letter done and send both the resume and cover letter, but do not forget to stop by the USF Career Services Center located on the UC 5th floor, so we can take a look at it and help you. Our drop in hours are Monday through Friday 11am- 2pm. 

-Aloha Nate

THANK YOU LETTERS!!!

Thank you letters! How important do you think they are? To be honest, they are extremely important and believe it or not most people never think of writing a thank you letter after an interview. There are a couple of reasons why they are so important. First, it is a great way to show gratitude and thank the employer/recruiter for taking the time out of his or her day to meet with you. Second, which is the most important reason, is a thank you letter puts your name and face back into their minds when they are trying to make a decision on who to choose for the vacant position. Third, it shows you want the job while giving you a last chance to say a few things that you might not have mentioned in the interview. Lastly, if the position comes down to two people that have the same qualifications and one wrote a thank you letter and the other did not, most times than none the applicant with the thank you letter will receive the job.  

When writing a thank you letter you want to write it as soon as possible after your interview. It might also be smart to send them a thank you email as well the day after the interview just in case your letter gets lost. In the thank you letter you want to include when your interview was, what you talked about, something you never mentioned, and that you are still interested in the position. 

After thinking about what you need in your thank you letter, the question now becomes should I hand write it or type it. This is a very controversial issue. It honestly depends on the employer and what they like. I personally will always send hand written thank you cards because it is more personal and that’s who I want them to remember me by. For me the hand written thank you letter has helped me numerous of times in getting jobs and internships because the employer liked how personal I made them. But on the other hand some people like the professional thank you letter, typed and printed on resume paper. So when it comes down to it, it is ultimately up to you unless you are in KO's Hospitality class where it is required to type your professional thank you letters for the class. So ultimately decide depending on the situation you are in and no matter what you choose your thoughts and considerations in writing the thank you letter is more than enough! If you need some help writing them or want us to look over your thank you letters bring them in to drop in hours Monday-Friday 11am-2pm located on the 5th floor! 

Aloha- Nate

ELEVATOR PITCH!!!

Have you ever wanted to approach someone and talk to them at a career fair, group networking event, or even at a random venue like an elevator but did not know what to say? Or even what to do? Do not worry you're not the only one; this is one of the toughest things to do. Everyone has some kind of problem when they are trying to pull words out of thin air, while feeling comfortable when introducing and talking to their ideal employer or business partner. The perfect way to solve this problem is to create an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is normally a 15 to 30 second speech or pitch of who you are, what you do, why you're the best, and your call to action. This short summary speech of who you are will help break the ice and start communication in the lines of a possible job opportunity or future business endeavors.

The elevator pitch got its name because individuals who were seeking a job or future business endeavors would try and get into an elevator with a executive. In doing so they had a opportunity to talk to the executive from the first floor to the ideal top floor with no interruptions and no possible way for the executive to get out of the conversation. The elevator pitch can be used whenever you are meeting anyone but was ideally to get your foot in the door and land yourself a job. It is a great way to introduce yourself and give a summary of who you are. So if want to create one but do not know where to begin, this website will help. It is a basic template where you answer questions and it formats your elevator pitch for you. Website: http://www.15secondpitch.com/new/index.asp But it is essential to be prepared before attending an event and you should practice your elevator pitch now because you never know when it might become useful. So if you need any help creating your specialized elevator pitch, come into our office on the UC 5th floor during drop in hours which are 11am to 2pm Monday through Friday. Your elevator pitch could possibly land you a job that you could never imagine! 

Aloha- Nate

INTERNSHIP EXCHANGE

Are you looking for a summer internship but want to go home or see a new city like Boston or Los Angeles? Well we have something that could possible help you find a summer internship in those different regions. It is called Internship Exchange. Internship Exchange is a internship data base that is shared with many different colleges from different regions including Harvard University, University of Miami, Brown University, Boston College, Princeton University, Pepperdine University, and etc... Due to being a shared internship data base, Internship Exchange has two major benefits. The first benefit is that you will be able to see internships not only in the area of your current school but within the area of the schools you share data base with. Giving you the opportunity to travel for a summer internship or possibly go home for the summer and find an internship. Another great benefit is that some employers are specifically looking for interns from a specific school but must post on internship exchange and when doing so, it gives our students from the University of San Francisco a chance to apply to internship that are meant for students attending Harvard. So go on to our websiteusfca.edu/career and sign up for Internship Exchange and start searching for those internships in other cities. You're also welcome to stop by our office located on the UC 5th floor if you need any help with resume, cover letters, or interviewing help.

- Aloha Nate  

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS!!!

Hi All, 

I know its midterm week and everyone has test, papers, and projects due before spring breaks hits. But it is also a great time to prepare and set up some INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS with people to gain information about something you're interested in or even expand your networking for future endeavors. I will be going back to Hawaii for spring break and have set up a few informational interviews with professionals in financial based occupations. Its quite easy to set one up and can be done with any free time you have, not just only over breaks. All you need to do is search for members of professional associations in the industries your interested in or network and contact a family friend that is in interest field of work. You can basically contact everyone and anyone that might interest you. 

So you might ask why set up a informational interview? There are a lot of reasons, including learning firsthand what it is like to do a particular kind of work at a particular organization, or to develop contacts in key positions with people who hire or who make recommendations, or to even find out about jobs and career paths you did not know exist. 

Once you have found a possible informational interview contact them and tell your contact that you are in the process of making some decisions about your career, and you want to learn more about his or her field. In particular, you want to learn whether, and how, someone with your background might enter and succeed in that field. But always remember you are not yet in a job search! After giving your contact some background information and a brief summary of what you want to know. Ask the professional to meet either in their office or over Starbucks or Jamba Juice. 

Once you have set the informational interview, prepare questions but remember that you are NOT asking this person for a job. An example question would be: In the position you now hold, what do you do in a typical day? But for more information come into CSC to check out some handouts for possible questions on Informational interviews on the UC 5th Floor or check out the PDF on our website: http://usfca.edu/uploadedFiles/Destinations/Offices_and_Services/CSC/docs/Informational%20Interviews.pdf. Also don't forget to offer to pay for Starbucks or Jamba Juice because your contact did take time out of his or her day to meet with you and don't forget thank you card, thank you card, send a hand written thank you card, thanking them for taking time out of their day to talk to you. Let them know you want to keep in touch. 

So set those INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS UP!

Aloha- Nate

NETWORKING DOES WORK!!!

Hey All,

Are you guys looking for a job or an internship? Have you heard of those ridiculous stories of how a friend of a friend got an internship by networking and didn't believe it? Tell me about it, I heard about them all the time. But guess what? Most of the time they are true, NETWORKING DOES WORK!

For me personally I have received 2 great internships by networking. Statistically about 80% of people that receive a job/internship receive them because they have networked or know someone that knows someone, essentially networking. I received my first internship by letting people know that I was looking for in internship, which is a great way to start networking. After a few emails and a few calls around, my dad's friend contacted me back with a family friend of his who was looking for an intern over the summer. It turned out perfectly. I received great experience and my network grew to a pretty large group in Hawaii.

My second internship is based on the idea you never know who you might meet and what a thank you card could do for you, ANYTHING COULD TURN INTO AN OPPORTUNITY. It started off when my uncle visited me in San Francisco and took me with him to a conference in Napa Valley. My thought was to hangout at the pool and have a good time in Napa while my uncle attended meetings. As I started to relax a man approached me and asked if the waiter had messed my order up and we both realized that I had his burger and he had mine. WE started talking about all kinds of stuff from sports to career options to school, after a while he told me that he was a partner in a finical advising firm. We hit it off and before I left I got his card. So a few days later I come back into the city and send him a hand written thank you card, thanking him for talking. A few weeks later I get a call from him and he offers me an internship. He stated that this internship would include spending the day by his side working with him on hedge funds, multi-million dollar accounts, and customer relationships in New York City. Which turned into a great opportunity and experience. 

You honestly will never know who you might meet or what they might have to offer, so be ready for anything that might come your way. If you want to learn more about networking come to our office located at UC 5th floor. We have some handouts or check our website for events on mentorships or networking. NETWORKING DOES WORK!!! and hand written thank you cards do work.

Aloha, 

Nate

Internship Frustration

Many of us know by now that internships are practically essential if we’re going to break into most fields after graduation. If you weren’t aware, allow me to elaborate: While ten years ago internships looked exceptional on a resume, in this day and age you need at least two or three to even attempt to look competitive. With more and more employers requiring experience for entry level jobs, internships have become standard in the college experience.

But therein lays one of the more pressing issues about internships: how can one afford the time to do them? So many seem to be unpaid (or at least that’s what we assume), and students who need to work to pay for rent/groceries/bills/tuition understandably find themselves in quite a bind when trying to build up their resume.

However, here’s an unfortunately little known fact: in the state of California it is illegal for a for-profit company to hire an unpaid intern that is not receiving any other compensation, such as class credit. Also, internships are by law supposed to be a space where you are getting some sort of educational benefit (i.e. learning skills other than what the best ratio of coffee to cream is). Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop most companies from violating those rules, in some cases even just putting the title “intern” on what is essentially a menial job so they can get labor for free. Totally illegal.

How can you can you protect yourself from this?

• The number one thing to know is that, if you are working for a for-profit company, you should expect some type of compensation for your work.
• Your Career Services Center (that’s us!) should be watching out for you, and only posting jobs on our DonsCareers and Internship Exchange databases that are either paid (if they are a for-profit company), unpaid (if they are a non-profit company), or meet other special requirements.
• Let someone know (like us) if you feel you’ve been exploited. While most students don’t report companies hiring unpaid interns for fear of negative consequences, taking a step up and calling people out should move the internship industry further along in the right direction.
• Keep in mind that, while they technically should be paying, certain industries (especially in the entertainment field like movies and record labels) have a long history of hiring unpaid interns. This practice is seen as part of the process of working in those fields and therefore unlikely to be changed anytime soon. 
• Attend our "Last Chance for Internships Workshop" next Wednesday, April 14th, from 5:30-6:30pm in McLaren 250. Speak with a career counselor in much more depth about what your options are, learn how to be smarter about your internship search, and even hear details about a few brand new internships that haven't been posted anywhere else.

Unfortunately the move towards regulating and enforcing paid interns for for-profit companies is moving at a snails pace. But this does not mean you should give up or get discouraged. The most important thing to do is be informed, know your rights, speak out if you feel something is wrong, know that there are plenty of paid internships out there, and seek those positions that are legitimate and right for you.

 Best of luck,
-Sarah

You CAN Still Apply for Summer Internships

Hey Everyone!

Hope your semester is going well so far and you’re not too stressed about classes (I know I am).  Here’s something you don’t have to stress out about: it’s not too late to apply for summer internships.  There are a ton of internships that are still available and have deadlines that extend to mid-April.  But don’t wait that long to apply!  You know as well as I do that time flies.  And trust me- the earlier you apply, the better.  You have a much better chance of landing an internship if you submit your resume right around when they’re starting to be accepted.  Just make sure to come by our office during Drop-In hours to have us check out your resume and cover letter before submitting them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that our internship database is separate from our job bank.  You can find internships at Internship Exchange, which you can register for on our website at www.usfca.edu/career (Click on the “Student” link in the left-hand navigation menu).  It only takes a few minutes to register, so do it as soon as possible! 

Have a great weekend,

Seghel

more on internships!

Hey all-

The semester is coming to an end over the next few weeks and I know we're all putting everything we have into this final push before we can enjoy our holidays and winter break! Your schoolwork should absolutely be your number one priority right now, but if you have any spare time, it's a good idea to be thinking about and looking out for a possible internship over winter vacation. (That's a potential 5 week internship!)

If you've been to the Career Services Center or attended one of our workshops, then you've heard us harp on the goal of having 3 internships before graduation. If you're closer to graduation, then you really want to utilize your remaining time as best as possible! Talk to your advisers, professors and academic departments about any opportunities. Search on DonsCareers and Intership Exchange. Browse through the listings, or create a saved search of what you're looking for and make the databases work for you!

If you need help registering for DonsCareers or Internship Exchange, or have any other questions about internships (or anything else career-related), feel free to stop in during drop-in hours. (M-F 12-2, T/W 5-7).

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving and eat lots of turkey!


-Allison

Get up and Get into Gear

So let’s face the facts: our economy is... well... not doing that great. The amount of current available jobs is substantially less than it was in previous years. Unfortunately, this can and probably will affect you, as distant as it may seem.

But that doesn’t mean you should lose hope! I’ve seen more students than ever come into drop-in sessions with resumes and cover letters looking for potential summer jobs, and that’s great! But if you’re in need for a job or internship this summer, you better get on it ASAP.

For a reminder, here’s a few things that you can take advantage of to snag those last minute jobs or make those last minute decisions before Summer.

As always, make sure to check out both DonsCareers and Internship Exchange for any job or internship postings (and also check out one of my previous posts for more links on internship searches). According to career counselor Alex Hochman, while we might be in a lull right now in terms of opportunities, make sure to check back by early June for a rush of new available opportunities.

Also, don’t forget the Career Services Center is open all summer, so feel free to stop by at any time to meet with a counselor, work on that resume, or anything else you need. We'll all be happy to answer any questions you may have.

-Sarah

p.s. stay tuned for an awesome PDF created by my fellow CPP Seghel with a bunch of details from the Looking for a Job in a Recession workshop. Should be up in the next day or two!