Todd Slattengren, CPCU | Account Executive | Travelers National Accounts spoke at got a job/internship lunch celebration on May 2 and left both the interns and new graduates with some great advice listed bellow. All great things to know for student that got internships or jobs.
USF – Got a Job/Internship Lunch
Celebration – May 2
Advice for Interns
*Congratulations – This is a long interview process
for both your employer and YOU.
*Be an enthusiastic member of the team. Make sure you are completing the
projects/tasks they specifically ask you to do on time and done right. Once you do that, I encourage you to raise
your hand to volunteer for additional
projects/assignments, teams, etc.
*learn the Internal culture – don’t assume, ask around
if you are not sure
*Take advantage of opportunities to meet people in other divisions,
units, departments, clients/peers.
Be prepared for the meetings and ask for business cards if available.
*Maintain list of contacts you made within the company during your
internship; be sure to thank all of them
at the end of the internship. At
minimum, ask your Supervisor/Manager for a letter
of Recommendation.
*Stay in contact with your Manager/Supervisor next year, even after the
internship. Your engagement will
help you stand apart from other interns or potential new hires.
*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be
careful what you post on Facebook!!
*Interviews – sign up for all
you apply for, learn about the company/role, ask questions during the
interview, Thank the person afterwards (email, hand-written note, do not call)
*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network to help in your
job search
*Keep an open mind – you may not land your “dream job” right away,
or your “dream job” might not exist right now.
Advice for Graduates/New Job
*Congratulations – this is an
exciting and nerve racking time in your life.
*Embrace change – it will be your only constant through the next
40-50 years
*Be attentive to the
requirements and expectations of your job.
Raise your hand to volunteer for
projects, assignments, committees but only if you can handle your current
responsibilities well.
*Seek out Feedback from your Manager/Supervisor
(Formal as well as Informal)
*Set up and Invest in a retirement plan – 401k, IRA, 403B, etc. If your employer offers a match, put in at
least as much as needed to earn the company match. You are giving away free money if you do not
do that.
*Adapt to the Company culture (work style in
office/mobile, dress code, participation, etc.)
*Continue Professional Development in your field, especially if your
company supports it
*Pros of Millennial Generation – Technologically advanced, adaptable
to flexible work schedule, highly conscious to social and environmental issues
*Cons of Millennial Generation – Impatient/overconfident, sense of
entitlement, cannot handle constructive criticism
*Seek out Mentors (within the Company/Organization) and outside as
well. They do not have to be in the same
industry, in fact there are a lot of benefits of having a mentor in a different
industry
*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network – also, join and
be active and available for the students coming up behind you
*keep an open mind – opportunities may come up that requires you to
relocate to another state or internationally – could be short term or permanent
*Be engaged in your community – education, healthcare, Arts/Music,
Environmental causes
*Money is not everything and the key to all happiness – in time, you
will find the right mix for you regarding compensation, benefits, challenging
and engaging work, fit in company that matches your core values, work/life
balance
*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be
careful what you post on Facebook!!
-Nate
