THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, JANUARY 19.2015
PAGE 3A
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Students recognize value of internships
KATHERINE HARTLEY
@kathart36
Over 1.7 million college students are expected to graduate with a bachelor's degree in the United States this coming May, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Because of this number, students are more inclined than ever to seek out opportunities that help them build their resumes. Internships are one way of standing out from the crowd of people entering the workforce.
"Internships offer valuable experience, make students more competitive and allow them to be able to talk about specific skills," University Career Center coach Chance Clutter said.
Victoria Kirk, a senior from Andover, is currently interning in New York City for the women's magazine Cosmopolitan and stresses the importance of students using internship experience to get jobs after graduating.
"It's so important to set yourself apart from other college graduates because everyone is competing against each other," Kirk said. "I've talked to editors at Cosmo and they say that the first thing they look at when hiring people is what internships they have done."
This is Kirk's second internship and one she's dreamed of doing since she switched her major to journalism two years ago. It took her applying twice before she actually landed the position. She said it is important not to give up in the internship that you really want to do, however you have to work hard and take certain steps to get there.
"When I first applied I didn't have anything on my resume and didn't get the job at Cosmo, so I interned for Modern Luxury's publications Angeleno, Brides California, and Interiors California in Los Angeles," Kirk said. "I stalked people, I literally went through all 70 publications of Modern Luxury and sent every editor an email, begging them to let me intern."
Kirk emphasizes on putting yourself out there and letting companies know that you are interested in working for them.
"I was nervous I wouldn't get anything out of it because they weren't huge international magazines, but I actually learned more [than at Cosmopolitan] because it was a smaller office and I was taking on writing jobs and covering actual events," she said.
While she describes being at Cosmopolitan as "just awesome," she recognizes that she never would have gotten there without her previous internship.
Paige Martindell, a senior from Topeka, could easily be called the Queen of Interning. She has done a total of five internships since her freshman year at the University, proving that there is a way to make it all work even with a busy schedule.
"It sounds a little insane but one step always led to another, and I'm very thankful for all the experience I have gained before graduating," Martindell said. "I believe gaining real world experience as a college student is crucial and I wouldn't be where I am today without my previous internships. I feel much more confident when applying for
jobs and sharing my resume with employers because I know how much they value previous experience ' from college graduates."
After her first on-campus brand ambassadorship with Neebo, Youth Marketing Connection contacted Martindell with an opportunity to be a brand ambassador for clothing brand ASOS. This then led to her being selected out of thousands of applicants to be one of the company's Global Interns and spend the summer of 2014 traveling to each of their five international offices.
"I built a very strong relationship with Youth Marketing Connection and they blessed me more than I could have ever imagined," she said. "The saying goes, 'It's not what you know, but whom you know' and I've learned that is very true. Making connections is key to success."
Clutter agrees, saying that networking and talking to people and coworkers can help open up doors a student hadn't even thought about. This is also just as important during an internship, as about 50 percent of internships turn into full-time employment, he said.
The University Career Center offers multiple resources for students including connections to over 1,400 internships postings, an intern newsletter and assistance with creating a résumé and practicing for an interview. Clutter also advises students begin applying for internships a semester in advance, maybe even two depending on the field.
a focus a student has the more they can fine-tune the companies they want to intern for."
"Develop some sort of plan and start to do some research," Clutter said. "The more of
The UCC hosts an internship
fair in the fall, and will be hosting its career fair Feb. 11, which will also feature companies looking for interns.
— Edited by Paige Lytle
TIPS ON GETTING YOUR DREAM INTERNSHIP:
CHANGE CLUTTER, UNIVERSITY CAREER CENTER COACH
Networking — Connect through people you know, talk to everyone you know about the internship you want to do.
Use LinkedIn — Network with people and see if you can get any extra advice.
Don't look past other opportunities — It may take more steps to get there in order to build a résumé and make you more competitive for your dream internship.
PAIGE MARTINDELL, SENIOR FROM TOPEKA
Be passionate Do your research and find the internship/job you want, and go after it.
Do your homework — Educate yourself about the firm or position so you know exactly what to say during your interview.
- Build a standout résumé and make connections
Be the "yes" person — Your duties as an intern may not be exciting but always say yes. You are there for your colleagues and managers and they will gain respect for you if you're always willing to assist them.
VICTORIA KIRK, SENIOR FROM ANDOVER
Put yourself out there — Let the company/person know that you really want to intern with them.
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Keep after it — Don't give up on the internship you actually want to do.
Make sure your Internet presence is 150 percent clean Make your social media accounts private and delete any inappropriate pictures. In today's hiring process the first thing they do is Google you, Facebook you and Twitter you.
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