I am SO excited to have my first guest post today! Taylor from Taylor Danielle Blog was an officer in a student organization I advise on campus. I have known Taylor for a few years and can only say great things about her hard work and dedication. Taylor is a fashion merchandising major and participated in a summer internship with Nordstrom. When she wrote a post titled “Tips on Landing an Awesome Internship” I just knew she needed to share some tips for my followers. Without further ado…
We have all heard the saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” but once I completed my summer internship I found this statement to be absolute truth. The number and caliber of people that one encounters is great but you must take advantage of this and view it as an opportunity. During an internship program you will be allowed the opportunity to rub elbows with your superiors who may very well one day hire you and eventually promote you. Some may promote you or vouch for you based on the fact that you were an intern. Meeting and becoming acquainted with superiors is one thing, but building relationships with peers can also prove to be just as beneficial.
When I began my internship program I was faced with the fact that I would be working 40-50 hours a week, 5 days a week with some of those days being longer than 8 hours. As a full time college student for four years, I had never experienced that before and was in a bit of a shock for the first couple of weeks. I say all of this to say, interning gives you a taste of the real world with all of its benefits and hardships. Experiencing this while in school or fresh out of school can only help you to develop into the working adult you aspire to be. I also was given information on things like insurance and even 401k plans which I was not given while working summer jobs.
Being in a professional environment requires a new set of skills and a new way of thinking. Interning gives you an opportunity to learn new things from the bottom up and apply them as you learn. Without a doubt you will learn how to communicate with equals and superiors on a professional level because it is required of you. It is inevitable that you will pick up on new skills and communication styles when in such an environment. Depending on your field, your experiences will vary, but either way interning gives you the exposure you need. Nothing trumps the experience one gains from interning. Many times, the biggest lessons are learned when you mess up or fail at something but what better place to mess up and learn from those mistakes than during an internship program.
Learning and experiencing are two completely different things. Learning from someone else’s experiences is often times helpful. I interned as a manager, but I worked closely with someone who used to be a fashion buyer (something I originally thought I wanted to do). Just from talking to her and hearing about her experiences and her day to day tasks, I confidently made the decision that becoming a buyer is something that I just did not want to do. It did not fit my personality or my style of work ethic. With that being said, interning solidified some decisions that would have been “up in the air” for me otherwise. Interning helped me to narrow down the type of positions that I want to apply for once I graduate.
Please show this gorgeous, smart, and hardworking lady some love by sharing this post and following her social media accounts! Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | Blog
Until next post…xoxo Becca
As a high school student (especially juniors and seniors), preparing for a college fair is important. For high school counselors, college resource counselors, and teachers, preparing students for a college fair is equally as important. As a former university admissions counselor, I can tell you I have seen and heard a lot of really immature things. My admissions colleagues and I could easily write a storybook. Let’s jump in…
First, determine what type of school you’re looking for; close to home or out of state, public or private, small, medium, or larger, religious affiliation, coed or not, residential or commuter, etc. The answers to these questions will help you decide which university representatives to talk to. Try out College Board’s College Search.
Second, be realistic about what majors you are interested in. If you don’t like math and science, then a degree in biology or pre-med is not a good fit. Do your homework! If there is a career you are interested in, Google it and see what information you can learn. A quick search can usually provide an overview of the career; what a typical day looks like, educational requirements, work environment, salary, etc.
Third, know your GPA and class rank. It helps admissions counselors have a detailed conversation about admission requirements with you. If you don’t know this information, stop by your high school counselors or college resource counselors’ office.
Rule #1…
Don’t be disrespectful to university representatives. Often times they are the ones making decisions on your admission status and can greatly influence the outcome.
Do have an engaging conversation about items not found in the brochure (i.e. culture of the university, best type of admissions candidate, etc.). Get the representative’s business card and follow up with a thank you email. This little extra effort goes a long way. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I was thanked after a college fair (by email or note) and I remember all their names.
Don’t ask if you can major in sports or girls/guys. It’s not funny even though you may think it’s cool. It shows immaturity.
Do ask about particular majors you are interested in (research ahead of time or scan the university brochure). If you are interested in sports, ask about the teams, the potential to be on one, or even talk about intramural and club teams.
Don’t let your parents/guardians do all the talking or look to them to respond when a representative asks you a question. It’s great they are attending the college fair with you, but you are going to be an adult soon and have to speak for yourself.
Do have a conversation with them ahead of time to determine what information is important to find out and be prepared to ask those questions of the representative. I’m not saying parents shouldn’t ask questions, but they should never dominate the conversation.
Don’t ask “Why should I go here?” Representatives don’t know what you are looking for in a college or university and this provides them no clues at what information you are seeking.
Do ask specific questions like, “What sets your university apart from others?” or “What does __ degree offer, that other universities with the same degree may not?” or “I’m interested in __ career, what degree would help me get there?”
Don’t ask if it’s a party school. Again, not funny even if you think it is.
Do ask about co-curricular activities such as student organizations, study abroad programs, honors college, whether the school is a commuter campus or not, or what resources/services are available on campus (i.e. recreation center, student union, athletic events).
Don’t steal pens and other giveaways from the table. Even though you think you’re being slick, representatives see you. Plus they may be running low and you just took their last pen.
Do have a conversation with the representative about their institution and then ask if you may take a pen or giveaway. Most of the time they are more than willing to give you one of each!
Don’t ask “Do you have financial aid?” Yes, schools offer financial aid. This question doesn’t provide you valuable information about financial aid.
Do ask specifics about aid like “What process do you use for financial aid?” or “When is the best time for me to apply for scholarships?” or “How many students receive some form of financial assistance at your university (grants, loans, scholarship, etc.)?”
Other questions to ask university representatives:
When are application deadlines?
When do you recommend applying?
How long does the typical application process take?
What do you recommend doing first after being accepted? (i.e. apply for housing, submit FAFSA, meet with an academic advisor, etc.)
I hope this guide helps you get started and prepares you for your first college fair. As a former admissions counselor, I can tell you the individuals behind the tables are passionate about helping students who want to help themselves. Give us the ability (through engaging conversation) to do so! Don’t pass up the perfect opportunity to make a good impression. Until next post…xoxo Becca
Becca
born and raised Texan
Hi all and welcome to my cozy little place in the blogosphere. My name is Becca and I'm a born and raised Texan. After college I got married. Got a puppy. Got a house. And then I decided I wanted to share daily life, struggles, ambitions, and everything in between.
