Friday, July 18, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Making the Most of a Summer Internship
This article appeared in the Wall Street Journal last week and I think it offers some fantastic tips for having a great internship experience!!!
Whether it's to test their interest in a certain industry or to gain a leg up on the competition come job-hunting season, internships are more popular than ever among college students. And landing the perfect one is just the beginning. Here's how to make the most of your summer internship:
Be Early. Arrive early the first day and keep it up. Be early to the office, to meetings and on conference calls. Chris Duggan, president of internship placement firm University of Dreams and summerinternships.com, recommends students practice their commute before starting and test alternate routes in case of traffic delays. "Wait outside the building if you have to," says Mr. Duggan. "But always be early."
Get real. "For students new to the work world, they might expect 'Wow, I'm going to have this glorious internship with fabulous assignments,'" says Espie Santiago, career counselor for internships at Stanford University. "But many of them don't actually have a realistic idea of what's expected of them." If you didn't have a formal one-on-one with a manager during orientation, ask for one. That's also the time to request and review a set of guidelines and expectations.
Drink coffee. Find out where the water cooler, break room or coffee station is, and make a point of stopping by. You never know when the boss or the head of human resources might be taking a break. "Students are often too intimidated to go up to their managers and say hello," says Mr. Duggan. But internships are as much about building interpersonal relationships as they are job training. And experts agree you often learn more about the business from casual conversations in the break room than formal meetings.
Don't get discouraged. If it's been a few weeks, and you're still just making photocopies, don't fret -- or complain. Request a meeting with your supervisor to ask about new projects. Ms. Santiago says managers are often open to expanding on their list of intern tasks, but "you won't know unless you ask."
Resist the urge to stand out. Ms. Santiago says many students view an internship as a chance to show off their skills but, "employers are really looking for someone who [fits] the corporate culture." When you are reliable and consistent, your work will speak for itself, she says. Mr. Duggan warns against being too competitive with other interns. "You want to get along with everyone."
Take notes. Keep a log, notebook or some record of everything you do. Not only will it come in handy when it's time to update your resume, but it will also help your supervisor pull together a letter of recommendation down the road.
Play softball. Think carefully before turning down any offers to get involved. Asked to join the company softball team? Go for it. Invited to go along on a Starbucks run? Say yes, even if you don't drink coffee. Asked to tag along on a client meeting? Accept graciously. Employers "want someone to take whatever is thrown at them, do it well and then come back for more," says Mr. Duggan.
Happy Interning!!!!
Tips to Make the Most Of Summer Internships
By ERIN CHAMBERS
By ERIN CHAMBERS
Whether it's to test their interest in a certain industry or to gain a leg up on the competition come job-hunting season, internships are more popular than ever among college students. And landing the perfect one is just the beginning. Here's how to make the most of your summer internship:
Be Early. Arrive early the first day and keep it up. Be early to the office, to meetings and on conference calls. Chris Duggan, president of internship placement firm University of Dreams and summerinternships.com, recommends students practice their commute before starting and test alternate routes in case of traffic delays. "Wait outside the building if you have to," says Mr. Duggan. "But always be early."
Get real. "For students new to the work world, they might expect 'Wow, I'm going to have this glorious internship with fabulous assignments,'" says Espie Santiago, career counselor for internships at Stanford University. "But many of them don't actually have a realistic idea of what's expected of them." If you didn't have a formal one-on-one with a manager during orientation, ask for one. That's also the time to request and review a set of guidelines and expectations.
Drink coffee. Find out where the water cooler, break room or coffee station is, and make a point of stopping by. You never know when the boss or the head of human resources might be taking a break. "Students are often too intimidated to go up to their managers and say hello," says Mr. Duggan. But internships are as much about building interpersonal relationships as they are job training. And experts agree you often learn more about the business from casual conversations in the break room than formal meetings.
Don't get discouraged. If it's been a few weeks, and you're still just making photocopies, don't fret -- or complain. Request a meeting with your supervisor to ask about new projects. Ms. Santiago says managers are often open to expanding on their list of intern tasks, but "you won't know unless you ask."
Resist the urge to stand out. Ms. Santiago says many students view an internship as a chance to show off their skills but, "employers are really looking for someone who [fits] the corporate culture." When you are reliable and consistent, your work will speak for itself, she says. Mr. Duggan warns against being too competitive with other interns. "You want to get along with everyone."
Take notes. Keep a log, notebook or some record of everything you do. Not only will it come in handy when it's time to update your resume, but it will also help your supervisor pull together a letter of recommendation down the road.
Play softball. Think carefully before turning down any offers to get involved. Asked to join the company softball team? Go for it. Invited to go along on a Starbucks run? Say yes, even if you don't drink coffee. Asked to tag along on a client meeting? Accept graciously. Employers "want someone to take whatever is thrown at them, do it well and then come back for more," says Mr. Duggan.
Happy Interning!!!!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Gazali's @ Drake
Do you get hungry?
Do you like Gyros?
Does this look good?
Than I have the place for you. Gazali's is located right across the street from Drake on the corner of 25th Street and University. They serve up the best Greek lunches you'll ever have. They offer gyros, Greek salads and some new twists on the original gyros. You have to check it out.
Mario is the owner and he brings his authentic cooking from Europe, so you know it's good!!!
So when you're on campus, stop in and have lunch. They're open from 11:30 until 2:30
Gazali's
(515) 309-9167
1205 25th St, Des Moines, IA 50311
1205 25th St, Des Moines, IA 50311
Dorm Room Shopping
You are probably beginning to do some shopping for college. I wanted to offer a few suggestions of things that I really used.
1) Comfy chair. In college you'll spend a lot of time working on the computer, surfing the web, checking facebook and studying so bring a comfortable desk chair. Don't skimp and buy a cheap one, you'll be spending some time here so get a comfortable chair that you like.
2) In previous posts I have suggested bringing a fan. However, this year each dorm room in every hall will be air conditioned so no need. You can save the space and stay cool in those early warmer weeks.
3) 3M hooks with the adhesive that comes off. If you're not sure what I'm talking about go to the hook department at your local hardware store and you'll discover what I mean. These hooks are very sturdy but they also unpeal very easy and don't pull of paint off the walls. They can be a life saver if you need to hang things from the walls.
4) The necessities. A TV, refrigerator, microwave and some chairs or a futon. Along with studying you'll also be living in your dorm room so you'll want some entertainment and a comfortable place to relax. The key here is to coordinate with your roommate so that you each bring some different items.
5) Mp3 player. Ipods and other Mp3 players are great devices to have at college and they have multiple uses. Whether it is running at the Bell Center, studying and trying not to disturb your roommate or jammin' while you're moving across campus an Ipod is a great device.
6) Some posters or a bulletin board for the wall. Your dorm room can feel a lot more welcoming with some color from posters and pictures. A bulletin board is nice also because if you get things in class or events you can hang them up too.
7) Mirror. This is one thing that fine folks at Bed, Bath and Beyond helped me with. I would have never guessed I would need a mirror, but they suggested picking one up. Thankfully I listened to them. It is nice to make sure your outfits match and such. Plus, they make mirrors that fit inside a closet door so they are compact.
There are a few of my ideas of ideal things to bring to campus. If you have any questions about what to bring, go ahead and post!!!
1) Comfy chair. In college you'll spend a lot of time working on the computer, surfing the web, checking facebook and studying so bring a comfortable desk chair. Don't skimp and buy a cheap one, you'll be spending some time here so get a comfortable chair that you like.
2) In previous posts I have suggested bringing a fan. However, this year each dorm room in every hall will be air conditioned so no need. You can save the space and stay cool in those early warmer weeks.
3) 3M hooks with the adhesive that comes off. If you're not sure what I'm talking about go to the hook department at your local hardware store and you'll discover what I mean. These hooks are very sturdy but they also unpeal very easy and don't pull of paint off the walls. They can be a life saver if you need to hang things from the walls.
4) The necessities. A TV, refrigerator, microwave and some chairs or a futon. Along with studying you'll also be living in your dorm room so you'll want some entertainment and a comfortable place to relax. The key here is to coordinate with your roommate so that you each bring some different items.
5) Mp3 player. Ipods and other Mp3 players are great devices to have at college and they have multiple uses. Whether it is running at the Bell Center, studying and trying not to disturb your roommate or jammin' while you're moving across campus an Ipod is a great device.
6) Some posters or a bulletin board for the wall. Your dorm room can feel a lot more welcoming with some color from posters and pictures. A bulletin board is nice also because if you get things in class or events you can hang them up too.
7) Mirror. This is one thing that fine folks at Bed, Bath and Beyond helped me with. I would have never guessed I would need a mirror, but they suggested picking one up. Thankfully I listened to them. It is nice to make sure your outfits match and such. Plus, they make mirrors that fit inside a closet door so they are compact.
There are a few of my ideas of ideal things to bring to campus. If you have any questions about what to bring, go ahead and post!!!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Fourth of July
In Urbandale, Independence day is a BIG DEAL!!! We have a carnival with rides and food. A street dance, parade, and of course fireworks!! The Fourth of July is a homecoming celebration in Urbandale, where residents and former residents descend from all over the nation. Tens of thousands of people will visit the midway, parade and view the fireworks.
As night falls the lights turn on and light up the park where there are bands and more rides. There are plenty of rides for kids and the street dance has an outdoor night club feeling. No one misses the Urbandale Fourth of July Celebration.
One thing there is no shortage of in the parade is candy!! Many parades in the area have banned candy at their parades, but Urbandale still allows it!! Candy gets thrown out by the bucketful. I walked with our State Representative Scott Raecker. We passed out 40,000 tootsie rolls and thousands of flags!!
We have numerous volunteers in our float and the Urbandale Marching Band was right behind us. We had great patriotic music to enjoy while we gave out candy and flags.
After a day of parades, rides, funnel cakes and gyros it is time for FIREWORKS!!!
Happy Independence Day!!!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
A Vision of Students Today (@ Kansas U)
I watched this video for one of my classes and thought you may enjoy it!!!
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