Enternships Blog
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Guest Blog from Unigo.com - Internships: Get paid to aidPosted on Wednesday 02 September 2009 at 12:18PM by leah10 |
This is an abbreviated version of a great article by our guest blogger Unigo.com. Check out the full article here Internships: Get paid to aid
Sadly, it’s no longer enough to just show up at college, do well in classes, and then step right into a six-figure, soul-satisfying job after four years. In order to increase your chances of getting that coveted position, you’ll have to spend some time in the trenches now—that summer-stealing concept known as “interning,” where you’ll eat ramen by night and fetch coffee by day, all for an empty paycheck.
Step 1: The Game Plan
At the risk of sounding like a PSA, the most important piece of advice for students is to stay informed and come up with a plan of attack. If you’re serious about finding an internship, you have to be resourceful, MacGyver-style. The first and most obvious place to check is your school’s career center. The career center’s website should be the cornerstone of your internship search. Career centers usually have a plethora of internship and job postings. Set up a meeting with a career counselor who will help you evaluate your past experience, resume, work skills, and (of course) career possibilities. This will help you formulate a general plan to run with.
The worst mistake you can make is to go into this process blindly—you’ll be quite disappointed with the results if you do. All the legwork you put in will most definitely pay off in the end.
Step 2: Cast a Wide Net
As helpful as the career center can be, you shouldn’t stop there. If straying off the beaten trail is your thing, why not look in the more unlikely places for an internship? Writers to-be should look further than The New Yorker and Vogue, potential bankers can look past Goldman and Sachs, and so on. The point is that there are many, many, employers in every field. Just because everyone guns for the top five companies doesn’t mean you should only apply to the big names. Smaller offices, while lacking the name-brand, sometimes makes up for that by granting its interns many more responsibilities, the kind that juice up resumes with HGH-type results.
Step 3: Be the Social Butterfly
Never underestimate the power of networking. If you’re really looking for a solid internship, your ears should always be open. Talk to professors, fellow students, and even your mom’s friend who you’ve always found to be annoying but works at Wells Fargo. They can all be invaluable resources. Who knows? Someone you know may know a guy who knows a guy who can get you the internship you’re eying. Remember, there is never any shame in asking for help, and sometimes that’s the best way to get ahead. Swallow that pride, and ask for help wherever you can find it.
Step 4: Apply and Conquer
Once you’ve found a few viable opportunities, it’s time to apply. You know the drill here. Your resume should already be juiced from your meeting with the career counselor, but if you want, you can custom-tailor your resume and the corresponding cover letter to address individual internships. Again, make sure to do some background research on the company you’re interviewing with so you’ll have some intelligent questions to ask during the interview. Asking questions shows that you did your homework and that you have a genuine interest in working with the employer.
There are a million things to think about when going into an interview, but the most important thing is to remember that you’re money. Seriously. If you walk in exuding an acceptable amount of confidence, you’ll impress your interviewers. Oh yeah, and wearing a snazzy suit never hurt anyone’s chances either. Good luck, you’re practically there.
The Secret? There is No Secret
Getting a paid internship isn’t all about luck, although some luck is definitely involved. Like most endeavors in life, it’s about preparation and work. It may seem like a hassle at first, but when you’re raking in some cash while your friends are getting nothing but a few credits, it’ll be well worth it.
About our guest blogger www.unigo.com
Unigo.com is a free online college guide by students, for students. Over 15,000 college students have contributed reviews and videos of their schools. At some colleges, 10% of the student body weighed in, going beyond admissions brochures to tell high school students what it’s really like to attend their school.
Powerful search technology allows users to find colleges and information most relevant to them. Students can sort Unigo’s user-generated content by school, major, extracurricular interests, demographics, ethnicity, political leaning of the reviewer and more.
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If you build the bandwagon, sooner or later....Posted on Wednesday 29 July 2009 at 13:26PM by leah10 |
Government and businesses unite to back young Britain
A couple of months ago the government began to release details about their proposed 'Graduate Talent Pool' and Enternships was pleased...today they announced additional support for a further 10,000 graduate internships – including thousands of graduate internships with small businesses - and Enternships was absolutely DELIGHTED!
While we obviously won't claim any kind of credit, it has to be said that this is exactly what we have been calling for...and in fact has been the entire ethos behind the very existence of our service. Providing a solution to the graduate job crisis has been our mission from the very (recent) beginning. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper's sentiments that:
"We are determined not to lose a generation of talent as has happened in the past because of the global recession. This is why we are announcing 47,000 new jobs for young people today. And - with business and charities - we are launching a national call to action to our fellow employers to join us in Backing Young Britain - to give every young person a job, training place, skills or work experience."
echoed our statement in a previous blog that:
"Enternships passionately believes that strengthening small business by the regular influx of talented, motivated and innovative young minds…and simultaneously inspiring enterns to start their own ventures, is key to the creation of jobs and the survival of a nation.
We know that by doing so, as far as Britain is concerned, the 2009 recession will not be remembered as a time of self-pity, recrimination and inertia, but instead as a era defined by the maxim: Fortune favours the brave."
Similarly (and at at the risk of being accused of playing 'spot the difference'...) while Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: "Our national campaign to help every young person to find a job, training or work skills and experience is not just a response to the recession but an investment in our future as we build a stronger Britain." in the same afore-linked-to-blog Enternships also said:
"For as long as people believe in themselves and are encouraged to risk failure for the chance they will receive massive reward – there is hope for the British economy. Enternships passionately believes that strengthening small business by the regular influx of talented, motivated and innovative young minds…and simultaneously inspiring enterns to start their own ventures, is key to the creation of jobs and the survival of a nation."
Our rhetoric may have been a bit stirring and self-indulgent, but once you look past the frills and literay flourish the core message mirrors the statements made today. Graduates undertaking specifically entrepreneurial placements within small business has clearly moved from the periphery of national conscience to the centre of government decision making...and that can only be a good thing!
...and check out our work so far at www.enternships.com
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How To...Make Unpaid Enternships ValuablePosted on Tuesday 21 July 2009 at 07:10AM by leah10 |
The debate rages on about the need to pay enterns for their services...but the reality remains that many start-ups just can't afford to do so - even though they can provide incredible opportunities for a graduate/student/MBA/career-changer's CV.
We came across a site that gave some excellent advice to students weighing up the pros & cons of unpaid work - and we've tweaked them slightly to become guidelines:
Top 5 Tips for Employers Offering Unpaid Enternships:
- Discuss the purpose of the enternship and clarify expectations from the start
- Ensure the placement is valuable – does it give insight into a particular industry? Will it improve certain skills or clarify career aspirations?
- Discuss the possibilities of any future paid work, asses the skills that the entern has gained during the enternship.
- A valuable enternship should supply useful contacts and training opportunities to the entern.
- Think about the placement from the entern's point of view - always try to ensure that the balance between valuable work experience does not tip into exploitation
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Enternship Case Study - EarthtonePosted on Tuesday 23 June 2009 at 15:42PM by leah10 |
Earthtone reflect on their Enternship experience and the benefits of hosting an entern
The Organisation
Earthtone is a small, innovative technology business in the online printing sector with big ambitions.
Our online marketplace works like an Expedia for printing, letting people search for and compare professional print providers quickly before choosing the one that’s best suited to their needs. We’re based in London and will be rolling out our network across the US and the UK in the coming months
Enternship experience...
We advertised a 3 months summer placement at our London office. After receiving a host of applications, we interviewed two candidates and one was selected
Why did you feel using Enternships.com was beneficial?
- We benefited from a selection from a larger pool of candidates across the country
- Enternships seems to have a wider appeal to students/graduates from varying backgrounds
- We found that the process of listing a job advert is quite easy and straightforward.
- What we really like is that Enterns have shown a strong interest in entrepreneurial projects like ours
- In addition, Enterns have the skills and the attitude necessary for working in a startup (initiative, willingness to take on responsibility, etc)
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How to Put the Start in Start-Up...Posted on Monday 22 June 2009 at 11:44AM by leah10 |
Almost like writers trying to start a novel, the hardest part of being an entrepreneur is getting going. It can often feel as though you have an idea, and you know you want to make it work, but beyond that...nothing. This is especially the case for students and graduates with no real work experience to help them figure out how to build a business.
Handily, we came across a blog specifically targeted at students that is a handy guide to jumping off the proverbial cliff. It seems that the key is to keep it simple as the author distills the process into just three (and a half) steps. We decided to round it up to 4 steps by tweaking his list slightly:
Step 1: What do you Love?
Step 1A: Do an Enternship (Learn how to build Business first hand)
Step 2: Write it down (4 Reasons to build a Plan/Organization Chart)
Step 3: Take action (Be Proactive/Baby Steps)
Step 3A: Bring in people around you (Network/Online Persona)
So there you have it...what are you waiting for?
For more useful tips for the student entrepreneur check out: http://startupstudent.com/
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Students, Social Media & Searching for a job....Posted on Tuesday 26 May 2009 at 16:53PM by leah10 |
One oft-repeated lament is that of 'how can I keep my Facebook page from being seen by potential employers'? There have been lots of blogs telling students how to increase their privacy settings lest their on-line peccadilloes scupper their chances of finding a job in the currently challenging market. Fewer blogs are educating them about how to use social media in order to find them.
I did however come across a great blog that gave a list of ways to use LinkedIn to find a job. Historically LinkedIn has been populated by professionals several rungs higher on the career ladder than final year students or graduates, and this is reflected in some of the suggestions such as point 2. "Get LinkedIn recommendations from your colleagues". However 'colleagues' could just as easily be replaced by 'tutors'. 'lecturers' or fellow students.
Students and graduates will need to become a bit more savvy about the way they find a job, and this is a great introduction as to how to do it. The advice is still sound...points 10. and 11. particularly so...
10. Find startups to join. Maybe this recession is God telling you it’s time to try a startup. But great startups are hard to find. Play around with LinkedIn’s advanced search engine using “startup” or “stealth” in the keyword or company field. You can also narrow by industry (for example, startups in the Web 2.0, wireless, or biotech sectors). If large companies can’t offer “job security,” open up your search to include startups.
11. Build your network before you need it. As a last tip, no matter how the economy or your career is doing, having a strong network is a good form of job security. Don’t wait until times are tough to nurture your network. The key to networking (or “schmozing”), however, is filled with counter-intuitiveness. First, it’s not who you know—it’s who knows of you. Second, Great schmoozers are not thinking “What can this person do for me?” To the contrary, they are thinking, “What can I do for this person?” For more on schmoozing, read “The Art of Schmoozing.”
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If Aid is dead, long live C4?Posted on Sunday 24 May 2009 at 10:32AM by leah10 |
Last week-end I attended the a conference that explored the Investment Climate in Africa organised by the Africa Club at London Business School. I especially enjoyed the panel that discussed Innovative Financing in Africa and was particularly encouraged by the repeated mention of enterprise, entrepreneurship and the support of SMEs. The main concern remains how to get finance directly to entrepreneurs while the equity risk premia remain so high.
MyC4, an on-line marketplace that connects Western investors directly with Africa entrepreneurs, was put forward as a solution to this. Investors are able to give as little as 5 Euros and the ethos of the company is as follows:
By focusing on the power of Business as the driving force to end poverty, MYC4 provides all with a dynamic platform to create and support new enterprise and commercial innovation in Africa. Through modern technology we all create financing for the ‘unfundable’ by bringing us together in Business partnerships. And thereby MYC4 becomes a significant tool in the fight to eradicate poverty.
This idea becomes even more interesting when taken together with the arguments of Dambisa Moyo in her recently published Dead Aid, a controversial book which has sparked a debate that graced the cover of the Financial Times this week-end:
Ms Moyo argues that official development assistance has fostered dependency and perpetuated poor governance. She proposes a blend of commercial debt, micro-finance, fairer trade and investment in its place....Activists fear that developed countries seeking an excuse to slash aid budgets have found one in Ms Moyo, at a time when Africa is especially in need. They dismiss her book as simplistic – even dangerous.
The debate continues...but clearly we are in a time when we are questioning the status quo and, thanks to Dambisa Moyo, that now includes what we previously took for granted with regards to aid to Africa. In this environment it would be a tremendous step forward if the western individual looking to do something for Africa ended their culture of micro-aid and 'money for nothing' to African governments, and replaced it with one of micro-investment directly to the African entrepreneurs that need it most.
You can follow Dambisa on twitter via @dambisamoyo
For more information visit - www.myC4.com
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Enternships, #msfteis & EU SME WeekPosted on Friday 15 May 2009 at 15:42PM by leah10 |
Enternships trouped off to Prague for the Microsoft European Investor Summit and had an incredible time - meeting lots of great people. There were some particularly cool European start-ups that had made great use of the Microsoft Bizspark technology and support. The event was held as a part of the first ever EU SME week and @bindik tweeted about all the goings on throughout the 2 day seminar - check out #msfteis to read about it.
The week ran from 6th-14th of May and aimed to be a campaign to promote entrepreneurship across Europe. Countries all across Europe got involved and there were hundreds of events celebrating and encouraging small business.
We look forward to many more!
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New internships will boost opportunities for graduates this summerPosted on Friday 01 May 2009 at 06:33AM by leah10 |
On Wednesday the government outlined plans for a new initiative to help employers create and offer graduate internships, allowing graduates to kickstart their careers. The announcement about the'Graduate Talent Pool' comes after a long wait following initial mutterings about the National Internship Scheme...but Enternships was hugely encouraged by this step in the right direction!
It is a complete validation of our ethos - that cultivating employability skills and experiencing the workplace prior to taking on a career should be an essential part of a young person's development. Therefore, while the government signs up companies like Network Rail, the Police Service, Marks and Spencer and Microsoft...Enternships will continue to support the long tail by solely targeting the start-up and SME end of the spectrum.
We continue to believe that a culture change is imminent as more and more enterprising young people undertake placements to learn self-efficacy & entrepreneurial intent. Crucially, now more than ever, they will also learn the resilience of a successful entreprenuer and how to embrace failure as a learning experience. They will learn to keep faith in their idea and their inherent ability to create wealth when all rational evidence points to the contrary - optimisim that is key to surviving, and even flourishing during the recession.
For as long as people believe in themselves and are encouraged to risk failure for the chance they will receive massive reward - there is hope for the British economy. Enternships passionately believes that strengthening small business by the regular influx of talented, motivated and innovative young minds...and simultaneously inspiring enterns to start their own ventures, is key to the creation of jobs and the survival of a nation.
We know that by doing so, as far as Britain is concerned, the 2009 recession will not be remembered as a time of self-pity, recrimination and inertia, but instead as a era defined by the maxim:
Fortune favours the brave.
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Tweet Tips for Start-UpsPosted on Wednesday 29 April 2009 at 07:08AM by leah10 |
The fact that Twitter can be an incredible marketing tool is well-documented, but it is useful to have some guidelines when trying to use it effectively. I came across an article for recruiters looking to harness the power of Twitter - the advice was pretty compelling, albeit simple...but then the best advice always is!
1. Create a profile that matches your company's overall brand. Treat twitter as an extension of your company's website and image.
2. Designate a "Twitter person" or set aside time to "tweet." This can be time-consuming so make sure you create defined actions for the time you're spending on Twitter. Twitter can be a highly addictive time-waster so proceed with caution.
3. Decide how you want to use Twitter. You don't need to use Twitter for just one purpose you can definitely use Twitter for multiple purposes. Just make sure you define why you're tweeting and try to remain focused on those goals.
4. Follow others. Remember, Twitter is still a social network, so you want to follow as well as be followed on Twitter. To find those who might be most appropriate for you to follow use www.search.twitter.com. You can enter appropriate keywords to find others who are tweeting using the same keywords. For example: If you want to find people talking about "intellectual property," search twitter using the keywords "intellectual property" and any other words related to the subject.
5. Tweet often; but never spam. You want to tweet at least once a day; but only tweet about things that will interest your followers and never overdo it.
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