We all desire to be the best intern that we can be, and maybe the best that the company has ever seen. Regardless of whether its for personal reasons or to impress others here are 3 things that you can do to give yourself a boost over other interns.

1. Don’t act like an intern.
   - From day 1, treat your internship like its a real, full-time job. You want to be as professional and responsible as everybody else at the company. By doing this, you will show the company that you mean business and just because you’re an intern doesn’t mean you should be treated as one.
2. Ask for feedback on your performance.
   - It shows alot about you when you ask for feedback. Asking for feedback means that you care about the way you are performing, and that you will be proactive when it comes to seeking perfection. Don’t be afraid to receive negative feedback because in fact, that’s what you need to hear. You have a real opportunity to improve when you receive constructive criticism. Show employers that you will continue to improve and they will be thrilled!
3. Be involved at meetings.
   - Many times you will be pulled into meetings that are related to your project and others will discuss different issues, news, and ideas. If you have input don’t be afraid to speak up, especially if it involves an issue that someone may have overlooked. By calling attention to that issue you could receive tons of respect and credit from the others. Most interns never speak at meetings and the fact that you did will separate you from the pack. But don’t just do it for the accolades, do it for the good of the company.

Begin with the end in mind I was told, but I didn’t realize the meaning of it until the end of my time there. What it meant to me was simple, imagine what the results of your actions will be and that be your motivation to get things done.

There were times when I needed to contact someone to get things done but was hesitant because talking to someone new that you depend can be a hassle. You’ve probably had your own moments when you needed to contact someone but you’d put it off until later because its so easy to procrastinate when your uncomfortable. Well part of what I learned was to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Anytime you are pulled out of your comfort zone you face a great opportunity for development. I went from receiving assignments and being timid to make the call to someone, to running out of my seat and personally talking to someone if I could. I started to see that imagining what the results of my task would be was a big part of curing the discomfort I felt. So I knew that if I just executed my task and didn’t waste time, then it would all be over.

This thinking is useful in many situations in life. Begin with the end in mind and get used to being uncomfortable because in life you’ll face many situations where you’ll be uncomfortable. I continue to use that mindset everyday.

Back to reality they say, no more summer fun! Well its good to be back to Temple. I had a summer internship at a place that we could say is “Mmm Mmm Good!” After this internship experience I came out a changed man.

At my internship, I was given my own desk, phone, and computer. They assured me from day one that I’d be doing mission critical tasks, not busy work. They were right. I was in meetings with Senior level Managers, VPs and C-Level officers almost weekly. I owned my own project and was expected to get it done and keep the status of my work known to the team.

A big thing happened with my project, I couldn’t complete it myself. I had to break down and get help. I felt like I was a complete failure but then I was assured that sometimes you’re going to need someone’s assistance to get stuff done.

I come from a background that highly values autonomy and independence. I hated to ask for help. But as time progressed I realized that all the emphasis on team work in school is for a reason. The new era values interdependence, and being a good team player. I am starting to like this new way of thinking because now I get to manage my relationships with other people and get work done through them. My advice to everyone is to abandon their thoughts that you can do everything yourself in this world, because you can’t always do it. Work on your peoples skills because those are the most valuable skills to have.

to be continued…

Are you feeling burned out from the semester? Then you are just like me and probably like many other students around the globe. The end of the semester is near and this is the worst time to lose focus. Here are some tips to beat the stress from about.com. You can read the whole article here.

http://collegelife.about.com/od/healthwellness/ht/Stress.htm

1. Most Importantly: Don’t Stress About Being Stressed
   - Be positive, don’t let yourself think that you feel stressed.
2. Get Some Sleep
   -  Your battery needs to be recharged, just like electronic devices. You wouldn’t take a half charged laptop out for a full day of use.
3. Get Some Food
   - Eat healthy foods that give you energy.
4. Get Some Exercise
   - Physical workouts can relieve stress and even give boost your energy.
5. Get Some Quiet Time
   - A little peace and quiet in a hectic college life can be just what the doctor ordered!
6. Get Some Social Time
   - Sometimes you need to take a break from writing that same paper from 3 days ago, and hit the movies with some friends.
7. Get Some Fun
   - Find ways to make your work more enjoyable. Order a pizza when you are working on a project with your group members.
8. Get Some Distance
   - Figure out the things that are complicating your life and take a step away from them. I know facebook is the perfect way to waste time and procrastinate. Log out and stay out!
9. Get A Little Help
   - Don’t let things that bother you cloud your mind. Find a friend that you can vent all your frustrations to. Keeping it bottled up inside isn’t healthy
10. Get Some Perspective.
    - Remember the reasons you are in college. It will be all worth it in the end!

In life, with everything thing you start, you will start as a beginner. After practice you can improve you skill and become better. When you first learn to ski you do not go to the biggest mountain and the most dangerous slope your first trip down. When you first learned to read you did not try to read the epic novel, War and Peace. You need practice before you get to the meat of things. Interviews are no different.

The Value Of Mock Interviews

Doing a mock interview is a great way to practice your interview skills. It gives you the real feel of an interview with real interview questions. Most people doing the interview were recruiters at one point so they know exactly what they are doing. Interviews allow you to practice collecting yourself with tough interview questions. They give you a change to practice, and make improvements to prepare for a real employment one. Your mock interviewer will also give you valuable critique to really get the full benefit of the interview.

Get All The Bad Interviews Out Here

There is a chance that your first couple interviews will not be the greatest, but in this simulated environment you want to get all the mistakes out here. You want to arrive to the employment interview sharp and confident. I am living testament to having bad interviews before good ones. I had two mock interviews. The first one I did pretty bad. The second one I did terribly. But that was okay because they were just practice.  After those two interviews I had a series of 7 employment interviews which I did much better. I had no problems whatsoever. Each interview got easier and easier. The end result I got the summer job.

Use the tools we have here at Fox School of Business. Mock Interviews are a great way to prepare. Just like you study to perform well on an exam, or you join toastmasters to improve your speech. Mock interviews are your way to practice. It will pay off! See the CSPD office to take advantage of these opportunities.

I was asked how do I manage all the activites and tasks that I need to get done in an interview. The answer was quite simple, I do them one at a time. We tend to think multitasking is the only/best way to things done but we are humans, not machines.  We really can’t watch TV and do homework efficiently. Check out this article I found from productivitytoday.com.

Do you multitask?

Of course you do…we all do! There have been several times that I’ve had to email someone, shush the dog, check on dinner, and look up the number for the doctor all at the same time. Fortunately for me, none of those things were life threatening or would have ended my job.

How do we do it all? Let’s face it, today’s world seems to demand it. We’re all working more and want to accomplish faster. In addition to that, we want to spend the optimal amount of time with our families and still have time for ourselves.The solution seems to be simple: do more than one thing at a time. If you need to send a business memo and also want to check on an ill sibling, why not optimize your time and do both at once?

Here’s why: research has shown that multitasking is not efficient. Several studies have conclusively shown that those trying to do multiple activities simultaneously lose time when they have to quickly switch between tasks. Then the time costs increase with the complexity of the tasks, so it takes significantly longer to switch between more complex tasks. In other words, while you think you’re saving time, you’re actually wasting it. In addition to that, the quality you’re able to put toward both tasks is significantly lowered.

Instead of trying to take on the whole world at once, consider unitasking. Focus completely and solely on one goal, achieve it, and move on to the next goal. You will see an increase in your achievements and a higher quality result as well.

Happy unitasking!

source : http://www.productivitytoday.com/unitasking

You should all get to know the faculty and staff of your major. Some of the people you meet could be instrumental to your success. Get to know your professors as well as any administrative staff. Here are a few reasons.

1. Companies have connections with departments of interest.
   Many times companies have a contact with the department who may propose a great networking opportunity for you. So when companies are recruiting the best and brightest students, the department can put you in for it.
2. The faculty can be more helpful to you.
   By making closer ties they may be more accommodating to your needs because they know you. Good friends help each other and it could be the same way in the department of your major. Things that they normally do not do for students may become more of a possibility.
3. They may see your potential.
   Communicating with your professor and staff will give them the best judgment of who you really are. Be bold, exceptional and talk to them about something you found that is related to your major. Have discussions about latest trends. These people could see that you are a bright student and could potentially be a reference for a lifetime.

Get to know the department members of your major. Good things can come out of it. You will always hear that networking is key and this untapped resource is a great place to network.

Follow Up Letters (aka Thank You Letters)  are key to a successful interview. I found an article reviewing the guidelines of writing a followup letter from About.com.

Since less than 10% of interviewees ever follow-up with a thank you letter, doing so can help you stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips for writing your thank you letters, as well as links to examples of thank you letters to use as a guide.

How To Write A Thank You Letter

You should plan to send a thank you letter within 24 hours of your interview. While some professions would expect a mailed hard copy, in the technology industry, emailed thank you letters are considered the norm.

When you write your thank you letters, use these guidelines while writing:

• Express Your Enthusiasm: Convey your interest in and enthusiasm for the company and the position for which you interviewed. Try to be specific about why you are interested and how you are a good fit for the team.
• Address Unresolved Points: Address any issues or questions that came up during the interview that you feel you did not fully answer. This letter is your last chance to make a positive impression on the interviewer.
• Personalize It:You will likely be one of many interviewees, so you need to set yourself apart from the other candidates so they will remember you when you leave. In your letter, highlight a key point from your interview that you believe the interviewer will remember, and therefore remember you. Additionally, if you meet with more than one person, consider sending them all thank you letters, each one a bit different; you may not know exactly who in the group will be making the decisions. Getting a business card from each interviewer will help you with names and titles when you sit down to write your thank yous.
• Reiterate Your Expertise: If the company communicated its specific needs, issues or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs.
• Highlight Your Successes: Similarly, if the company communicated its ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet or exceed those qualifications.
• Proofread, and then Proofread again: Make sure your thank you letter conveys a professional image by ensuring it is free of typos and grammatical errors.

cited: http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/resumesandletters/a/thankyous.htm

Be genuine when composing a follow up letter, especially when dealing with recruiters. Some recruiters may get several follow up letters from many other candidates so you want to stand out.

Sometimes you can use follow up letters to clarify things in your interview. I had an interview that went bad because I was so nervous. But I used the follow up letter to make up for my mistakes. I mentioned that had I not been so nervous you may have seen how much of a hard worker I am. The good news is it worked, and I got another interview that went 100% better. Being genuine is important.

Good Luck!

Spring Connection is over and hopefully some of you made some valuable connections, or better yet uncovered an opportunity for an interview. Many think your resume solely will get you the job, but that is a huge misconception.

Be Prepared!

Make sure you are well prepared. You should know the company,  know why you want the job, know your goals, and most important know yourself. You should have examples of previous group projects and any other collaborations stored away for the questions you WILL be asked in an interview.

Be Cool!

Interviews can be nerve-wrecking experiences but it doesn’t have to be that way. Try to relax as best as you can. Listen to your favorite songs before the interview. Music is stress relieving. Brazil’s soccer team brings instruments and plays music on the bus before games to battle anxiety. Another thing is to take a few deeps breaths and realize that the outcome, good or bad, is not the end of the world.

I talked to a wise man and he said ” There is nothing to worry about in an interview. They interview you and they want you to talk about yourself. What? You don’t know yourself?” Good Luck!

Spring Connection is not too far away and many of you may have phone interviews before a face-to-face interview. You need to be prepared so do not take it lightly.

Make sure you have your resume in front of you because you will talk about things related to what you have stated there. Have a notebook and a pen handy to jot down any questions, concerns, and details of the job.

I just recently had a phone interview and it is not the casual phone conversation that many people may think. It was like a full blown interview except I didn’t have to be dressed business professional. I was asked all the questions that you would expect to hear in a traditional interview. Here are some.

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Why do you want to work for our company?

3. What kind of things are you learning in your courses?

4. State a time when you faced adversity. What did you do?

5. What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment in your life?

6. Tell me about a time when working on a group project you had to step up and take the leadership role. How did you accomplish your goals?

7. How do you manage when faced with multiple assignments? What do you do to keep your priorities in line?

8. What are your strengths/weaknesses? ( In life & In your course work).

These are some thing that you would want to ask your self. Many of these phone interviews are to screen potential candidates for traditional interviews.  Here are some tips taken directly from the CSPD website for interviews.

Step One - Prepare

• Know yourself, know the employer, know the position
• Obtain a detailed job description if possible

Based on your research of the organization and understanding of the position, you should be able to discuss the following:

• Business direction & goals
• Business philosophy and style of management
• The position
• The organization

Step Two - Practice

Interviewers often form opinions quickly. From the moment you meet the interviewer, you make an impression with your verbal and non-verbal communication. Analyze and improve your communication skills:

• Check the tone of your voice
• Use good language, grammar and diction
• Practice well thought-out answers
• Rehearse your responses
• Schedule a mock interview with CSPD
• Restate long or complex questions for clarity before you answer
• Take time to think before you answer. Short pauses are acceptable

Step Three - Perform

During your interview your primary objective is to stress what you can do to meet the needs and goals of the employer.

• Focus on skills that relate to the position
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm and self-confidence
• Relax and smile
• Think before you answer a question

Step Four - Follow-up

Thank the interviewer for his or her time

Make sure you understand the employer’s timing and process for filling the job

Remember to take phone interviews as serious as real interviews. You want to sound professional and confident. Visit http://sbm.temple.edu/cspd/interview.html for more interview tips from the CSPD!