#internship Archives - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

Posts

#JobSearch : Do You Need to Do an Internship Before You Graduate From College? Got Kids? MUSt REad!

June 6, 2021/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

How important is it for college students to complete an internship before graduation?

The bottom line

College students who perform well in summer internships have long had an advantage with hiring managers once they graduate. Remote work and school during the pandemic made it harder for recruiters to connect with college students over the past year, so companies have become even more inclined to hire their interns for full-time positions, recruiters say, even if the internship was over Zoom.

Employers were much more likely to make offers of full-time employment to Class of 2020 interns than they were to those who interned in previous years, according to data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Among eligible interns from the Class of 2020, 79.9% received offers, compared with 68% from the Class of 2019 and 70.4% from the Class of 2018.

Of employers who offered internships in the summer of 2020, about 72% had interns working remotely, according to NACE. Employers offered full-time positions to 80.5% of virtual interns, compared with 73.3% of on-site interns.

“Since so much recruiting is virtual right now, it just makes it harder to recruit from the general population at large,” said Joshua Kahn, assistant director of research and public policy at NACE. While a variety of factors could be contributing to the trend, he said, “it makes sense that employers would rather make more offers to their interns than they normally would.”

The details

As companies grapple with onboarding new employees remotely, pre-existing knowledge of a company, gained through an internship, can become an additional asset. Elizabeth Stephens, 22, interned at the New York language strategy consultancy Maslansky + Partners remotely last summer and this spring. She will start work as an associate project coordinator in June, after graduating from Colby College.

“Even though I lack the technical experience in project management, I still had comprehensive background in how M+P operates,” said Ms. Stephens. That knowledge of the company’s inner workings gave her a significant leg up, her soon-to-be boss told her, allowing her to skip the adjustment period some new employees require.

The medical device and healthcare company Abbott has an internship program that brings in about 1,000 students each summer, said Bryan Quick, the company’s director of global university relations. Last year the company conducted its internship program virtually, and ended up hiring more students for full-time roles than in previous years, he said.

Beth Hendler-Grunt, president of Next Great Step, a Livingston, N.J., firm that coaches college students and graduates on their careers, said she has noted the uptick in employers hiring from internship programs, particularly in industries like finance and consulting. Still, she said, employers are aware of the challenges of the past year, and may be willing to consider a graduate without an internship on their résumé if they can make a strong case for abilities they gained through other experiences.

“If they can communicate how they were able to gain skills,” she said, “they can easily explain their way into how they have the skill set for that position.”

WSJ Author: Kathryn Dill at kathryn.dill@wsj.com

WSJ.com | June 6, 2021

#CareerAdvice : #CollegeStudents – 6 Smart Tips for Turning your #Internship into a #FullTimeJob …Got Kids??

March 11, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Your internship is almost coming to an end and right now, all you want is to turn this small stint into a full-time job, isn’t it?

After all, it cannot get better than starting your career in a company you are familiar with and doing the work that deeply interests you. Internships don’t just add to your experience and give you exposure, they are also a great way for companies to take note of well-performing individuals and assess whether they can permanently fit the bill.

So, if you want your internship to end with a full-time job offer, here are six smart tips to make that dream a reality.

Give it your best

“Oh, that’s a no-brainer”, you might think but a lot of students take internships lightly which reflects in their work ethic and attitude. The key is to treat your internship like a real job and give it your best.

You might be juggling college and this internship, but you cannot let it affect your work. Remember that as an intern, you will always be under scrutiny. Whether it’s asking questions, being on time, adhering to deadlines, dressing professionally and managing your tasks well – all these factors matter. Hence, if you wish to convert this internship into a job, you need to leave a positive impression and stand out.

You don’t have to worry about being a know-it-all. This is your time to imbibe and learn. Work with enthusiasm and a positive attitude, and people around are bound to take notice.

Like this Article ? Share It ! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

Be proactive

Internships are your first-hand experience of the corporate world. You need to make that transition from a being a college student to an intern because the latter is a completely different space to be in.

It’s no longer just about finishing assignments on time and studying for tests, internships are a lot more demanding. So, put your problems as a university student aside and look ahead.

Take ownership of your work and be proactive in your ways. Identify loopholes and suggest measures the company can take, take up additional responsibilities and always ask for feedback to understand how you are being perceived.

Everyone appreciates proactiveness because it signifies passion and genuine interest.

Network internally

More than networking externally, it’s important to focus on making connections within the office. Here’s your time to strengthen your reputation and make connections. Start with building a rapport with your immediate supervisor and spend quality time with him/her.

In case there are any office activities or off-sites happening, make sure you participate as these are one of the few times you get to strike a connection with colleagues outside of work.

Building a strong network while working is always beneficial when you are trying to land the job and even if you don’t manage to convert the internship, it helps to make connections as you never know who could help you fuel your next career move.

Identify areas of interest

Internships let you evaluate where your interests lie and the line of work you see yourself in so maximize this time to understand yourself in order to set professional goals. Don’t be the intern who is clueless by the end of the internship – it reflects badly on you and shows a lack of seriousness towards your career.

Express eagerness

Many students hesitate in expressing their interest to work in the company as a full-time employee and are often disappointed when the internship does not end with a job offer. Do not wait to be offered a job because you cannot expect the company to magically know about your career goals.

So, towards the end of the internship, speak to the hiring manager and your supervisor and express your eagerness to work with the company. Tell them how you see yourself fit in, the value you will add and your experience as an intern. Do your bit and leave the rest to them.

Keep in touch

Unfortunately, every internship does not end with a job and the reasons are not always related to your capabilities. You might be extremely capable, but the company has a budget allotted for every team and sometimes it’s difficult to fit in someone they hadn’t budgeted for.

In such cases, don’t lose hope. Stay in touch with your supervisor and colleagues even after the internship comes to an end. You can start with adding them on LinkedIn, offer your assistance and ask them to recommend you if they come across a suitable job. Till then, work on building your personal brand and keep the hunt on!

Author: Adela Belin is the Head of Digital Marketing at Writers Per Hour. She creates content surrounding marketing with a focus on social media and digital marketing. Feel free to contact Adela on LinkedIn.

TheLadders.com | March 11, 2019

#CareerAdvice : Exactly How to Find (or create) an #Internship that Doesn’t Suck…This Founder Asked her Own Company’s Interns to Share their Wisdom on Finding & Making the Most Out of Internship Experiences. Here’s What they Said.

July 7, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Most students think it’s crucial to find the “right” internship, otherwise they’ll be saddled with the “wrong” experience on their resumes for applying to full-time jobs later on. It’s not that simple, and that’s a good thing.

Since I run my organization’s fellowship program for students, I recently asked our fellows–many of whom have interned at other places, too–to weigh in on the experience: Why intern? What differentiates a good internship from a crappy one? And how do you make the most out of any internship experience, including one that might not be ideal? These are a few of their tips and insights.

DON’T WAIT

Start in high school! Some of your peers will spend four years studying something in college that they decide they don’t want to pursue after earning their degree. One summer internship could save you from taking the “scenic route” toward a career you want (which, however, isn’t the end of the world).

The high-achieving behaviors that tend to work in high school (talk a lot, give teachers what they want, play by the rules, etc.) don’t necessarily work in business. There are no right answers when your intern manager asks you to build the company’s first artificial-intelligence sentiment analyzer–just ask our three high school fellows. One of them, Liam, told me he’s more often judged by what he accomplishes than by how he does it. His AP computer science class was hard, not because of the problems he had to solve, but because the teacher wanted them solved in prescribed ways. Internships will liberate you from an education built around “right” answers, and the sooner you can get started on that, the better.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN LEARN (ABOUT YOURSELF)

If you’ve been playing the I-want-to-look-impressive game, stop. Internships are for trying career paths on for size. They reveal what you like and don’t like, how you work, and with whom you collaborate well. Internships are ways to learn about yourself–at least as much as they are about picking up skills and knowledge–and to meet the people you could become.

Sahar, our fellow who works on user-interface design, notes that internships take you to depths that college classes can’t. Whereas you and your classmates are trying to balance five courses and get good grades, full-time employees are focused. They’re invested in the mission of the company but also work to raise families, pay mortgages, care for parents, and live comfortably. By getting to know them, you can better envision how you want your life to look in the years after graduating.

FSC LinkedIn Network: www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT OFFSETTING DRAWBACKS

A few potential risks and downsides can be mitigated. For example, many internships require some degree of grunt work, but you don’t want to take one where that’s the main event. If some of your responsibilities involve crucial yet boring tasks, make sure the majority of the experience will function like an apprenticeship or fellowship. Great internships embed you in the workflow of the company and make you accountable for something more important than administrative duties (at a different company, one of our fellows recalled handling so much paperwork that he developed a coffee habit just to stay awake).

WATCH OUT FOR RED FLAGS

Other red flags are a lot easier to spot. For starters, find out whether you have a designated manager. If not, you’re probably going to be passed around and lost. Second, note how much or how little the internship coordinator scrutinizes you. Bad internship programs just need a warm body in the room to do rote work, so the interview tends to be pretty fluffy. Ask the interviewer about how many people applied, how many were offered interviews, and how many the company will hire.

Third, when you tour the office, scan the culture. Do you see a room of jaded, bitter faces? Can you imagine them taking your input and offering insightful critique? Always ask to speak with former interns during the interview process. If the program is legitimate, there will be references ready and eager to speak. You can check Glassdoor, but nothing compares to a conversation with someone who actually did the job.

Our doctoral fellow Kevin adds that it’s important to look at the moral fabric of the company: What does the organization do and why? If you have ethical qualms about the work, the prestige of the job probably won’t counterbalance them.

SHOW WHAT YOU CAN DO, AND BE UPFRONT ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN’T

On day one, ask your manager about the expectations. You need to establish goals, deadlines, and intended outcomes. If there’s not already a system for check-ins and feedback sessions, ask for one. Likewise, if you’re asked to do something you aren’t prepared to do–like code in Python–be honest. If you have the rudimentary skills, go for it and push your comfort zone, but try to avoid getting in over your head.

And for high schoolers, don’t be afraid to bother adults. Robert, one of our high school engineering interns, stresses that it’s actually crucial to ask questions and bug people. Consider how much more time they’re going to spend fixing your mess if they don’t help you succeed!

Finally, as your internship unfolds, keep asking yourself this question that our fellow Sima recommends: If you did this full-time, what would your life look like? Unless you take an internship that challenges you and demands your full commitment, you won’t be able to answer it. Building your career is an experiment, and internships provide the best data you can collect.

Ximena Hartsock, PhD, is the cofounder and president of Phone2Action.

FastCompany.com | July 7, 2018 | BY XIMENA HARTSOCK 5 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : How I Got the Attention of #SeniorLeaders When I Was a #Temp …As an #Intern or #TempWorker , it Can be Difficult to Impress Senior Leaders . Two Professionals Share their Strategy on How they Successfully Navigated this Process.

May 15, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When Tida Jarjou was hired as a temp employee at a broker dealer in Stamford, Connecticut–her first role out of college–she found herself in a team meeting with four white males. “[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][I] realized I was the only African American and woman on the team,” she told Fast Company. She felt self-conscious. “I was worried that my chances [of obtaining a full-time position] were slim and that the only slots available would go to the white males instead of me,” she says.

But Jarjou did land a full-time job with the company. The week of Thanksgiving, senior management gave its workers the option of working half a day. Most of Jarjou’s colleagues took this option, but Jarjou decided to stay behind to demonstrate her commitment to her work.

She ended up dealing with an angry client, who demanded that their issue be fixed right away. Jarjou knocked on the door of the only other person in the office, who happened to be the company’s CMO. They resolved the matter together. Less than two months into her job, the company offered her a permanent role. She discovered that the CMO had spoken highly of her as she was the only temp who had asked for his help.

As a junior employee, intern, or a temp worker–it can be difficult to gain the attention of senior management, let alone impress them. It can feel even more daunting when many of those senior managers don’t look like you. Two professionals told Fast Company how they navigated this challenge early in their careers .

PERCEPTION AND PRESENTATION MATTERS

Office dress-codes might be on the way out, but it can make a difference in how others perceive you. Charreah Jackson, a senior editor at Essence and author of the upcoming book Boss Bride: The Powerful Woman’s Playbook for Love And Success, told Fast Company that when she interned at the magazine between her junior and senior year, she made a special effort to dress like the editors did. “I just remembered thinking, I never want to signal my age,” Jackson said. By looking like a young editor, rather than an intern, she was presenting herself to be taken seriously.

Jarjou echoed this sentiment. Three years after her job at the broker dealer, she decided that she wanted to transition to the New York finance world. She ended up getting a role as a “floater” for JP Morgan Chase, an associate that filled needs for various investment teams on a short-term basis. Once again, Jarjou had to prove herself to get a permanent position. She answered phones and dealt with clients –illustrating that she was a self-starter who understood the business. “I tried to be as polished as I could. I made sure I really dressed for the job that I wanted. I listened to the conversations that the associates were having. I joined Toastmasters to practice my public speaking and focused on how I presented myself.” She eventually joined a team as a full-time investment associate.

FSC LinkedIn Network: www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

TREAT YOUR ROLE LIKE AN EXTENDED INTERVIEW

Jackson and Jarjou both treated their temp positions and internships as an extended interview process. Jarjou told Fast Company, “I showed a sense of urgency working as a temp and didn’t rest on my laurels.” At the broker dealer, the workers’ output were measured in the customer relationship management system. “I knew anything that was quantifiable–where I could show my value–was the best way for me to control my output. I knew that I might not have the same social leg up as the white men on the team, but what was in my control was the quality of my work output. I stayed longer, I asked the right questions, and I showed genuine interest in the business.”

Jackson made a special effort to study the industry and the publication during her internship, and later on when she was hired on contract as an editorial assistant (she was eventually made into a full-time online associate web editor a few months later). In addition to making an effort to ask as many questions as possible, she also stayed in touch with different members of the team when her internship ended and she went back to college for her senior year. Every month or so, Jackson would come up to New York from D.C., and organize a meeting with a different staff member from Essence. One day, she was introduced to the new web editor, who happened to be hiring for an editorial assistant at the time. She ended up hiring Jackson.

KEEP YOUR EGO IN CHECK

Jarjou believes that her willingness to be vulnerable was critical to her success. “Had I been so consumed with my ego, worrying about myself and how the CMO might perceive me if I approached him, I would have missed the opportunity to make a positive impression on senior management and wouldn’t have added value to that client’s experience,” she told Fast Company. She also knew that what the CMO thought of her wasn’t something she had control over, and as a result–it wasn’t worth spending her energy on.

START BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE YOU NEED THEM

When Jackson started her internship at Essence, there was one piece of advice from their editor-in-chief that stuck with her–build relationships before you need them. Now that she is on the other side, Jackson said that she is amazed at how many interns don’t stay in touch when they finish their internship, only to contact her when they graduate and are looking for a job. “Every hiring decision is made by a person, [so] you really need to make [building relationships] a priority,” Jackson says. During her internship, Jackson would go out of her way to find commonalities between her and the senior editors, and give (genuine) compliments on their work.

Jarjou agrees. Even when the senior leadership doesn’t look like you, there are always ways to show that you are not so different from each other. “I like to think of it as a matter of education. Consider building rapport with higher-ups and help them to understand you just as much you want to understand them.” She acknowledges that it’s important not to lose yourself and pretend to be someone else in the process, but she had to have an “interest of the majority” in order to find her place there. “It’s a dance that you have to do, you have to figure out what other people are doing. Assimilate to the extent that you’re comfortable. I don’t think it hurts to do that.”

FastCompany.com | May 15, 2018 | BY ANISA PURBASARI HORTON 5 MINUTE READ

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Your #Career : How To Ask For A #Referral Without Sounding Entitled Or Desperate…Referrals are a Great Way to Get an “In” at a Company. But you Should Always Be Tactful About Asking for It.

May 9, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The most awkward networking attempt I’ve ever witnessed happened in my senior year of college. A former executive at NBC who had started his own production company came to talk to the film department at my school about entertainment careers, and I went to check it out. The speaker was great–he had plenty of insight, advice, and personal anecdotes, and I stayed after to chat with him a bit (mainly about our mutual love of 30 Rock, if I’m being honest).

Ahead of me in line was another woman who, rather than asking a thoughtful question, hit him with, “Can you help me get aninternship at your company?” Unsurprisingly, he gave her a strange look, said that she should look up the opportunities available on their careers page, and moved on. After all, why in the world would he vouch for her when he didn’t know anything about her?

I understand why you might want to ask someone to help you get a job at their company–referrals are a powerful way to get your foot in the door, and studies have shown that recruiters view referral candidates as higher quality than other sources. But if you don’t ask for one the right way, you may be doing more to hurt your application than help it. An out-of-the-blue request like the one I witnessed can come across as pushy, crass, and just plain self-serving.

To help you navigate that fine line between polite and presumptuous, we reached out to experts to hear how they suggest approaching someone for a referral–here are their tips.

Like this Article? Share It ! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search:https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of article:

WHEN ASKING SOMEONE YOU KNOW WELL

If you’re close to somebody connected to the company–be it a friend, family member, or former colleague–you’re in luck. Assuming you have a good relationship, they will probably be happy to help you out.

“Be honest with them. Tell them what it is you’re ultimately looking for, and give them an idea of how they can help you,” recommends career coach Carlota Zimmerman.

Keep in mind, though, that a request for a referral–even when asking a close friend–is not a guarantee that you’ll receive one. If somebody can’t vouch for your work quality, they may not be comfortable putting themselves on the line for you. Because of this, it’s polite to give somebody an out, says Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide.

“Build in an exit option for friends, family, and colleagues. Sometimes, and to our great surprise and disappointment, the people closest to us will act weird when these sorts of requests are made,” Cohen says. “Rather than jeopardize the relationship, let the request go if there is any waffling.”

Cohen suggests saying something like: “I wonder if I can impose on you . . . and it’s not an issue if you can’t. I’m trying to get a referral to [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][company name] and I seem to remember that you may know that person or know someone who does. It would really mean a lot to me. Let me explain why.”

If they do end up referring you, don’t take it for granted.

“Afterwards, take them out to dinner, or buy them a small thank you present,” Zimmerman advises.

WHEN ASKING SOMEONE YOU KIND OF KNOW

Asking for a referral from an acquaintance–say, a friend of a friend or former coworker who you only talked to a handful of times–requires a little bit more finesse. One way to build goodwill and improve your odds of a response is reminding them of your connection to each other.

“It is always best if you and the acquaintance share a good mutual friend or colleague in common. That will establish your credibility as someone who is not likely to be a source of embarrassment,” Cohen says. “Send a brief note first to break the ice and to provide context as to why you are reaching out.”

Cohen suggests: “You may remember that you and I share so-and-so in common. I seem to recall that you may also have a connection to [who you want to meet or where you want to go]. I heard that there may be an opportunity there and I wanted to reach out, but I don’t know anyone at the firm. Can I impose on you? Let me tell you about my background so that you know a little bit more about me.”

This last part is key, Cohen says, as “people we barely know or know peripherally on a social basis may have little knowledge as to our backgrounds. It is always a good idea to remind them by sharing information that they may be unaware of and that may even impress them.”

This will also allow them to give hiring managers and recruiters a better idea of what you have to offer, which is key if you want to get their attention.

And just as you would with a friend, it’s nice to express your appreciation for a referral by thanking them with a phone call, note, or small gift.

WHEN ASKING SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW

If you don’t know somebody who works at the company you’re interested in, all hope is not lost. These days, you can easily go online to figure out who works at a company and reach out to them. It’s best to seek out a recruiter, the hiring manager for the role, or someone who is on the team you’re interested in joining. Make sure that you’re not asking for too much too quickly, though, as that will turn people off helping you.

Once you reach out to someone via LinkedIn or email, “Always begin by expressing your gratitude, and repeat that message at the very tail end of your request,” suggests Cohen.

Then, “Use your interest in a position at the company they are working at as a way to get to know this person,” advises J. Kelly Hoey, author of Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships In A Hyper-Connected World.

Kelly suggests saying: “I know we’ve recently connected on LinkedIn through XYZ, and I recently saw the X department at your company has an open position. I’m intrigued by it. Any chance I could ask you a few questions about the company and the role?”

“Use your interest as the way to start a conversation, and be open to where it leads to,” she adds.

Ask a few questions about the company culture, responsibilities of the role, what they love about working there, etc. “Then, you can begin a gentle segue into mentioning that you too would like to work for that company,” shares Sara Causey, CEO of SEC Technical, LLC.

“Have a strong pitch ready as to why you want this referral, your goals, what you bring to the table (education, experience, expertise), and crucially, why you believe this person can help you,” Zimmerman suggests. “Remember that you’re essentially asking a stranger to open doors for you, so how you present is how you’ll be perceived.”

Don’t forget to thank the person for their time, and if they do end up providing you with a referral, keep them looped in on next steps.

“In any situation where you ask for a referral and someone grants it, circle back with that person on the outcome! Nothing is worse than [being] left in the dark as to whether or not an introduction or interview came through,” Cohen says. Not to mention, “By following up, you’re also more likely to receive help from that person again in the future.”

Asking for a referral may seem intimidating, but it’s often an effective way to head to the top of the candidate list, so it’s worth the request–as long as you handle it delicately. But if you demonstrate respect for the other person, show thoughtfulness in your approach, and thank them for their time, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

GlassDoor.com | May 9, 2018 | BY EMILY MOORE—GLASSDOOR 6 MINUTE READ

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Your #Career : This Internship Program Only Hires Women Over 40…What Inspired you to Start the Program? Answer: Ageism Hurts, and these Women Feel Like, “Am I Worthless at 54? Am I Over the Hill at 52? Why will No One Hire Me?”

August 6, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You’ve probably seen, or at least heard of, Nancy Meyer’s latest film The Intern. Starring Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro, it follows a 70-something man attempting to reenter the workforce. When the retired widower has difficulty finding employment, he opts for a senior internship at a digital fashion startup.

“That movie was kind of an aha moment for us,” explains Dara Kaplan, president and partner of a New York City-based p.r. firm calledWunderlich Kaplan Communications (WKC). “How many times have we witnessed our friends, unable to dive back into the workforce after several years at home? Women over 40 shouldn’t be cast aside for Millennials.”

Inspired, Kaplan and WKC’s CEO, Gwen Wunderlich, started The Enternship. The four week program, which launched this summer, aims to help women over 40 reenter the workforce by teaching them practical p.r. and digital communications skills. Eight interns in their 40s, 50s and 60s are currently participating, including a former CNN producer and a lawyer. I caught up with the two leading women behind the initiative.

What is The Enternship?

Kaplan: In one sentence, it’s a program to help women over 40. These women have either been bought out of their companies, chosen to jump the corporate ship or are looking to change careers and break back into the workforce. We teach them the skills they need during flexible hours. Millennial may be the buzz word du jour, but we happen not to agree.

What inspired you to start the program?

Wunderlich: We were tired of watching friends and family members get passed over for their younger counterparts or denied jobs because they have “too much” experience. We received more than 600 applications for the program, and the one thing every cover letter had in common was that they felt defeated. Ageism hurts, and these women feel like, “Am I worthless at 54? Am I over the hill at 52? Why will no one hire me?”

Like this Article ? Share It ! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !) www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K) http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: (over 800K)https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en
Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

Who are your eight enterns?

Kaplan: We chose eight women, including a lawyer, a former CNN producer, a graphic designer and a stay-at-home mom. 99% are working moms and all are over age 40 (some are even over 60). And they are unbelievable. Take Ronni Berke, an award-winning veteran journalist and producer. She recently accepted a buyout from CNN to work on more creative projects and currently freelances as a communications strategist and content creator. She is an experienced media pro with years of experience in breaking news.

What kinds of skills do your enterns learn?

Wunderlich: Essentially, the ins and outs of public relations. We teach women how to create p.r. campaigns, write pitches and press releases, how to pitch media. There’s also hands on experience, like helping to run a party at one of our celebrity client’s house in the Hamptons. Working events helps them grow their network, which, as we all know, is what p.r. is about.

Kaplan: Social media is also explored, which we’ve found to be a major pain point for older women. They want to learn about blogging, vlogging and other emerging communication technologies — they just need a little guidance.

What is The Enternship’s ultimate goal?

Kaplan: To help women get back on their feet. It’s funny, because we’ve seen first hand what a bit of confidence can do. And while we hope to empower women to get back in the workforce, we also want to create a movement — an understanding of the value of women. We’re trying to urge other p.r. firms and female-owned businesses to hire talented, experienced women.

Why only women?

Wunderlich: It’s estimated that there are upwards of 3 million women with advanced college degrees trying to reenter the American workforce. It was clear this was who we needed to focus on.

Would you ever expand to men?

Wunderlich: Never say never, but our second Enternship training program, which starts in September, will also be focused on women.

Forbes.com | August 6, 2016 | Emily Siegel

You #Career : Four Job Search Mistakes College Students Should Stop Making Immediately…The Pressure to Nail Down a Summer Gig starts Early in the Spring Semester. The Best Opportunities often Appear during the Doldrums of Winter & Vanish Quickly.

January 25, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’re a college student, For seniors, this final semester brings a blend of relief, nostalgia and, I can imagine, creeping anxiety about how to pay back those tens of thousands in student loans. As someone still young enough to remember my college days and the anxiety-filled post-graduation job hunt, but advanced enough that I’m now reviewing resumes from eager young students and about-to-be-graduates,

I’ve been taking careful note of the common mistakes I’m seeing from entry-level job seekers and would-be interns. Here are four of the top blunders to avoid:

Guessing vs. playing it safe.

When you’re taking a multiple choice final and come across a question you don’t know the answer to, conventional wisdom says you should guess. By leaving it blank, you’re guaranteed zero points, but with a shot-in-the-dark guess amongst A,B,C and D, you have a 25% chance of being correct. This logic shouldn’t apply to your job hunt. If the posting asks you to email your resume and cover letter toasmith@company.com, incorrectly guessing that the A stands for Alan and not Abby and addressing your letter to ‘Dear Mr. Smith’ (I’ve seen it done) is an easy way to look like you don’t care about details. Comb LinkedIn for all the A. Smiths who work at the company to find the right one. If that doesn’t yield results, “Dear Hiring Manager” is still preferably to being presumptuous.

Like this Article ? Share It ! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 800K+ Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 10K+ Members & Growing !) www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Google+: https://plus.google.com/115673713231115398101/posts?hl=en
Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

Focusing on the wrong achievements.

The types of accomplishments that got you into a good college are not necessarily the ones that will land you a good job. Putting your four years of varsity cheerleading ahead of your internships is not the path to success. Include only those extracurriculars that you can reasonably tie to the skills and experience the job posting is asking for or that are extraordinarily impressive. Admissions officers care if you’re well-rounded, employers much less so.

Assuming a B effort will yield A results.

Being the best of a subpar bunch is not a bad place to be if your biochemistry professor grades on a curve. Unfortunately, for you, most employers don’t. You’re not just competing with other applicants, you’re competing against all the other choices the hiring manager has for getting the chunk of work done that the job description represents. There are few fields with such a labor shortage that companies will willingly hire a mediocre candidate because he or she is less mediocre than the other applicants. Instead, I’ve seen company leave a job posting up for months, outsource to freelancers, reassign job duties to cover the required tasks or simply do without. If a company wants to hire an A employees, they’re unlikely to settle for a B among a sea of Cs.

Saying too much

To the surprise of no one, young people who grew up in the TMI era often lack an intellectual filter when it comes to parsing which of their personal stories are fit for public consumption. See this Frank Bruni piece from 2014 on oversharing in college admissions essays for some choice examples. Youthful TMI or braggadocio isn’t just for admissions essays, as my piece on the world’s worst cover letter (penned by a would-be Wall Street intern) shows. Heed its lessons.

Employers don’t expect you to have a wealth of experience at your age. Instead, they’re looking for growth potential and good judgment. Demonstrate both by keeping your application materials succinct (you don’t need a three-page resume and a 1000-word cover letter), professional in tone and devoid of all references to your squat weight. Put another way, if there’s significant overlap between your Tinder bio, your resume and your new therapist’s intake form, re-think your choices.

Learn more about my work and connect with me on Twitter.

Forbes.com | January 25, 2016 | J. Maureen Henderson