Amonthbeforeyourlastday Plan Yourexitandre-Entry

AMONTHBEFOREYOURLASTDAY–PLAN YOUREXITANDRE-ENTRY

Sometimesthemostimportantlearningexperienceinaninternship isfindingoutthisis notwhatyouwantto do.Therearethe occasionalhorrorstories,butmostinternspartwiththeiremployer ona positivenote.Justbecauseyoudon’twantto continueina particularfield,doesn’tmeanthe folkswhoyouhaveworkedwith can’thelp.If youhavedecidedto changedirections,thankthemfor helpingyoutocometo thisdecisionandfindoutiftheyhave contactsinyournewareaofinterest.

 Schedulea formalappointmentwithyoursupervisorto discuss yourcareerplans.Ifyouhavenotalreadytalkedaboutthe possibilityofa full-timepositionin thefuture,nowis thetime.

 If theorganizationis currentlyina hiringfreeze,ask foradviceon opportunitiesinotherdepartmentsor similarpositionswithother employers.Mostprofessionalsnetworkin theirfieldandwillknow ofcontactsoutsideof theircurrentemployer.

Ifyoudonothaveanofferfollowingyourinternship,stayincontact withyoursupervisor,fellowinterns,HRpersonnel,andother decision-makingindividualsat the organizationonaperiodicbasis. Conveyyourcontinuinginterestandkeeptheminformedofyourjob

searchprogress.

ADVICEFROMEMPLOYERS:

“Always putin110% into everything,so thatyou are seen

as a go-getter!

“Constantlyevaluateyourselfandstriveto improveevenifyou

didwellona project.”

“Makesureyougetthe‘bigpicture.’Remembertherearemenial tasksincludedinalljobsand‘pitchingin’anddoingyourshare

willestablishbetterteamworkandgoodwillamongco-workers.”

“Approachtheinternshipasifit’syourfull-timejob.Continueto bethebestandexceedexpectationsina shortperiodof time.”

“Takenoteofyouraccomplishments.Writedown the thingsthat youhaveaccomplished.Yournoteswillcomeinhandyfor completingyour mid-pointand finalreviewwithyoursupervisor.”

“Payattentiontodetailsanddon’twaitto beaskedto contribute to aproject.”

ConvertYour Internshipintoa Full-TimeJob

ADVICEFROMSTUDENTS:

Tobehonest,a newbieis alwaysexpectedtodo themosttedious ork.Youmustbewillingto workhard.”

“It isimportant tobeproactiveasan intern.A lot of times,these positions canbeas challengingoraseasy asyou makethem,andbeing engaged in whatyou aredoingletsyourbossandco-workers know that youare

seriousaboutthe job.”

“Ifeellikeyoushouldworkwith theother employeesand internsin a way

that if you were toleave, yourabsencewould benoticedand missed.”

“Flexibilityiskeybecauseyouneverknowwhatis goingto comeat you.”

Career Center

Phone #:310-660-3593x6137

Location: Firstfloorof theStudent Services Center,intheCounseling Office.

The El CaminoCommunityCollegeDistrictis committedtoprovidingequalopportunityinwhich no personis subjectedtodiscriminationon thebasis ofethnicgroupidentification,nationalorigin, religion,age, sex, race,color,ancestry,sexual orientation,physicalormentaldisability,or retaliation.

ElCaminoCollege

CareerCenter

Printedby permission:USCCareerCenter

ConvertYourInternshipintoa

Full-TimeJob

Manystudentshavebeensuccessfulinconvertingtheirinternshipstofull-timeemployment,evenduringtheeconomicdownturn. Althoughthe marketcontinuestobecompetitiveacrossallfields,internsaretellingusthattheyaredoingmoremeaningfulwork. Thebottomlineisthatyou needtoconsideraninternshipasa firststepto

start yourcareer. This handout provides advice

FIRSTMONTH–MASTERYOUR SKILLS

 Goaboveandbeyondwhatyouareexpectedto

do.

 Askfor moreworkonceyoucompletean assignment.

 Staymotivatedandexcitedaboutwhatyouare doing.Leaveyourpersonaldramaathome.

BEFOREYOUSTART–PLANFOR ASUCCESSFULEXPERIENCE

Doyourresearch.Ifyouareworking

in music,youneedtoknowthevariety

timeconflictswithother commitments(classes,discussion groups).

 Introduceyourselftoco-workersincluding otherinterns.

 Learneverythingyoucanaboutthe

solving.

 Checkyourlistofexpectations.Whatdoyou stillwantto accomplish?Whodoyouwantto

meet?

ofmusicgenres.Ifpublicrelationsis yourchoice,youneedto knowyour fieldandhowto effectively communicate.Findoutwhattrade papers,websitesandjournalsare specificto yourindustry.Takesome timeto catchupwithcurrenttrends.

Setspecificexpectationsfor the

internship.Oftenintheexcitementof obtainingtheinternship,you forgetto lettheemployerknowwhatyouhope

to gainfromtheexperience.Schedule

aformalappointmentwithyour supervisoronthefirstdayofworkto

establishgoalsforyourprojects.

Checkyouregoatthedoor.A

senseofhumilityis importantso that youcanbeopen to learnfromother peoplearoundyou.

FIRSTDAY–ESTABLISH YOURPROFESSIONAL

IDENTITY

Approachtheinternshipasan extendedinterview,becausethat’s essentiallywhatitis.

Exhibityourprofessionalismby

beingpunctual,efficientand dedicated.

workplace.Thismayincludeaccepting tediousand menialtasks;copying,filing,

andotheradministrativework.Mostofyour full-timecolleaguesfollowedthesamepath to theirjobandwilltrustyouwithincreased responsibilityonceyouproveyouare

willingto“pitchin" to get thejobdone.

 Payattentiontodetails!Thisisyourfirst day.Taketimetoensureaccuracyand qualityinwhatyouproduce.

 Invitecolleaguesto lunchorcoffeeandfindout whytheyaresuccessful.

 Askwhattheyseekina newhireandthen adjustyourbehaviorto fit.

 Useyourunderstandingof technologyand socialnetworkingto helpbrainstormmarketing ideas.

Check outtheCareerCenterWeb pageformoreresources