Internships for high school and college students are becoming more and more popular with good reason – they give students a great opportunity to explore their interests and learn real world skills in a safe environment.
The interview and application process is a new experience for most students, and as a veteran hirer of interns, here are my key pointers for all the prospective interns out there:
Cover Letters and Resumes. Employers don’t expect students to have robust resumes or years of experience to reflect on in a cover letter. What they DO expect is that students display professional maturity:
• Spelling, grammar, and formatting should be impeccable – it shows attention to detail and polish. If you have not graduated from college yet, your writing and grammar are most likely much worse than you think they are (seriously). Get someone more experienced to proofread!
• Cover letters should be SPECIFIC to the particular internship and company. Well-articulated enthusiasm for the company and position is impactful, generic personal statements are not.
The Interview. When evaluating interns (particularly younger ones who are not entering their senior year of college), there are a few key factors that employers look for:
• Maturity – candidates show up on time, look presentable, and acknowledge the fact that they are in a professional environment. Bring a pen, a copy of your resume and cover letter, don’t chew gum, etc.
• Enthusiasm – employers want interns that are genuinely excited to work at their company, not interns whose parents are forcing them to do something “productive” for the summer.
• Personality – an intern’s ability to seamlessly blend into the company environment is very important. No one expects an intern to be a polished professional, but they do expect them to be fun, positive, excited to be working, eager to learn, and easy to work with.
• Intelligence – almost by definition, interns come to the job with little prior knowledge or skills. Employers expect interns to be bright, resourceful, and learn quickly at a wide variety of tasks.
• Volunteerism – Working alongside private SAT tutors and passing on the knowledge you previously learned speaks miles on your resume and interview.
• Etiquette – send a thank you note! It shows maturity and that you care about the internship.
This guide certainly does not cover ALL facets of internships, but hopefully it will give students a better idea of what employers are looking for!
Showing posts with label self-help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-help. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
How to Avoid the Domino Effect
It’s all happened to us…that ONE bad thing that leads to a domino effect of negative events. Unfortunately, that ONE thing happened to me this morning. Determined to park in the closest spot at work, I disregarded the fact that only a Smart Car could appropriately fit into the tiny space. Needless to say, the piercing sound of a rusty, metal pole scrapping against the side of my grandma’s car was that ONE thing that made me decide today is a BAD day. It also led me to commit the common mistake of blaming my actions on something else…in this case, the massive Range Rover who took up all the space next to me.
1. Take a deep breath: Even if you do break down in tears, take the time to take a deep breath and calm yourself down. Try not to let your emotions lead you to actions that will cause more damage such as blurting out a choice word that lands you in detention.
2. Avoid the blame game: No matter how much easier it is to blame your teacher (ie “She didn’t explain the essay well enough” or “He just doesn’t like me”) avoid it at all costs. Realize that your teacher is on your side and use his/her comments as a tool to do better next time.
3. Take ownership: Rather than blame your teacher, ask them how you can improve the next time or possibly re-do the paper for a better grade. Even the “meanest” teacher appreciates effort, and you’d be surprised how it can affect your grade in a positive way.
4. Think BIG picture: In the end, one poor grade does not mean you’re a failure. What’s more important is to focus on the immediate steps you can take so that you don’t continue to fall in the same patterns.
5. Start out fresh: Try your best to not let your feelings carry to the next class period or the rest of your day. This could lead to earning more bad grades. Forgive yourself and remember that you can redeem yourself next time, and study harder with SAT tutoring and supplemental aid.
6. Create a POSITIVE effect: Regardless of what happened, it happened. In order to turn it into something positive, use it as a way to avoid it from happening again or better yet, create a POSITIVE domino effect. For example, although I wanted to fall into the “BAD day” attitude and blamed the Range Rover, I took the above steps and created a positive effect (hopefully) by writing this blog.
Note: If you look at each of these tips, you’ll realize that it’s all about your ATTITUDE and mentality!
As a student, the ONE bad thing that occurs might be missing a big test because you overslept or forgetting your 20 page essay. If you aren’t careful, these things can lead to a series of events that can result in more than just a bad day. Let’s take the classic case that we’ve all experienced: getting your essay back with red marks galore and a big fat “D”. In this example, and nearly any other you face in life, follow these steps to AVOID the domino effect:
1. Take a deep breath: Even if you do break down in tears, take the time to take a deep breath and calm yourself down. Try not to let your emotions lead you to actions that will cause more damage such as blurting out a choice word that lands you in detention.
2. Avoid the blame game: No matter how much easier it is to blame your teacher (ie “She didn’t explain the essay well enough” or “He just doesn’t like me”) avoid it at all costs. Realize that your teacher is on your side and use his/her comments as a tool to do better next time.
3. Take ownership: Rather than blame your teacher, ask them how you can improve the next time or possibly re-do the paper for a better grade. Even the “meanest” teacher appreciates effort, and you’d be surprised how it can affect your grade in a positive way.
4. Think BIG picture: In the end, one poor grade does not mean you’re a failure. What’s more important is to focus on the immediate steps you can take so that you don’t continue to fall in the same patterns.
5. Start out fresh: Try your best to not let your feelings carry to the next class period or the rest of your day. This could lead to earning more bad grades. Forgive yourself and remember that you can redeem yourself next time, and study harder with SAT tutoring and supplemental aid.
6. Create a POSITIVE effect: Regardless of what happened, it happened. In order to turn it into something positive, use it as a way to avoid it from happening again or better yet, create a POSITIVE domino effect. For example, although I wanted to fall into the “BAD day” attitude and blamed the Range Rover, I took the above steps and created a positive effect (hopefully) by writing this blog.
Note: If you look at each of these tips, you’ll realize that it’s all about your ATTITUDE and mentality!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Raise Your Hand: So 2011
I have no qualms asking questions, so it probably doesn't surprise you that I am also an avid fan of Wikipedia, the dictionary, and the classic "Google search."
Unlike most, one of my favorite arenas for asking questions is in the restaurant. Since it's not so typical to preface an order with "I have a question..." some might say I've got quite a lot of moxie to "raise my hand."
However, I find that I learn some of the most interesting things from the simple act of asking anyone, my teacher, my SAT tutor, my mentors. The other day, I got my notion confirmed by a pastry chef that Boston Cream Pie is indeed not a pie, per se, but a sponge cake. Who knew!
Subsequently, a majority of my adult friends would probably be surprised to know that as a child, I was not the kid who easily raised my hand in class . Looking back, I believe I was afraid to ask a question because I was embarrassed and thought everyone else would think I was stupid. I have the sense (probably due to the uncomfortable looks I get when I inquire about the method to make, say, bacon foam)- that I am/was not alone in this assumption.
Recently, I read Aristotle’s quote “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know” – and it made me wonder: all those years I kept my hand at my side for fear of being called “dumb” – maybe, just maybe - I was wrong?
Being an adult, I took my quandary to the streets and asked a few of my teacher friends for their perspective on the classroom dynamic as it pertains to hand-raising.
A pal who is a 7th grade math teacher says that he has never had a “dumb” question come from a student raising their hand in class. In fact, “the types of problems that students ask the most questions about out loud are usually the ones every student in that class ends up acing on the exam.”
Coincidence? Hardly.
Taking the matter to an 11th grade English teacher, I was informed that her daily lesson plan includes a 5 minute “question and answer” block right before the end of class. Initially, she had her students vote on how they wanted to use the time: to do homework, to study for other classes, or to “clarify” what they had gone over that day via peer-generated questions.
Impressively, each of her six periods voted to use the time to ask her questions as a group – instead of through personal email or individually, after class. She claims that group "Q & A" allows everyone to benefit from her answers – and not-so-surprisingly, the classes that ask the most questions per day tend to have the highest class average on exams and essays in comparison to the classes that use the time for study or other homework.
It would appear that Aristotle was on to something. So, if you pledge to do anything this semester, promise to seek an answer when you are curious, and if you are feeling bold – ask a question out loud for the rest of us.
Unlike most, one of my favorite arenas for asking questions is in the restaurant. Since it's not so typical to preface an order with "I have a question..." some might say I've got quite a lot of moxie to "raise my hand."
However, I find that I learn some of the most interesting things from the simple act of asking anyone, my teacher, my SAT tutor, my mentors. The other day, I got my notion confirmed by a pastry chef that Boston Cream Pie is indeed not a pie, per se, but a sponge cake. Who knew!
Subsequently, a majority of my adult friends would probably be surprised to know that as a child, I was not the kid who easily raised my hand in class . Looking back, I believe I was afraid to ask a question because I was embarrassed and thought everyone else would think I was stupid. I have the sense (probably due to the uncomfortable looks I get when I inquire about the method to make, say, bacon foam)- that I am/was not alone in this assumption.
Recently, I read Aristotle’s quote “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know” – and it made me wonder: all those years I kept my hand at my side for fear of being called “dumb” – maybe, just maybe - I was wrong?
Being an adult, I took my quandary to the streets and asked a few of my teacher friends for their perspective on the classroom dynamic as it pertains to hand-raising.
A pal who is a 7th grade math teacher says that he has never had a “dumb” question come from a student raising their hand in class. In fact, “the types of problems that students ask the most questions about out loud are usually the ones every student in that class ends up acing on the exam.”
Coincidence? Hardly.
Taking the matter to an 11th grade English teacher, I was informed that her daily lesson plan includes a 5 minute “question and answer” block right before the end of class. Initially, she had her students vote on how they wanted to use the time: to do homework, to study for other classes, or to “clarify” what they had gone over that day via peer-generated questions.
Impressively, each of her six periods voted to use the time to ask her questions as a group – instead of through personal email or individually, after class. She claims that group "Q & A" allows everyone to benefit from her answers – and not-so-surprisingly, the classes that ask the most questions per day tend to have the highest class average on exams and essays in comparison to the classes that use the time for study or other homework.
It would appear that Aristotle was on to something. So, if you pledge to do anything this semester, promise to seek an answer when you are curious, and if you are feeling bold – ask a question out loud for the rest of us.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Senioritis
Symptoms: These include laziness, excessive apathy, chronic tardiness, occasional absences, and an overwhelming urge to slack off.
Causes: The onset of senioritis can happen as soon as you send off your college applications. But symptoms often don’t become apparent until that big envelope arrives in the mail and the suspense of the college application process is over. With your acceptance letter in hand, it seems your hard work as a high school student is done, and all of your SAT prep is behind you. So you begin to let loose, and before you know it, you’re in a slump. Hello, senioritis!
Complications: Ignoring the symptoms can have serious consequences. College acceptances are often contingent on a student’s continued academic success, and a drop in grades due to senioritis won’t be overlooked by the admissions officers reviewing your year-end transcript. Every year, colleges rescind their offers of admission to those who haven’t maintained their grades or have fallen short in some other way. (Final grades were cited by 69% of colleges that revoked admission offers in 2007; disciplinary problems accounted for 25%, says the National Association for College Admission Counseling.) Additional complications associated with senioritis include being put on academic probation and receiving less financial assistance in college.
The Cure: If you thought I was going to say graduation, think again. You’ll need to combat senioritis long before then to avoid jeopardizing your future. My advice: nip it in the bud. If you feel your motivation waning, just remind yourself of how close you are to the finish line. You’ve been running this high school marathon for years, and now is not the time to slow down. So fight the temptations brought on by senioritis, and keep your eye on the prize. Before you know it, you’ll be done with high school, and only then will the race truly be over.
Friday, December 17, 2010
7 iPhone Apps to Make You a Better Student
There’s no denying that, for many of us, the iPhone has turned into a highly entertaining and virtually indispensable gadget, especially when taking notes from your private SAT tutor. There are even a number of very useful educational tools designed to help you become a more efficient student. But with hundreds of thousands of applications out there, finding the ones that are right for you can seem overwhelming. Here are a few that I’ve found to be pretty nifty.
Evernote (Free)
Use this app to remember anything and everything that happens in class. Evernote allows you to create text, photo and audio notes, all of which can be synchronized to your computer and accessed later. You can organize, tag, and search through notes—even the text within snapshots is searchable!
Dictionary.com (Free/$3.99 for No-ads version)
There’s no need to lug around a big, heavy dictionary when this app gives you access to nearly one million definitions and over 90 thousand synonyms and antonyms. It also offers audio pronunciation, word origin, example sentences, and—you guessed it—Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day.
myHomework (Free)
This app offers an easy way to track your homework, projects, and tests. Assignments are color-coded by due date in a simple, notebook-like design. Past and upcoming deadlines will be numbered on your application icon, so you’ll be sure not to miss any.
iStudiezPro ($2.99)
This highly-efficient and colorful app helps you organize every aspect of school life. You can input and manage all the details of your classes and activities, including schedule, location, and instructor information. iStudiezPro also enables you to track assignments and tests and can even calculate your GPA for past and current semesters. And you can count on the integrated alarms to remind you of your tasks, classes and events.
The Chemical Touch ($0.99/Lite Edition is free)
This app is a goldmine for chemistry students. The touch-sensitive periodic table gives lets you explore the properties of the elements, such as atomic mass, density, melting and boiling points, etc. It even provides information about standard amino acids and nucleobases. And if you find yourself thirsty for knowledge still, The Chemical Touch’s internet button links directly to the Wikipedia page of the selected element, amino acid, or nucleobase.
FREE Spanish Tutor (Free)
Download this app if you’re looking for a fun way to practice your language skills and pick up new words and phrases. It offers a number of interactive study tools like flash cards, multiple choice and fill-in quizzes, and a puzzle game. FREE Spanish Tutor even has an audio feature so you can learn how to pronounce words like a native speaker! This app is also available in French, Italian and German.
Graphing Calculator ($1.99)
If you ever misplace your TI-83, this app will come in as a handy back-up. It’s a user-friendly scientific calculator that supports most commonly-used functions and allows you to graph multiple equations on the same screen. And one of the advantages of using a graphing calculator on your iPhone is that you can take screenshots and email them to yourself for reference.
Evernote (Free)
Use this app to remember anything and everything that happens in class. Evernote allows you to create text, photo and audio notes, all of which can be synchronized to your computer and accessed later. You can organize, tag, and search through notes—even the text within snapshots is searchable!
Dictionary.com (Free/$3.99 for No-ads version)
There’s no need to lug around a big, heavy dictionary when this app gives you access to nearly one million definitions and over 90 thousand synonyms and antonyms. It also offers audio pronunciation, word origin, example sentences, and—you guessed it—Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day.
myHomework (Free)
This app offers an easy way to track your homework, projects, and tests. Assignments are color-coded by due date in a simple, notebook-like design. Past and upcoming deadlines will be numbered on your application icon, so you’ll be sure not to miss any.
iStudiezPro ($2.99)
This highly-efficient and colorful app helps you organize every aspect of school life. You can input and manage all the details of your classes and activities, including schedule, location, and instructor information. iStudiezPro also enables you to track assignments and tests and can even calculate your GPA for past and current semesters. And you can count on the integrated alarms to remind you of your tasks, classes and events.
The Chemical Touch ($0.99/Lite Edition is free)
This app is a goldmine for chemistry students. The touch-sensitive periodic table gives lets you explore the properties of the elements, such as atomic mass, density, melting and boiling points, etc. It even provides information about standard amino acids and nucleobases. And if you find yourself thirsty for knowledge still, The Chemical Touch’s internet button links directly to the Wikipedia page of the selected element, amino acid, or nucleobase.
FREE Spanish Tutor (Free)
Download this app if you’re looking for a fun way to practice your language skills and pick up new words and phrases. It offers a number of interactive study tools like flash cards, multiple choice and fill-in quizzes, and a puzzle game. FREE Spanish Tutor even has an audio feature so you can learn how to pronounce words like a native speaker! This app is also available in French, Italian and German.
Graphing Calculator ($1.99)
If you ever misplace your TI-83, this app will come in as a handy back-up. It’s a user-friendly scientific calculator that supports most commonly-used functions and allows you to graph multiple equations on the same screen. And one of the advantages of using a graphing calculator on your iPhone is that you can take screenshots and email them to yourself for reference.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Academic New Year's Resolution: Attainable and Maintainable Goals
We are all familiar with the resolutions made on January 1st. Ambitiously, we make plans to improve in various areas: exercise consistently, read more, complain less, recycle, etc.
Unfortunately, by February, after two months steadfast commitment, we feel like it is “too much” and start making exceptions, excuses, and decide that maybe it really is true that weekends don’t count.
In the world of education, September is the mark of another kind of new year – the academic school year. As I can recall, this was an exciting time that always felt full of potential. A new year meant new classes, new teachers, new private SAT tutors, and a new opportunity to start off “fresh” with academic organization, sports, and extra-curricular activities.
Like most, I would always start off the year strong. Each class was organized into separate binders, I had highlighters and a planner, and I would meticulously track every assignment and exam date. I would commit to clubs during lunch and lifeguarding during the weekend, and anything else was crammed in between school and the 25 hours of swim practice during the week.
Then, late October would happen. Much like the attack of February on the commitment to New Year’s Resolutions, I would find myself skipping club meetings, scheduling work more sporadically, and stacking returned tests, papers, and other assignments in to teetering piles on my desk. While I never completely abandoned my efforts, by the end of high school I noticed one thing: no matter the number of promises I made or the strength of my intent, I always ended up only seriously committed to two or three goals come June.
Now, for my advice to students…
Students, as you start this new school year, take a few minutes to consider the upcoming year. Do you have goals for this year? Are they attainable AND maintainable, or have you set yourself up to compromise quality of commitment for quantity of activities? Remember, success is built by integrating on-going actions and dedication over a long period, not by attaining goals for a short lived spurt of time. (Also, colleges care WAY more about the depth of a student’s activities then their breadth).
Unfortunately, by February, after two months steadfast commitment, we feel like it is “too much” and start making exceptions, excuses, and decide that maybe it really is true that weekends don’t count.
In the world of education, September is the mark of another kind of new year – the academic school year. As I can recall, this was an exciting time that always felt full of potential. A new year meant new classes, new teachers, new private SAT tutors, and a new opportunity to start off “fresh” with academic organization, sports, and extra-curricular activities.
Like most, I would always start off the year strong. Each class was organized into separate binders, I had highlighters and a planner, and I would meticulously track every assignment and exam date. I would commit to clubs during lunch and lifeguarding during the weekend, and anything else was crammed in between school and the 25 hours of swim practice during the week.
Then, late October would happen. Much like the attack of February on the commitment to New Year’s Resolutions, I would find myself skipping club meetings, scheduling work more sporadically, and stacking returned tests, papers, and other assignments in to teetering piles on my desk. While I never completely abandoned my efforts, by the end of high school I noticed one thing: no matter the number of promises I made or the strength of my intent, I always ended up only seriously committed to two or three goals come June.
Now, for my advice to students…
Students, as you start this new school year, take a few minutes to consider the upcoming year. Do you have goals for this year? Are they attainable AND maintainable, or have you set yourself up to compromise quality of commitment for quantity of activities? Remember, success is built by integrating on-going actions and dedication over a long period, not by attaining goals for a short lived spurt of time. (Also, colleges care WAY more about the depth of a student’s activities then their breadth).
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