Career Services Webinar Transcripts

Walden “Gain Experience Through Internships,” June 26, 2018 >>

>> ANGIE LIRA: Hello everyone, and welcome to “Gain Experience Through Internships.” My name is Angie Lira, and I’m joined today by internship advisor Katy Peper, and we would like to welcome you today to “Gain Experience Through Internships.”

We will start diving right in by getting some feedback from you. So please let us know what prompted you to join our webinar today. Are you “A,” thinking about an internship and would like to know what resources are available to you? Or are you “B,” already in an active internship search and would like some tips?

What I would like you to do, if you are thinking about an internship, type “A” into that question box. If you are already in an active internship search, go ahead and type “B.” I will give you guys a few minutes to do that. It looks like most if you are currently—just sort of thinking about an internship although we certainly have a couple people who have an internship coming up and would like some tips. Excellent. Anyone else want to add?

It looks like most of you are thinking about an internship and would like to know what resources are available. Thank you for giving us more insight. And with that in mind, we are going to get started. I would like to tell you a little bit more about our learning objectives today. First, we are going to cover the benefits of doing an internship in your program, and then we are going to discuss researching potential internship opportunities and the process of obtaining the internship. Then, we will talk a little bit about how Career Services can support you in landing that opportunity. And finally, we are going to learn about some internship course options. Katy will start us out with some of the benefits of doing an internship.

 >> KATY PEPER: Why should you serve in an internship? First of all, you will get an opportunity to test the waters in a career field. You will learn a little bit more about what you like and dislike about the field as well as any expectations for the fields you may not have known about. You will gain skills and experience to add to your résumé. It also helps you clarify career goals as well as meet a variety of people in your field to build your network.

When is the best time to do an internship? There really is no right answer here, as an internship at any time can be valuable. Doing an internship at the beginning of your program can be valuable if you are unsure about where you would like to go for your career. This can also be especially helpful if you are trying to decide on a specialization in your program or make sure your program is the right one.

An internship at the end of your program provides you the opportunity to use the skills that you have learned in your program, and you will have more knowledge to offer to a site and have increased responsibility. Ideally, multiple internships throughout your program will give you the most varied experience in your field. Working with different types of organizations, or even organizations of different sizes, will help your marketability.

Now that you have an idea that you would like to pursue an internship, you will need to decide what you would like to target. Some students know exactly where they would like to do an internship, but some are not quite sure yet. If you’re not quite sure, you will want to do a thorough self-inventory of your interest, skills, values, and preferences. And you want to create your work focus. So rather than saying you are a bachelor’s student in business administration, you’ll want to say, “I am an aspiring marketing professional.” What kinds of organizations do you want to work with long term? Does this company have an organized internship program? Some organizations will, but many do not. In those cases, you will need to reach out directly to create those opportunities for yourself.

In cases like this you will need to do some extra preparation, such as brainstorming ways you can use your skills to assist on a project. Now Angie will talk about some resources for finding internships.

>> ANGIE LIRA: Finding an internship can really be overwhelming. But as you begin your search, a great place to get started is the Career Services website. We want to encourage you to take a look at the Jobs and Internships tab of the website where you can locate iGrad job search and GoinGlobal. iGrad job search is a simple search platform where you can search for internships as well as jobs. You can filter your results by location and job type. So, if you select the type “internship,” you’re going to be able to search for internships in your area. GoinGlobal is a relatively new resource on our site and is very exciting. It has job and internship searches around the globe. It also offers country and city guides where you can access things like corporate profiles, interviewing advice, cultural advice, and that is just a fraction of the service.

Of course, both of these resources are free to use for all Walden students and alumni. Finally, we want to encourage you to take a look at the Resources tab on the Career Services website, because there is an extensive list of opportunities and resources including optional internships and volunteerism. You can find links to internship resources as well as search sites.

We also have information there about her optional internship courses, and we will go into more detail with those later. Part of finding that appropriate internship site is really identifying what you are going to be able to contribute. Part of knowing what you can contribute is knowing what organizations are actually looking for an intern.

We have found they are really looking for a balance of industry-specific skills and soft skills, or as they are sometimes known, interpersonal skills. For example, if you were applying for an internship in the area of information technology, the company might require you have specific networking or programming or operating skills experience, but they’re also want you to have universal assets such as communication, teamwork, professional demeanor, and enthusiasm about the job and organization as well as a willingness to do your best. Once you have identified that organization in which you believe you can contribute, let's talk about ways you can approach them.

Once you have found that potential field site or opportunity, here are some things you may want to consider as you prepare to contact them or apply. First, many internship opportunities are not listed on job search sites, so you want to use your network and focus on building that network up, because who you know is just as important as what you know. If an employer or internship site is familiar with your reputation or your goals, they will be more likely to give you an opportunity over someone they are not familiar with.

In addition to general networking, also consider doing some informational interviewing. If you are not familiar with informational interviewing, that is when you visit with the potential internship site to learn more about the company, the industry, and what they're looking for. That way you’ll be able to ask questions and gain information as well as sharing information about yourself. Next, start working on your résumé, and make sure you gear your résumé toward the industry or position you are aiming for, not necessarily your current job. Make sure you’re including relevant skills, keywords, and of course, highlighting your Walden education.

Then, we encourage you to prepare a cover letter or letter of introduction, which highlights your knowledge and ability specific to the organization. You want to make sure you’re clearly communicating that you are going to be an asset as an intern, and of course, doing that in a professional manner. Make sure that you are professional throughout the internship search process. It is important to remember that taking on an intern requires trust and effort on the part of the organization, so you want to make sure you are friendly and respectful throughout the process, which means you are friendly and respectful in your calls, that your résumé and cover letter are proofread and accurate, and that you communicate your brand. And finally, you want to make sure your interview skills are strengthened so you can communicate your value. We will take a look at some of these in more detail.

The first thing I want to discuss is networking. Networking leads to opportunities, and it really is the center point of any career management process, including looking for an internship. Having a strong network is going to make every part of the process easier. Whether you are communicating with potential field sites, or researching opportunities, or marketing your education and skills, that ongoing networking will provide a foundation to be successful. We network every single day, whether we realize it or not, because it is just communicating with people but with more of a plan and approach.

So, if you, like many people, are overwhelmed and you feel you don't have a strong network, I want you to consider what can you do to get better connected to people in your current workplace? And what can you do to be known by your peers and classmates both locally and nationally? You want to become more visible in your desired professional field, and you want to think about ways to establish a rapport with these people so they can help you move forward in your internship search.

With those things in mind, make sure you are making a real effort to draw your existing network into your internship search, and you are intentionally connecting to people in a meaningful way. Katy will now give you information on how to prepare your application.

>> KATY PEPER: Next, you want to update your marketing material. Your résumé and cover letter should be tailored to your internship target. They should showcase your professional brand and include accomplishments and achievements that are unique to you. Quantify your accomplishments if possible.   Saying that you increased sales by 20% is much better than saying that you increased sales. Also, be sure that your formatting is consistent and polished. A portfolio may be your best marketing tool for you to showcase your skills especially if you are changing careers. We also have archived webinars dedicated to the topic of crafting a résumé. Keep in mind you can make an appointment with a career advisor to provide feedback on your résumé or cover letter.

One of the best tools we have is our OptimalResume system, which I will tell you about next. The OptimalResume system on the Career Services website is an excellent tool for you to use with over 100 sample résumés, résumé templates, and a portfolio feature. It also has a great interview prep feature that we will talk about later. To use the system, set up a free account with your Walden e-mail address.

There are four additional modules to assist you in your career management. The letter builder, portfolio builder, website builder, and the interview prep. OptimalResume can be accessed from the Career Services website or go directly to waldenu.optimalresume.com. OptimalResume résumé builder is a tool that assists you in crafting professional-looking documents.

When it comes to the interview for an internship, it is just like an interview for any other position. Study the employer's website and find their mission and any materials they may have online. You also want to learn more about your interviewers. When someone calls you for an interview, make note of their name and title so you can remember their information later. In the interview, be prepared to discuss the skills and experience you offer, what you will contribute, and what you would like to learn from the experience. Review your résumé and past accomplishments in advance so you can be prepared to talk about them.

Having a mental note of past experiences can help you feel more confident. Plan logistics ahead of time. You will want to know where to park or where the closest public transit stop is. Remember to dress in an outfit that is professional and makes you feel confident. This may not be the time to wear those new shoes for the first time. Plan to get there early as you do not want to rush if something comes up at the last minute. Bring extra copies of your résumé and turn off your cellphone. Give a genuine smile and a firm handshake. Make eye contact with the person you're talking to, and if you really do not feel comfortable with full eye contact, look them in the forehead—they will never know the difference. Always thank the interviewer for their time in interviewing you. You can also use the opportunity to reiterate the qualifications you feel you offer to them. And next, Angie will talk about our new upcoming optional internship course.

 >> ANGIE LIRA: As Katie mentioned Career Services is very excited to offer three optional internship courses to assist students, actually starting in July. We have IDST 4003, which is a course for undergraduate students that counts as an elective. And this is a course you can take from 3–6 credit hours, depending on the number of hours that you want to commit to the internship site. We have SKIL 3500, which is a noncredit course for undergraduate students who have fulfilled their elective credits but still want to have an internship experience.

And then we also offer SKIL 6500 and 6501, which are noncredit courses for graduate students who want to do an internship and be affiliated with Walden, and these are beneficial to students who do not have required field experience components already built into their program. Please note with all of these courses, they do not replace the required field experience courses. And will break down a couple of these courses in more detail

The first one we will look at more closely is IDST 4003. As I mentioned, this is a variable credit course for undergraduate students. You can actually choose the number of credit hours you will need based on the program and the number of elective hours you would like to complete. A student who selects 3 credit hours is required to complete at least 30 hours of internship; whereas, if you want to do up to 6 credit hours you could do 75 hours of internship.

We highly recommend you speak to a Student Success Advisor to see the number of credit hours that will fit best into your schedule. I want you to keep in mind, this particular course is a mix of on-site experience as well as in-class discussion and assignments. So, there is a classroom component to this class as well. If you are planning on this course, you should keep in mind that the number of hours selected must be completed from the time that you apply for the course and is approved to the end of the course term.  You are also required to have site information and agreement 4 weeks in advance of the course. This is not a course that you can register for yourself. Once you have completed the application and your agreements are approved, you will be added to the course via your Student Success Advisor.

SKIL 3500 is another undergraduate course, but this one is a noncredit course. If you have, for example, fulfilled all of your elective courses and you do not have room in your required program, but you still want to do an internship with an affiliation of Walden, this is the right course for you. The SKIL Courses, if you are not familiar with them, are offered through the Center for Academic  Excellence, and they are offered with a flat fee of $195. These SKIL Courses are mostly focused on the on-site experience, but there is a little bit of in-class work.

If you’re planning to take this course, you want to keep in mind that a minimum of 30 hours must be completed at the internship site. And again, you're going to have to get your paperwork in at least 4 weeks in advance. Finally, I want to quickly cover the graduate internship courses SKIL 6500 and 6501. Like the undergraduate version, they are $195 apiece to take the course. And like with all the previous courses, you want to receive more information about the course and the application materials by e-mailing Career Services, and you will want to get your paperwork in 4 weeks in advance. We'll talk to Katy about some more details about the application process.

>> KATY PEPER: Undergraduate students should first check with their Student Success Advisor to ensure that the course fits into their program requirements and discuss the credits. You want to know if  3 credits or 6 credits will fit better into your schedule. Reach out to Career Services with any questions as well as to receive the Learning Agreement form and deadlines for each term. You will want to locate your internship site.

Keep in mind, some students may already have a site in mind before they reach out about the course. Submit Learning Agreements to Career Services. Once this information is received, Career Services will reach out to the site directly to complete additional documents. All documents must be submitted 4 weeks in advance of the course start. The documents will be reviewed for approval. If there are questions of Career Services will reach out to you.

Once your internship is approved, you will then be registered for the appropriate internship course. You can start your internship any time after approval. You will want to make sure your internship supervisor completes the final evaluation after the internship is complete.

When pursuing an internship course, there are some things you will need to keep in mind. As we mentioned a couple of times, students, especially undergraduates, should check with their Student Success Advisor to ensure that they are knowledgeable about any program requirements, credit hour requirements, and things to keep in mind regarding their other courses. Your internship must be related to your field of study. On your Learning Agreement you will need to state how this relates to your program and your future career goal. When you reach out to Career Services to inquire about the course, we will let you know any pertinent deadlines. Please pay attention to those so we can ensure your paperwork is completed in a timely manner.

When you are in the course, keep in mind there are also assignment deadlines that need to be adhered to. Don't forget about those either. Finally, each course has a different requirement for the number of hours of internship you must complete. You are responsible for knowing what your requirement is for your course, and the deadline for completing the hours.

You are responsible for communicating any difficulties you are having in completing your hours to your instructor. There are a variety of teams you may need to check with while you are thinking of doing an internship. You should communicate with Career Services because we can talk you through options and searching for an internship. Academic advising is a great resource for deciding how the course will fit into your program. Our active military and veterans who are using benefits, please reach out to Military Services.

If you have any questions about how your financial aid will be affected, please contact the financial aid team. Remember, because the SKIL Courses are not for credit, financial aid does not cover the $195 cost. As a reminder, there is extensive information and a bunch of resources on all of these topics and more on the Career Services website. The website can be accessed from your myWalden portal or by going directly to careercenter.waldenu.edu. Our résumé and interview resources can be found on the horizontal navigation bar as well as the Resource tab. Here you can view program-specific professional associations, job boards, LinkedIn groups, and internship resources including course FAQ. On the left-hand navigation, you can access the OptimalResume system.

>> ANGIE LIRA: Now, we would like to open up the floor to any questions you might have. I will give you a minute, and please share with us any questions you might have—whether it be questions about starting the internship search, questions about the courses that we went over. We want to hear from you.

So, use that question box where you did the initial survey to let us know your questions regarding internships. I will give you a moment. Kelsey has an interesting question. She asks: Can I get an online internship at Walden University? That is a great question. Kelsey, we do have internships currently going on at Walden, but they are as far as I know, on ground. They are on grounds in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

There are graduate assistant positions; those are paid positions you might be interested in. If you look up jobs at Walden University, they are listed with the other jobs. If you are unsure of what kind of an internship might be appropriate for your program, consider reaching out to Career Services and we can work with you to try to find a site that will work well for you.

Tom asks: Will you be able to place me into an internship site? That's a good question, Tom. Career Services will help work with you to try to find out or to try to establish what might be an appropriate internship site based on your career goals and your program. Then what we can do is provide you resources where we might be able to help you reach out to those organizations. We cannot place you in a site, but we have plenty of resources that will help you locate a place that would be great for an internship.

Casey has a question: Can I do an optional internship instead of the required field experience in nursing? That is a really good question, Casey, unfortunately, if your program already has a required field experience, you will want to complete that required field experience. These internships were designed for programs that did not already have a required component in their program.

 >> KATY PEPER: If you would like, you are very welcome to set up a career advising appointment. You can work on your résumé with the help of a career services advisor by scheduling through the myWalden portal. Prior to an appointment we recommend you watch the “Discover Career Services” webinar in our archive gallery or by registering for a live webinar.

>> ANGIE LIRA: I want to sincerely thank you for joining us today, and I also want to encourage you to keep in contact with us. We would love it if you would join the Career Services LinkedIn group, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

And read Walden student stories on our blog. We work really hard to make sure there are excellent articles coming into your feed every day. And of course, use all the free features of the OptimalResume system. Remember, you can access all of these resources on our website at careercenter.waldenu.edu.