Month: April 2012

Finding an internship in a nonprofit organization

If you’re considering a career in the nonprofit sector, you are not alone. There are over 1 million nonprofits in the U.S., employing about 10% of the work force. Nonprofit organizations are driven by a cause rather than by making a profit. People often think of nonprofits as youth centers and soup kitchens, but they also include religious institutions, universities, hospitals, trade associations and unions, and museums. A great way to learn if a nonprofit career is for you is to try it out for yourself by interning or volunteering in one. Last summer, 13% of The College students interned in a public interest, social service, or cultural organization and an additional 37% worked for an education, healthcare, or government employer. (Career Services Summer 2011 Survey)

There are many ways to find a nonprofit internship and you should use multiple methods to increase your chances.  The pie chart below shows how students found out about their nonprofit internship last summer.

If you’re looking for an internship in a nonprofit this summer, you may start with some of these resources below. As you go through the internship search process, also feel free to consult with a Career Services counselor who can help you tailor your search to your goals.

Contacts

  • Penn Internship Network – a listing of Penn students who have volunteered to speak with others about their summer internships:  
  • Penn Alumni Career Network (PACNet) – a database of Penn Alumni who have volunteered to be contacted with career-related questions. Although it is not appropriate to ask PACNet advisors for jobs, they can provide a wealth of information on career fields and employment outlooks.

 Online Job Sites

  • Idealist.org – Listings of domestic and international opportunities (full time, internships & fellowships) with non-profits.
  • Opportunityknocks.org – Opportunity Knocks is the national online job site focused exclusively on the nonprofit community.
  • Career Resources by Field on the CS website – With information on, links to, and speaker/panel notes on careers including: nonprofit, philanthropy, policy, think tanks, social services, government, politics, environment, advocacy, education, and international development
  • CS Online Subscriptions –Password sites like: humanrightsjobs.com, ethicaljobs.com, ecojobs.com, internships.com, internship-usa.com, GoinGlobal.com
  • Riley Guide.org – On Nonprofits, Foundations & ThinkTanks

Other Career Services Leads

  • PennLink -Penn’s Online Job Search System and On Campus Recruiting.
  • iNet – Online Internship Search System with consortium of universities across the country.

Special Programs at Penn

Networking Inspiration.

Networking.  Right now, I’ve been talking to students, alumni and colleagues alike about how important it is to network.  Many people loathe the idea of networking.  They don’t know what to say, or do.  You’re not alone.  Everyone, at one point or another, has been intimidated by the idea of a networking event or reaching out to someone established in their field of interest, including myself.

But, I got past this fear because I wanted to succeed. I wanted to understand – what do I need to do get ahead in my field?  What does an expert know that I don’t?  What could I do differently? I found that everyone I reached out to was receptive and helpful.  My fear was unwarranted.

So, I’d like to offer some inspiration from the mother of all networking platforms in the professional world – LinkedIn.  I came across this on Twitter from my friend John Hill, LinkedIn’s Higher Education Evangelist (@linkedinjohn). “Opportunity presents itself one connection at a time!”  Meaning,  if you do not reach out to connect, you could miss out on incredible opportunities.  I encourage you to reach out, connect and you might be surprised what comes your way.

 

 

 

 

Everything Counts. Really. Everything.

I have often been surprised by how students classify “experience” in their minds.  Some assume that in resumes, only academic information and paid work belongs.  In cover letters, some limit their sentences to mention only directly connected work or projects – of which, for some jobs, there may be little.  For interviewing, several candidates have asked me – quite recently, actually – if they are “allowed” to talk about experiences not on their resume, even when those may be the best example they have of a particular skill.

My response to these students – and you, if you think there are things you “can’t” include for whatever reason – is to be creative and use those critical thinking skills honed over years of education – consider including everything about you that could possibly be related to your career path.  Everything.  And don’t worry, we can edit later!

Perhaps you were a camp counselor or lifeguard, but don’t mention that work because it’s not “related” to what you’re studying and the internship to which you are applying.  Or, if you tutored a family friend in a subject because he asked – does that belong?  Maybe you have been very much involved in social and club experiences that may not be connected to your field of study.  It all may have a place.

The best way to determine whether or not an experience or activity of any type is worth including is to ask yourself “how did I develop a skill or demonstrate a personal characteristic while involved in that endeavor?”  As a camp counselor, were you were responsible for overseeing younger campers (leadership) and planning recreational activities (organization) and had to assist one of your charges in an emergency situation (problem-solving)?  For more social or extracurricular activities, did you plan an event (organization again) as part of a committee (team work) for which you created fliers and a Facebook event (marketing/advertising/social media) and that drew 50% more attendees this year than last (quantifiable achievement)?

As you prepare your resume, cover letters, and answers for interview questions, and especially if you are not certain about what “belongs” in your applications or what you can mention in an interview, please come to Career Services.  We’re glad to help you think through this process, at whatever stage you’re in!

Day in the Life: Pounding the Pavement – Real Estate in NYC

What do I need to know if I’m moving to New York City?  What is it like to work in Real Estate in one of the largest cities in the world?  Alum John Contrubis posted to @PennCareerDay on Twitter, Tuesday April 10th to answer these questions.  During the week of April 9th we focused on resources to help you prepare for moving to a new city, whether it’s just for a summer internship or relocating for your career.   John has experience in the law and real estate industry, so brings a unique perspective to this subject.  To learn more about John, read his bio below and read his posts from April 10th on our Storify account!

John graduated from Penn in 1988 with a BA in International Relations then, like so many others, attended law school.  His career began as an attorney for Congress, but later took several turns as he pursued other interests.  John’s work went from representing Members of Congress to negotiating contracts on behalf of TV, film and news writers to creating an online market place for filmmakers.  He continued in the entertainment business by producing an educational TV series for NYC.  Later, he became involved in business development in the legal services industry and a start up business.  His lifelong interest in real estate took him on a different path where he is now pursuing a passion in an industry that flows through his blood going as far back as his great grandfather in Sparta, Greece.

As an Associate Real Estate Broker, John works on both commercial and residential real estate transactions.  He primarily works on the sales side, but continues to handle rentals through personal referrals.  His work day varies, but often includes networking, searching for property, finding leads, learning current inventory and incorporating real estate into all aspects of his life.

 

 

Attention All Seniors! Please Fill Out The Career Plans Survey!

By Barbara Hewitt

Did you know that 62% of the Class of 2011 went into the full-time workforce immediately after graduation and that 20% went on to graduate or professional school? That financial services, consulting, healthcare, education and technology were the most popular industries our graduates worked in and that medical school was the most common graduate program? How about the fact that Teach for America was the employer who hired the largest number of Penn graduates last year followed by Goldman Sachs?

Well, we wouldn’t know these statistics either if not for the Career Plans Survey we conduct every year. The data collected is
extraordinarily important to us and allows us to determine many things including average salaries of undergraduates, offer dates, signing bonus amounts, and major employers and graduate schools attended. You can check out past surveys on our Career Survey Reports pagel.

If you are a senior and haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes to complete the survey now at the following link: https://secure.www.upenn.edu/vpul/careerservices/forms/2012survey/survey_index.html. The survey is only accurate and useful to us if a high percentage of seniors fill it out, so we encourage all students to complete it. If you are still seeking opportunities, feel free to fill it out now and then you can “update” it in the future once you finalize your plans.

Please be aware that individual responses to the survey will be held in strict confidence within Career Services. Data may be shared with the Office of Institutional Research, who will assist in data analysis, but only aggregate data will be reported.