Category: SP2

Things to Do at the “Midpoint” of Your Summer Internship

By: S. David Ross, Associate Director

Now that the 4th of July (the unofficial “midpoint” of summer) has passed, it’s a great time to assess what has transpired in your summer internship thus far and create a plan to finish strong. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Obtain feedback on your performance. If you haven’t already, now may be a good time to get feedback on your performance thus far. Although it may seem reasonable to think that no feedback is always a good sign, try not to assume this – if nothing else, hearing positive words of encouragement regarding your performance can reassure you that you are indeed on the right track. If you have already received some constructive feedback on your performance, be sure that you are making the necessary adjustments for improvement.

Reflect on your internship experience. Have you enjoyed your internship? Are you developing skills and learning new things? Or are you not being challenged as much as anticipated? Whatever the case may be, taking time to reflect on what has transpired now may be helpful. You may want to propose or suggest additional projects or areas of interest that you can pursue during the second half of your summer to gain additional experience or further enhance your skill set.

Note your contributions and projects. While you may be busy with existing internship duties and tasks, be sure to make note of your contributions and projects. This can be especially handy for updating your resume and any end of the summer performance review discussions.

Cultivate relationships and expand your network. Depending on the type of office you work in and the number of staff, you may have opportunities to strengthen professional relationships and enhance your network. Take advantage of opportunities to build camaraderie – through participation in formal company-sponsored events or informal opportunities to interact with your colleagues (perhaps through lunch). You never know when these relationships may be useful in the future.

Consider reference possibilities. Now that you have spent some time in your internship and hopefully interacted with some of your colleagues, you may want to begin thinking about individuals you want to ask for references before you leave at the end of the summer. No need to rush on this now, but having a few individuals in mind that can speak to your skills and performance in your internship will be valuable when you apply for future employment opportunities. In some instances, it can be easier to ask for references at the end of your summer just before you leave your internship – having one or more individuals in mind already may make the process a bit easier.

Making the Most of Professional Conferences

By Sharon Fleshman

This is the season in which many of my colleagues and I go to conferences for professional development. To that end, I have some quick thoughts on how to be more intentional before, during and after these events.

Join the planning committee. Perhaps you have ideas for a theme or can assist with logistics. If so, your role in planning a conference would allow you to utilize your skills in new ways and collaborate with others outside of your workplace, resulting in a stronger network and broader exposure.

Present on a topic. If you are developing an area of expertise acknowledged by your colleagues, faculty, or classmates, chances are that you can propose to facilitate a workshop or present a paper. If others have knowledge that would enhance the presentation, invite them to co-present.

Share best practices. During a conference that I attended recently, there was time allotted for some who presented on initiatives or efforts that were successful in their contexts.  Sharing best practices can also happen informally in between workshops or over a meal.  Forums such as email lists or LinkedIn groups can be used to extend the exchange of ideas beyond the conference.

Identify next steps. After a conference, it is tempting to take your notes and handouts and file them somewhere with the best of intentions of pulling them out later.  Instead, be sure to debrief and strategize with your colleagues shortly after the conference.  Finally, determine two or three action items that can be implemented based on your primary takeaways from the event.

Tough Interview Questions: Tell Me About A Time When You Failed At Something.

By: S. David Ross, Associate Director

It’s time for another feature on tough interview questions. This time, let’s consider the popular question – tell me about a time when you failed at something. Now, technically this is not a “question” but if you encounter this statement in an interview it can be difficult to share an experience that did not end well. However, with a well-thought out response, you can make a favorable impression on your interviewer.

There are several elements to articulating a strong response to this interview “question.”  First, keep your story fairly succinct – mention relevant details, but try not to get too focused on extraneous information.  Next, choose your example wisely.  Your story should be authentic but try not to give an example that may suggest or imply you will have difficultly performing the tasks required in the job.  The “trap” to this question is just that – describing a failure that is closely related to the duties or responsibilities of the position.  Providing an example of failure that is similar to a task you may be asked to perform on the job may cause great concern for the interviewer.  I would also suggest explicitly stating that you take some level of responsibility for the failure – the more you try to blame the outcome on extraneous factors out of your control, the less likely you will make a favorable impression with your answer.  Finally, be sure to indicate what you have learned from the experience and how that has improved your skill set, approach or thought process moving forward.  This is a sign of maturity which is always a great thing.

At some point in our lives, we all fail at something.  For some people, the instinct may be to simply forget about it and it can certainly be difficult to talk about the situation at a later time.  If you are ever asked to discuss a time you have failed at something during an interview, keep the aforementioned tips in mind so you can be confident in the delivery of your answer.

Tough Inteview Questions: Why Should We Hire You?

By: S. David Ross, Associate Director

Ah, the dreaded interview question – “Why should we hire you over everyone else we are interviewing today?” I have asked this question during many mock interviews and students have been very curious to hear more about how to approach this question. While there is not a universal answer that will impress all interviewers, consider the following as you contemplate how to answer the question:

– How you express your answer can be as important as what you say. Think about what makes someone believable – how a person expresses a point can be very influential. If someone has strong eye contact, speaks eloquently and delivers a coherent response, that projects confidence – a trait that recruiters consider when making hiring decisions. Conversely, if someone has poor communication skills, seems hesitant or nervous, any valid points may be taken with a grain of salt. If you are not confident in yourself and your abilities, why would a recruiter want to take a risk on hiring you?

– Avoid using general, trite adjectives. These will vary depending on the position you are interviewing for, but saying that you have strong communication skills, pay attention to detail are a team player and a hard worker will not differentiate you from other applicants. I would suggest thinking carefully and critically about the position you are interviewing for and what makes that position different from other opportunities. For example, if your position involves working with clients, think about your skills and attributes that may be an asset for that particular aspect of the job – perhaps you have an engaging personality that helps you build rapport and earn trust. In essence, the more detailed you can be about your reasons as they relate to the position you are interviewing for, the better.

– Avoid lengthy answers and tangents. The potential danger with this interview question is not knowing when to end your answer and elaborating too much. When I have asked this question during a mock interview, I have seen interviewees start off focused then go off on a tangent and ultimately deliver a very long-winded response. Attention spans are short so remain focused in your reply.

– Summarize with examples. Depending on the points you want to make, think about creating a succinct reply supported with specific experiences or examples to make your claims more credible. It’s one thing to say you have the requisite skills to be successful but another to provide evidence to substantiate your statement.

If you approach the “why should we hire you over everyone else we are interviewing today” question with these ideas in mind, you can create a strong answer to a challenging question.

Coffee Chats

By: S. David Ross

Anyone who knows me well realizes that I’m not a coffee drinker. I would much rather have a nice cup of tea. But in recent years, employers have offered coffee chats for prospective hires – in essence providing students with opportunities to meet firm representatives in a one-on-one setting. These coffee chats have increased in popularity as students clamor for the chance to have face time with professionals working at places of interest to them. I encourage job and internship seekers to incorporate a similar strategy into their search – consider arranging your own “coffee chat” for networking purposes.

Over time, changes in technology have made connecting with others from a distance much easier. This has led to several online resources that are commonly used during job and internship searches. You can find information through Google, browse LinkedIn profiles or search an alumni database to identify individuals to contact by phone or email. But why not arrange a time to meet briefly in person opposed to communicating electronically? While you may identify many people you would like to speak with that are far away or easier to connect with virtually, do not overlook any opportunity you may have to meet a local contact in person.

Coffee chats are great because they can be fairly brief opposed to a more formal meeting or lunch. Individuals may be more willing to meet with you in person if there is not a long time commitment. Coffee shops or other similar establishments have many locations so they can be very convenient venues. The relaxed atmosphere of a coffee shop may also be more conducive to holding a conversation which may put both parties at ease. If you do plan a coffee chat, come prepared with a handful of questions that focus on your interest in a particular company, industry or position. If you arrange a coffee chat with an alum, consider asking that person about their transition from college and what they found helpful during their time as an undergrad. Regardless of what you discuss, meeting with a contact during a coffee chat may provide you with valuable information or leads that are helpful in your search.