Organizational Skills and Time Management – The Path to a Successful Internship

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An Intern’s Guide to Get through a Hectic Semester

Image extracted from: www.tx-coffee.com

Are you a new intern or preparing for a spring experience? First off, let me say congratulations on landing your first internship! I hope you learn a great deal over your time as in intern. Now that you have conquered your first hurdle which is landing your internship, you will need to get organized to make the best of this experience.

Organizing Your Day

It certainly is a challenge having to balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and possible paying work-study job simultaneously. How can you stay focused throughout a hectic schedule? You need a plan (or a daily planner for that matter); and invest in developing your time management and organizational skills.

Personally, I need a day planner to take notes of everything going on in my head. If I don’t, I easily loose track of my priorities throughout the day. Are you the same way? Than you need to learn some time management techniques and improve your organizational skills.

Techniques

Keeping track of your daily tasks is very important. I have seen many “organizational skills”-developing techniques such as mental notes, writing on an arm or hand, tying a string around a figure. Writing down dates, appointments or that great idea for your next paper thesis in a notebook or daily planner makes the concept more permanent.

High Tech Gadgets

If you don’t want to carry a clunky agenda or daily planner, great alternative to the old paper and pen, are electronic PDAs, blackberry’s, or the IPhone®. Even if you don’t own the latest phone, the IPod Touch, has the same great organizing capability. There are many apps for personal organization. My personal favorites are the “Notes” app and the “Calendar” app. You can browse your electronic devices and see which organization tools you like the best.

These gadgets make it easier than ever for students and professional alike to advance their organizational skills. Time management abilities are very in high demand amongst employers.

The Old Pen and Paper

I must admit, however, that despite the clunky nature of an agenda or planner, I use paper and pen more frequently then my IPod® Touch to for time management. Agendas and Planners provide a calendar as well as to do lists, notes sections and possible address book all in one – an old tool that has helped many develop their organizational skills.

There are numerous variations of such products like the Franklin Convey organizers/ planners found online or in Target stores. This brand  goes beyond traditional daily planner duties and suggests ways to form an effective “To Do” list.

So whether you use high tech gadgets or the old pen and paper, the goal is to keep yourself organized through the semester – so that you are developing important time management and organizational skills.

Side Note:

Great places to find planners

1. Your Campus Bookstore – although for more than just a basic calendar it may be a little overpriced
2. Target – has a wide selection and good prices
3. Amazon  – if you can wait to have it shipping to you, you can find planners in all shapes and sizes

A Virtual Public Relations Internship for the “People Person”

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Chris Preis of Pascale Communications

Chris Preis of Pascale Communications

While public relations has the reputation of the perfect job for the “people person,” complete with schmoozing, soirees, and celebrity – the PR of today is an essential element in every company’s development and marketing strategy. In a time when individuals can garner a following through twitter updates alone, markets have become increasingly competitive as these evolving channels (internet, social media, and even print media) have become flooded with activity. Learning how to use such channels is an indispensable skill that can easily be acquired through a public relations internship.

A Great Place to Start!

Currently, PR professionals are stepping up to help firms deliver their message to audiences across traditional and new media. At Pascale Communications, LLC we assist clients throughout the healthcare industry seeking increased exposure across trade and consumer press, using the latest technologies to benefit our clients communication strategies. Our public relations internship program offers students a chance to engage in both traditional and new media.

Unique in our focus on healthcare and virtual, our public relations internship allows students to work from home. The team at PC is stationed across the globe, and serves clients in all corners of the US and abroad. We utilize the efficiency of technology to best serve our clients, wherever they are, and take advantage of our flexible virtual “workplace” to travel to meetings and conferences throughout the year.

Image extracted from www.butterflyofbroadway.com

A virtual public relations internship with Pascale Communications is unparalleled to others in the industry – If you’re looking for real-life public relations experience and responsibility, this is a challenging position with a firm that demands organization and quick thinking from all of its members. We are truly seeking the best and brightest interns who are looking for a valuable public relations experience and a step into fulfilling pr careers. Interns will assist various levels of executives at our agency and be able to experience a number of possibilities within the industry. The goal is to allow them to be better informed about pr careers . PC’s interns do not stuff envelopes and mail kits. Our interns get hands-on account experience in the nuts and bolts of running a healthcare PR account.

What will you learn?

Duties include media list development and confirmation, pitch development, actively pitching select local consumer markets and following through with segment or article development, byline/article development, online abstract and study search and client reporting. Our public relations internship program was crafted to optimize the intern’s overall experience and facilitate a choice of career path in public relations.

If you are seeking specific experience during your public relations internship, whether it be trade, consumer, social media, proofing, editing, developing pitches, creative development, etc, we make certain that your needs are met.

Past interns have assisted in everything from pitch development for large campaigns and marquee clients, to pushing proclamations for World Glaucoma Day through political outlets to the Senate and White House. Most importantly, PC’s account executives have a combined 40 years of PR experience across industries including music, entertainment, and other sectors, and can provide insights into broader practices in communications and invaluable public relations skills to our interns.

As a Pascale Communications, LLC intern, you can also benefit from PC’s flexible virtual structure. No need to relocate to an office – Our team communicates through phone, email, and in-person conversations. Work from home, from the comfort of your favorite coffee shop, the library, or dorm room– Pajamas are optional!

If you are interested in more details about the PC virtual public relations internship program please visit us our website. For details about our internship positions please see our ad on the RIC website.

Learning the Importance of Internships the Hard Way

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Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Mike Baltzer, (as of this writing) the newest addition to The RIC team. My presence here is due to my participation in Public Allies Pittsburgh, part of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that operates in a partnership with Coro. More specifically, I am in the 2nd Year Executive Ally program. I will write much more about those subjects in the future. For additional information now, please follow the links that I have provided through the use of my new blogging skills. Thank you.

Are we back now? Very good.

Do you like lists? Here is a list of the jobs that I have had since high school, to the best of my recollection:

- Pizza Maker
- Customer Service Provider at Appliance/Lawnmower Repair Establishment
- Drug Store Cashier
- Toy Store Clerk
- Film Equipment Rental Office Attendant
- Janitor
- Fragrance Specialist
- Cosmetic/Skincare Specialist
- Line Cook
- Independant Movie Theater Concession Attendant
- Graphic Designer (Private Firm – Mixed Product)
- Graphic Designer (Newspaper – Weekly)
- Barristo/Coffee Roaster
- Waiter
- Afterschool Program Coordinator
- Pittsburgh Summer Youth Employment Program Coordinator

One could look at that list and say that I’ve done many… things. What is something that don’t you see in that list? Well? (Clue: Think about what site you are viewing right now)

Give Up? Intern. That list might have been shorter if I had been an intern. If I had participated in an internship program, I might have learned a little bit about how I work, how systems work, what I like doing, and more importantly – what I don’t like doing. I included that list above to give the reader some sense that I have had a few work experiences here and there, and when I speak to the importance of this concept, it is not because I am employed by The RIC.

In blogs to come, I will continue to muse upon the importance of internships, the greatness of southwestern PA, and other areas of interest that you (esteemed reader) may share. Stay tuned. Thanks for stopping!

A Letter to Internship Applicants (From someone not too far removed from the application process)

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Not so long ago, my friends and I were the students applying for internships.  Updating our resumes, applying to every interesting looking position, and trying to leverage our still growing networks.

Lo and behold, after putting our time in, we are now the ones hiring interns, reading resumes and cover letters, and, quite honestly, finding ourselves being appalled and turned off by things like spelling mistakes and punctuation errors.  Stuff that when I was an intern, I knew was important, but didn’t quite understand how important until I was on the other side of the internship search.  Since I’m not too far removed from the process of applying for internships, and since these are issues I know not only I, but other employers deal with, I hope that the following advice will be useful to you as you present yourself in your applications.

Your resume

.  For starters, please, please, check for spelling and punctuation errors.  Your resume is not a tweet or a blog post and spelling matters.  Spelling errors make me think you’re too lazy or sloppy to pay attention to your resume.

Also, if you’re going to have an objective on there, please make it relevant to you and the position for which you are applying.  If it’s a vague general statement clearly pulled from a template, I’m going to consider it filler, and in my mind filler translates to lack of experience.  Since this is an application for an internship, it is completely likely that you may not have a lot of experience.  That is ok.  That is the point of internships; gaining experience.  Just please use a more creative way to make up for lack of experience than a stale boring objective.

Finally, pay attention to your formatting, and once everything is aligned perfectly, save it as a pdf, so that when I open it it’s not a mess.  I, and many of my colleagues, do not have the latest version of Office, and can’t open your resumes if saved as a word docx.  Pdf’s avoid all of these issues.

Cover Letter

.  Write one. I know it’s a pain, especially when you’re applying for a lot of different positions, but if you can’t take a few minutes to write me a cover letter, then you’re not really interested in my internship.

A cover letter gives you the chance to tell me things your resume does not.  For instance, going back to lack of experience, use your cover letter to explain to me, why you would be such a great fit for this organization, and I should hire you in spite of your minimal experience.

Be sure to personalize each cover letter to each different position.  I don’t need to read a form letter you’ve sent to 50 other employers (and yes, we can tell).  Also, when addressing your potential employer in the cover letter, never, never, never, use to whom it may concern. Find a name.  Finding someone to address it to, usually requires little more than visiting the company website.  If you really can find no name to use, simply say Hello, or Greetings followed by the company name, (e.g. Hello Coro Pittsburgh).

Visit our website

.  Use your awesome cover letter to explain to me why you are a good fit for this opportunity based on what you know about the work we do.  Show me you are excited not just to get an internship, but to get this internship, with this organization.  Flatter me.  It makes a huge difference.

Doing the necessary research can also save time for both of us. Learning more about the organization you’re applying to, may make you realize it’s not the right environment for you.

I’m a millennial too so I’m not clueless about social media

.  In fact, I use it every day. You can bet I internet stalk every one of my potential applicants.  Google, Facebook, Twitter, Addictomatic, etc.

I’m not digging for dirt.  Quite frankly, seeing pictures of you drinking with your friends on Facebook would not be enough of a deterrent for me not to hire you if you were qualified (although you really should detag yourself from those.) What I am looking for is how you manage your personal brand on line.

Since social media is a big component of what I do, and therefore what my interns do, I want to know that you already know how to use these tools, or have a willingness and eagerness to learn.  Also, having things like a blog or website gives you an online portfolio showcasing your communication skills, thoughts, ideas, and experience that will probably represent you much better than your resume.

If there is a field or organization you are really interested in, find a person working in that industry or for that organization, and ask if you can buy them a cup of coffee and chat for an hour.

Ask them how they got their position, what they like about it, what they recommend for someone wanting to do something similar, and if they know of any opportunities available.  At the very least, you’ll get some good insight into the job or industry you want.  At the very most you’ll get a contact who will remember and recommend you, or hire you if they’re able.  Most likely you’ll get something in the middle.  No matter what, you’ll get some positive benefits.

Keep interning.

Once you have done all of the above well, you have the opportunity to keep interning.  It is so crucial to intern as much as you can.  Once you’ve gained some experience, update your resume and portfolio and look for an internship that has more qualifications and responsibility.

Interning will give you experience and connections that you will need when you graduate.  It also teaches you what you like to do, don’t like to do, and can open the door to some industries and experiences you’ve never considered.

I know it can be exhausting.  I know it can mean holding down part-time jobs in addition to a full class load while living off ramen noodles.  I know it can seem like you are too busy; but truthfully, there is no reason you couldn’t graduate with 6-8 internships.  Aim for at least three.  Think of it this way, if you start interning as a sophomore, by the time you graduate you will be able to apply for jobs that are looking for people with 3 years of experience.  Interning is a great way to distinguish yourself from the other hundreds of thousands of graduates with a degree just like yours.

Good luck, and happy interning.

Internships and Community Service

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The Regional Internship Center (RIC) of South Western PA seeks to generate and promote internship opportunities within our region.  Our website opens the communication channels between employers, students and post-secondary institutions.  We empower users of the RIC to be guest writers  for our blog as they can present their perspectives on relevant issues that effect many of us.  The RIC constantly seeks the input of employers and internship seekers during our workshops and internship fairs because we know the collective workforce development experience presented in numerous ways is a valuable resource. We seek to find new ways to collect information relevant to our audience and guest writing is another method for us to give voice to those that work with interns or who are interns.

As part of the RIC’s 2010 Summer Youth Employment Program, the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation (BGC) hosted one of our high school student-interns, Gayle Rabare. Akiesha Gilcrist supervised her during the summer at the BGC and kindly accepted Gayle’s request to participate in our blog. She writes  little bit about her personal experience working as an internship coordinator for the BCG. Her engagement and passion for working with and for the community may serve as an inspiration to students that may be interested in getting involved within their own community.

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

My name is Akiesha Gilcrist and I am a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications & Rhetoric and Political Science, along with a minor in Legal Studies. In approximately two and a half weeks, I will be entering University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law (Class of 2013) with the intent of serving my community in Family and/or Criminal law.

To me, nothing is more important than giving back to the community to which one belongs. I am a firm believer in the importance of continuous education from a young age. Although it is not my sole concentration, my main focus working within the community is assisting children and youth. I believe they need the most guidance concerning education and life in general. I am dedicated to this line of work as I possess the passion and drive to help programs/organizations like these to succeed.

Currently, I am working with the BGC and East Side Neighborhood Employment Center (ENEC). With the BGC, I work alongside 12 other Internship Coordinators/Supervisors in case managing approximately 140 youth in Pittsburgh’s Summer Youth Employment Program. My duties in this position include managing case work, , conducting site visits and providing any other assistance youth may need in their endeavors. With the ENEC, I am a teacher for the Healthy Smart Program being held this summer at Peabody High School’s Summer Dreamers Academy. My duties include teaching Pittsburgh Public School Students a curriculum based on building healthy habits and forming healthy decision-making practices.

Both of these positions have allowed me to assist programs that I truly believe in, as well as expand my own leadership and communication skills. Furthermore, working in and around the community prepares me for my future interactions as a lawyer with, and for, the community. Case managing and teaching Pittsburgh youth, ranging from ages 11 to 21, has opened my eyes to the issues youth and their families are facing on a daily basis. I am very appreciative of the opportunity I was given this summer with the BGC and ENEC.

Supportive Housing and Homeless Shelters Sought

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The Regional Internship Center partnered with the Department of Human Services in April 2010 to host events to educate employers on who supportive housing residents are, and why these individuals would make great interns and employees.

Supportive Housing residents at April Internship Fair with regional Pittsburgh companies

Supportive Housing residents at April Internship Fair with regional Pittsburgh companies

A resource fair connected regional companies in Pittsburgh with service providers. Service providers work with supportive housing residents everyday to empower them to find jobs, homes and achieve their personal goals. Moreover, service providers work within the community to talk about their clients and provide facts about those within the supportive and transitional housing programs.

The RIC continues to work with DHS to provide facts and information about people desiring to find meaningful work and to get back on their feet. Many folks that use DHS services are college educated and it is health issues or job loss that causes someone to lose a home and eventually seek the services of DHS.

This article written by Claudia Boyd-Barrett in the Toledo Blade speaks more on this topic of how someone might lose his or her footing in our shaky economy.

If your business is interested in increasing diversity and providing a meaningful internship opportunity to someone within DHS, please contact Regina Anderson, Regional Internship Center Director to learn more, or call 412.258.2588