Wednesday, October 3, 2012

How to Nail a Great Internship



I live in a city with a major state university and things are starting to get a little crazy this week. Hundreds of college students are buying dress clothes, running off resumes as Kinkos and removing nose rings and covering tattoos.
It can only mean one thing.
Employers are in town. 
It's time to start interviewing for jobs and internships, and it appears they're right on track. Read this story I did for Gannett/USAToday about the importance of getting a jump on internships...


If you're thinking of applying for a summer internship, the clock already has started ticking.
Internships have become one of the key ways that companies make permanent hires, so competition for them has intensified. Students hoping for an internship can no longer rely on luck or last-minute efforts to land one.
At Abbott Laboratories, the number of interns worldwide in the past five years has grown from 300 to more than 900.

Vildan Stidham, Abbott's divisional vice president of talent acquisition, says the company takes its internship program very seriously: 40% of entry-level hires come from its interns. That means interns are put through a program that exposes them to a wide variety of experiences at the pharmaceutical and health care company so they can be evaluated for their skills.
"Our internship program is a core component of our talent pipeline strategy," she says. "It's a way to identify our future leaders."
Instead of being left to staple reports or perform other trivial tasks, Abbott interns are given real-world experience that can include being involved in product launches, helping with production or building a computer network, she says.
"We have a very systemic way to accelerate their growth. They participate in several trainings on leadership, communications and career development and we arrange a lot of social-networking and team-building activities," Stidham says. "They also have one-on-one time with senior leaders."
Abbott uses its internship program as more than a way to fill empty seats temporarily, she says. Abbott Laboratories is looking for employees who can grow with the company.
More than 80% of interns offered jobs go to work for the company, Stidham says. But that also means internship programs such as Abbott's are increasingly competitive.
So how do you stand out from other applicants?
• Be proactive. Don't wait until an employer visits your college campus.
Companies right now are considering interns for next summer, so start making contact with employers via social media or other networking avenues. Stidham says Abbott works closely with several colleges, so stay in contact with career centers and school officials to help you make those inroads.
 If you're thinking of applying for a summer internship, the clock already has started ticking.
Internships have become one of the key ways that companies make permanent hires, so competition for them has intensified. Students hoping for an internship can no longer rely on luck or last-minute efforts to land one.
At Abbott Laboratories, the number of interns worldwide in the past five years has grown from 300 to more than 900.

• Do your homework. Before you contact a company, make sure you know about its business, about its culture and how you could help it thrive.
• Be visible. "When visiting with an employer, think about how you can stand out from others," Stidham says.
• Follow up. Once you've made contact with an employer, keep in contact. "A good first impression may not last," she says. "You've got to stay on that person's radar."
Once you land an internship, Stidham offers some additional advice about how to stand out and make a good impression:
• Go the extra mile. "Delivering is not good enough," she says. "Over-deliver. Make sure whatever you do adds value."
• Ask lots of questions and listen carefully.
• Be ready. "Always have your 3-minute elevator pitch ready to go because you never know when you're going to be visible to senior leaders. Tell a relevant story about what you're working on or what you've done that would be important for the company," she says.
• Don't ask before you earn. "Sometimes interns can get impatient and talk about getting promotions," Stidham says. "You need to build credibility before you talk about that."
• Be professional at all times. "Even when you're in social situations, you're being assessed. You're always in the spotlight even when you're off the job," she says.

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