That time of year is upon us when students are out in FULL FORCE seeking the perfect summer internship. I like to imagine everyone as a type of Elmer Fudd, tip-toeing, trying to sneak up on the “waskily” internship. Luckily, students tend to have far more luck than poor Elmer.

One thing that I tend to notice this time of year is the number of students insisting that they have “missed the boat” with internships. No one is recruiting. They can’t find any internships posted. None of the inquiries they have sent out have gotten back to them.

Are you saying these same things? Thinking them?

My advice? STOP.

You did not miss anything, unless you were looking for an internship that would require a security clearance or something in consulting. You did not miss ANYthing. Trust me on this.

Think about it this way: If you are working full-time and you know that you will be getting an intern for the summer, when would you think about posting your open position? Before winter break? Heck, no. Why would you want to do that before your vacation? How about in January? Nope. You are still trying to get that internship position together and work out logistics (Where will the intern sit? Will they be paid/unpaid?). That leaves us with February.

Yes, February.

Postings start going up en masse in February and continue through March.

Let’s hear that collective sigh of relief!

Working in Career Services, you hear from a broad spectrum of people. You hear from students just starting out in their college career, from alumni who have been in the field for years and are either changing jobs or have been laid off, and everything in between.

The one thing that I can say after years in this job is that it never gets easier. Ever.

Every person is unique and has a special situation. Everyone has a different skill set, education, personal story, and set of circumstances tying them to one place or another. It can be defeating hearing students talk about rejection. About how they worked for years on a degree and feel like it is amounting to absolutely nothing.

Here are a few things that I have learned that, while not entirely helpful, hopefully will make you understand something about the market in which you are looking for work.

1. It is not easy to find a job, no matter what anyone says. Do not listen to the political rhetoric being tossed around right now about how people should just “Go get a job.” There are 4 people for every 1 opening. Those are terrible odds for anyone looking for a job. Great. So what? This means that if it takes a while to find a job, please don’t be too hard on yourself. I know it is difficult not to beat yourself up, but the worst thing you can do is give up. Do not give up!

2. There are no “safe” degrees. Notice that the girl in the article earned a degree in accounting. She thought that was a safe bet. All job markets and sectors are tight. What does this mean? This means you should focus on pursuing an education in something that you have a passion for. Have a little faith that things will work out.

3. You are not alone! There are many, many people out there who are unemployed. Take some time to go out, do some volunteer work, and meet the other people out there who are in your shoes. Talking through frustrations with people going through the same thing while doing some good in the community can work wonders on your attitude about life. Believe me on this one… I know from personal experience what happens when people spend all day job-searching and never leave the house.

4. Keep your chin up. Yes, it took the girl a year to find a job. However, one year is NOT forever. Keep on talking to people and building your community, follow leads, learn from your mistakes, and good things WILL happen. Even on days when that seems impossible, just keep repeating to yourself that everything will work out. Fake confidence if you have to.

Remember, too, that we are here to help you, even if you just need to use us as a sounding board for ideas or frustrations. We are very good listeners… I promise.

So, without further ado, here is a VERY SHORT letter to my 20-year-old self.

Dear 20-Year-Old Katie:

For crying out loud, never cut your hair that short. Ever. I’m serious. Some day, you will realize that chin-length bobs are pretty much the most fabulous things ever and you should stick with that for a while. Also, stop fighting the waves. When you have a job someday, you will figure out just how much it stinks to get up early JUST to straighten your hair.

Speaking of jobs, don’t listen to your mom and dad when it comes to jobs. Remember how much you enjoyed being in England and taking those medieval history classes? Yeah, go for that history degree. Believe it or not, you can (and will) get a job with that liberal arts degree. Remember that doing what you love in college will mean that you enjoy your college experience a lot more AND your grades will be awesome because you are doing what you love. Learn to hone your skills and work on your communication skills. It will be your communication skills and ability to learn quickly that will land you that job after graduate school.

Realize that life sometimes stinks. The universe is unfair. The main thing is to not let the tedious, icky parts of daily life drag you down. Roll with it. Keep a sense of humor about everything. Mostly, remember to laugh at yourself. You are going to do some REALLY dumb things in grad school, so you had better get used to laughing at yourself.

I will leave you with that information. Take it or leave it.

Love, Katie (age shall remain secret)

In the end, realize that while you are in school and paying to become an educated person, some of the most important lessons cannot be taught in school. You have to experience them.

If you had to give advice to a younger version of yourself… what would you say?

Well, I have some bad news for you. You are unique, yes. Everyone is made up of a special combination of skills and personality traits that ensures that no two humans are alike.

However, because we are all unique, no one is special, not even you.

My parents (unlike some other parents — see Helicopter Parents and Parent-Driven Child-Entitlement Syndrome) always told me that I was unique and was really good at things, but they always reminded me that “…someone will always be better than you at XYZ skill. That is why you work as hard as you can.”

Is not being special such a bad thing?? No. Not really. Why would I crush your dreams like this? WHY!?

Simple. Employers want employees who are confident, but not arrogant. One must be humble, yet learn the proper way to approach people about jobs and internships, and learn how to sell oneself in an interview. This takes LOTS of practice. Trust me.

Another thing that we in career services see on a daily basis that must stop (other than the arrogance), is impatient people emailing employers demanding that they pass along information either about a job posting or demanding that someone pass their resume along to a human resources person. I feel like this also stems from the arrogance previously pointed out.

Does this mean it is wrong to ask an alum or contact to pass along your information? No. By all means, ask. However, it is HOW you ask that is very, very important. Again, this is something that takes practice. When in doubt, send the email to us at Career Services first! We will make sure your email hits the right “tone” before you send it along to a potential employer.

So – Lessons to learn from this?

1. Arrogance never sells. Learn how to properly curb your confidence and sell yourself in the RIGHT way. Set up a meeting with a career adviser to do a mock interview first.
2. Emails last forever, so don’t be pushy. Again, email it to us first. Tone is everything and we want to make sure you get it right.
3. You are an adult, therefore your parents should never contact (phone or email) anyone on your behalf… not even the University. I know they do it because they love you, but at some point, you have to cut them off. Now is the best time to start.
4. Patience is a requirement, not just a virtue. When emailing or calling about internships or jobs, learn to give people a couple of weeks to send you a response. That person is probably really busy (since they work full-time) and to be quite blunt, you are not a priority. Give people at least 2 weeks to answer. If, after two weeks, you hear nothing, then politely follow up to see if they received your first email.

Ladies, we need to have a talk. No, not that one. If you didn’t learn that in school, then ask your parents.

Where – I repeat – Where did you learn what is acceptable to wear in an interview?

Before you answer, do not even think about saying anything that resembles “Sex in the City,” or “What not to wear.” I’m sorry, but we live in Indiana, not New York or Paris.

At this point, you have to be wondering what the heck I saw that could throw me into a rambling spiral like this. Well, there was a young woman on the bus this morning dressed, quite obviously, for an interview. From the waist up, she looked fabulous! She had on a black suit jacket and dressy, trendy shirt on with a long necklace. The jacket was clean and tailored and her shirt, while not a collared button-up, was high enough on her chest to be appropriate. Lovely outfit (so far).

Then there was her skirt… or lack of it. Okay, have you ever seen those movies that take place in the fifties and the girls in school are required to kneel on the floor to see if their skirts touch the floor? I’m not saying you should go to that extreme, but I should not be able to see your upper thigh at ANY time (NO NO NO!). I am not saying “wear a skirt like your mom.” I have 2 black skirts at home that  are knee-length, but fitted and stylish while remaining professional. Yes, it CAN be done.

Here are some general rules when shopping for professional dress:

1. Are you in college? Then do not buy anything for an interview from the “Juniors” section. I’m serious. You are not a junior anymore.
2. Dress for the job you want. For many jobs, this means overdressing. I don’t care how casual the job may be once you get there, you have to GET the job first, so dress to impress.
3. If you have nagging doubts in the back of your mind about a piece of clothing that you are wearing, it is probably time to change. Unless you are fully confident and comfortable, you will not do well in the interview.

When in doubt, pull on a pair of black pants. They still look good with heels and if you pair tailored pants with cute jacket and the right accessories, you will not look too conservative. I promise.

To recap:

• Practice answering the most common interview questions either in your head or in front of a mirror
• Wear a suit or a dress shirt (button up) with dress pants or a skirt. Skirts should not be any shorter than your knees!
• Wear appropriate footwear – this means close-toed shoes. Do not wear sandals- besides, it might be too chilly for that from now until April anyways.
• Bring a clean copy of your resume, cover letter, and references in a clean folder or a portfolio
• DO NOT overload on perfume or cologne – in a real interview, you never know if the interviewer has a fragrance allergy – Thank you, though, for smelling nice and clean. :) We do appreciate that.
• Arrive 10 minutes early, at least. No one was ever denied a job because they arrived early.
• While waiting for your interview, be nice to the administrative assistant. You do not have to offer them a massage or anything, but sometimes they are asked afterwards for their feedback on how candidates acted while waiting.
• Email the interviewer within 24 hours of the interview or follow up with a handwritten thank you note. Thank them for taking the time to interview you and include something personal from the interview so that they remember you. For information on what to include in a thank you note, check out this online tutorial.
• Finally – At the end of the interview, they will ask you if you have any questions. If you have none, at LEAST ask, “What is the timeline for this position?” or “When can I expect to hear back either way?” DO NOT just say “No” and get up to leave. Also, thank them in person and shake their hand as you are getting up to leave.

These are some of the worst mistakes we see students make on a daily basis. Do not be the next victim of a bad interview!! Protect yourself!

I will let you all learn those “adult” lessons on your own because that is a part of what living is all about. However, I WILL emphasize a few key lessons now so that you can practice these points before leaving college and, therefore, avoid making yourself look like a jerk later.

Rule #1: “The Golden Rule” – Treat others as you would like to be treated. I cannot emphasize this one enough. You should have learned this in kindergarten, but upon seeing how some students treat other people across campus, I have to wonder if they are no longer teaching this one in school. NEVER be rude to another person simply because you are in a bad mood or simply because you CAN. Ever. You may unknowingly burn a bridge that would come in handy later. The world is a small place (as I am constantly reminded) and if you are a jerk to one person, word gets around like a wildfire and doors (including those for some jobs you want) will close for you just as fast.

Rule #2: Make appointments, then stick to them. You know how you are expected to make an appointment to see the dentist or doctor? Well the same rule applies most everywhere else. I realize that in college, it seems like the entire world is built to cater to your schedule and needs, but what you need to realize is that all the people working at the university, and anywhere else for that matter, are strapped for time (especially in an economy where they are being asked to do more, faster, with fewer resources).  You need to realize that not only are we here to provide you with an education, we are here to train you to be working professionals. That means, we will hold you to professional expectations. The “real world” expects adults (which you all most certainly are, being above 18 years of age) to make appointments. Never walk in and get upset when someone cannot see you right away. If someone didn’t know you were coming, they cannot be expected to be available.

Rule #3: Sugar attracts more flies than vinegar. No, this is not a lesson in home remedies. If you are nice rather than cranky when something doesn’t go your way, you would be amazed at how helpful someone can really be.

Rule #4: There are consequences for everything you do, or don’t do. This is just inevitable. If you choose to pay your bills, you do not get  phone calls from creditors. If you choose to not pay your bills, your phone gets shut off, your lights go out, and your roommates get very cranky. The key here is that you made that choice, be it right or wrong. Therefore, when you make a decision to either do or not do something (or you forget to do something), the best thing to do is to take responsibility for your actions. Every decision is a chance to learn!

Finally – You will learn through successes AND failures. Failure is not the end of the world! You can always choose to learn something useful, pick yourself back up, reassess your options, and move forward.

“Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for”

It goes on, of course, but these are the two lines that stick out most immediately.

I couldn’t help but think of the students that I see all over the place. They run from class to class, go to meetings, go out, go to work, rush out in front of traffic to catch a bus (please look both ways before crossing the street, people!), rush everywhere they go. Rushing is just something most human adults do. I feel like college can be a pretty good training ground for time-management skills when you are taking 18 credits, working, and involved in the community and/or school groups.

One thing that strikes me in many conversations with students who come into the office is that they think that once college is over and they (hopefully) have a job, that the pressure will lessen.

THINK AGAIN.

Unless you happen to fall into a large pile of money (it can happen, right?), you are going to be under just as much pressure, if not more. There are bills to pay, jobs to work, families to think about (if you start a family), houses or apartments to maintain, the list goes on.

Now – why am I warning you about the “real world?” Because honestly, even with all the pressure, it is important to take some time to breathe. Taking some time NOW to breathe and think ahead to next summer is, probably, the best thing that you can do for yourself career-wise.

“But, Katie, summer is so far away! Why do I have to do ANYTHING career-related now?” Because you do not want to get caught up in school-work and realize that it is April and you don’t have a job or internship, that is why. Here are some things that you should be doing right now:

1. Get your resume critiqued by a professional – if you are a SPEA student, call 812-855-9639 to schedule an appointment
2. Go to career-related events – the calendar is full of them!
3. Go on a career exploration trip NOW, before you get too busy
4. Reconnect with your community, and start building outwards from there (this is known as “networking,” but that word is really scary so we are trying to avoid using it)
5. Volunteer in the community

All those things are fairly easy, right? So, what are you waiting for?

Looking Back – Not having students around Bloomington has its advantages. I can go to the store in stretchy pants, eat out, and drive without worrying about running into a student I know or crashing into someone driving the wrong way on a one-way. HOWEVER, not having students in Bloomington has its disadvantages, too. First, you all create an energy around here that is really hard to beat. I need that energy as do many other staff and faculty. Second, you all come to talk to me. I love talking to people. When you are gone… I am sad and lonely. Seriously.

Looking Forward – So, you are back. Now what? Well, it is time to start thinking about your career development, of course! If you are looking for a job or internship for next summer, your search starts NOW. I am serious. I am not trying to scare you, either. Do you know what your biggest job will be at this time of year?

COMMUNITY BUILDING

I’m not talking about hammer and nails and everyone building houses. I am talking about thinking about who you know, making connections, and re-connecting, then branching out. You are probably asking, “How do I do that?” Here are some things to do now, while you still have some free time.

1. Join LinkedIn – Don’t know how? Come to Career Services and I will show you. It is really easy.
2. Join groups inside LinkedIn – Career Services has a group, so does SPEA and IU Alumni. JOIN THEM. Then find groups related to your career interest and join those. Join conversations, ask questions, keep your profile updated.
3. Go on a Career Exploration Trip - We added cities for this year! We now go to Chicago, Washington DC, Denver, and Indianapolis.
4. Talk to your faculty – Get to know them. You want to know something weird about faculty??? They are human beings. Seriously. They also like to talk and be helpful.
5. Volunteer in the community – You know that area of Bloomington around Kirkwood? Yeah. There are businesses, organizations, and people living here year-round (spooky). They are always looking for more help. You would be surprised who you will meet by just volunteering for a couple hours per week.

Well, I hope I did not sound too bossy there, but I promise, do these things now and your search in the spring is going to be that much easier.

“OMG! Why hasn’t ‘XYZ Large Organization’ called or emailed me back!!?? Do they NOT WANT ME!?!?! What if I don’t get an INTERNSHIP!?!?!”

Okay, first off, this just reminds me of listening to girls back in high school and college wonder why a guy didn’t call them back. Please stop. Those girls are annoying.

Second, breathe.

Okay, are you breathing??? Good. Here is the scoop.

IT’S SUMMER. Large (or even small, for that matter) organizations or companies are trying to focus on the interns that they have right now. They are not thinking about you. Yes, it hurts (they are cheating with other interns)! However, it does not mean that they will ignore you forever. Also, remember that ‘summer’ in many places means that people go on vacation (shocker, I know). When things calm down, they will get back to you, either positively or negatively.

Well, what is a student to do then, if they are playing the waiting game? Give the organization time to breathe. Wait until at least August before you start pestering them with phone calls. Remember, you do not want to draw negative attention to yourself.

Still breathing??? Good!