LOOKING FOR AN INTERNSHIP?

Summer internships with the On-Campus Internship Program are now available for application. The On-Campus Internship Program exists to connect students with experiential learning opportunities in on-campus departments. Interns have the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in the classroom and offer their skills to complete high level work. Interns receive professional development through CPD programming and the mentorship of their supervisors and colleagues. All on-campus internships are paid through work-study.

This summer, the program will offer 19 positions for a variety of majors across a dozen on-campus departments. A few of these include Human Resources, the Mayborn Museum, and Electronic Marketing & Communications. Positions with the program will be available for application via Handshake until April 28th.

Click here to see a full list of available positions and to apply.

Any questions about a position, the application, or program details should be directed to Chelsea Waldrop (Chelsea_Waldrop@Baylor.edu).

What Are Your Plans for This Summer?

As the academic year winds down, it is likely that college students around the world are being asked, “What are your plans for this summer?”

Interning at your dream company? Taking classes? Studying abroad? Feeling speechless because you have no idea?

If this question makes you cringe, it might mean that you don’t…yet…know what you’ll be up to this summer. The good news is you are in control of how you spend your time this summer and there is still time to make a plan to make the most of it!

Conduct Informational Interviews – Reach out to family, friends, or alumni from your university who work at a company/organization of interest to you and set up a time to talk with them about their work, their company, or their city. This is a great way to network and people love to talk about themselves. People also like to help college students because it gives them a chance to “pay it forward,” so do as much of this as you can while you’re still a student. LinkedIn is a great resource for expanding your network – www.linkedin.com/alumni

Get Experience – While many students put pressure on themselves to get an internship as early as freshman or sophomore year, most companies target juniors for their internship programs. While you may not land an internship, there are so many opportunities to develop transferable skills through traditional summer jobs. For example, being a server in a restaurant may help you develop strong customer service or communication skills, and working as a camp counselor may help you develop teamwork or problem solving skills. It is important to value your experiences and be ready to tell potential employers how you can add value to their company based on your experience from previous employment.

Develop a Skill – Perhaps you’ve been meaning to learn some new Excel formulas, get familiar with a social media platform, or brush up on a foreign language. Summer is a great time to focus on the things you have been putting off.

Be Strategic – Many students want to work for large companies or organizations after graduation, but they don’t always think of ways to get insights into the company. For example, if a student is interested in a career with L Brands, it could be very beneficial for them to get some in-store experience at Bath & Body Works. This would be a great way to show that you understand the company culture and the customers in an interview.

Volunteer – Approach volunteer opportunities as if you’re applying for your dream job. Write a personalized cover letter and send it along with your resume to local organizations and offer your help. Even if you don’t land a gig in the marketing department, you never know how much you may gain (both personally and professionally) from the experience of giving back.

Do Something That Makes You Interesting – What do you like to do for fun? What would you enjoy talking to people about in a casual setting? Training for a half-marathon, learning a new instrument, perfecting your cooking skills, or taking a cross country trip? The opportunities are endless, but you are the only person who can decide what makes you interesting.

Read – “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~Dr. Seuss

Best of luck making your summer a meaningful and memorable one. Hopefully when you head back to school in the fall and someone asks, “What did you do this summer?” you will have plenty to talk about!

by Sarah Steenrod

Sarah Steenrod is the Director, Undergraduate Career Consultation and Programs, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

3 Things to Do in December to Land a Summer Internship

Image courtesy of nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Research

How many times have you told yourself that you will begin your summer internship search when you get some free time?  The winter break is a perfect time for doing some preliminary research on your options.  Begin browsing internship postings in Handshake, Vault, CareerShift, and GoinGlobal.  This will help you identify positions that interest you and help you determine what application materials may be necessary.

 

2. Talk

‘Tis the season for gatherings of family and friends.  Quite often, loved ones use these gatherings as an opportunity to ask you about your life at college and your future plans.  Many positions are filled by someone who knows someone else with a connection to a great job.  Let family, friends, and acquaintances know that you are looking for an internship and ask if they have any ideas related to your field of interest.  Even if they do not know of a job opening, they may know of a professional who would be open to an informational interview.

 

3. Prepare

The spring semester is always hectic, between academic demands and the very active student life on our campus.  Save yourself some stress and create a first draft of your resume over the winter break.  When you return to campus, you can have it reviewed by a friendly staff member in Career and Professional Development, then attend the Internship and Career Fair on January 31st.

As you wrap up the fall semester, remember that the staff of CPD wish you good luck on finals and a merry Christmas!

Written by Amy Ames, Assistant Director of Professional Development

5 Fun Facts about the On-Campus Internship Program

OCIP flyer HighRez

1.       An internship with the On-Campus Internship Program is a university recognized work experience focused on project-based work directly related to the student’s major or field of interest.

2.       The On-Campus Internship Program partners with 35 on-campus departments to offer more than 60 internship positions. There are over 40 positions currently available for application.

3.       Departments hosting on-campus interns are providing experiential learning opportunities for over a dozen majors. These include marketing, design, engineering, nutrition, and finance, to name a few.

4.       All On-Campus Internship Program positions are paid. The program is a student employment opportunity that allows students to earn any available work-study dollars.

5.       The On-Campus Internship Program provides professional development trainings and support to prepare students for graduate school or the workforce.

The On-Campus Internship Program is accepting applications NOW through September 6th. Check out all of the available positions using the link below and apply today!

On-Campus Internship Positions

Contact Chelsea_Waldrop@baylor.edu with questions!

 

ARE YOU DRESSED FOR SUCCESS?

It’s important to dress your best for an interview AND a career fair. But it’s hard to always know what is appropriate to wear and what is not. Here you’ll find some quick-tips to help you look your best and dress for success.

what TO wear

pic1

  1. Women’s Business Attire
  • A dark or gray-colored pant or skirt suit
  • A solid-colored blouse
  • Flats or pumps with a mid or low heel
  • Natural makeup
  • Simple jewelry
  • Grooming: Hair combed and/or pulled back
  1. Women’s Business Casual
  • Dress pants or pencil skirt
  • A solid-colored blouse, top, button-down or cardigan
  • Flats or pumps with a mid or low heel
  • Natural makeup
  • Simple jewelry
  • Grooming: Hair combed and/or pulled back

 

pic2

  1. Men’s Business Attire
  • A dark or gray-colored business suit
  • A solid-colored button-down shirt (light-colored or white), subtle pinstripes
  • A solid or subtle patterned tie
  • Belt and socks (black or brown)
  • Dress shoes (black or brown)
  • Grooming: hair combed, facial hair trimmed/shaved
  1. Men’s Business Casual
  • Dress slacks or khaki pants
  • A solid-colored button-down shirt (light-colored or
  • white), subtle pinstripes
  • A solid or subtle patterned tie
  • Belt and Socks (black or brown)
  • Dress shoes (black or brown)
  • Grooming: hair combed, facial hair trimmed/shaved

 

What NOT to wear

pic1

Women

  • Sleeveless, thin-strapped or strapless dresses and tops
  • Low cut or revealing dresses or tops
  • Skirts or dresses that are too short. Hems that reach the knee or a little above the knee are the best options!
  • T-shirts, shorts, jeans or workout clothing
  • Open-toed shoes, sandals or tennis shoes
  • Heels that are too tall. 2 inches or lower is the ideal heal size.
  • More than 4 pieces of jewlery
  • Grooming: heavy perfume, unbrushed hair

 

pic 1

Men

  • Loud patterned shirts or ties
  • T-shirts, short sleeve shirts, shorts and jeans
  • Flip-flops, sandals and tennis shoes
  • Bare feet (always wear dress socks)
  • Rolled-up sleeves
  • Sunglasses
  • Hats or ball caps
  • Grooming: messy hair, untrimmed beard or stubble on your face

Things You Should Know

  • Keep it clean, first impressions are important. Consider taking out your piercings and covering up your tattoos.
  • You should cut the threads (usually is the shape of an “X”) that hold the vents (or flaps) together on new suits, blazers and skirts.
  • Avoid wearing strong perfumes or lotions. Remember some people can be overpowered by smells.
  • You should wear your name tag on your right side so the person shaking your hand will not only hear your name, but also see it.
  • Leave phones, sunglasses, lanyards, backpacks, or anything that could be distracting in your car or at a designated storage space.
  • Dressing for success doesn’t have to cost a fortune—think outside the box! Check out reasonably-priced stores such as Target and Walmart, or even local consignment shops like Goodwill and Salvation Army. And don’t hesitate to borrow from someone!

 

Brought to you by:  Ashley Alcala

Top 10 Career Strategies for Freshmen and Sophomores

You control your career destiny! Just going to class and picking up your diploma after four years doesn’t cut it. You need to become active on and off campus.

Becoming marketable to employers or graduate schools is a four-year job. Here are the top 10 things you can do during college to make yourself marketable at job-search time. In fact, if you do all 10 of these, you’ll be unstoppable:

  1. Keep your grades up—Employers and graduate schools want candidates with good grades. That will probably never change. Doing well academically not only proves that you have a good knowledge base, but indicates a strong work ethic—a trait that employers value.
  2. Identify your interests, skills, values, and personal characteristics—The first step to clarifying your career goals is to go through a process of self-assessment. Visit your career center and take advantage of the self-assessment instruments it has to offer.
  3. Actively explore career options—You owe it to yourself to find a career that enriches your life, not one that brings you down. Actively exploring careers means talking with professionals in occupations of interest and observing professionals on the job. Your career center probably has alumni and other volunteers who are willing to talk to you about their careers. Also, attend any career expos, career fairs, and career speaker panels that are offered.
  4. Become active in extracurricular activities and clubs—Active involvement in activities and clubs on campus is highly valued by employers and graduate schools. Joining a club is fine, but becoming active within that club is what matters most. Become a leader, hold an office, or coordinate an event. You will develop your skills in leadership and teamwork—skills that recruiters covet!
  5. Get involved in community service—It’s important that you begin to understand and appreciate the importance of giving back to your community, and that you live in a larger community than your college or hometown. Typically, students look at community service as a chore. After they’ve served, however, it’s usually one of the most rewarding experiences they’ve had! Recruiters love to see that you’ve volunteered to help in your community.
  6. Develop your computer skills—Take advantage of the computer courses and workshops your college offers. You can also learn a lot by just experimenting with different software packages on your own. Finally, you should learn how to develop your own web page or web-based portfolio. There are many web-design software tools that make it real easy to develop your own web page! Contact your college’s information technology office to see how to get started.
  7. Develop your writing skills—Over and over, company and graduate school recruiters complain about the lack of writing skills among college graduates. Don’t avoid classes that are writing intensive. Work at developing your writing skills. If there is a writing center on campus, have them take a look at your papers from time to time. Remember, the first impression you give to recruiters is typically your cover letter or personal statement.
  8. Complete at least one internship in your chosen career field—More and more, internships are the springboards to employment and getting into graduate programs. Many recruiters say that when they need to fill entry-level jobs, they will only hire previous interns. In addition to making yourself more marketable, internships also are a great way to explore careers and determine whether or not certain careers are for you. When you work for a company as an intern for three to four months, you get a really good feel for whether the field (and company) is one in which you want to work day in and day out!
  9. Gain an appreciation of diversity through study abroad, foreign languages, and courses—We are now, more than ever, working within a global work force. For you to be successful at work and in your life, you must stretch yourself, and learn about people and cultures different than yours. Take advantage of the wonderful study-abroad opportunities and the courses relating to diversity. This is your time to travel! Most people find it harder to take time to travel as they begin their careers and start families.
  10. Use your career center all four years—Your college career center can help you throughout your entire college career. Here is just a sampling of what your career center can help you do:
  1. Choose your major and career direction,
  2. Explore career options,
  3. Obtain an internship,
  4. Write a resume and cover letter,
  5. Develop your interviewing skills,
  6. Identify your interests and values,
  7. Develop a job-search or graduate school plan,
  8. Connect you with prospective employers (career fairs, on-campus recruiting, and more), and
  9. Connect you with alumni mentors.

 

Remember, you control your career destiny. Don’t wait until your senior year to start realizing your goals. Your career train is on the move. Jump on board now so you can reach your destination!

By Bob Orndorff. Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Words from our Summer On-Campus Interns – Dominique

 

OCIP selfie - houstonDominique Houston interned with the Provost Office – Commencement and Facilities Planning as a senior, marketing and management major from Southern California. She assisted with the move of Hankamer School of Business to the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.  She enjoys watching basketball and participating in social eating events. Here is a summary of her experience:

“My intern experience was phenomenal! I went into this looking for an opportunity to grow and gain experience into project management and came out with valuable life lessons, friends and business savvy. I enjoyed every part of it, except the days when I found out what professionals do on a daily basis…wake up early. It was tough some days with the early mornings to move, class and then back to move. But it was worth it! Anyone you ask in that building would probably tell you that I had a great time and I truly did.

 I was able to meet a lot of new people and understand the value of networking. Most days, it didn’t feel like networking but rather talking to faculty and helping them in their needs. I realized that is a huge part of it. People like to see what you can do for them and how interested you are. That showed me that gaining someone’s respect with your work will open up more doors for you. Working on this project was also a great lead-in because I am a student in the business school. This fact also made it easier to relate and explain my goals and interests. Finally, my supervisor was great. She knew just about everyone which also exposed me to many different people. It was also a great advantage to pick her brain and see how she handles everything on her plate. There were many teaching lessons about her ability to multitask and keep everything straight. I learned a lot of valuable things from her this summer.”

GoinGlobal: A Premium Job Search Resource for Students

photo-1429966163023-c132bc887fddEver thought about working overseas after college? Are you planning to study abroad during your time at Baylor? Are you at Baylor on a student visa, and interested in working in the United States after graduation? If you answered “yes!” to any of these questions, then GoinGlobal is a great resource for you to learn about career opportunities and apply for jobs.

You can use the Country Career Guides in GoinGlobal to research career related information tailored for your country of interest. Each Country Guide covers the following topics:

  • Job Search Resources
  • Non-Profits and Volunteer Organizations
  • Industry and Employment Trends
  • Top Companies
  • Professional and Social Networking
  • Embassy Listings
  • Financial Considerations
  • Work Permits and Visas
  • Résumé/CV Guidelines
  • Interviewing Advice
  • Cultural Advice

Each Country Guide also has links to job sites where you can search for current job postings available in that country in English or in the native language. There are over 16 million jobs posted on GoinGlobal, which are updated daily.

By: Nick Haynes

Ready or not, here it comes!

Career Fair image

The Spring Internship & Career Fair is one week away! The fair will be held on Thursday, February 12, 12:30-4:30 p.m. at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave.

*There will be round-trip shuttle service that will pick-up every 15 minutes behind Cashion Academic Center at 4th and Speight.

*A “LinkedIn” Photo Booth will be available for the first 400 students and alumni to have a professional profile picture taken for their LinkedIn profiles.

This fair will be our largest career fair to date with 156 organizations registered to attend with 375 total recruiters. The recruiters will share about entry-level career positions and internships. While some companies do seek specific majors, most companies are open to all majors.  We encourage you to prepare for the fair in the next week-here’s how:

 

Student “to do” list before the Spring Job & Internship Fair:

  • Research the attending companies (See who’s attending the Internship & Career Fair!)
  • Log in to your HireABear account and schedule a mock interview with college recruiters February 6 and 11.  A mock interview is one of the very best ways to prepare for an actual employment interview and it will help improve the way you present yourself. These 30-minute interviews are meant to be as realistic as possible. You will be asked interview questions that would be asked by actual employers.
  • Bring several copies of your résumé (have it reviewed by a Career & Professional Development staff member prior to the fair). Résumé walk-in hours
  • Practice your 30-second commercial. (See BearFacts pg. 23)
  • Bring your student ID to the fair
  • Dress for success (business casual dress required; professional dress recommended–no jeans, shorts, t-shirts, workout clothes)

Good luck in your internship and job search!

Overwhelmed by Career Decisions? Here’s Where to Begin

IndependenceJust start somewhere.  That’s right.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of choosing a major, finding an internship, or getting a job after graduation, don’t let fear paralyze you.  Even Baylor University had to start somewhere (see picture above).

Take action, even if that means simply taking a quick look at job postings or listening to a podcast about a major that you are considering.  Each step you take will help you to learn more about an option or about your own preferences.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, either.  The staff of Career and Professional Development are happy to assist you.  Visit our website to learn about the different ways you can connect with us.