Category Archives: Lia

A For-real Offer

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I have to share with anyone reading: last week I got an official summer internship offer in DC. I still have yet to accept, and I have a lot to think about over the next few days.

I’m nearly done with this blog (fewer than 5 more definite posts!) and I want to thank everyone who has been following along, anyone who has felt aided by the blog, and anyone who has come up to me in person and told me anything about the blog: positive, negative, whatever. My next few posts will be about internship decisions, finding housing, and gearing up to spend my first summer living on my own, far from home. Get excited and check back soon for a concrete update on my summer preparations!

Interviews for a New Age

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A few months ago, one of my friends in DC was preparing for an interview. She thought of intelligent questions, prepared answers for generic interview questions, donned her best button-up, and sat down at her desk. It was nearly 9 o’clock at night. The company with which she was interviewing was in China. The interview, which at one point may have been either impossible or conducted through the phone, was taking place via Skype.

Soon after this interview took place, I read an article in TIME magazine that sparked my interest even more. It explains the rising trend of conducting interviews through Skype, a free program that runs on any computer and can connect people across the world. The article goes on to offer tips on how to succeed within this new situation. Some of them are obvious (clean up the space around you, silence any noise such as a pet or TV) while some are less so (sit tall enough that you don’t look like a “floating head”, avoid wearing white, do not have a bright light on behind you). One of the most key pieces of advice is to practice talking on Skype with friends, so they can let you know if you are doing anything strange or unprofessional.

Initially, I thought this seemed to be a perfect system for someone like me, who is applying for Washington, DC internships from across the country. So far, phone interviews have sufficed, but I can’t help but wonder how much of the interview is lost without facial expressions and body language. The next time I schedule a long-distance interview, you can bet that I will suggest Skype. It will not only boost my interview (hopefully!), but the fact that I am bold enough to suggest it might prove to a potential employer that I am technologically up-to-date, willing to take risks, and prepared to go one step further than is asked of me – all qualities that most employers look for in intern candidates.

Successfully Preparing for an Interview

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I feel like this post is unfairly easy for me to write. During my semester in Washington, DC part of the program was an internship. Students were not just given an internship though – they had to go through the whole application and interview process. In addition to our main seminar class, we had an “internship class” where we discussed interview techniques, what we wished we had known at the beginning of the semester, and how our internships were going.

Today, while preparing for an interview later in the week, I returned to my notes from that class. Believe it or not, they’re still helpful. I will share the highlights:

1. Do your homework

Before you go to the interview, research the company. A simple Google search will suffice. Read any and all recent news involving the company. Bringing up current news such as a merger or new CEO will show that you are passionate about the industry and are willing to go beyond what may be asked of you. It also shows that you care about the company and are not just interviewing to get any old internship – you want this one.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask

If during this research process you come upon something that confuses you or that you don’t understand, do not hesitate to ask your interviewer. Perhaps a major deal was just made with another company or there is a debate within the greater global industry. Ask what the company feels about these changes and what it might mean for its future. You might also ask about the specifics of the deal or what side the company takes in the debate. Again, these questions show your interest and that you are eager to learn.

3. Find out the basics

There are a couple of basic questions you should almost always ask at an interview: How many interns are you looking to hire? What would a typical workday be like for me? Are there any perks? (Stipends, travel compensation, in-office cafeteria, etc.) When will you make your decision? If you ask nothing else, ask these four questions. This will demonstrate that you are invested in the internship and are serious about your search.

4. Follow up

After you end the interview (with a firm handshake, if applicable, and an “I look forward to hearing from you soon”) send a thank-you card or e-mail. This may seem obvious or it may seem pointless, but it will definitely set you apart from the rest of the applicants who walk out the door and are never heard from again. The interviewer is more likely to remember your name. Also, if you shared a funny story or discovered something random you had in common with the interviewer, mention that somehow. For example, I spoke with a man who worked for a major marketing company and I showed him that I always carry one of his products in my purse, just in case. When I e-mailed him to thank him (one day later), I referred to the product again.

Again, these tips may seem overly obvious, but it is important to keep them in mind during the interview process. If you are not convinced, readers, then know that these very tips helped at least 33 students in Washington, DC find great internships last September.

Spring Break Success

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Remember how a month or so ago I wrote about how I can never hit that send button? Well today I did it. I did it four times. And it’s already paid off – within a few hours I had received a response from an internship coordinator at a nonprofit that focuses on international civil rights. She read my resume and was excited to set up an interview as soon as possible. In fact, I’m going to talk to her next week.

Someone remind me why I could never send out applications? I get such a good feeling from knowing my name – and my fabulous resume – is out there.

Last week I wrote about my goals for spring break. A refresher: I said I would follow up with two applications I already sent and that I would send three more. I have followed up with one of the two applications, sent out four new applications, and contacted a family friend in Washington, DC who kindly offered to put in a good word for me with some of his most influential friends. After calling one more congressional office, I will safely be able to say that I can cross everything off my spring break to-do list and reward myself (with an amazing pair of shoes that I recently saw online.)

Speaking of my family friend, I want to advise everyone reading to never underestimate the power of word of mouth. If my stories about talking to just two alumnae who then forwarded my resume to all of their friends (a few of whom later contacted me) aren’t enough, then consider this. I mentioned the nonprofit I applied to (the women’s rights one) to my mother, who brought it up at her office. A co-worker who used to live in Washington, DC knows a few people who work there and mentioned my name to them. Whether or not it helps me land the internship, someone who picks up my resume will recognize my name. That will give me an advantage.

At a Standstill

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Has this ever happened to you?

You’ve just submitted a few applications to some great internships, maybe you even have an interview or two lined up. You’re feeling pretty good about the work you’ve done so far. Your cover letter is impeccable, your resume is polished to perfection, any e-mail or phone contact with a potential employer has been positive. Overall, you’re feeling fairly confident.

Then you wait. What if nothing happens?

That’s where I am now, and the spot I always tend to hit every year. After sending in two or three applications, I consider that “enough for now” and wait to hear back before doing any more potentially unnecessary work. This is often my downfall. I was given some fabulous advice: keep working and keep submitting until I get a hard “yes”.

There is always the possibility that I will get a no for each application. There is always the possibility that I will never hear back from those companies for whatever reason. Maybe it’s an immediate no and they don’t feel the need to inform me, maybe I didn’t send in all required materials (unlikely, knowing me and my perfectionist tendencies) and they have too many applicants to care about my incomplete work, or maybe it didn’t go through.

If anything, laziness will be my downfall. I have learned to call to follow up after sending in an application to ensure that it went through and that they have everything they need from me. I should offer references or recommendations, even if they don’t ask. (If they decline, do not persist.) These should be basic fundamentals, ingrained in my mind. Yet, laziness often takes over. My readers know me by now: I am 100% determined to get to Washington, DC this summer. I have a lot of help but I cannot rely on CP&R and alumnae to get me there, no matter how nice everyone is.

I’ve found to-do lists and setting concrete goals always works for me. So here’s what I’m going to do: First, I have already sent in an application to a non-profit that focuses on women’s rights. I resolve to call them within the week to ensure that they have received it.

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