It’is the beginning of August. Everyone is wrapping up their summer internships and getting ready to begin the new school year. Before you leave your internship, make an effort to schedule a 10-minute meeting with your internship supervisor and any executives you have helped out or done work for. You need to get some “face” time with these employees.

The goal is for you to get just enough face time for them to remember you when you send them an email two months down the line. Don’t be scared to ask for this meeting. You have a 50/50 chance they will say YES. And if they say NO, not a big deal. Think of it as an added bonus if they let you.

If your employer does agree to sit down with you, have a list of questions prepared. You want to learn as much about the executive in the 10-minutes allotted as possible.

What to Say and Do During Your “Exit” Meeting From You Internship

1. Make a list of questions to ask your employer before you meet with him/her

2. Go in the meeting with a notepad and pen Read More »

As we approach August, we may have started to take summer vacay for granted. In the dog days of summer, it’s easy to sleep until 2 p.m., get caught up on Maury, and not realize we still have our PJs on until it’s time to go back to bed. But with the countdown to Fall Semester ticking fast, it’s important to make the most of every spare minute. Whether you’re working your ass off or dedicated to being a lazy bum until a full courseload kicks back in, it’s time to get in gear and create some glorious summer memories.

1. Take a roadtrip. Sure, gas prices are skyrocketing, but you’re only young once, right? And once you’re shackled into a nine-to-five, you’re going to crave the spontaneity that’s currently yours for the taking. I’m a self-professed workaholic, but even I’ve been known to squeeze in a few quality roadtrips between May and August each year. One summer, I took a fourteen-hour drive to Ohio with two girls from work I barely knew, for the birthday party of one of my brother’s grad school friends. And no, my brother didn’t go. So, three random girls showed up at a party in the boondocks (aka Wooster), and promptly put on our party shoes. Liquor flowed, regrettable hook-ups were had, and the girls and I totally bonded over the experience. Even if you can only spare one day, find a town you’ve never been to before, and head out to explore. You never know what adventures might arise. Read More »

[When CollegeCandy put out a request for a Secret Intern to write an Internship Diary, we got some truly cringe-inducing stories, but “Elisa’s” experience trumped all.

Currently, “Elisa” is interning for a big, flashy 5th Avenue designer. Sounds awesome, right? Well, read the first installment HERE, and then read on…]

Who knew that a “marketing” internship actually meant “free physical labor”??

I told myself that I would start working out this summer, but I never thought that lifting and cardio would start at my internship. Apparently The Designer felt that she needed to repaint her whole store, so a few days ago we had to move everything down to the basement, and then move it back up the next day. Great… and to top it off, she’s OCD with the displays.

Shoot me now. Read More »

At your job interview, you might think it’s your potential employer’s responsibility to ask you questions, not the other way around. Well—yes and no. They won’t be able to get a good idea of how you’ll perform if they don’t ask you questions, but finding a job is all about finding a good fit, and that means you should be posing some questions as well.That’s all fine and good, you might think to yourself, but what do I actually ask?

Good question (see—you’re on your way already!). First of all, stay away from asking about salary. I know the first thing on my mind when I go to a job interview is how much I’m going to get paid, but you can always negotiate that with the employer if you’re offered the job. One time when it is okay to ask about salary is if you’re really not sure whether the job or internship you’re interviewing for even pays (yes, sometimes it’s unclear). In that case, ask away.

It’s always a good idea to ask a question that isn’t really a question for the purpose of selling yourself. For example, you could say something like, “I love learning from a wide variety of people and cooperating with lots of different working styles. Is there an opportunity for me to do that here?” Since the answer is yes (duh), the employer will remember that an integral part of the job is really important to you. Read More »

[So I took a small hiatus. And by small I mean a couple of months. I had to. Writing it all down…I became increasingly nervous someone would find out. And nothing is more endangered on a small campus than a secret you want to keep. If you’re new to all of this, check back at everything here.]

Mood: a little antsy
Currently listening to: Black Cat by Janet Jackson

“Have you come up with anything?” Rebecca walked into our room, dragging her bulging laundry bag behind her. “Heard back from any of those internships?”

“Not yet.” I clicked through webpage after webpage, my eyes already watering and blurry from one too many hours staring into the glowing screen of my laptop. I had spent all afternoon sitting on my bed, willing my inbox to fill up with internship opportunities and summer job offers. So far…no one had complied with my wishful ESP.

“I have no idea what I’m doing this summer either,” Rebecca dumped her still wet laundry onto her bed. “So don’t feel so bad. Maybe we can just go on a three month long road trip. See every single weird thing the United States has to offer.”

Our bedroom door opened again, and Stacey walked through, freshly showered and clad in her furry pink bathrobe. As soon as she stepped into the room, I was hit with the power of flowers and sugar and tropical sunsets. Stacey had about 4 different kinds of scented soaps in her shower caddy, and made a point to use every single one whenever she showered, causing all the scents to collide into some kind of overbearing perfume of femininity.

“Someone left a used condom on the bathroom floor.” Stacey dropped her shower caddy on her bed and reached for a towel. “That is seriously disgusting. I mean…it’s a Tuesday. Who’s having shower sex on a Tuesday?” Read More »