INTERNSHIP

GUIDE2016/2017

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Dear all,

Doing an internship can be one of the most enriching and educational experiences of your academic career. Yet many struggle to find a suitable one, or think the process is so difficult and time-consuming that they do not try. With this guide, we hope to make an internship much more easily attainable for all Roosevelt students – with knowledge of the process and some useful tips, finding and applying for an internship does not have to take more than a few hours.

On top of often being terribly fun, internships are a great investment of your time. Not only do you simply learn a lot, they can:

- Greatly enhance your chances of getting a job after studying.- Make it easier to get into a master program.- Give you a chance to experience what it is like working in a particular type

of job.- Look good on your resume.- Allow you to make professional connections in your field(s) of interest.- Sometimes directly lead to job offers. - Make you gain some hands-on, practical (research) skills. - Provide you with topic ideas for your Independent Research Project or

Honours Thesis.

Our summer break is intentionally as long as it is – take advantage of that opportunity and try to find an internship. They come in many shapes and sizes, so there is something out there for everyone. People often associate internships with stapling and photocopying, but this is only true in a small number of cases. Many interns get a lot of responsibility, and, depending on their place of work and the duration of the job, are even put in charge of projects sometimes.

The purpose of this guide is twofold. First, the process of searching and subsequent application procedure is explained so that everyone will both be able to find a fitting internship and be well-equipped to get it. Sometimes, though, you do not find the right internship through a deliberate searching process – the right internship finds you. Therefore we have also included an overview of some internship possibilities for as many disciplines as we could find.

Internship opportunities open up (and disappear) all the time, so next to the overview at the back of this guide the AAC will also try to maintain a webpage with a more up-to-date list of possibilities when the new Roosevelt website is launched. We can only do so much research and find only so many internships – if you come across an opening you think might interest other Roosevelt students, please send it to aac@roac.nl and we will add it to the

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document! Of course, you should also feel free to email us or stop by our office hours with any questions.

Good luck!

Your AAC2016-2017

TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat is an internship?............................................................................................5Academic Credit.....................................................................................................6How to Find an Internship......................................................................................7

Search Terms......................................................................................................7Use Your Network................................................................................................7Contact Employers Directly.................................................................................8Important considerations....................................................................................8

The Application.......................................................................................................9Applying................................................................................................................. 9

Social media......................................................................................................10Resumes...........................................................................................................10Cover Letters.....................................................................................................14Letters of Recommendation..............................................................................17Interview...........................................................................................................18Before the interview:.........................................................................................18Dress code for the big day................................................................................19During the interview..........................................................................................19Common questions they might ask you............................................................20Questions you could ask...................................................................................20Accepting or declining an offer.........................................................................20Accepting an offer.............................................................................................20Declining an offer..............................................................................................21The first day......................................................................................................21Some common expectations and responsibilities.............................................22How to be professional......................................................................................22

Finances...............................................................................................................23Examples of Internships.......................................................................................24

Academic Core..................................................................................................25Arts & Humanities.............................................................................................26Science..............................................................................................................27Social Science...................................................................................................28

Appendix A: Academic Internship Section Student Handbook..............................30Appendix B: Sample Resume...............................................................................32

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WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?An internships is an opportunity to develop classroom learning by gaining practical ‘hands on’ experience in the industry related to the student's field of study, for a fixed, limited period of time. They can be found in corporate, private, government and nonprofit organizations. Students may earn academic credit from a granting institution or may do it for experience in their field. This work/learning arrangement for academic credit is overseen by a faculty member designated from the academic department within the student's declared major. The work/learning experience is usually the length of a semester, which can be part time or full time, paid or unpaid. A learning agenda is established prior to the start of the internship. The internship also may include one or more forms of reflection integral to the experience to distinguish it from a volunteer position or job.

All internships have a primary goal to provide students a chance to enhance their learning while contributing to the company or organization's needs. The difference between a part time job and an internship is the educational aspect. The position should be more than just getting coffee and making copies of course; although these tasks can very much be incorporated. An internships should be directly correlated to the students academic field or major and include some type of training or project that relates. Another important part of an internship in dedicated reflection of how classroom learning applies to professional experience. Internships are important to a student's career because they offer real world experience. They provide an introduction to employment opportunities in the student's chosen field and the professional world. In a competitive market, the more experience you can obtain prior to graduation, the more competitive you become after graduation.

Why do companies hire student interns?There are various benefits to hiring student interns. For example:

Interns can assist employers with special events and/or short term projects Interns may offer new ideas and innovative approaches Interns are typically self motivated. They're eager to get experience! Mentoring an intern provides company and organization employees with

an opportunity to develop supervisory skills An intern can be evaluated and trained for possible future employment Providing internships can be a cost effective solution for short term

projects An employer's visibility on campus is increased when promotion

internships

What are the benefits of completing an internship?First and foremost, it's the chance for an intern to have a meaningful learning experience by applying academic knowledge to practical work setting through involvement, critical thinking and reflection. Some other benefits include:

A chance to reality check your career choice, by testing it out in a professional environment

Build your network and increase the number of professional connections in your field

Develop confidence, maturity, professionalism, communication, and other transferable skills

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Improve job specific skills and knowledge of an industry of field Increase the chances and occurrences of full time job offers following

graduation

What is a meaningful learning experience?Meaningful opportunities come with a genuine opportunity for students to learn about their desired career outside of the classroom environment.  The main objectives are classified as follows:

The internship ideally should be aligned with the student's chosen major The internship must include specific measurable learning

objectives/outcomes. Some examples include The intern will develop a thorough understanding of the employers

online personality and preferred marketing tools The intern will learn laws and regulations The intern will attend 5 media events such as press launches, curt

sessions, council meetings etc The intern must be closely supervised to ensure they are receiving

guidance and feedback regarding their performance The intern should have time to reflect on the learning objectives and

summarize their experience

What are the different types of internships?There are two main categories which deal with compensation and academic credit. Paid vs. Unpaid internships:

Paid internships are offered by private companies or large organizations, which are designed to pay students while they learn. Employers that offer paid internships are often for-profit, are evaluating interns as potential full time employers upon graduation, and/or have short term large projects. The rate of compensation can be determined by the employer - which can vary from hourly wages, stipends, licensing and/or tuition reimbursement.

Unpaid internships are reserved for not for profit organizations including religious institutions, charities, universities, state and local government agencies and various hospitals.

ACADEMIC CREDITIt is possible to get academic credit for an internship in certain circumstances. The internship must have a large academic component, there should be a supervisor at the internship site (as well as an RA supervisor, but their degree of involvement will depend on the internship), and the student must produce a written report (or an academic paper, in some cases). Additionally, the internship must take up at least 210 hours (five to six working weeks) as it will be equivalent to a 4 credit (7.5 ECTS) course. A student can receive credit for only one internship. For the student handbook section on academic internships, see Appendix A.

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HOW TO FIND AN INTERNSHIPFinding the internship that is right for you is the hardest part of the process. At the end of this guide you will find a brief overview of some opportunities in your field of interest, but ultimately the only one who knows what you want from an internship and what type of internship you want is you. Use our list as a starting point to get a feel for what you could do, but do not think we have even scratched the surface of everything that is out there. Hopefully, though, we can help you get started on your search with some useful tips. Finding an internship can be require a lot of planning and can be very time consuming. It will naturally take a couple months from when you start your search to when you accept an offer.

Search Terms Your main resource for your search will be the Internet. The first pitfall searchers encounter online is being too general in their search terms. If you look for “economics internship”, for instance, you will be swamped with options that are not relevant or feasible for you. So how do you narrow your search down? Firstly, try to think of a particular job you would like to do within your field of interest. Take the economics example – instead of simply typing economics internship, search for “banking internship”. This will weed out many irrelevant options. Secondly, think of where you would like to work. This could be a particular city, or even a country. This does not have to be the Netherlands; an internship abroad is a feasible option for Roosevelt students during the summer. However, if, for instance, you are not interested in interning in America, you might want to specify a location as you do not want to have to look through endless lists.

Use Your NetworkMany think only businessmen and –women have “networks”, but that is not true. Everyone has a network, including you. As a Roosevelt student, your network at the very least will consist of:

- Professors: Even if you have never had a class with them, do not be afraid to approach faculty to ask if they know of any internships. They are always glad to help, and even if they do not know of a particular opening they will most likely know one or two good places to look.

- Committees: Depending on what field you would like to do an internship in, one of the RASA committees can be a great resource. The people on the boards of these committees will likely have the same professional interests you do, so try approaching them.

- Fellow students: You are not the only student interested in internships, and many Roosevelt students have already done one. A lot of internships are recurring, and if an organisation had a good experience with a Roosevelt student last year they could very well try to hire another one for the same position this year.

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- Family: Ask your parents if they know of any openings anywhere. Even if they do not know of any internship themselves, ask them to ask around at their work. And do not limit yourself to your parents – even your most awkward uncle could coincidentally know about a great opportunity.

Sometimes you will get the best idea from people you thought would be of no help at all. The best thing to do is just to ask as many people as possible. Saying, “hey, if you come across an internship in banking please let me know”, takes only a few seconds. In most cases the answer will be negative, but even if it is there will be people keeping you in the back of their mind.

Some students find it wise to do their first internship after their first year, but many start prefer to do it in the summer after their second year. Ideally, a student should start their search at the beginning of the semester, to make sure they have their applications in time. For instance, start in early fall to make sure you can get a placement for a winter internship. Is it best to start early, as a lot of companies have a long procedures which require multiple interviews.

Contact Employers DirectlyImagine you study journalism and really want to intern at a particular paper, but you visited their website and did not see the word ‘internship’ mentioned anywhere. What a lot of people do at this point is give up, but that is exactly the wrong thing to do. Especially smaller companies and organisations that operate in disciplines where interns are not as common as in others have sometimes never even considered hiring an intern. But this does not mean they would not like one. Visit them in person if possible, or call them up, and see if they are interested. When you do this, it might be useful to already think on beforehand what you would like to do at the particular company/organisation, as they probably do not have any template or structure yet outlining the responsibilities of an intern. Of course, you should not overwhelm them with your wishes. But by communicating what you are capable of and what you would like to do, you will leave an assertive and active impression.

Besides these three main tips, which will make your search much easier, there are of course other things you can do, such as attending internship fairs. Please let us know if you have additional tips for your fellow students so that we can update the guide. Obviously, if you have any questions or would like more help, feel free to email us.

important considerations Do not apply to an internship you know you will not be accepted to. Eg. do

not apply to a  position which requires a graduate degree Make sure you are clear about the location of the internship and you are

able to find transportation Make sure to check if the internship is ‘virtual’ or in person Pay very close attention to the job description to have a good picture of

what you will be required to do. Try to get in touch with a professional

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mentor if you are not sure. You can do this by looking for one yourself, or simply HR/PR person in the company and ask for a conversation

Try to avoid a position which is just busy work - you might not want to push yourself too much after a super busy semester at UCR!

Ask beforehand about the learning opportunities from the internship. Make sure to be aware of the professional tools and skills you will be developing during the internship. Make sure the internship will help you in your career

Be sure to know if the internship is a paying or non paying internship

THE APPLICATIONRequirements differ from internship to internship. Some require only a high school diploma, some a couple of years of university education, some a Bachelor’s degree and others require you to be studying toward a postgraduate degree. However, there are some requirements that apply to (almost) all internships: a resume, a cover letter, and a letter (or letters) of recommendation. Many companies and organizations also conduct interviews before hiring an intern.

APPLYINGBy nature, when you are applying the company would like to get to know you and your qualifications. Recruiters by nature will ask for your resume and a cover letter. It is common practice for recruiters to spend an average 6-8 seconds on each resume. So make sure, yours stands out! Here are some suggestions in the form of Do’s and Don’ts for your resumes and cover letters: DO:

Research the company and make sure you know what their mission and vision statement entails

Make sure your cover letter demonstrates the knowledge the mission and vision statement mention

Put in relevant course projects on your resume - even if this is the only relevant experience you have

Make sure your resume is tailored for the internship you are applying to. Be specific. Highlight the keywords in the job description and make sure your resume and cover letter address/mention those skills and qualifications

Try to keep your cover letter and resume one page each. Quality > Quantity.

Spell about all abbreviations. Your Company doesn’t know what eg. RASA/AAC/HAC means.

Spell out your degree (eg. Bachelor of Science) and put in your expected date of graduation (eg. Expected Date of Graduation: May 2017)

Try to get the name of the actual person to address in your cover letter Put in your extracurricular activities and interests in your resume. This

demonstrates you are a well rounded person! Use professional, strong action verbs to describe your work activities in

your resume Use data and numbers for describe work activities whenever applicable

and possible eg. Inventoried 500 culverts Consistency is key! Format your resume accordingly (eg. fonts, headings,

indentation etc.) Align the dates to the right

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Use a minimum of 11 point font and aim for 1 inch margins Make sure to triple check the grammar! Find a friend to look over your

resume and cover letter - to avoid any minor mistakes Let a friend edit and give you comments!! Cannot stress how important

this point is! Include volunteer or other non work experience Make sure your resume includes your qualifications and accomplishments

(academic), along with a list of jobs and job duties

DONT: Put false information on your resume!!!!!! This can have very serious

consequences USE PERSONAL PRONOUNS LIKE I, ME OR MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Write paragraphs. Job duties should we be bullet points using strong action

verbs Put references in your resume. Use a separate sheet if needed. Your

resume should be about YOU Include personal information like place of birth, social security number etc. Again, DO NOT USE ABBREVIATIONS! Use inconsistent fonts and font sizes Send your documents as Word Documents. Send PDF’s!

SOCIAL MEDIABefore you send in your applications, clean up your social media!

Delete something that would completely contradict your application Start updating your LinkedIn profile Search for yourself online, see what comes up - act accordingly

Assume that you are the recruiter. Or even, assume that every employer will do a quick internet search on you. What do you want them to see? What don't you want them to see? Many employers use personal information they find on social media to reject applicants. This is generally because of proactive or inappropriate photos or information. Eg. drug use, bad mouthing colleagues or clients.

RESUMES Your resume plays a big part in a company’s decision to hire you or not. There is little you can change about your amount of experience or job history, but the way in which you present what you have already done makes a big difference. There are a few questions that students often ask themselves when they try to perfect their resume:

- Where do I begin? Look at other people’s resumes. The internet has many more examples than you could possibly want, but we have selected one base model that can be find in Appendix B. This example includes all the basics and is structured nicely, but do explore other possible designs and structures online! What matters most about a resume is the content, but presentation matters a great deal. A typical resume does not get looked at for more than 10 seconds, and giving a wrong first impression by chaotic structure or odd design is a giant waste and could even cost you

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the job.

- Do I include every minor thing I have done? That depends on two things: your previous experience and what kind of internship you are applying for. If you have had three jobs, one or two of which have decent job descriptions, you do not have to include the two months of kitchen work you did one summer in high school. But do not delete things too easily – a half-empty resume does not look good, and seemingly mundane jobs show employers you do not feel you are above doing unexciting work sometimes. Space fillers, however, will get you nowhere. Employers will know when you are trying to sell them hot air, so be concise and do not include useless information just because your resume looks empty without it.

- How do I order the information?Some people include a summary of their skills/history at the top of their resume. This might be a good idea for professionals (here, too, opinions differ), but we are students – posing as something you are not will not help you land an internship. For students, education should always come first. Some sample resumes online will have it at the bottom, but that is because they are tailored to professionals who graduated some time ago. Do not include your high school. The knowledge you gained there is not seen as valuable in terms of what you can contribute to an organization/company. After education, move on to your professional experience. For every job, explain what you achieved there, if anything. If you have no achievements to include, write down what your responsibilities were. If the job title pretty much takes care of this (‘dishwasher’, for instance), you can also leave the description out. The third section, if applicable, should be honours and extracurricular activities: have you received any awards, served on committee boards, or presented research at any conferences? Do not forget to include a sentence or two of explanation here. If space permits, you can add a fourth section with extra information such as technical skills (experience with Adobe, Excel, etc.), languages spoken, and hobbies. Within each section the most recent experience comes first, and you move down chronologically. Do not forget to include contact information (email, phone number, and address) at the top near your name.

- Speaking of information, can I lie? Yes and no. Straight up lying is of course wrong, but you can shine a positive light on the things that you have done – you will not be the only one. For instance, say you previously interned at an academic institution where 80 percent of your work was doing research. Instead of putting “intern” as your job title, put “researcher”. While that was not officially your title, it more accurately described what you were doing there and makes you look more professional. These types of “lies” are okay, but obviously do not include skills you have not mastered or jobs you did not do.

- How can I make myself stand out? When it comes to your resume, there is much you can do but little you should do to stand out. Many try to get noticed by, for instance, using special fonts, or including a picture or a joke. This more often than not will have just the opposite effect, and your application will not be taken seriously. Use your cover letter (which will be covered in the next section) to let your personality shine through, but keep your resume professional and basic.

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Of course, there are many more questions you could ask – the amount of detail involved in putting together a good resume is staggering. If you want more specific information, there are several good guides online (here, and here, for instance), and you can always Google your particular question. After you have finished a draft of your resume, ask a few people to look at it and give you feedback.

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COVER LETTERSCover letters (sollicitatiebrief in Dutch) allow you to show your potential employer that you are more than just some lines on a resume, so it should obviously be written well. Include your contact information (at the top of the letter), and do not forget a formal salutation. The basic structure of the letter should look something like this:

- First paragraphMention what position you are applying for and how you found out about it. This should take no more than a couple of sentences.

- Body paragraphsProvide some basic information about yourself, but remember not to only repeat what is on your resume. You want to add something extra and personal. Explain why you are both very motivated and very qualified to get the internship, but stay down-to-earth. Don’t spend a lot of time explaining why you are interested in the internship – you are applying for it, so it’s safe to simply assume this. The more specific you are about why you are qualified to do the job and what you can contribute, the better. Write as much as you think is necessary, but do not go on endlessly. Two to three paragraphs should suffice.

- Final paragraphThank the organisation or company for their consideration of your application, mention your resume and recommendation letters are attached, and add anything else you want to include. Again, no more than a couple of sentences are necessary here.

Here is a sample written by the Virginia Tech Career Office (which you can find here):

“Your Street AddressCity, State Zip CodeTelephone NumberE-mail Address

Month, Day, Year

Mr./Ms./Dr. FirstName LastNameTitleName of OrganizationStreet or P. O. Box AddressCity, State Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. LastName:

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Opening paragraph: State why you are writing; how you learned of the organization or position, and basic information about yourself.

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2nd paragraph: Tell why you are interested in the employer or type of work the employer does (Simply stating that you are interested does not tell why, and can sound like a form letter). Demonstrate that you know enough about the employer or position to relate your background to the employer or position. Mention specific qualifications which make you a good fit for the employer’s needs. (Focus on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you.) This is an opportunity to explain in more detail relevant items in your resume. Refer to the fact that your resume is enclosed. Mention other enclosures if such are required to apply for a position.3rd paragraph: Indicate that you would like the opportunity to interview for a position or to talk with the employer to learn more about their opportunities or hiring plans. State what you will do to follow up, such as telephone the employer within two weeks. If you will be in the employer’s location and could offer to schedule a visit, indicate when. State that you would be glad to provide the employer with any additional information needed. Thank the employer for her/his consideration.

Sincerely,

(Your handwritten signature [on hard copy])

Your name typed(In case of e-mail, your full contact info appears below your printed name [instead of at the top, as for hard copy], and of course there is no handwritten signature)

Enclosure(s) (refers to resume, etc.)”

Depending on how comfortable you are writing cover letters, you can obviously divert from this format, but be sure to include all the information mentioned above.

Two employers who are frequently engaged in hiring decisions agreed to write a piece on what they look at in the application process, and specifically in a cover letter. The first is Jan-Martijn Broekhof, owner of the internet start-up Plathos.

“The most important thing to me is that applicants want to join Plathos because they think Plathos is “cool”. I know he/she wants an internship or a job, but why should I hire him/her? I make my hiring decisions based on enthusiasm – enthusiasm about Plathos and the role the applicant wants to fulfil within the company. Of course I am curious about their hobbies and care about their education, but it’s really all about what they will add to the company, what knowledge, experience and passion they are bringing in, and whether they are a team player. Language in letters should depend on the context. I expect more from a university student or a professional than I do from someone with less

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education. That you can’t write a grammatically perfect letter does not necessarily mean that you can’t fulfil a role within Plathos. It does tell me that you did not have your letter be reviewed by someone else, or that no one in your surroundings can help you with that.

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The letter shouldn’t be longer than one page. This might sound a little spoiled, but I have other things to do and more letters to read, so I have to be able to evaluate whether I want to invest time in an applicant quickly. If you write your letter according to the AIDA model you have a bigger chance than if you simply repeat what’s on your resume.”

The second is Hans Kalle, team manager at Loxia.

Ah, there are two new applications for the traineeship in my inbox. Let’s review them quickly, before we miss out on a good candidate! The question is, what am I going to pay attention to? If someone has just received their degree, their resume will obviously not be as informative as that of someone with 10 years of professional experience.Firstly, I take a quick look at the resume: is it well-structured and to-the-point? Two pages is really the maximum for a trainee without experience. At this point, I mainly pay attention to the contact information and the educational background. After that, I look at the cover letter. Am I getting a good picture of who this person is and what moves him or her? An employee isn’t a set of skills; they should fit into the company’s working environment and strengthen it. I want to know who I am dealing with and why they want to be part of the company. Tell me a unique story, because empty sentences like “I am a team player that also functions well independently” are meaningless. What excites you, what challenges you? What opportunities do you want within the company? Of course, there should be no grammatical or stylistic errors; every mistake detracts from the application’s strength. If the applicant’s letter is sufficiently interesting, I study the resume in detail. I like to see consistency: a logical structure in terms of education and extracurricular activities that are relevant to the applicant’s aspirations or the job they are applying for. I also pay attention to continuity: are there no gaps in your history and did you finish your studies within a reasonable timeframe? If someone does not complete their degrees within the regular timeframe it raises a red flag. If after this closer look the applicant remains interesting, good resume design is important. This way, it is easy to compare multiple resumes. Are there clear headers for education, professional experience, skills, etc.? And are the parts all arranged in reversed chronological order (from most recent to least recent)? Of the two resumes I have kept one: the cover letter reveals a potential trainee that wants to be a real professional. She has the desired skills and her educational experience guarantees the necessary basic knowledge. I am looking forward to the interview!

We thank them for their efforts. This is valuable advice that should be taken seriously. Do keep in mind, however, that employers have their personal preferences – there is no magical formula for a cover letter that will convince every single one of them to hire you.

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LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONLetters of recommendation are not written by you (though in some cases professors and others will ask you to write your own and, if they agree with it, will simply sign it), but you should know a little bit about what they involve so you know who to ask and how to ask for one.

The most important thing about a letter of recommendation is that they are personal. Students are often tempted to ask the professor with the most impressive resume or the Dean. However, if these people do not know you very well, their title will not mean much to whoever is hiring you. These letters should be about you as a person, not about how many notable people you know. As one professor at the University of Washington noted, “Knowledge of you permits the letter to include specific examples and anecdotes, which are much more powerful than generic bromides or undifferentiated praise” (more of his advice can be found here).

Secondly, make sure the person you ask to write a letter has all the information they need. Send them your resume, your cover letter, and a description of the internship you are applying for. The letter should not only contain information about you; the content should also be relevant to the internship that you are applying for.

Many internships will allow multiple letters of recommendation. If they do, try to get at least two, and preferably three. (If you know four people that can all write useful letters and focus on different aspects of your work and personality you could send in four letters, but more than that is too much.) Only sending in one recommendation letter when you are allowed more sends a negative message to the organization or business you are applying to. Try to get people with different backgrounds (academic, professional, personal) to write a letter for you. Someone with a background in the type of internship you are applying for will be most helpful.

Lastly, remember to give the letter writers enough time to write the letter. Two weeks is probably the minimum, but at least a month is preferable. When you ask, give them the option to say no – do not try to pressure someone by saying “I really need this letter, and by this time”. You might get more letters that way, but they will not be nearly as good. The only type of person you want writing your letter for you will say yes if you simply ask for it in an open way. If someone asks you to write your own letter, that probably also means they do not care very much and you might want to look for other potential writers.

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INTERVIEWBEFORE THE INTERVIEW:

Do very thorough research about the company and the position. Find out as much as you can - use different sources, ask around! Try to see if you know someone who works in the company - speak to them!

Try finding who you will be interviewed by and get as much information as you can about them!

Know very well what the position entails and what makes you qualified for the position. If you don't have some of the qualifications required, brainstorm some ideas for how you could work on them or how you could respond to them if you were confronted about it

Briefly think about how you could tackle some common questions (see below). Obviously you shouldn't memorize the answers as they should come naturally. But if you have practiced this, then perhaps during the actual interview some keywords could trigger a good answer.

When you visit websites to look for job interview tips, a large part of the material is about common sense things, for instance: that you should dress appropriately, be on time, and try to avoid freaking out. However, there are some things everyone should do before and during an interview that are often neglected or forgotten.

- ResearchResearch whichever company or organization you are interviewing with. Read their mission statement, know what they are all about, and look at some projects that you find particularly interesting. You will undoubtedly be asked about these things, and if you cannot give proper answers you will come off as unmotivated and uninformed.

- Prepare questionsAfter the interviewer has asked all of his or her questions, you will likely be asked if you have any. Make sure you think about this beforehand and try to bring a few to ask, even if they are small logistical details. This makes it apparent that you did your research – and the information that you get is useful, too.

- No negativityThis is obvious when it concerns the organization or company that you are interviewing with, but it is important to remember not to bad-mouth past employers or people in general either. If you had a negative experience somewhere and are asked about it, phrase your explanation in a constructive way.

- Practice, practice, practiceFind someone, preferably a person who has interviewed people before, to do a practice interview with you. You might have the feeling that you have researched everything and know the answers to every potential question,

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but until you say it out loud in a realistic setting you will not know if you are properly prepared.

The interview concludes the application procedure – hopefully with a happy ending.

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DRESS CODE FOR THE BIG DAY Remember: make a good first impression.

Make sure you are well groomed, your clothes are laundered, pressed and wrinkle free. Make sure your clothes fit correctly, not too tight not too loose.

Try to avoid: Jeans, open toed shoes, t shirts, shorts, hats or other extremely casual clothing.

If you're in doubt about the dress code - feel free to ask someone at the company. Better to ask than to show up in Jeans ;)

DURING THE INTERVIEWSome pro tips to make sure your interview goes smooth:

Plan to arrive 20 minutes early, better to be early than late ;) Put your cell phone or airplane mode or switch it off! Bring copies of your resume to hand out Greet the interviewer(s) with a firm handshake and make eye contact Be calm, cool, confident, and yourself! Take time to reflect and process the question before answering Be prepared to ask questions at the end of the interview! Do not have sloppy body language - sit upright facing the interviewer Do not talk negatively about your previous co workers Try to not use ‘uhmm’ or ‘you know’ or ‘you feel’ too much Even if it is a skype interview: dress and prepare as if the interview is in

person. It will get you in the right frame of mind. At the end of the interview - thank them for their time and consideration.

Mention that you are looking forward to hearing from them soon!

COMMON QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT ASK YOUHere is a list of questions they could ask you/you could briefly brainstorm about:

Why do you want this job? Why should we hire you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is your greatest achievement? Why are you so proud of that achievement? Tell me about a challenge in your school work /work experience and how

you tackled it What type of work environment do you prefer? How do you deal with pressure of stressful situations? How would your friends/peers describe you? What is the one negative thing your previous boss/professor say about

you? What do you like to do outside of work? If you were an animal, which one would you be? Why? Do you have any questions for us?

QUESTIONS YOU COULD ASK Do you have any hesitations or questions about my qualifications?

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What have previous employees (in that job position) done to be successful?

What skills and experience would make me an ideal candidate? What would be the biggest challenge be for someone in this position? Are there opportunities for professional development? How do most

employees use them to learn? How was this position evolved since it was created? What is the priority of someone in this position for the first 3 months?

ACCEPTING OR DECLINING AN OFFERLike most students, at this point, you must have applied to various places for multiple different positions! If you’re lucky, you’ll get the chance to accept or decline offers! Both of these processes are as important as the application process!

ACCEPTING AN OFFERYou should accept an offer only if the circumstances below are 100% applicable:

You are able to find housing and transportation for the duration of your internship

You are confident that the company and the internship are a good fit for you and the internship will be a meaningful experience

The terms of the offer including hours, job duties, roles, expectations, salary and benefits are clear and acceptable to you

If you didn't not receive an offer in writing, ask for one before you start or else do not accept anything until you see it in writing!!

Once you decide to accept the offer, call the company and tell them you would like to formally accept the offer. Sign the written contract and feel free to ask any questions or clear your hesitations.

DECLINING AN OFFERSometimes you realize at a later date that this position is not the best for you. Or, it could happen, that you get accepted somewhere else. Regardless, it is best to decline the offer as soon as you know you don't want it.

The best way to do so, is over phone. This allows the hiring company to ask you questions and avoid misunderstandings. Some tips for declining are as follows:

Be kind and grateful Be honest about why you choose to decline the position Thank them for their time Thank everyone who you were in contact with during the process. Let them

know you are grateful and you would love to work with them in the future (if this is applicable).

THE FIRST DAYWhat was your first academic day at UCR like? Did you ask people where the classrooms where? Were you a little lost and just felt like there was a lot to learn? If your answer is ‘yes’ to all these questions, then you'll have a similar feeling on the first day of your internship.

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If you haven't received any information about your first day, then ask your supervisor!

Most employers will offer an orientation on the first day/week. This is a formal way to welcome interns, review company policies and expectations. There could also be some paperwork to complete on the first day.

By nature, an orientation should include the following information: Company information and profile:

A tour of the building locating the restrooms, cafeterias, meeting rooms, copiers, printers, emergency exists etc.

Explanation of what the company does, why and how many other offices there are.

Outline Of the organization policies, rules, and expectations: Work hours, breaks, holidays, time and leave reporting Dress code Confidentiality Email and internet use Social media and cell phone use Security and security policies Maintaining your work space

Explanation of office procedures, telephone system, handling the email, photocopying, answering the telephones etc.

Distribution of ID/Keys etc. Introduction to all other employees that you will be working with Discussion of any confidentiality policies

Specific information based on your internship: Introduction to your mentor/supervisor   Explanation of the assignments you will have Description of your responsibilities and deadlines Location of all the tools you will need for the job Training that you may require Description of the type of customers you might encounter and how

you deal with them Explanation of the procedure for reporting the progress of the

project Discussion of training and meeting schedule for the internship Review of detailed schedule for first week and beyond

SOME COMMON EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIESHow you behave around your colleagues during your internship can play a role in determining your future job. You will most likely put this internship in your resume, and some companies tend to all your internship supervisor for some input. Think about everyone you interact with, you must be professional. This can include:

Having an honest, cooperative attitude at your workplace Arriving on time, everyday and working complete days Meeting the deadlines regularly and completing the assignments

enthusiastically Followings the rules and regulations of the internship site Respecting confidentiality Learning as much as possible through policies, people, activities, programs

and showing your passion for the area

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The best thing you can do as an intern is ask questions. Never assume that you know everything; chances are very little that you do. Asking shows that you want to learn, you're curious, interested and passionate. These are the qualities they would look for future employees.

The second most important thing you can do is attend company events. This teaches you more about the organization of the company. Even if the events include strategic discussions or customer interactions, you will learn something new about the company respectively.

HOW TO BE PROFESSIONALProfessionalism is a cluster of attributes which includes work ethic, cooperation, time management skills, values etc. Through many components, the following are very crucial in a work environment:

Effective communication with others Demonstration of your commitment to the team Displaying a positive attitude Managing your time effectively Good etiquette Boundaries between work and home Integrity and commitment to your values

FINANCESAlthough you will not receive any compensation for the vast majority of internships, there are some outside funding opportunities Roosevelt students can apply for. Three of the main ones are:

- NufficThe Dutch organization Nuffic has a database on their website with grants, ranging from a small amount of money to complete coverage of all the costs. You can apply for these when you are arranging or have arranged an internship abroad.

- ErasmusUtrecht University itself also has an Erasmus Grant (though it is, at the time of this guide’s publishing, in danger of being cut), which is part of the lifelong learning program. If you wish to apply for this, your internship should be abroad and should cover 3 months of one academic year (which includes both the summer and winter break).

- Fulbright CenterFor the ones that are interested in doing an internship in the US, the Fulbright Center has some grants students could be eligible for.

There are more options out there, so if these three do not apply to you and you really need financial help to do an internship, you can do some research. Sadly, though, in most cases you will be working for no pay without any additional financial aid.

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ACADEMIC CORE

METHODS & STATISTICSInstitute for Undergraduate Research EleanorRoosevelt has his own institute that does research within the province of Zeeland. You can like their Facebook page to get updates about upcoming research opportunities. If you want to know more about the possibilities for students, you should contact Dr. Verhoeven (n.verhoeven@roac.nl).

The ECB Statistics Internship Programme

RHETORIC & ARGUMENTATIONPearsonAnthem Press

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ARTS & HUMANITIESSome general information for the humanities in Dutch, and in English.

AMERICAN STUDIESGeneral information

HISTORYGeneral information about history internshipsA list of internship opportunities in the USArchives of Washington National Cathedral

ANTIQUITYThe Getty FoundationStichting Cultureel Erfgoed Zeeland (for more information, please contact Dr. Hochscheid)ANCBS/Blue Shield (for more information, please contact Dr. Hochscheid)Institute of Conservation in the UK

LINGUISTICSPoetry InternationalRoyal Library the Hague (Dutch)List of internships at Bookjobs.com

ART HISTORYThe Getty FoundationChristie’s in AmsterdamChristie’s in LondonA list of internship opportunities in the USGuggenheim EuropeBoijmans van Beuningen (Dutch)

LITERATUREPoetry InternationalRoyal Library the Hague (Dutch)Anthem PressList of internships at Bookjobs.comPearson

THEATRE AND MEDIA STUDIESThe Goodman Theatre in Chicago

STAGE ENTERTAINMENT

PERFORMING ARTSThe Kennedy Centre

PHILOSOPHYGeneral information

RELIGIONAmerican Humanist AssocationHindu American FoundationInterfaith AllianceAmerican Jewish CommitteeTanenbaum: combating religious prejudice

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SCIENCE

BIOLOGYGreenpeacePhilipsRijkswaterstaatNIOONaturalis

CHEMISTRYGreenpeacePhilips

BIOMEDICAL SCIENCESCBG-MEB (contact directly)Vlissingen & Goes hospitals (contact directly)

COGNITIVE SCIENCEGEPhilips

COMPUTER SCIENCEIBMGEPhilipsRijkswaterstaat

EARTH SCIENCEGreenpeaceRijkswaterstaatNaturalis

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEGreenpeaceRijkswaterstaatNaturalisNIOO

MATHEMATICSAudiIBMGEPhilips

PHYSICSAudiIBMGEPhilips

PREMEDCBG-MEB (contact directly)Vlissingen & Goes hospitals (contact directly)

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SOCIAL SCIENCE

POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSOrganization for the Prohibition of Chemical WeaponsIGO/NGOs in the HagueNATOEuropean ParliamentDutch government (in Dutch)Politics-related US internshipsPublic policy think tanks, Washington DC

ANTHROPOLOGYSmithsonian

ECONOMICSConnect 123: Business InternshipsConnect 123: Marketing InternshipsUnileverRabobankThe Economist Group

HUMAN GEOGRAPHYGeneral information

LAWInternational courts and tribunals in The HagueCoalition for the International Criminal CourtBlenheim Advocaten

PSYCHOLOGYErasmus MCAmerican Psychological Association

SOCIOLOGYSmithsonian

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APPENDIX A: ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP SECTION STUDENT HANDBOOK5.7 Academic internshipStudents are encouraged to take up internships – normally during the summer break – in order to gain practical experience in a professional and academic work environment. In certain circumstances, students can receive academic credit for such an internship: The following requirements apply: 5.7.1 The Academic Internship takes place in professional setting. This can be an

external organization, but it can also be within UCR. An Academic Internship is the equivalent of a UCR course and carries 4 credits, 1.e. 210 hours.

5.7.2 An Academic Internship requires a well defined project plan. Student work should include either participating in a research project, applying existing research results to a practical setting, or reviewing existing literature and formulating recommendations for the organization in which the work is done. The results of the students in these areas are described in a final report. Some additional guidelines and procedures are described on intranet.

5.7.3 An Academic Internship is valued at 300-level and can count as one of the required 300-level’s in the student’s Major. An Academic Internship cannot be used as part of track in the Major, unless the Director of Education grants an exception. (For this, students can use the ‘Request to the Board of Studies’ from available on intranet.)

5.7.4 The student does not work independently but receives (almost) daily supervision. The student must find two supervisors committed to supervising his/her work. At least one of the supervisors must be a UCR faculty member. If the student does work in an external organization, one of the supervisors must be a professional within that organization. Whilst UCR faculty is generally willing to discuss internship possibilities, UCR is not responsible for finding or creating internships.

5.7.5 An Academic Internship has to be completed during the student’s senior year or in the break (summer or winter) following the last day of classes of the fourth semester. A student can only do one Academic Internship during his/her studies at University College Roosevelt.

5.7.6 The student requests permission from the Director of Education at least 10 working days before the last day of classes of the semester preceding the Academic Internship by emailing the ‘Academic Internship’ form (available on intranet) to registrar@ucr.nl. The request must include: - Description and purpose of work - Problem definition- Planning of student activities - Available facilities and support - A notification of consent by two prospective supervisors, as well as Head of Department

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5.7.7 An examination committee, consisting of both supervisors (and possibly one other examiner) is formed to evaluate and grade the Academic Internship. The procedure for how the assessment takes place can be found on intranet. The assessment will include a presentation of the work to a general audience. The examination committee records the grade – together with a motivation – for the Academic Internship on a Student Evaluation Form. The student is responsible for picking up this grade form at the Registrar’s Office and handing it to his/her supervisor.

5.7.8 An Academic Internship appears on the transcript, and not completing the internship by the planned deadline will result in a failure. Normal procedures apply with respect to withdrawal (6.6) and extension (6.5).

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APPENDIX B: SAMPLE RESUMEThis sample includes the three sections that most students will have on their resume: education, experience, and awards/achievements. It is well-structured, and, importantly, is uniform in its design: spacing, bullet points, indents, font size, etc. Some employers, particularly those of big companies/organizations that get a lot of applications, do not even bother to read it if a resume looks unprofessional. Beside this sample, look up others for yourself as well (but keep in mind resumes of students and professionals usually differ substantially)!There are other things that could be added. For instance, some add a section at the bottom with skills (Microsoft Office, Adobe, video editing, for instance), proficiency at certain languages, or even hobbies. Whether these should be included depends partially on the company/organization. If you want to work at a place with an international work environment you should include your languages, and if you want to work in an office environment you should highlight your Excel and Word skills (employers do not assume everyone has these).

Amanda Student123 College Street, State College, PA 12345555-555-555 e: amandastudent@school.edu

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Arts, Advertising Degree anticipated May 2012State University, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaCurrent GPA 3.53

EXPERIENCE: Summer Intern, June 2011 to August 2011 ABC Communications, New York, New York

- Partnered with design intern to create and execute two sell sheets, one print ad, and one postcard

- Created and presented collaborative intern campaign to entire agency and founders of organization

- Awarded best campaign of competing teams- Wrote radio script submitted with campaign proposal and assisted in other

writing assignmentsShift Supervisor / Trained Barista, September 2009 to present Coffee Shop, State College, PA

- Trained new employees, opened and closed store, handled total sales, built satisfied customer relationships

Server, Hostess, Expeditor, Busser, May 2008 to September 2008 Generic Restaurant, Washington, D.C.

- Created customer base and close relationships with patrons of restaurant- Provided prompt service while taking orders, serving food and closing the

check

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:- Dean's List - Fall 2010, Spring 2010

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- Awarded best advertising campaign proposal for A Foundation, ABC Communications, Summer 2011

- Awarded best advertising campaign proposal for Health & Wellness Committee, State University, Spring 2010

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