Standing Out: Developing an Effective Internship Package

Jane MacDonald, MLIS, MAdEd, MEd, CCC, CDPManager, Student Career Services

Manager, Co-operative Education Program October 2018

Opening Activity

I want you to consider that you are in an interview. Break

into pairs. One person pretends to be the interviewer and

the other is the interviewee. This is the first question the

interviewer asks.

“In 30 seconds, why dietetics?”

Right now, how prepared were you to answer this

question?

Outcomes for Today

• Skill Identification

• Resume and Cover Letter

Preparation Tips

• Application Tips

SKILL IDENTIFICATION

Skill Identification Activity

Experience: Document of Nutrition Care Assignment

• Anyone want to describe this assignment to the group?

• On the cards provided on the table, indicate on one card

what skill you would have used in the above activity?

• Print your answer as big as you can on the card.

• Show your cards to the peers.

Skills Used from this Assignment…

• Verbal Communication

• Written Communication

• Listening

• Being objective

• Critical thinking skills

• Organizational skills

• Attention to detail

• Ability to follow directions

and procedures

• Technological skills: use of word

processing program

• Summarizing of data

• Medical terminology

• Effective use of the Nutrition Care

Process (NCP)

• Documentation of the NCP

• Formation of PES and nutrition

diagnosis

Skills

• Excel

• Using Microscope

• C++, JAVA

Technical

• Loyalty

• Adaptability

• Punctual

Personal

• Verbal Communication

• Problem Solving

• Planning

Transferable

“A skill is a demonstrated ability we have learned,

are born with, or have developed through

work and daily living.”

Skills can be used with data, people, or things.

Skills as a Continuum: Something to Consider

Example using “communication” as the skill

Poor Strong

Questions to Consider

1. Where are you on the continuum? Be honest.

2. Think about an example of when/how you used this skill? How would you demonstrate the ability you claim you have?

3. Remember “communication” is verbal, written, and listening. Repeat questions for each facet of communication.

4. If you identified “a skill for improvement” develop an action plan to help you make this skill stronger.

“Getting to know ME” Activity

Skill Experience Documentation that

proves you have this

skill.

Verbal Communication

skills

Developed and

facilitated a workshop to

the MacIsaac Hall

residence. Topic: Healthy

choices in Dining Hall.

October 2013. Required

to research information

from Dietitians of

Canada and using

information from HNU

***.

Received a letter from J.

MacDonald, Sodexo,

confirming presentation

date, content and

numbers. An article from

the Xaverian Weekly that

talked about the event.

Other skills?

Fit: A Good Place to Start

• http://www.dietitians.ca/Become-a-Dietitian/Internships-

Practicum-Programs/Program-Match-Process/Internship-

Program-Descriptions.aspx

• Review Program websites and brochures to find

Programs that are a match between your career goals

and experience and unique opportunities each program

offers.

• Academic requirements. If you do not meet the minimum

grade requirements, your application will not be looked at.

Determining “Fit”: An Activity

Words from NS Health

Authority: Central Zone GDI

Experience that Demonstrates

I used this skill (be specific)

Type of Experience (i.e.

Work, Volunteer,

Extracurricular

Leadership potential President of HNU Society-

Increased membership by X%,

fundraising by X%. Specific

leadership skills developed…

Extracurricular

Initiative

Organizational Skills

Decision Making Skills

Communication Skills

Good interpersonal skills

Stress tolerance

Maturity, insight

Compassion

Computer Skills

Interest in Food

RESUMES

“No one creates a perfect resume on their first try.”

Before You Start Your Resume

• Review the application process for

Graduate or IDI.

• Take the “Important Dates” and add to a

calendar so that you are aware when

things open up and close.

• Review the “What to Include” checklist for

each internship program.

DC Match Process 2018-2019

• Only one resume is required regardless of whether you

are applying to 1, 2, or 3 programs.

• Page 11 of DC’s program match 2018 gives resume

information.

• FOLLOW INTERNSHIP’S DIRECTIONS!

DC Match Process Tip for Success

• Read each internship’s brochure/handout & highlight what

they want.

• Review your experiences and write your cover letter and

resume following the internship’s requirements. Make specific

links between your experience and what they want.

Something to Consider:

If you were an Internship Coordinator at XYZ, would you want to

take a student into your internship if the student didn’t follow your

application directions?

IDI Résumé Format

• Two pages max, single space, 12 font, 1 inch (2.54cm)

margins (requirement)

• Clear, concise, spelling & grammar

• Strong action verbs (accomplished, conducted, detected)

• Balance between text and white space

• Be consistent!!

• Information in reverse chronological order (recent to oldest)

• No high school

• Follow the IDI tips for resumes.

What to Include

• Education

• Employment Experience

• Volunteer Experience

• Extra Curricular

• Awards

• Affiliations

• Skills

… related to dietetics

Do not include the

following words in your

resume:

-Duties include

-Responsible for

-Very

-Good

- I, me, my

Education Section

• Identify the program you are in and

the school you are attending or have

attended.

• Don’t include high school, unless you

earned a number of awards or

completed a special program that

could be relevant to a career in

dietetics.

• French Immersion in High School*

Experience Section

• Resume should highlight experience that is relevant to

dietetics (experience gained in the past 5 years is the

most meaningful).

• Follow the guidelines on the form in terms of inclusion

dates, estimation of hours spent in the experience (total

hrs), job titles, organization, location, duties, skills,

professional membership, research activities, and

publications.

• Observational experience should only be included if it was

more than 20 hours.

Writing Descriptions (Work and Volunteer):

At least a three step process!

1. Initially, write your description as if someone asked

you “What did you do in this role?”

2. Edit the description by: • Starting with the verb (organized, implemented, etc)

• Qualify (use adjectives to describe “how well” you did something)

• Quantify (how many/much)

• Benefits, contribution, or accomplishments

• Include skills

3. Edit for grammar and spelling.

Writing Accomplishment Statements

• Accomplishment statements will demonstrate that you’re

someone who can get the job done

• Steps:

• Remember a time in a previous work or volunteer experience when

you accomplished something beyond your usual duties.

(Remember to make it reflect one of the skills asked for in the

internship posting.)

• Write down the accomplishment, highlighting three key areas:

Problem/Challenge | Action | Result

• Turn the accomplishment into a short sentence, starting with result

first, and adding context and scale for more power.

Accomplishment Statement Example

“Trained new employees”

“Trained new employees resulting in increased customer

satisfaction.”

“Trained more than 15 employees over a 12 month period

resulting in increased customer satisfaction.”

“Increased customer satisfaction by 25% through effectively

training 15 new employees over one year.”

Which statement would be the most impressive if you

were an internship coordinator?

Résumé Review Questions

• Appearance- does it invite someone to read it?

• Format- are the key points attractively placed on the

page?

• Actuals- does it state what you have done?

• Competition- will it make you stand out among others?

• Positive Image

• Finally, did you follow the IDI/DC application instructions???

Final Resume Review Question

Does your resume answer the

“SO WHAT” and “NOW WHAT”?

COVER LETTERS

Cover Letter

• Need to have an inventory of your skills and

abilities.

• Must be specific for each internship you are

applying. For Graduate: upload three different

cover letters based on each internship’s

specific requirements.

• Read over description provided by the

organization and incorporate the information

into your letter.

• One page, single-spaced, in 12 font, one inch

(2.54 cm) margins. Same font as your resume.

Line spacing options in

Word:

• Change from 1.15 to

single

• Paragraph Spacing:

Change the “Before” and

“After” to zero.

IDI Cover Letter

• Formal Letter format (previous slide)

• One page single spaced, in 12 month with 1 inch

(2.54cm) margins.

• Address letter to the IDI Internship Selection Committee

• Outline

• Why you are a good candidate for acceptance as an intern in the

IDI program

• Should also focus on addressing transferable skills from

experience (and how they can apply to dietetics)

• Refer to your information in your resume.

• Why you choose the IDI program, why you would be a good

addition to the program

Something to

remember…

Words can be

interpreted

differently by

people.

Does your Cover Letter

reflect who you are

and your abilities?

IDI Essay

• One page, single-spaced, 12 font with 1 inch margins,

professional

Two questions to answer:

1. What interests you about becoming a dietitian?

2. How will your experiences and personal skills contribute

to your professional goals?

Essay Writing Tip: What interests you about

becoming a RD? Think about…

Personal

EXPERIENCE

Do nothing

about/related

to it.

Do something

about it. Calls

you to action.

IDI Essay: “Why” Activity: General to Genuine

“interests you about becoming a dietitian”

1. Write down your answer to the question.

2. Ask why/how come each reason is important to you.

3. Repeat the why/how question until you get to a point

you don’t know. Review final answers.

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Reason 4

Why/how

come?

Reason 5

Reason 6

Reason 7

Reason 8

Reason 9

Reason 10

Reason 11

Reason 12

Why/how

come?

General Answers Genuine Answers

IDI Essay….

“How will your experiences and personal skills

contribute to your professional goals?”

1. Identify your professional goals. What are your

professional goals (outside of becoming an RD)?

2. Reflect on your experiences and how do they relate to

your goal(s)?

3. Reflect on your personal skills and how will they

contribute to you reaching your goal(s)?

References: Choose wisely!

• Pick individuals WHO REALLY KNOW you.

• Have a conversation with the person. Share your career goals,

resume, and other information before they complete the reference

form.

• Give plenty of time for your references to prepare the document.

• Inform the reference that they must complete ALL components of

the reference form which includes comment sections.

• Both IDI and Graduate provide guidelines for references.

• References are confidential. You are not permitted to read confidential

reports.

Next Steps

• Review the Internship

application instructions.

• Develop a plan and timeline

that you would like things to be

completed.

• Keep copies of the internship

brochures (Graduate).

• Get your résumé and cover

letter reviewed.

• Follow directions!

Student Career Services

Room 189 Schwartz

Email: jsmacdon@stfx.ca

www.mystfx.ca/mycareer

Final Message. . .

Write your resume from the employer’s

perspective.

Everything is always important in our eyes.

However, what is important to us, may or

may not be important to the employer.