In a couple of recent posts, I’ve mentioned the nine college interns from UNH who have been working for Careerealism.com throughout their fall semester.
What many people don’t know is that these students not only had to go through a pretty rigorous application process that involved submitting short essays to ten multi-part questions, they also had to survive a group interview with a panel of their peers – just so they could land the opportunity to work 8-10 hours/week without pay. Yep – no cash. Instead, they got paid with a free lunch once/week…and oh yes, they got private career coaching. You see, in return for their dedication and hard work, I offered participants in the internship the opportunity to learn the best methods for identifying and pursuing a career path when they graduate. More importantly, I taught them the dos and don’ts of working in a business setting (i.e. how to communicate effectively, how to impress your boss, etc.) and many other things that will make them stand out amongst their peers in the workplace. In short, the goal was to give each one of them an advantage in the job market in exchange for their hours of service. So, unlike other employers who wish to hold on to their employees, I actually want to get rid of mine! That said, I’d like to introduce you to nine young professionals who I guarantee are going to make their future employers very, very happy:
(Top Row - Left to Right)
Tim – The best listener of the bunch, Tim is thoughtful and patient. His disposition is positive and consistent, making him the ideal person to deal with customer issues. Tim doesn’t seek the spotlight or crave recognition – he’s the ultimate team player and would be an asset to any client services team.
Mark – From C-level executive to receptionist, Mark enjoys meeting people and connecting with them – he’s a natural networker. He’s driven to find a sales and marketing positions this spring when he graduates. In particular, he is fascinated with how companies brand and market themselves to customers. This natural curiosity makes him excel at coming up with new ideas for connecting with an audience.
Greg – Sorry employers, you can’t have Greg! He was the team lead for the internship program this fall and graduated in December, but we couldn’t let him go. He’s officially Careerealism.com’s newest employee. Using his exceptional communication and organizational skills, Greg will be helping us expand our service offerings to college students and young professionals.
Jon – An event and project management pro, his pleasant personality makes everyone around him feel at ease. He’s quite resourceful and reliable. He loves to brainstorm, but enjoys the follow through just as much. There’s no better person to put in charge of a task that involves impressing your clients. I could see him running marketing events with ease.
(Second Row - Left to Right) Alex – Well-spoken, energetic and loves a challenge. She’s got excellent insight and is good at spotting potential roadblocks. She aspires to launch a career in PR which is perfect because she knows how to phrase things to capture interest. She’s also got a keen sense of how an audience will react to something – a trait necessary to succeed in PR.
Meg – Organized and energetic, Meg knows how to collaborate in order to create great work. Teammates feel comfortable around her and aren’t afraid to share ideas. She knows how to pull together the efforts of others to deliver results. Also interested in PR, Meg is the perfect account manager who will have no problem building relationships with those who can help her company succeed.
Kat – There’s nobody better to have on your team if you are looking for a polished, committed person who consistently delivers results that exceed expectations. Kat was voted by the interns as the one person they’d want most to have on their team. She has a reputation for excellence in all that she does, yet her humble-nature is what I love most. She hopes to get into media production when she graduates. I can already see her as a top production assistant at a major TV or radio station.
Zhenya (a.k.a. Z) – With a quick wit and lots of energy, Z knows how to get things done. He asks great questions - the kinds others might be too embarrassed to ask themselves but want to know the answer too as well. He’s great at updating others on his progress and when he hits a snag, he always comes prepared with at least several ideas for working around it. A role in consultative selling would be ideal for him.
Carly – The only English major of the bunch, she is a masterful copywriter who knows how to convey key points in just a few words. Her personality is engaging and the ideas seem to flow out of her like wine. Her attitude is fun but focused, which motivates her teammates to do the same. While she’d be a great journalist, I see her real strength in marketing because she can take an idea and run with it on many levels.
There you have it. Some outstanding talent is being developed over here at Careerealism.com – and the lucky companies that hire these future success stories will have us to thank for it.
If you are interested in connecting with one of these students about a job opportunity with your firm, e-mail us at customer_service@workitdaily.com and we’ll put you in touch with them. Better still, if you’d like to participate in CAREEREALISM University, a four-part certification you can complete with us online that will train you to stand out in the workplace, send Greg an e-mail at customer_service@workitdaily.com with CAREEREALISM U in the subject line and he'll be in touch.
J.T. O'Donnell is a nationally syndicated career expert, author and workplace consultant. She is also the founder of Careerealism.com. For more information on her corporate speaking and training services, she can be contacted at www.jtodonnell.com.
