LET’S TALK ABOUT your Internship experience:

Internships provide students with an opportunity to serve as pre-professional apprentices under the supervision of professional, immersing themselves in the work of a particular field, industry, or organization. Ideally, interns engage in projects that benefit the organization while learning more about the company’s mission and the skills necessary for success in that career…

LET’S TALK ABOUT the transferable skills acquired:

1. Critical Thinking/Problem-Solving: Successful interns complete complex tasks and projects without the need for direct supervisory oversight. You ask good questions to learn more about the goal of the project, acquire the resources necessary, and find solutions that meet the needs of the organization. Moreover, you engage in cyclical reflection, using knowledge acquired in your classes to achieve intended goals and use that experience in future work, both in the classroom and beyond.
2. Oral/Written Communications: Internships require you to report on research, present findings, respond to feedback professionally, speak knowledgeably in meetings with professionals, and write concisely and articulately. The ability to communicate appropriately with and to your supervisor, staff members
   within the organization, and external partners is a key skill that employers seek in new college graduates.
3. Professionalism/Work Ethic: An overarching goal of any internship is to build the competence expected of a professional within that field or industry. As such,
   you are afforded the opportunity to navigate the complex nature of the culture within the organization or company. This requires you to make appropriate decisions related to time management, ethics, and even professional attire. You ensure that your emails are polished, your work is of high quality, and you
   demonstrate ambition and initiative. The ability to achieve the appropriate balance between your internship work and your schoolwork is a highly sought-after
   skill that demonstrates discipline, the capacity to self-pace, and active response to the adversity associated with a steep learning curve.
4. Digital Technology: Especially in a remote work environment, you have to remain adept at applying your knowledge of digital platforms to
   achieve the goals set forth by the organization, whether those are research-based, presentational, or task-based. The ability to pivot quickly and learn a new software, platform or technology is a skill that employers require in an ever-evolving economy. In your internship, you learn the intricacies of video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet. You may also have to apply your knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite in a more sophisticated way to create enhanced spreadsheets that incorporate formulas and mail-merging features. Additional platforms may include Slack, Trello, computer coding programs, graphic design software, client-relationship management software (CRM), a learning management system (LMS), or point-of-sale (POS) programs.

LET’S TALK ABOUT sample resume action statements:

• Compiled press clips and news releases and researched company background to enhance social media profile
• Assisted faculty members with project management consultations in fluent/conversational English, Arabic, and Spanish
• Prepared sophisticated written data reports to demonstrate stated goals, objectives, and outcomes related to sales, marketing, and research
• Presented data reports to company leadership using various video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams
• Networked with professionals within the company in an effort to learn more about the industry and to receive professional mentorship and growth opportunities
• Participated in ## hours of job training related to human resource functions, sales management, software platforms, and social media marketing practices
• Updated training manuals to enhance the overall client experience
• Created a comprehensive social media campaign that elevated the company’s presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Interviewed ## clients to better understand and enhance the company’s customer service goals

CCPD TIPS

Behavioral Interview Prompts:

Employers often ask questions about how you responded to specific situations.
For example:

• Tell me about a time when you experienced a conflict while working on a team.
• Describe a time when you had to work well under pressure.
• Give me an example of a time when you showed initiative and took the lead.
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake, and how you handled it.

S.T.A.R. METHOD

You can use STAR as a framework to structure your response to
behavioral interview questions.

• Describe the context and background for a Situation that’s relevant to the question.
• Explain the Task that needed to be completed. What was the goal?
• Outline specific Actions you took. How did you exhibit transferable skills?
• Share the Results of your actions. What was the outcome? What did you learn?