Category: Internships

Internships on Internships: Cover Letter Tips

Internships on Internships: Cover Letter Tips

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Since I’m a second semester junior (crazy!!), it’s about that time where I have to start applying to social work internships for my senior year.  The School of Social Work requires all Bachelor’s students to have either a summer internship or a fall and spring internship during senior year in order to graduate.  Other majors that require internships are any major in the School of Communication and Education (student teaching), as far as I know.  Other majors can require clinical work (nursing).

In order for me to secure an internship for next year, I had to do a number of things.  First, I had to have a meeting with the Social Work Internship Coordinator.  I gave her my resume and application and just chatted with her about my future career goals.  After that, she sent me an email with two internship referrals.

My Internship Coordinator gave me two really great referrals; both work with youth and families.  I now have to apply to the agencies and send them my resume and cover letters.  I’ve been working on cover letters for these internships and summer internships all day! It takes awhile to write them because you have to gear them towards each individual agencies.

Since cover letter writing is currently fresh in my mind, I thought I’d give a few tips (thanks to my Internship Coordinator for these great suggestions!)

1. It is essential to tailor each cover letter to the specific place you are applying.  Do your research!

2. It is also essential to communicate your enthusiasm for the place/position.  Show you are very interested and happy to have the opportunity to apply.

3.  Always try to address the person by name/title.  Try to avoid “To Whom It May Concern” as much as possible.

3. There should be around 3-4 paragraphs: In the intro, you should introduce yourself, state how you heard about the position, and a sentence about why you would make a good candidate.  In the body, you should summarize your qualifications in relation to the position, further emphasizing what makes you a great candidate.  In the conclusion, you should restate your interest in the position and then provide your contact information.

4. Proofread!!! If I hadn’t proofread my cover letters a few times each, I would’ve missed a few mistakes, which would have been embarrassing.

Well, those are my cover letter writing tips.. I am definitely no expert, but with all this internship applying and cover letter writing I thought I’d share some things that really helped me.  Now, the wait for responses from these agencies begins!

Looking for a Job or Internship?

Looking for a Job or Internship?

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Earlier this week, I braved the snowstorm to attend the well-anticipated Career Fair. I wasn’t there for long, so I only spoke with several companies.

The main companies I was looking to speak to were Deloitte and Epic, which I got the chance to do. Both companies were more interested in students that were graduating to hire full time, so my conversations were rather short. I gave them my resume and got a bit of information, and went on.

Since my Career Fair experience wasn’t as productive as I was hoping, this blog will be about general job resources instead of focused on only the Career Fair. So for those of you searching for a job or internship now, or will be looking in the future, here are my top resources:

  1. RamblerLink– I go on the RamblerLink website many times a week, sometimes even multiple times a day to see what updated jobs and internships they have. I search all of the different options, not just those that fit my description. It was through RamblerLink that I applied for The Power Company, and I got the job. Even though the company was listed under summer positions, I got a call back within a week and I got the job within two. It’s not always easy to get a job through RamblerLink, but if you keep applying and practicing and taking every opportunity you find, your chances increase greatly.
  2. Word-of-mouth (and sight)- If you hear that a place is hiring, or see that they are hiring (i.e. signs, advertisements), apply if you are interested. Applying everywhere is a great idea, but chances are higher that you’ll get a job at a place you know is actually hiring- you may save yourself time by applying later if you are still interested when they are hiring.
  3. Online- Searching online, whether on job websites such as Internships.com or Craigslist, or direct company websites such as wholefoods.com, is a great way to apply to places. Some companies have exact open positions listed on their websites, which makes your search easier. Be cautious about job websites though. Websites like Craigslist may be great for jobs, but they could also turn out very negatively. Apply at your own risk, and try to apply only to those that have as much detailed information (at least a company name and job description) as possible. Don’t apply somewhere just because they say “Hiring! $1000 a Week!”. Don’t do it.
  4. In person- This is where the Career Fair comes in. Applying or giving someone your resume in person may give you the opportunity to pick apart their brain and get some useful insight. Whether this gives you a better chance at getting a job depends on each individual interviewer and company, but these can be great opportunities to make connections. Sometimes in these cases, you can even get interviewed on the spot.

Using these techniques is a good idea, but take them a step further by using multiple at once. You don’t have to apply just online, by word of mouth, or just on RamblerLink. Use any combination of these techniques, and use as many as you can and want.

Informations Systems, Here I Come

Informations Systems, Here I Come

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Welcome to the middle of Week Four everyone! Week Three was a good one, even with the weather changes. Though it’s cold once again, I highly enjoyed breaking out my fall jacket last Tuesday for at least a few hours.

This week’s Tuesday was a chilly one, as has been the rest of the week, and right now there is snow all over the ground (not to mention slush). If it doesn’t all melt by Saturday, I’m hoping to go sledding with my best friend this weekend.

Last week, I didn’t post any blogs, so I’ll dedicate this blog to cover Week Three:

The most interesting moment of last week that stands out in my head is last Thursday when my INFS 247 class had a guest speaker come in. She was an Information Systems major when she graduated from Loyola, and she spoke to us about where she is in her career now and what brought her there, etc.

After hearing her speak, I did some research on the IS major and a career path after graduation, and I am beginning to seriously consider becoming an Information Systems major because it is not too late for me to change. Several general things I liked from what she said and realizations I came to are:

  1. She gets to travel with her job- I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to travel, especially during my young years when I’m not settled down yet, but officially an adult at the same time. Having the opportunity to temporarily live in other states yet know my home is still Chicago would be amazing.
  2. My current job in the Undergraduate Admissions Office is direct work experience with Information Systems. Any work experience is always a plus, but my current job is very applicable to my potential future IS career because I have an equal balance of dealing with Information Technology and entering data into a database, and interacting with people such as visitors.
  3. Most importantly, the more I learn about Information Systems, the more the pieces seem to come together in my mind. I enjoy reading my class chapters and doing my Excel assignments, I’m a good problem solver, and I like being logical and using math; according to what my professor, Professor Nenad Jukic, said on Tuesday in class, having these kinds of passions are not only what make IS majors successful in the field, but happy in it as well.

My next steps now are to research some companies looking to hire workers and interns, and to attend the Spring Career Fair on Tuesday, February 26. I’m so excited that I’m finally putting together a plan for my future!

All About Internship Interviews

All About Internship Interviews

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So, my first internship interview was on Wednesday afternoon. I haven’t heard back from them yet, so I plan on giving them a call at the beginning of next week. I would like to get the internship, but the most important thing that I wanted to get out of this interview was a test run of my skills as an interviewee.

Because this was my first face-to-face internship interview, it was important for me to really pay attention to my behavior as well as my interviewer’s. There are several recommended guidelines that people are given for interviews. Here are a few:

  1. Look presentable. Granted the weather is very cold right now, so walking outside in a skirt is not my cup of tea, but still wear nice clothes (aka no holes, stains, etc.) and have a nice appearance. Also very important is to smile (genuinely of course). It is said that most interviewers make their decision within the first minute (even less) of meeting you.
  2. Have some background knowledge of the company you’re interviewing for. At the very least, know who they are and what they do. It doesn’t hurt to have some knowledge on what you could be doing for them as well. Being informed will only benefit you and not being informed can be the end of your chance for the job/internship.
  3. Have some questions prepared. This was a difficult one for me this time because my interviewer was just starting up a new project for the company that I had not found any information on, so I thought up some questions on the spot. One thing I did was I asked my interviewer questions about her relationship to the company, as in what she does within the company, how she does these things, etc. I’ve heard before that making the interview more personalized regarding the interviewer can help your interview. You need to be informed about the company itself, but have questions to ask the people in the company about their jobs. Keep it professional, but make it more personalized so that the interview isn’t rigid.

Whether these tips helped me is yet to be determined, and if they didn’t, I’ll be on the lookout for more and better advice to give from my own experiences. In one of my next week’s blogs, I’ll post an update on this first internship of whether I got it or not.

Week Two!

Week Two!

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We’re halfway through week two of school everybody! Happy belated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Because I only have classes three days a week, and I had a four-day weekend, I’m still not quite in school mode yet.

Now that I have experienced every class, I am very pleased that all of my professors seem solid, and getting up and going to class isn’t too much of a hassle. My workload is slowly expanding, and it’ll be interesting to see how on top of my work I stay since I have four night classes (out of six total). I know from experience that night classes give you room to feel like you have an entire week to do the assignments, but this is not a smart idea, especially since I have two night classes in a row on Mondays.

Along with the transition to back-to-school, I’m am trying to maintain my resolutions. For the most part they have been good, and I had my first in-person interview for an internship today. I’ll post later this week on how it went.

There is one resolution that I am struggling with already, and I haven’t even begun it yet, which is my vlog. I haven’t yet had adequate time to devise a plan of action for how to accomplish this resolution, so I may not be able to start it for another month or so. I will try to start a vlog this weekend, but if it doesn’t work out, I plan on extending my time limit to before Spring Break. I will succeed though!

Other than keeping up with my studies and applying for internships, I’m doing everything to keep my stress level down while the workload hasn’t become completely overwhelming. A tip for the day to help de-stress, courtesy of my boss and Admission Counselor, Adam Buller, is to take some time out of your day to focus all of your attention on something small, such as doing some cleaning.

Personally, I like to cook when I’m feeling overwhelmed because it takes my mind completely off of my day’s malfunctions. Other things I do include washing the dishes, reorganizing my things, or taking 10 minutes to listen to new songs I’ve fallen in love with. Two current picks are “Killin It” by Krewella and “Mermaid” by Train.

(As a side note, Krewella is a dubstep music group that was founded by two girls that went to my high school, one of which was in my graduating class. I’ve recently been introduced to their music by my best friend, and in support of them, I’m giving them a mention in my blog, not as paid sponsorship. Take a listen and if you like them, show some support).

New Year, New Resolutions

New Year, New Resolutions

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Okay, so since I’ve covered this Winter Break (past), it’s only fair that I share some of my resolutions for this upcoming year (future). I’ll also share some pictures from this Winter Break that are worthy of my publication in a third short-and-sweet blog.

On New Years Eve, I realized that for the first year in many years, I didn’t have a list of resolutions. Even more than that, I hadn’t thought of any resolutions to even make a list. I felt that a lot of what I wanted, I was already accomplishing, so I gave the list making a rest, and for the last few weeks, I’ve just taken the time to enjoy myself. Now that school has started up again though, I’m beginning to realize that there are several things I’ve been hoping to do, and several more that I want to keep doing. Throw those goals together, and they make up what I’m calling my Resolution List of 2013:

  1.  Train for a half marathon– in junior high, I ran track and field and cross-country, but I stopped when I went to high school. I ran on and off on my own for all the years since leading up to the present, switching between loving and hating running. After a lot of thought (and another change of heart towards being pro-running), I decided that training myself for and running a half marathon between July and October is the perfect goal to try and uphold and accomplish this year.
  2. Score an internship– I’ve been applying to many internships in the last few months, but so far I’ve had little success. The search isn’t easy, which is why I’m going to push myself harder and search and apply more starting now so that I can land an internship for the summer.
  3. Continue eating vegan– several months ago, I changed up my diet and exercise routine drastically, including eating a vegan diet. I’ve since done boatloads of research, and my gut feeling tells me that this is the best path for me. I do have my days, though, when it gets tricky (and I’ll admit I’ve had several slips for cheese), but with the New Year, I know I want to stick to it whole-heartedly.
  4. Start a video blog on youtube- this is a resolution that I want to start by the end of January, although it is still an idea in progress. I’m still deciding on a theme, but I think I know what I want my focus to be. Nevertheless, if anyone has any ideas, feel free to leave a comment!
  5. Keep up with my Loyola blog better- this one is self-explanatory. My university is important to me, and therefore sharing my journey here is important, and this year, I hope to keep up with a minimum of two blogs a week. And more pictures.
Post- Registration Week

Post- Registration Week

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Right now, I’m healthy and I’m happy, the two most important things a person should be. Therefore I am beginning a fresh new week in a great mood. For all you stressed out college students, remember that- do everything based on keeping yourself healthy and happy (most of the time). Try to pull minimal all nighters, eat right, and give yourself a break every once in a while- your body and your mind, and probably your grades too, will thank you.

With that said, one reason I’m so happy is because registration is over and done with, and I have my schedule just how I want it! I’m signed up for seven classes, but I might bring it to six based on my future work schedule. I have four night classes and three Tuesday-Thursday classes. As of right now, I’m going to take THEO 297, LREB 315, CRMJ 373, MARK 311, INFS 247, OPMG 332, and COMM 101- lots and lots of business classes.

To some, this schedule may seem absurd. To me, it’s wonderful. With a schedule like this, I will be able to find an internship or another job to fill my time with on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s going to be a challenging semester, but then again, what semester isn’t hard.

Now that registration is complete, the job and internship hunt will take over full power. Looks like I may already have a job lined up to begin over winter break, but I’m going to continue searching just in case that position is filled. If anyone has any suggestions for places to apply to, preferably Marketing firms, feel free to share!

November News

November News

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Halloween has come and gone, and it’s now November. Registration is next week, so those of you who haven’t started preparing your classes, get on it! I’ve come up with a crazy schedule for myself, and it’ll be a miracle if I get it just right. I’ll update you all next week on how things went. Here’s to hoping!

As promised, I said that I would post a picture from Fright Fest last Saturday. Here it is:

And just because this was amusing, one more:

This year’s festivities weren’t quite as outgoing as they were several years ago. The costumes were definitely better, I’ll give them credit for that, but by the time daylight had gone and night had fallen, only several creatures had come out to play. If I decide to go next year, I’m hoping that this changes, because with the weather being that cold, it’ll take more entertainment than I got to stick around.

One fun new thing that I experienced at Fright Fest, though, was the showing of a short musical called “Love at First Fright”. It was cute, funny, and entertaining, incorporating jokes in relation to “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Hunger Games”. Another plus? It got me out of the cold for about an hour.

Back to talking about school and registration, along with signing up for classes, people should start considering searching for jobs and internships. Whether you are looking for a seasonal Winter break job or a Spring semester internship, the positions are filling up rapidly. I’ve begun my search for an internship, and so far it’s coming along smoothly. I’ve gotten two calls back, and I’m hoping to land one of them. I’ll keep you guys updated!

Since we are preparing for Spring semester already, that means that Winter break isn’t too far away, and before break come the dreaded Finals. I know that you all don’t want to think about them quite yet, but begin to consider reviewing materials because for many of us, like me, tests are cumulative and worth a huge chunk of our grades. No matter how well you are doing in a class, some Finals can make or break your grade, so don’t let them swallow you up.

Just a little tip for preparing so early in advanced- look over your materials and try and refresh your memory for now, and material that you didn’t understand before, now is a good time to figure it out. If you need help with a subject, but have not yet gone in for some, don’t be afraid to ask. Find a buddy in class, talk to your teacher, or get help from a tutor. From personal experience, I know that I love to study with classmates- it’s fun and social, and yet very helpful to have a student like yourself explain material to you that you didn’t understand from your teacher or the text. Take that into consideration.

Choosing the Right City

Choosing the Right City

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Throughout the travel season, I’ve noticed that quite a few students are applying to a wide array of schools. Applying to many schools can be a good way to keep your options open, but it can also be quite time consuming. I would recommend narrowing the list to save your self some time (and money if there are application fees, which Loyola does NOT have). One of the easiest ways to shorten the list, spend some time considering the city your school is located in and whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Some things to consider about cities:

  • Distance- Is it the right distance from home? Are you looking to stay close by or do you want to move further away to get a new experience? What forms of transportation can you take to get back & forth? Will you be able to afford to commute home easily for holidays?
  • Weather/Climate- Are you looking for a city with all 4 seasons or just 1? Do you want a snowy winter? Do you want to be near a beach? (Loyola offers both of those options!)


  • Rural Life Vs. City Life- Are you looking to study in a small, rural town or do you want to experience fast-pace, city life? Are you looking for a quiet environment or are you okay with a little city noise?
  • Transit- Will you be able to easily commute to grocery stores, restaurants, etc? Do you need a car? How does parking work on campus? Can you rely on public transit to get around? Or is everything within walking distance? (At Loyola you can always rely on the CTA, Chicago Transit Authority, to get you around the city at no cost with your U-Pass!)
  • Diversity- How diverse is the campus & the neighborhood? Will you get a different experience from your hometown? What opportunities are there to explore different cultures, beliefs, etc.? (Loyola is in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, Rogers Park.)
  • Internship/Job Opportunities- Are there businesses nearby who will provide internship opportunities? How far will you have to commute for work? How far are you willing to commute for an internship or job? (Being in Chicago, Loyola is very close in proximity to uncountable internship & experiential learning opportunities.)

There’s no right or wrong answer to the questions listed above, they’re all things you need to consider and answer honestly for yourself when deciding if a college or city is a good fit for you.

Good Luck!

Halloweekend Begins

Halloweekend Begins

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These past few weeks have been busy for me, as they have been for everyone else. Midterms have been coming and going, but they’ve been like that for over a month. My schedule has calmed down now on the school front, and the waters should be relatively calm until Finals.

First order of business I want to cover- Registration for Spring semester is rapidly approaching. For those of you worried about it, like me, I suggest you start stocking up your class shopping cart on Locus now. I have already planned a schedule for myself, and I can only hope that everything goes as planned. I’m going to try to take 21 hours, and right now I’m quite nervous.

Along with seven classes, I hope to find an internship for myself. The seventh class that I want to take is BSAD 351 in the Business department, which requires an internship during the semester. So far, I have found several internships to apply to on RamblerLink and internships.com. Anyone looking for internships should check these two sites out, especially RamblerLink, our school’s job and internship website.

Like I said, my schedule has slowed down now that Midterms are basically over. I have two tests left leading up to finals, and just several more papers before semester’s end. Up until now, I have survived, and in my opinion, successfully. Knock on wood that I keep it up.

In less than one week, it’ll be Halloween, which means that (for me at least) this weekend is Halloween weekend! Though dressing up in a costume isn’t a big concern of mine, I am really looking forward to going to Fright Fest tomorrow. Even though I’m not going with Loyola, a friend of mine told me that the Loyola trip to Fright Fest is also tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to running into some of my friends.

The last time I went to Fright Fest was in high school, junior year, which means that it’s been four years since my last trip. Back then, I only went on several rides and walked around with friends. This year, I want to go to the Haunted House and see the other Halloween-themed events they have set up. I also can’t wait to see the character costumes they’ll have. Here’s a picture of one from “back in the day”:

I doubt they’ve changed much, but I’ll post a new picture of one of the coolest costumes from this year in my next post. Happy Halloween weekend everyone! Stay warm, stay safe, stay fun.