The Importance of Internships

What is an Internship?

Internships are field work experiences which provide you with the opportunity to:

• Explore a career field of interest

• Gain career related experience

• Choose a major and select courses that will support career goals

• Develop and/or improve marketable skills that will make you more competitive in the job market

• Obtain references from professionals in your intended field

• Network with potential employment contacts

How to prepare for an Internship?

• In order to find the right fit for your career interest and goals, you should determine your internship target and know where to search for internship opportunities.

• You should also have prepared a resume and have practiced your interviewing skills.

• Schedule an appointment for a mock interview with a Career Counselor in order to prepare and gain feedback.

• All internships require a minimum of one semester commitment

Factors to be considered before making a commitment to an Internship

• Specific project responsibilities 

• What will be learned in relation to achieving career goals

• Supervision and training provided

• New skills that will be learnt

• Coordination of one’s schedule to include course work and internship

• Time spent commuting to and from the internship site

• Academic schedule and/or work hours

Make an appointment with an internship counselor in C-102

Merquisha Auguste
Amina Adalat

How to beware of fraudulent employers

What are fraudulent employers?

 Fraudulent employers are very sneaky bosses who go out hunting for innocent individuals, giving them the false hope of earning wages of which they are often desperately in need. There are numerous methods that perpetrators of such schemes use to lure victims. These include promises such as easy hire, easy work, high wages for unskilled labor, flexible hours, a small number of hours paired with a lot of free time, or other attractive offers.

Types of Scams

• Payment forward scam
• Application fee scam
• Phishing Scam: an e-mail fraud in which an employer sends out a legitimate-looking email in an attempt to gather personal and financial information from recipients.
• Mystery shopper scam: this type of scam uses fraudulent offers, fake checks and wire transfers to persuade unsuspecting consumers into sending money to fraudsters 

How do you spot a scam?

• Catchy job titles
• Required payments
• Lack of employment details
• Fake website
• Unsolicited e-mails
• Personal information request
• Guaranteed job offers
• Specific words or phrases include:“Nobody will find out” and/or “Off the books”

Protect Yourself

• Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by official-sounding corporate names. 
• Do not wire money to strangers or to firms that have supposedly hired you. 
• Don’t pay a company to hire you, not even if such payment is presented as your buying necessary training materials.
• Do not volunteer information
• Remember that anyone can place a newspaper or online ad. 

So be very careful next time you answer an ad for a job

Merquisha Auguste
Amina Adalat

Job Fair Readiness

Job Fair Readiness

Job fairs bring together job seekers and employers with opportunities available within their organizations. Over the years, it has become one of the leading means for entry-level recruiting, giving employers the opportunity to meet job seekers, and to get firsthand knowledge about them through their appearance and first impressions.

Why Should I attend A Job Fair?

• Meet with potential employers to develop a job search network.
• Discuss potential career opportunities.
• Present resume to employers for consideration for part time, full time, or internship position.
• Earn an opportunity to attend valuable workshops.

Planning ahead prior to the job’s fair

• Obtain a prioritized list of organizations based on your interest in the potential opening
• You may visit the organizations’ online sites to acquire more information and learn more details about the corporation you are interested in.
• Prepare a list of potential questions for the employer and develop a personal pitch!
• You may come to c-102 and get hold of the full list of employers attending the jobs' fair.

What Should I bring?

• Around 30 copies of professionally prepared resumes; if you feel like you need help with preparing your resume, don’t hesitate to see a counselor in C-102.
• In addition, you may also bring a business card to hand to potential employers.

First impressions are highly important!

• Dress conservatively, Professional attire is best – Men; wearing ties is a must!
• Be neatly groomed
• For women; avoid heavy perfumes, lots of jewelry and overdone makeup
• Avoid bulky cases and briefcases

During the job fair

Timing is important. Arriving on time to the job fair gives you a calm feeling and you will have the opportunity to meet with as many employers as possible. You want to maintain a positive attitude and be polite, so turn off your cell phone, and remove hats and headphones. After meeting with employers that you might be interested in remembering, collect their business cards so you can send them a thank you note for taking the time to meet with you.

After the fair

Attending a job fair is not a guarantee of getting a job. It is an opportunity for you to present yourself as the right person for the position. Being able to present yourself well takes preparation and positive attitude that would convince an employer to give you an interview.

Kingsborough Community College Spring 2014 Job fairs will take place on Tuesday, April 1 and Wednesday, April 2.  For more information stop by C-102.                         

Yosef Bagdadi, and Nathalie Jean-Elie

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

What is informational interview?

An informational interview is one of the most effective ways to obtain occupational information. While it may cover some of the same ground as printed material or information on a company website, it provides opportunities for an intimate and flexible inside view of a job field unmatched by other sources.

How can it be useful in pursuing your intended career?

An informational interview is less stressful, and differs in its settings compared to a typical job interview. In an informational interview you are the one in control. Questions can be asked that may not be strategic during a first interview (i.e., questions regarding salary, benefits, vacation). You can discuss what is done on a day-to-day basis and relate it to your own interests and feelings. Beyond the advantages of gaining valuable career information, the informational interview provides the opportunity to build self-confidence and to improve your ability to handle a true job interview.

Tips for informational interviewing:

• The best starting point is from people you know. Ask your family and friends to refer you to people they know who work in the field you are interested in.
• Talk to your fellow professors, alumni and classmates about possible contacts
• Make a good first impression prepare for the informational interview the same way you would for a job interview: dress appropriately, make research, learn more about job, the company and the industry to better guide your questions.
• Be sure you know the name of the person you are meeting, the correct pronunciation of his/her name, and the title of his/her position.
• You should regard each interview as a business appointment and conduct yourself in a professional manner.
• Always send a thank you letter an informational interview.

Questions you may ask during an informational interview

• Can you describe your career path? How did each job lead you to the other?
• What educational program is recommended as preparation? (Distinguish between courses which are desirable and those which are indispensable.)
• What degree or certificate do employers look for?
• What kind of work/internship experience would employers look for in a job applicant?
• What are the duties performed during a typical day? Week? Does s/he have a set routine?
• What steps besides meeting educational and experiential requirements are necessary to "break into" this occupation?

Finally make sure to sketch out a brief outline of the topics covered and the information gained as soon as possible after the interview. It may require a few minutes yet, it will insure that you remember the important points. Later, working from your outline, you can construct a more detailed report of the interview.

Yosef Bagdadi and Nathalie Jean-Elie

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Hi, my name is Gramercy Liew. I’m a second year student at Kingsborough Community College working toward a degree in Liberal Arts. I’m also a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. I’m interested in learning and exploring everything that I haven’t know of yet. I wish to expand my perspective toward this world by getting in touch with new friends and experiences. I recently decided to learn a new language, hopefully it will dedicate to my desired field of marketing. I've worked at several salons as a receptionist. I hope my experiences will contribute to my future career. Could I contact you for an informational interview any time soon to find out more about the company? 

Thank you,

Gramercy Liew

Hello, my name is Ahfraz Abdool. I am interesting in the opening position of becoming a teacher aid. I enjoy working with kids because patience, virtue etc. I am a currently enroll in Kingsborough Community College. I would be graduating the summer of 2014 with an Associate of Arts degree. I am an employee of an organization call NYJTL that is a tennis learning after school program. I am interest in working with your organization because I believe that we share the same goals. I believe that I would be a valuable asset to your organization. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Thank You