One of the best ways to learn about a prospective career is to do an internship. Most colleges will require at least one, paid, or unpaid. Regardless, it looks great on a resume. I had multiple internships being an education major, and they were essential to my maturing skills as a teacher. My internships also led the way to my first job teaching. Internships allow a student to decide if that is the actual career for them, as well as to make connections that are beyond valuable. So, how do you get an internship?

I’m not going to lie. If you know someone, now might be the time to put a word out, that your student is looking for. We tell our girls over and over: “It’s who you know.” My daughter is currently waiting on a confirmation for a position with a major sports team because a friend works there. It’s an unpaid internship but being able to use that team and position on her resume will be priceless.

Don’t know anyone on the inside that can help? Don’t worry, because USF has great resources. Career and Internship Fair Week is held in both Fall and Spring. The next Career & Internship Fair is Wednesday, February 5, 2020, from 10 am to 3 pm in the Yuengling Center (formally the Sun Dome). The Career Services office has a wealth of information offered. You must register through Handshake, which is basically Indeed for students. Remember to dress for business to all events and bring your resumes. More information on internships.

A LinkedIn Jobseeker account allows you to view profiles and send InMail messages starting from $29.95 per month. HaveUHeard that LinkedIn has a version specifically designed for students looking for their first jobs? The LinkedIn Students app is free, and lets you research jobs, view companies where alumni from your schoolwork, and connect with more people. You can create an account and get started right away without spending a dime.

We’ve got some great information on what to wear if you are attending one of the job fairs. Students may also sign up for an internship/practicum class offered in their major. These classes give you credits towards your degree while also connecting you with companies in the field.

There are also many websites that list potential internships. Internships.com, as most of the sites do, allows students to put in their city and field of choice and even whether or not they are looking for paid or unpaid internships. From there, a proper cover letter and resume would be the next step. Occasionally a Skype interview may be requested. Using sites like Indeed or SimplyHired may be worth a try, but spending a lot of time on these to simply hit the “apply” button and having their resume sent into a black hole generally doesn’t prove too successful as most of these positions get filled by students with a more personal connection.

Some websites, like Internmatch.com, allow students to sign up to get daily notifications for new postings about jobs that may be of interest to them. Glassdoor.com and YouTern.com are also useful websites to find an internship. FindSpark.com is better known for its more creative internships and entry-level jobs in NYC. LinkedIn can be an excellent resource. Perhaps your student saw a position at a company they are interested in on one of the above sites and then, by scouring LinkedIn, they can make a connection. To search for internship listings, be sure to have a detailed and updated LinkedIn page ready to go, then go to the jobs tab at the top of the page and put “internship” in the search box. Refine your search by filling in the boxes on the left side of the page.

HaveUHeard which companies were selected as the 100 best internship programs in the U.S.? WayUp presents its Top 100. Vault also has its list of the Top 20 Most Prestigious Internship Programs for 2020.

Some students are creating their own videos or websites to show off all they have done and are capable of. It can be better than a long portfolio that may exceed the amount of space for uploaded information. These are generally used for more majors like graphic design or advertising, and not finance. Should your internship take you out of state, learn about housing options.

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When I attended USF, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to study.  I was so excited to start learning about something that I really didn’t know anything about.  As the classes started, I realized that maybe I wasn’t so sure. After my first year, I wondered if I should be looking into other options.  It’s a scary thought, but in reality, about 80% of college students change their major while in college. And that’s ok! Most kids graduating high school aren’t sure about “what they want to be when they grow up”.

USF provides so many wonderful colleges and majors.  With 14 colleges offering over 180 majors, sometimes it’s hard to commit.  USF’s Career Services is a wonderful place to get advice and help in planning a future career path.  They have tools to help narrow down searches and offer ways to explore majors, internships, and careers.  They even help with resume writing and preparing for interviews.

Your advising center will have advisors that will also help with your questions, searches, and course loads.  Make an appointment and have your concerns ready. They will make you feel comfortable to ease your mind about changing paths if needed.  I changed my major three times in college.  That may not the be norm, but with today’s resources, there is no lack of help with guidance and direction for our college students.  Take advantage of all that USF offers.

USF offers many events that help you explore different occupations.  They offer job fairs, Professional U, Career and Coffee time, employer events, and graduate and professional school fairs.  Take advantage of these great offerings. In the fall, check out the Career Kickoff Cookout.  This is a free event and a chance to meet with advisors.

Check the Career Center’s site for the Career Expo dates.  This is an event to meet employers, interview on the spot, and learn about different careers.  Make sure that you dress appropriately and have your resume ready to hand out. The Career Center will have other workshops to help you prepare for this event.  You may also have the opportunity to apply for internships as well.

It is important to dress appropriately and come with your resume as you will be speaking to professional organizations and maybe even your future employer. Students have many choices here from the USF’s Suit-A-Bull program, a free suit rental service for USF students with a valid Student ID card to Thrift Stores to taking advantage of retailers that offer discounts for students with their college ID. You can read about that list here.

HaveUHeard that LinkedIn has a version specifically designed for students looking for their first jobs? The LinkedIn Students app is free and lets you research jobs, view companies where alumni from your school work, and connect with more people. You can create an account and get started right away without spending a dime.

Pass on these great tips, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Find out more about how to use HaveUHeard as a great resource. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com.

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Study Abroad

**Due to unprecedented events in the spring of 2020, many education abroad programs were canceled. Please check with UNF in regard to any programs you may be interested in attending.**

The world is your classroom. I am a big believer in this adage. Apparently, many students agree as Study Abroad programs have become increasingly popular. When researching this topic, I was amused to read not only a plethora of information about the various things to look for in a program but also some amusing blogs written by students about how to convince one’s parents to allow them to study abroad. Well, this parent is sold.

I never studied abroad but had friends that did, or who did a semester at sea program.  Their stories and pictures always fascinated me. My daughter has yet to study abroad but is in the process of researching trips that work with her major.  It is a daunting thought of having your child halfway across the world, but the programs offered today are hard to pass up.

USF makes it pretty easy to find just the right program for your students.  By inputting some of the following criteria, city, country, region and/or term, an index of possible programs will come up.  Your student should also decide on what sort of things they are looking for in a program:

– Language immersion?
– Exploring the world; gaining a new perspective?
– Internships?
– Volunteering?
– Teaching opportunities?
– Budget?
– Country or city of interest?
– Coursework needed/accepted? (Remember to stay on the path towards graduation.)
– How long to be away? (Some students would never consider doing a semester abroad during football season, so spring or summer sessions are better options.)

The Study Abroad office also offers mini-sessions of one week or a couple of weeks.  As students begin to look at the various programs offered, they will notice that some include internships.  Internships are an excellent way to accrue credits and gain experience. It is possible to participate in international programs as a transient student, outside those affiliated with USF, but it is important to get approval beforehand to be sure credits will transfer.

Financing can get complicated based on Florida Prepaid, Bright Futures and any other scholarships one might have, but it is possible to apply some of these monies toward studying abroad. There are many scholarships and fellowships available for studying abroad too. I am sorry to say that some require the dreaded FAFSA form first, but you should be an old pro at that by the time your student begins to consider an international program. Have your student make an appointment with Student Financial Assistance and they can walk them through the process.

In addition, while considering financing it is important to take note of things like housing, airfare, and tuition, but don’t forget other things, like food (some meals may be provided, but others may require students preparing their own or eating out) and additional travel. The internet keeps track of all of your searches so you may want to open an incognito window so you can avoid increasing prices (the travel site is then unaware that you already searched for a low price on their website). The best time to book an international flight is typically 2-4 months before your travel date. Another tip is to check one-way tickets each way as sometimes you may actually get a better fare than the round trip price.

For housing, while USF does offer housing through their international program, other options include Airbnb’s and hostels. If someone wants to immerse themselves even more so in the local culture, consider staying with a host family.

Make certain their passport (and yours) are current. They cannot travel internationally if a passport will expire within 3 months. Applying for a passport takes up to 8 weeks if you do not have one. Visit the link at travel.state.gov for information on how to apply for a passport. In the event that you need to expedite a passport or visa renewal, try Fastport Passport. They are registered with the U.S. Department of State.

You may want to consider having your student get Global Entry which runs approximately $100 for five years but makes getting through security so much easier. Or, have them download the Mobile Passport app which is free and helps to speed you through U.S. Customs. (officially authorized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection). They will still need their passport but it saves them time.

Consider purchasing student travel insurance for emergencies, which we pray they don’t need. HaveUHeard recommends Allianz Travel Insurance.

If they will be traveling around and staying at hotels, which my daughter and her friends did on occasion, HaveUHeard that students can find access to special rates through StudentUniverse?  Click here for more information. Or, they can consider staying at a hostel. Hostels are not all so shabby anymore. Check out HostelWorld to see how nice (and inexpensive) some of them are.

Consider purchasing an unlocked phone that works on international networks. By purchasing in advance, your students can add their contacts and download their apps ahead of time.

Finally, when prepping and packing be sure to find out if they will need an adapter and/or converter. There can be varying prong set-ups from one country to the next and if they intend to travel (which they will) they should be prepared. Encourage them to keep a journal as well. It will be priceless in years to come.

Study Abroad can be very pricey. In addition to the cost of the program which included room and board, a prepaid metro card (may not last their entire abroad program), health insurance and some excursions, it does not include airfare, meals, additional travel (many use this opportunity to visit other countries). And, of course, any purchases they make for themselves. For suggestions on what they should bring with them, read our Study Abroad Gift Guide.

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As they get closer to graduation, one of the greatest changes our students are about to experience is abandoning their shorts, t-shirts and yoga pants, as they begin to dress for success in their new roles, or as my older daughter stated, for adulting. Dressing for success can be daunting in different ways, but the one that stands out most may very well be its cost.

Starting with the career and internship fairs students are attending, students need to put look professional. For the young men, this may mean a suit and tie and for the young women, while they have more options, it may mean a suit, pantsuit, skirt, and blouse or dress. That’s not to mention shoes. For students who may not have the means to go and purchase a new outfit, USF has Suit-A-Bull, a free suit rental service for men and women. It is open to all USF students with a valid Student ID Card. It is a donation-driven service so not all sizes and types of items may be available. Check out the Thrift Stores/Secondhand stores. From dresses to skirts, blouses and even jewelry, this is another affordable way to find suitable outfits for interviewing.

Students need to research the companies they will be interviewing with and eventually working for. Some companies are very conservative in their dress policies and require business attire, while others are more business casual. Trends change, but the basics still require that their look should be polished. Most department stores will have suit(able) options.

As they begin to upgrade their success wardrobe, they will be happy to know that student discounts are everywhere for the asking. Students can sign up online and download the app for Student Beans which will give them discounts for food & drink, fashion, tech and mobile, health & beauty, travel, study, and more. Check out our blog Student Discounts- Money Saving Resources. A similar student discount app is Unidays.

Welcome to adulting.

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