internships

September 7, 2014

A warm welcome into the InternQueen family: reflections on an exciting first week of interning

Last week was great for two main reasons. Labor Day weekend provided me with an ample amount of time to get myself organized, accomplish some homework and relax.

On a more exciting note, I started interning with InternQueen on Tuesday!

I was eager to join the InternQueen team even before I started working last week, but my three days of interning solidified that I’m going to attain important career wisdom while growing as a young professional during my IQ journey. I’ve already learned a lot during my first week and there’s so much more to learn. I’m definitely excited.

The IQ team includes CEO/founder Lauren Berger (the Intern Queen herself); Digital Marketing Manager Lindsey Day and Campus Programs Manager Shayna Dunitz; former interns and now junior executives Savira and Michelle; and my fellow fall 2014 interns Brooke and Kelly. Of course there are campus ambassadors and others who are part of the entire IQ team, but these ladies are the main women I am privileged to work closely with.

These ladies are inspiring professionals who are passionate about what they do. All of them were very helpful when it came to making sure my fellow interns and I knew how to executive our jobs. I definitely felt welcome into the close-knit IQ family.

This week was a bit overwhelming – not in a bad way, of course – because as I briefly mentioned in a previous blog post, my work as an IQ intern entails tasks and responsibilities that are different from the bulk of my professional career thus far, which has been centered on journalism and working for news publications.

However, as someone who is also studying public relations, communications and marketing, those differences are great and well-desired. I have a few experiences in these fields and I’m ready to build up on them.

What a thrill it is to be a part of the IQ family! I’m excited to continue learning from and alongside them as the semester continues to unfold.

Check out this mug I purchased over the weekend! The crown (in my favorite color) obviously represents InternQueen and I am excited to use it during my workdays this week.

My InternQueen mug!

August 26, 2014

InternQueen.com, here I come!

Yesterday marked the beginning of my junior year, but it wasn’t a typical first day of school.

I started my day (at 5:45 a.m., but more on that later) by learning I was officially offered a fall 2014 intern position at InternQueen.com! After three interviews throughout the month of August, the last of which was with the Intern Queen herself, I am extremely excited and grateful to be offered what I know will be a valuable learning experience.

It has been almost two years since I first came across InternQueen.com, which occurred while I was browsing the Internet for cover letter and resume advice. That’s an interesting coincidence because I was seeking this information for my first USA Today Collegiate Correspondent Program application.

Over the course of my first two years of undergrad, I have read numerous blog posts and articles on InternQueen.com — all of which are insightful life tips. I’ve always been pretty hardworking and ambitious – at the very least, I try and give my best – and since I started college I’ve been dedicated to doing what I can to move along the path of achieving my dreams. I still remember walking into the Daily 49er newsroom after my first college class ever and asking how I could get involved with the student newspaper.

It took a semester or two to adjust to being out of high school and to fully realize that I am in charge of the rest of my life from now on, a fact that’s both frightening and exhilarating, though mostly the latter. Sophomore year is when I absorbed a career-driven mentality. I started looking at my classes as career workshops because that’s what they essentially are, especially in my fields, where almost everything we do – articles, interviews, podcasts, videos, blogs, public relations campaigns, marketing plans, press releases, etc. – in class is hands on practice.

I have become familiar with the USA Today College and InternQueen.com, attended campus job fairs to simply converse with job recruiters, connected with some professors, and read any relevant publications I came across. I’ve also read internship descriptions and postings so I can possess a better understanding on what opportunities are out there and what skills recruiters are looking for in their interns.

Long story short, I like to think I’m committed to equipping myself with the knowledge and guidance I need to achieve my goals in life.

In light of this, I’m excited to learn new lessons by interning for InternQueen.com! While the internship involves an array of different skills, most of my tasks will be related to public relations, marketing, and communications. This is very exciting because most of my work so far has been focused on news writing and online media. It’s time for a new adventure.

I’m very eager to begin training for this Internship this week and to officially start working as an InternQueen.com intern next week!

Thank you again, Lauren Berger and InternQueen staff for presenting me with this opportunity.