Why an Internship?
Why An
Internship.pdf
Getting experience is one of the best ways to investigate whether or not a career area is appropriate for you. There are many ways that you can “test” a tentative career choice during your college years. All of these opportunities provide you with insight into a career field.
Experience is highly valued by a potential employer - even short-term or volunteer work. They are able to see your interest in a career field, as well as the career specific skills you have developed. Interest and skills are great indicators of your ability to contribute and succeed in their organization. These internships are taken for academic credit to build career related experiences. They are most often unpaid and usually last for one semester.
Many job opportunities develop out of summer jobs, internships, volunteering, or networking with career professionals. Having seen the quality of your work in these settings, an employer can hire you with confidence. Don't count on this but it actually does happen.
The activities you engage in outside of your academic coursework can be more than just fun. They are an excellent way to explore your career-related interests and develop many skills you will be able to transfer later to any job. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and contacts that can help you secure a paying job later.
Employers expect you to supplement your career interests with work experience. You can convince them of your career sincerity by demonstrating the relationship of your summer experience to the job being offered. Even if the career fields are different, you have developed essential work-related skills fundamental to any job. You also get the chance to develop contacts in your chosen career. The people in your network can be valuable for advice information, and job leads.
You may also want to think about doing an independent study or directed research.
Getting experience is one of the best ways to investigate whether or not a career area is appropriate for you. There are many ways that you can “test” a tentative career choice during your college years. All of these opportunities provide you with insight into a career field.
Experience is highly valued by a potential employer - even short-term or volunteer work. They are able to see your interest in a career field, as well as the career specific skills you have developed. Interest and skills are great indicators of your ability to contribute and succeed in their organization. These internships are taken for academic credit to build career related experiences. They are most often unpaid and usually last for one semester.
Many job opportunities develop out of summer jobs, internships, volunteering, or networking with career professionals. Having seen the quality of your work in these settings, an employer can hire you with confidence. Don't count on this but it actually does happen.
The activities you engage in outside of your academic coursework can be more than just fun. They are an excellent way to explore your career-related interests and develop many skills you will be able to transfer later to any job. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and contacts that can help you secure a paying job later.
Employers expect you to supplement your career interests with work experience. You can convince them of your career sincerity by demonstrating the relationship of your summer experience to the job being offered. Even if the career fields are different, you have developed essential work-related skills fundamental to any job. You also get the chance to develop contacts in your chosen career. The people in your network can be valuable for advice information, and job leads.
You may also want to think about doing an independent study or directed research.
Advance Approval
All internships must be approved in advance for
credit.
This means as early in the semester as possible, NOT as we approach Finals or after since I will be unavailable then.
Whether I help you with an internship or you arrange an internship opportunity privately, you must see me well in advance to have it approved. From this discussion, I will evaluate your plan and advise you whether or not it is acceptable and if it will be approved for credit.
Helpful information for this discussion will include:
Your Declared Major
Cover Letter & Resume
Internship Host (Company, Address etc.)
Supervisor (Contact Information)
Verification/Recommendation Policy/Contact Info & Person
Responsibilities
Start & End Dates
Hours per week / Hours Total
This means as early in the semester as possible, NOT as we approach Finals or after since I will be unavailable then.
Whether I help you with an internship or you arrange an internship opportunity privately, you must see me well in advance to have it approved. From this discussion, I will evaluate your plan and advise you whether or not it is acceptable and if it will be approved for credit.
Helpful information for this discussion will include:
Your Declared Major
Cover Letter & Resume
Internship Host (Company, Address etc.)
Supervisor (Contact Information)
Verification/Recommendation Policy/Contact Info & Person
Responsibilities
Start & End Dates
Hours per week / Hours Total
Resume
A
resume is a brief, concise document that presents,
and effectively sells, your most relevant and
positive credentials for employment, admission to
graduate school, consideration for a scholarship or
fellowship, or other professional purpose.
An effective resume gets you an interview, not a job.
An employer will usually spend 15 to 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so the content of your resume must be clear, concise, and targeted to the type of job for which you are applying.
If your resume has a typo or grammatical error, it will jump off the page to an employer. This is a way to weed you out of a candidate pool. Your resume may be the only chance you get to make an impression, so make it a good one.
You have one chance to make a first impression. In many cases, your resume, or your resume plus a cover letter, are the only things an employer has to base an impression of you. The resume is a critical document for presenting yourself. The view is that if you would make a mistake on your resume, you'll probably make a lot more mistakes on the job. It's easy to miss your own typos. Use spellcheck, but remember it won't catch every error. Frightening example: If you leave the first "l" out of "public relations," spellcheck is not going to let you know. Get the idea? Ask friends to proofread.
The employer typically spends about 15 to 30 seconds reading your resume. Keep the layout simple and clean. Avoid too many layers of indentation. Stick with one font size for the document; only make your name larger. Don't mix font types.
The best way to stand out from the crowd is with high quality content and a clearly written, neat, error-free document. Employers are looking for content, not fancy or dangerously creative layout. Don't stand out for the wrong reason.
An effective resume gets you an interview, not a job.
An employer will usually spend 15 to 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so the content of your resume must be clear, concise, and targeted to the type of job for which you are applying.
If your resume has a typo or grammatical error, it will jump off the page to an employer. This is a way to weed you out of a candidate pool. Your resume may be the only chance you get to make an impression, so make it a good one.
You have one chance to make a first impression. In many cases, your resume, or your resume plus a cover letter, are the only things an employer has to base an impression of you. The resume is a critical document for presenting yourself. The view is that if you would make a mistake on your resume, you'll probably make a lot more mistakes on the job. It's easy to miss your own typos. Use spellcheck, but remember it won't catch every error. Frightening example: If you leave the first "l" out of "public relations," spellcheck is not going to let you know. Get the idea? Ask friends to proofread.
The employer typically spends about 15 to 30 seconds reading your resume. Keep the layout simple and clean. Avoid too many layers of indentation. Stick with one font size for the document; only make your name larger. Don't mix font types.
The best way to stand out from the crowd is with high quality content and a clearly written, neat, error-free document. Employers are looking for content, not fancy or dangerously creative layout. Don't stand out for the wrong reason.
Scannable Resume Format
Scannable resumes
• Many employers use scanning technology to scan print resumes into a database from which they can be retrieved later. Resumes designed for scanning must be compatible with the "computer eye."
• One scanning method involves scanning and maintaining the resume as a graphic image, so that your resume is maintained exactly as you created it. In this case the resume you have created for the human eye is acceptable.
• Another scanning method involves converting the image into text. Even though your resume is a document containing text, for purposes of scanning, certain kinds of text are not always accurately read and converted. Therefore, when we talk about a "scannable resume," we are talking about one that can be successfully converted without misreading any of your text.
Do you need a scannable resume?
• You will submit resumes to many employers in the course of a job search. Whenever possible, visit each employer's web site to see if the site indicates that the employer prefers or requires a scannable resume. If you cannot find this information, ask the employer -- by phone or email, as appropriate.
• Generally, if you will be sending your resume to large organizations, or even medium-sized organizations that tend to receive a high volume of resumes, it's a good idea to create a purely scannable resume, in addition to your resume for the human eye. Each time you submit your resume to an employer, you can submit both versions, and allow the employer to make appropriate use of each.
Scannable resume formatting
To create a resume that appeals to the human eye, but which avoids some of the formatting elements that could be misread by scanners, do the following:
• No italics, no underlining, no shading, or other unusual enhancements. You may use bold or ALL CAPITAL letters, but make sure the individual letters do not touch each other.
• On font style: use a sans serif font, like Arial or Tahoma. These are fonts that do not have the small markings on the edge of each letter (serifs).
• Don’t use serif fonts, like Times New Roman or Book Antiqua.
• On font size, use 10, 11, or 12. Be aware that font sizes are not created equal. A 10-point Arial is not the same as a 10-point Century Gothic.
• No vertical or horizontal lines, graphics, or boxes.
• Avoid two-column format or resumes that look like newspapers or newsletters.
• Print your resume with a laser printer. Provide the employer with an original.
To create a resume which is strictly for scanning, and not for the human eye, take these additional steps:
• No bold or ALL CAPS. It's unnecessary; the scanner does not differentiate between this and other font styles.
• One font style and size throughout the document.
• No bullets. You may use asterisks (*) or hyphens (-).
• No parentheses or brackets.
• Even spacing throughout the document. No tabs.
• Don't condense spacing between letters.
• Left justification only. No centering or right margin justification.
• Going beyond one page is acceptable if appropriate.
Place your name on each page.
• On the first page, place your address(es) below your name.
• If including two phone numbers, list each on a separate line.
• Don't print on two sides of one page.
• Don't staple pages together. Don't fold pages.
• Use white paper only. No texture or watermark on the paper.
Stay up-to-date:
Keep in mind that scanning technology is continually changing and improving. Be alert for current articles that cite current sources for their information.
Scannable resume content:
• Scanned resumes are typically retrieved using keyword searches. You need to research your industry and/or the requirements of the jobs you are seeking to make sure you've included appropriate information. Each time you apply for a job, review the position description. Make sure key terms that are included in the position description are also included in your resume where appropriate. You may revise your resume slightly for different positions or keep several versions of your resume if you are applying for different types of jobs.
• It is not necessary to include a section entitled "keywords." A search will locate words in any part of your resume.
• Some keyword examples are:
Accounting, composer, engineer, manager, BS or BA (to identify individuals with a bachelor's degree), MS, MA, PhD, Music Industry, Recording Arts, Bi-Lingual, Spanish, PowerPoint, Logic, Pro Tools, Photoshop, Final Cut, SSL, Musician, Video etc.
• Be specific. For example, list the names of software you use such as Microsoft Word or Excel, instead of listing software packages.
• Use terms and acronyms specific to the industry.
• In listing acronyms, it's wise to spell out the full name; i.e., IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Either way the employer chooses to search for this information, your text will be found.
• Going beyond one page is okay for resumes used strictly for scanning. Be concise, but use more than one page if necessary to include all relevant information.
• Misspelled words will not be found in a keyword search. If you misspell a critical word, you have effectively left it off your resume for the purposes of retrieval after scanning.
• As with any resume, typos are unacceptable.
• Many employers use scanning technology to scan print resumes into a database from which they can be retrieved later. Resumes designed for scanning must be compatible with the "computer eye."
• One scanning method involves scanning and maintaining the resume as a graphic image, so that your resume is maintained exactly as you created it. In this case the resume you have created for the human eye is acceptable.
• Another scanning method involves converting the image into text. Even though your resume is a document containing text, for purposes of scanning, certain kinds of text are not always accurately read and converted. Therefore, when we talk about a "scannable resume," we are talking about one that can be successfully converted without misreading any of your text.
Do you need a scannable resume?
• You will submit resumes to many employers in the course of a job search. Whenever possible, visit each employer's web site to see if the site indicates that the employer prefers or requires a scannable resume. If you cannot find this information, ask the employer -- by phone or email, as appropriate.
• Generally, if you will be sending your resume to large organizations, or even medium-sized organizations that tend to receive a high volume of resumes, it's a good idea to create a purely scannable resume, in addition to your resume for the human eye. Each time you submit your resume to an employer, you can submit both versions, and allow the employer to make appropriate use of each.
Scannable resume formatting
To create a resume that appeals to the human eye, but which avoids some of the formatting elements that could be misread by scanners, do the following:
• No italics, no underlining, no shading, or other unusual enhancements. You may use bold or ALL CAPITAL letters, but make sure the individual letters do not touch each other.
• On font style: use a sans serif font, like Arial or Tahoma. These are fonts that do not have the small markings on the edge of each letter (serifs).
• Don’t use serif fonts, like Times New Roman or Book Antiqua.
• On font size, use 10, 11, or 12. Be aware that font sizes are not created equal. A 10-point Arial is not the same as a 10-point Century Gothic.
• No vertical or horizontal lines, graphics, or boxes.
• Avoid two-column format or resumes that look like newspapers or newsletters.
• Print your resume with a laser printer. Provide the employer with an original.
To create a resume which is strictly for scanning, and not for the human eye, take these additional steps:
• No bold or ALL CAPS. It's unnecessary; the scanner does not differentiate between this and other font styles.
• One font style and size throughout the document.
• No bullets. You may use asterisks (*) or hyphens (-).
• No parentheses or brackets.
• Even spacing throughout the document. No tabs.
• Don't condense spacing between letters.
• Left justification only. No centering or right margin justification.
• Going beyond one page is acceptable if appropriate.
Place your name on each page.
• On the first page, place your address(es) below your name.
• If including two phone numbers, list each on a separate line.
• Don't print on two sides of one page.
• Don't staple pages together. Don't fold pages.
• Use white paper only. No texture or watermark on the paper.
Stay up-to-date:
Keep in mind that scanning technology is continually changing and improving. Be alert for current articles that cite current sources for their information.
Scannable resume content:
• Scanned resumes are typically retrieved using keyword searches. You need to research your industry and/or the requirements of the jobs you are seeking to make sure you've included appropriate information. Each time you apply for a job, review the position description. Make sure key terms that are included in the position description are also included in your resume where appropriate. You may revise your resume slightly for different positions or keep several versions of your resume if you are applying for different types of jobs.
• It is not necessary to include a section entitled "keywords." A search will locate words in any part of your resume.
• Some keyword examples are:
Accounting, composer, engineer, manager, BS or BA (to identify individuals with a bachelor's degree), MS, MA, PhD, Music Industry, Recording Arts, Bi-Lingual, Spanish, PowerPoint, Logic, Pro Tools, Photoshop, Final Cut, SSL, Musician, Video etc.
• Be specific. For example, list the names of software you use such as Microsoft Word or Excel, instead of listing software packages.
• Use terms and acronyms specific to the industry.
• In listing acronyms, it's wise to spell out the full name; i.e., IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Either way the employer chooses to search for this information, your text will be found.
• Going beyond one page is okay for resumes used strictly for scanning. Be concise, but use more than one page if necessary to include all relevant information.
• Misspelled words will not be found in a keyword search. If you misspell a critical word, you have effectively left it off your resume for the purposes of retrieval after scanning.
• As with any resume, typos are unacceptable.
Resume FAQ
Q: Should I include my GPA on my
resume?
• A: The answer depends on your GPA, the career field you are pursuing, and the other qualifications in your background. In technical fields, employers tend to place high importance on GPA, they want to know it, and they are going to ask for it eventually. That's just a fact of life. In fields in which employers care about GPA, if you leave your GPA off, you risk employers assuming that it is very low. (If you have a 2.7 and leave it off, do you want an employer to guess that you have a 2.1?) In some career fields, GPA is not as important a factor in employers' decisions.
Q: Should I include my in-major GPA? How do I find it out?
• A: By the time you are a junior or senior, you have generally established an in-major GPA. Most students have a higher in-major GPA than overall GPA, so it can be helpful to include this — it lets the employer know your area of strength. If your overall GPA is very low and your major GPA is very strong, you could leave off your overall GPA and just include your major GPA.
Q: Do I have to put an objective on my resume?
• A: Usually yes. You don't want an employer to have to guess from your resume what type of position you are seeking. If you're not sure what kind of position you want, you'll need to do some research. It's not the role of the employer to be your career counselor. If you have more than one type of position you're pursuing, do alternate versions of your resume to support each objective. When you mail your resume to an employer with your cover letter, you can elaborate on the position you are seeking in your letter, and in that case could leave the objective off. However, be aware that your resume could be separated from your cover letter, and again, you may be leaving someone to guess what you want to do.
• A: The answer depends on your GPA, the career field you are pursuing, and the other qualifications in your background. In technical fields, employers tend to place high importance on GPA, they want to know it, and they are going to ask for it eventually. That's just a fact of life. In fields in which employers care about GPA, if you leave your GPA off, you risk employers assuming that it is very low. (If you have a 2.7 and leave it off, do you want an employer to guess that you have a 2.1?) In some career fields, GPA is not as important a factor in employers' decisions.
Q: Should I include my in-major GPA? How do I find it out?
• A: By the time you are a junior or senior, you have generally established an in-major GPA. Most students have a higher in-major GPA than overall GPA, so it can be helpful to include this — it lets the employer know your area of strength. If your overall GPA is very low and your major GPA is very strong, you could leave off your overall GPA and just include your major GPA.
Q: Do I have to put an objective on my resume?
• A: Usually yes. You don't want an employer to have to guess from your resume what type of position you are seeking. If you're not sure what kind of position you want, you'll need to do some research. It's not the role of the employer to be your career counselor. If you have more than one type of position you're pursuing, do alternate versions of your resume to support each objective. When you mail your resume to an employer with your cover letter, you can elaborate on the position you are seeking in your letter, and in that case could leave the objective off. However, be aware that your resume could be separated from your cover letter, and again, you may be leaving someone to guess what you want to do.
Cover Letter
Include a cover letter. It sounds
like a no-brainer, but many applicants for Internet
jobs and internships don't include letters with
their résumés. Cover letters that accompany
e-résumés should be brief and concise. Keep in mind
that recruiters want you to introduce yourself,
they want to see how you write, and they want to
see you make a case for why the position they need
to fill is the one you're right for. Be sure to
indicate which position you're applying for, what
your qualifications are, and what you can
contribute to the company.
Never mail your resume without a cover letter. Even if you just spoke to an employer on the phone, at a career fair, or otherwise, and put your resume in the mail that same day, a cover letter is essential for several reasons:
• Don't assume you are the only person to whom the employer has spoken. Busy people need a reminder of why your resume is arriving in the mail.
• Don't assume the person you spoke to is the one who will open your envelope. A cover letter explains why your resume is showing up in the mail.
A cover letter is a basic professional courtesy. You are trying to present yourself as a person who is ready to enter the professional world. You will be evaluated on every detail of your behavior, conduct, presentation, and communication skills. A cover letter exhibits your communication skills and reflects your judgment and maturity.
• A cover letter is an opportunity to call attention to your strengths, interests and qualifications in a different manner than you do in your resume.
• A cover letter is personalized to the individual to whom you are writing, while your resume is not.
A cover letter is an essential part of your correspondence with an employer in your search for a job. When mailing a resume, you should always include a cover letter to explain why you are sending the resume. While the resume provides an overview of your background, the cover letter allows you the opportunity to highlight those aspects of your background that are relevant to the position you are seeking. A good letter can help heighten the employer's incentive in learning more about you by reading your resume and meeting you for an interview. It also gives the employer a sample of your writing skills.
Cover Letter Content
Unlike the resume, which can be mass-produced, a cover letter is most effective when it is individually word-processed and tailored to the particular conditions of the organization. It is best (although not required) to have the same print type as your resume. Letters should be addressed to an individual, preferably an employment or personnel manager or a supervisor in a department of interest, rather than to "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam." Names of persons to contact may be obtained by checking companies' World Wide Web sites. For the most up-to- date and accurate information on contact names, it is beneficial to call the company directly. Ask for the appropriate person's name and title, and be sure to obtain the correct spelling. This is also a good time to ask for the phone number for that person so you can follow up later.
The cover letter has three main parts.
1. The Introduction
This first paragraph states why you are writing, names the type of position and, if you have heard about a vacancy, mentions how you heard about it. If a person referred you, mention the person’s name. You should also explain briefly why your background makes you the best candidate for the position. Keep this paragraph short. It must attract enough attention to cause the reader to want to read the rest of your letter and your resume.
2. The Body
The main body of your letter, which may be one or two paragraphs long, should detail what you could contribute to the company and how your qualifications could benefit the firm. Keep in mind that your resume is general enough to use with many employers and that the cover letter links that resume (and you) to a specific employer. The body of your letter should reflect the research you have done on the employer and elaborate on your interests and experience. You should be careful not to reiterate everything that is on the resume; however, you might mention a few key aspects of your background and provide more detail about them than is contained in the resume.
Support what you have mentioned on the resume to show why you should be considered for the position. Refer your reader to the resume and any other enclosures. The more you know about the employer through research, the more you can link your qualifications to the specific position.
3. The Closing Paragraph
The closing paragraph must make it clear what action you will take to follow up on your resume and cover letter. Keep the initiative on your side. Stating that you will wait to hear from the employer more often than not results in just that... waiting. Instead, you should request an interview and tell the employer that you will call him or her within a specific period of time. You might also mention a name or two of a reference, if the employer will recognize the name. It is helpful to include your phone number here in case your resume and letter become separated once they reach the employer.
Make a backup. Save a copy of your résumé on a disk and on your hard drive so you don't lose it. Also make hard copies on good paper stock. You want to make sure that if your résumé gets lost, you can reproduce it quickly. You also want to be sure that when you're called in to interview, you've got a paper copy that looks good to bring with you. Recruiters love to misplace paper once they've called candidates in to interview, and if you show up prepared with some back-ups, that's a detail that will count in your favor when it comes to decision-making time.
Never mail your resume without a cover letter. Even if you just spoke to an employer on the phone, at a career fair, or otherwise, and put your resume in the mail that same day, a cover letter is essential for several reasons:
• Don't assume you are the only person to whom the employer has spoken. Busy people need a reminder of why your resume is arriving in the mail.
• Don't assume the person you spoke to is the one who will open your envelope. A cover letter explains why your resume is showing up in the mail.
A cover letter is a basic professional courtesy. You are trying to present yourself as a person who is ready to enter the professional world. You will be evaluated on every detail of your behavior, conduct, presentation, and communication skills. A cover letter exhibits your communication skills and reflects your judgment and maturity.
• A cover letter is an opportunity to call attention to your strengths, interests and qualifications in a different manner than you do in your resume.
• A cover letter is personalized to the individual to whom you are writing, while your resume is not.
A cover letter is an essential part of your correspondence with an employer in your search for a job. When mailing a resume, you should always include a cover letter to explain why you are sending the resume. While the resume provides an overview of your background, the cover letter allows you the opportunity to highlight those aspects of your background that are relevant to the position you are seeking. A good letter can help heighten the employer's incentive in learning more about you by reading your resume and meeting you for an interview. It also gives the employer a sample of your writing skills.
Cover Letter Content
Unlike the resume, which can be mass-produced, a cover letter is most effective when it is individually word-processed and tailored to the particular conditions of the organization. It is best (although not required) to have the same print type as your resume. Letters should be addressed to an individual, preferably an employment or personnel manager or a supervisor in a department of interest, rather than to "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam." Names of persons to contact may be obtained by checking companies' World Wide Web sites. For the most up-to- date and accurate information on contact names, it is beneficial to call the company directly. Ask for the appropriate person's name and title, and be sure to obtain the correct spelling. This is also a good time to ask for the phone number for that person so you can follow up later.
The cover letter has three main parts.
1. The Introduction
This first paragraph states why you are writing, names the type of position and, if you have heard about a vacancy, mentions how you heard about it. If a person referred you, mention the person’s name. You should also explain briefly why your background makes you the best candidate for the position. Keep this paragraph short. It must attract enough attention to cause the reader to want to read the rest of your letter and your resume.
2. The Body
The main body of your letter, which may be one or two paragraphs long, should detail what you could contribute to the company and how your qualifications could benefit the firm. Keep in mind that your resume is general enough to use with many employers and that the cover letter links that resume (and you) to a specific employer. The body of your letter should reflect the research you have done on the employer and elaborate on your interests and experience. You should be careful not to reiterate everything that is on the resume; however, you might mention a few key aspects of your background and provide more detail about them than is contained in the resume.
Support what you have mentioned on the resume to show why you should be considered for the position. Refer your reader to the resume and any other enclosures. The more you know about the employer through research, the more you can link your qualifications to the specific position.
3. The Closing Paragraph
The closing paragraph must make it clear what action you will take to follow up on your resume and cover letter. Keep the initiative on your side. Stating that you will wait to hear from the employer more often than not results in just that... waiting. Instead, you should request an interview and tell the employer that you will call him or her within a specific period of time. You might also mention a name or two of a reference, if the employer will recognize the name. It is helpful to include your phone number here in case your resume and letter become separated once they reach the employer.
Make a backup. Save a copy of your résumé on a disk and on your hard drive so you don't lose it. Also make hard copies on good paper stock. You want to make sure that if your résumé gets lost, you can reproduce it quickly. You also want to be sure that when you're called in to interview, you've got a paper copy that looks good to bring with you. Recruiters love to misplace paper once they've called candidates in to interview, and if you show up prepared with some back-ups, that's a detail that will count in your favor when it comes to decision-making time.
Thank You Letter
Thank You Letters
A thank you letter should be written after every interview with an employer. You should try to send the letter within a week after the interview. However, if a week has passed and you still haven't written your letter, send the letter anyway. A late letter is better than no letter at all. Even in cases where your interest in the company is low, a simple thank you note as a follow-up to your interview can help keep your options open for the future. You should always try to leave a good impression.
Content
A thank you note usually has three main paragraphs. In the first paragraph, you thank the interviewer for meeting with you and refresh his or her memory by stating the time and date of your meeting as well as the position discussed and the topics that were covered.
The next paragraph is used to reaffirm your interest in the organization. You may want to mention any personal characteristics, work experience, or other information that may be pertinent to the position but was not mentioned in the interview. If you feel any of your responses were inadequate during your interview, this is also the opportunity to redeem yourself by providing a more well thought out response.
The last paragraph simply wraps up what you have said in the preceding paragraphs and offers the employer a phone number where you can be reached for further questions. Another phrase thanking the employer for his or her time and consideration is usually added to close the letter.
A thank you letter should be written after every interview with an employer. You should try to send the letter within a week after the interview. However, if a week has passed and you still haven't written your letter, send the letter anyway. A late letter is better than no letter at all. Even in cases where your interest in the company is low, a simple thank you note as a follow-up to your interview can help keep your options open for the future. You should always try to leave a good impression.
Content
A thank you note usually has three main paragraphs. In the first paragraph, you thank the interviewer for meeting with you and refresh his or her memory by stating the time and date of your meeting as well as the position discussed and the topics that were covered.
The next paragraph is used to reaffirm your interest in the organization. You may want to mention any personal characteristics, work experience, or other information that may be pertinent to the position but was not mentioned in the interview. If you feel any of your responses were inadequate during your interview, this is also the opportunity to redeem yourself by providing a more well thought out response.
The last paragraph simply wraps up what you have said in the preceding paragraphs and offers the employer a phone number where you can be reached for further questions. Another phrase thanking the employer for his or her time and consideration is usually added to close the letter.
Verification Process
This language
exemplifies the importance of the
Verification Process to the
employer:
Please bring your school advisor/internship coordinator’s phone number and email address to orientation. You are not permitted to begin the internship until we have received your credit letter! This offer is contingent upon the receipt of a signed letter, on school letterhead, stating that you are receiving academic credit for the SUMMER 2007 semester.
Fax or email the credit letter ASAP.
The credit letter should be from a school administrator, such as an advisor, counselor, dean, etc. stating you are enrolled in an internship class for credit or documentation that you are doing the internship as an independent study project. In addition to the credit letter, all interns must bring a copy of their summer 2007 school schedule which indicates registration of this internship.
Do Not Wait till the last minute to arrange for me to write a letter for you.
I prefer to have these done by the end of April for summer verifications.
Please bring your school advisor/internship coordinator’s phone number and email address to orientation. You are not permitted to begin the internship until we have received your credit letter! This offer is contingent upon the receipt of a signed letter, on school letterhead, stating that you are receiving academic credit for the SUMMER 2007 semester.
Fax or email the credit letter ASAP.
The credit letter should be from a school administrator, such as an advisor, counselor, dean, etc. stating you are enrolled in an internship class for credit or documentation that you are doing the internship as an independent study project. In addition to the credit letter, all interns must bring a copy of their summer 2007 school schedule which indicates registration of this internship.
Do Not Wait till the last minute to arrange for me to write a letter for you.
I prefer to have these done by the end of April for summer verifications.
CSU Credit Procedure
You can sign
up for local internships during the semester or for
retroactive summer internship credit in August IF you
are returning in the fall. (NOT GRADUATING ) An
official letter of recommendation from your
supervisor indicating what you did, how you did and
how many hours you worked must be submitted to me
upon successful completion. This must be on company
letterhead (Hard Copy!!) and addressed to me care of
the CSU Music Department or bring the letter with you
if possible. Have it sent before you complete your
last day, but do not wait for it to be sent after you
leave. This must be in my possession to register for
credit.
You will then have that as part of your load for the fall and get credit for it retroactively in December. Remember minimum of 60 hours is required for 3 units. If you are graduating with units pending see me as early in April as possible to make special arrangements.
I also need two copies of the official letter from your supervisor on company stationary delivered to the MUS Dept Office and put in my box to finalize this. You will get credit in August since the class runs approximately from early June through late August.
Please do this ASAP.
FYI: This entire process is currently under review and pending change. Check with me.
I will post any new changes to this page as soon as I have them.
You will then have that as part of your load for the fall and get credit for it retroactively in December. Remember minimum of 60 hours is required for 3 units. If you are graduating with units pending see me as early in April as possible to make special arrangements.
I also need two copies of the official letter from your supervisor on company stationary delivered to the MUS Dept Office and put in my box to finalize this. You will get credit in August since the class runs approximately from early June through late August.
Please do this ASAP.
FYI: This entire process is currently under review and pending change. Check with me.
I will post any new changes to this page as soon as I have them.
MUSC 489
MUSC
489 - Directed Field Projects in Music (Through Fl'07
Only)
Credits: 3 Units
MUSC 453 - Experience in the Music Profession
( Pending for SP’08, would replace MUSC 489 for Internships - TBA)
Prerequisites: Faculty Permission
Course Objectives: This course will provide students with credit for an experience commensurate with the student's major curricular and professional goals.
Credits: 3 Units per semester maximum
Grading: Credit/No Credit
Credits: 3 Units
MUSC 453 - Experience in the Music Profession
( Pending for SP’08, would replace MUSC 489 for Internships - TBA)
Prerequisites: Faculty Permission
Course Objectives: This course will provide students with credit for an experience commensurate with the student's major curricular and professional goals.
Credits: 3 Units per semester maximum
Grading: Credit/No Credit
Company Letter of Recommendation
Be
sure to get a letter of recommendation from your
supervisor indicating what you did, how you did and
how many hours you worked. This should be on company
letterhead (Hard Copy!!) and addressed to me care of
the CSU Music Department. Bring two copies of the
letter with you if possible or have them sent before
you complete your last day, do not wait for them to
be sent after you leave. These must be in my
possession to register for credit. No Letter, No
Units.
Remember, it is a minimum of 60 hours to receive 3 Units.
Remember, it is a minimum of 60 hours to receive 3 Units.