Presentation for the Massachusetts Green Careers Conference on October 4, 2018

1. Worthwhile Internships
Annie Wolf, CVA
Volunteer Program Manager, The Trustees
October 4th, 2018

2. Outline
u Intro
u The Basics
u Select & Apply
u Interviewing
u Next steps
u Resources
u Contact Info

3. Hi!
u Volunteer Program Manager, The
Trustees
u Previous positions include live
blue™ Service Coordinator at the
New England Aquarium
u Internships: Dolphin Research
Center, Audubon Aquarium of
the Americas, New England
Aquarium
u Certified in Volunteer
Administration

4. The Basics: What is an internship?
u Takes place at a big company, small company, government office, non profit,
independent organization, school…
u Hands on, experiential learning opportunity
u Skill development
u Career experience

5. The Basics: What is an internship?
u Legal Definition (For profit companies)
u No expectation of compensation
u Training is similar to that which would be found in an educational institution
u Tied to formal coursework or credit
u Corresponds to academic calendar
u Beneficial learning experience
u Complements but does not displace work of paid employees
u No expectation of employment

6. The Basics: Why bother?
u Experience
u Demonstrates commitment
u Resume builder
u Skill development
u Career path

7. The Basics: Where to look
u Still in college?
u Online
u Talk to people!

8. Select & Apply
u How to select an internship:
u Read through the description carefully
u Make sure your availability aligns with the needs of the department
u Review qualifications
u School credit
u Is the job description well written?
u How to apply:
u Submit a cover letter AND resume
u Tailor your cover letter to the position
u Do some research

9. Interviewing 101
u In person :
u How to dress
u What to bring
u Over the phone:
u Choose a quiet place with good service
u Skype
u Questions to ask/avoid

10. Interviewing
101: Questions
to Ask
u What is the office environment/work culture
like?
u How much time with I be spending with
you/other members of the department?
u Are there opportunities to work with other
departments, people from other areas?
u Are there any other interns in this role or in
the company?
u How much experience does the supervisor have
in their role? How much experience does the
supervisor have supervising interns?
u What attracted you to X? What do you like
about working for X?
u ONLY if not in description or unclear:
u Are there set hours or does the schedule
allow for some flexibility?
u Is this internship paid/unpaid? Do you
support school credit?

11. Interviewing
101
u In person :
u How to dress
u What to bring
u Over the phone:
u Choose a quiet place with good service
u Questions to ask/avoid
u After the Interview

12. Next Steps

13. You get the
internship!

14. Next Steps
u Great, follow the instructions sent to you
u Confirm start & end dates
u Ask any questions that went unanswered
u Start the college credit process
u Keep in contact with the staff person or internship advisor before you start

15. You don’t get
the internship

16. Next Steps
u It’s okay, it didn’t work out for a reason
u Follow up-ask for feedback
u Take another look at your materials
u You got this!

17. Resources
u Legal Resources
u https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.htm
u http://www.internshiprights.com/department-of-labor-defines-internship/
u Search engines
u Indeed.com
u Hireculture
u Idealist.org
u Conservation Job Board

18. Thanks & Keep in touch!
Annie Wolf
awolf@thetrustees.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wolfannie/