21st Century Internships

21ST CENTURY INTERNSHIPS: HOW TO GET A JOB BEFORE GRADUATION is a no-nonsense look at the importance of internships to your early career; the development of soft skills that go well beyond what might have been learned in the classroom; and the impact of hands-on experience on your ability to become highly employable. Full of contemporary tips from the authors’ real world experience, this is a must-have book for higher education students, recent graduates, young professionals – and those career professionals and mentors who guide them.

Click here to listen to the podcast with Mark Babbitt of YouTern who talks with David Shindler of The Employablity Hub about their collaboration on an e-book titled "Internships in the 21st Century: How to Get a Job Before Graduation"

Preface

Our 21st century economy presents considerable challenges to many. Hardest hit: the recent graduate struggling to find work among a sea of applicants; some with far more experience and industry knowledge.

In 21st Century Internships – How to get a job before graduation, authors David Shindler and Mark Babbitt take a no-nonsense look at the importance of internships to your early career; the development of soft skills that go well beyond what might have been learned in the classroom; and the impact of hands-on experience on your ability to become highly employable.

The authors share their combined knowledge of internships, career development and your ability to get job offers from great companies – by taking a detailed look at these points vital to your career:

- Why multiple internships during the college years are now imperative to young professionals

- The skills and traits in demand now – and how those skills are gained – and greatly improved through internships

- Where to find high-impact, mentor-based internships (versus the out-dated exploitive model still being offered far too often today)

- The role of networking and social media in securing, and making the best of, your internship

- Seeking out mentors during your internship – and building lifelong, mutually-beneficial professional relationships

- How to ensure that an internship opportunity is the right culture fit for you (and the company)

- Focus on the end-game, by keeping a record of achievement and quantifiable contributions during your internships

- Using internships as a career compass; steering your professional life in the right direction based on your passions, goals and knowing what you want to do (and, perhaps after an internship or two, what you know you do not want to do)

- How to turn an internship into a full-time job offer

The advice provided, from the perspective of two experts widely recognized for their mentorship and impactful career advice, makes 21st Century Internships – How to get a job before graduation a must-have book for higher education students, recent graduates, young professionals – and those career professionals and mentors who guide them.

Content

Acknowledgement

About the authors

Introduction

1. What is an internship?
2. Why are internships important?
3. Timing of an internship
   1. How many internships should I complete?
   2. When should I apply?
4. What do employers really want?
5. How to find your internship
   1. Choosing the right internship for you
   2. Finding the right internships: old-school
   3. Internship Service Bureaus
   4. Leveraging Social Media
   5. Network, network, network!
   6. Create your own internship
6. How do I know a good internship from bad?
   1. Warning signs of a bad internship
   2. What to expect from a high-quality employer
   3. What to expect from yourself
7. An internship with a small team
8. The role of mentoring
   1. What being a good mentee means
   2. How a good mentoring process can help you
   3. Real life benefits of mentorship
9. Using internships as a career compass
10. Get the post-graduation job you want
11. Are you ready to get started?