As the saying goes, “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience
without getting a job.” However, the adage doesn’t apply to INROADS Interns. INROADS Interns
are getting the experience they need and when they graduate, they even get the job. We’ve
uncovered the Top 10 Secrets to landing a full-time permanent job.
While securing an internship is a major accomplishment, there is a list of
characteristics that must accompany this on-the-job training experience. They are skills
that every employer looks for in a college graduate.
An excellent resume is a must. It's the first meeting between you and a
prospective employer. The resume is you on paper; therefore, it must be perfect. That
means, of course, free of grammatical and spelling errors, but equally important, your
resume has to tell potential employers why they should hire you. INROADS Interns work
one-on-one with INROADS staff members to perfect their resumes and they attend resume
writing workshops as part of their year-round training.
Excellent communication skills. Regardless of your major, or industry, you
will interact with co-workers, management, executives, and vendors. It is critical that
you know how to write effectively, speak articulately, and how to give presentations.
INROADS Interns do this everyday in their jobs. INROADS Interns work closely with a team
of mid-level and senior managers. Additionally, they work on company projects that
include executives and managers from cross functional areas.
Becoming a team member. Teamwork has become an essential element for the
success and survival of a business, and for employees. More and more, corporations form
teams to solve real work issues and improve real work processes. Therefore, it is
imperative that all new hires be able to learn the corporate culture quickly and be able
to add to the productivity of their assigned team(s). INROADS Interns participate in
community service projects that require them to give respect, provide support, and to
stay focused on the team goal, recognizing there is no ‘I’ in team.
Forming a strategic outlook. Employers look for professionals who think
strategically. They want employees who know how to set personal and departmental goals
that are in accord with the corporation’s overall goals. INROADS staff members work
closely with the Interns and our Corporate Clients to set aggressive goals for their
internship that are aligned with the company’s strategic goals.
Training is essential to performance. It is not enough to just show up for
work. You must show up armed with the knowledge and skill set to make positive, lasting
impressions. Each summer all INROADS Interns attend Leadership Development Institute
sessions that provide exciting, interactive and challenging leadership simulations to
prepare them to handle even the most challenging situations with professionalism and
grace.
Problem solving and critical thinking. Successful corporations hire employees
who, when in a position to make decisions that can cost or make the company millions of
dollars, will exercise critical thinking and problem solving skills. INROADS Interns
spend time in training sessions, where they learn how to apply the critical thinking
process and solve problems in real business simulations.
Community service is as important as the work. Most companies have made giving
back to the communities in which they live and work a priority. It is important for them
to make the world a better place and they want employees who feel the same way.
Community service is part of the INROADS mission, and each Intern looks forward to
participating in both group and individual community service projects and roles.
Confidence is key. Confidence cannot be confused with arrogance. When one is
confident, he or she has a quiet self assurance and poise that is perceived by
co-workers and makes others feel at ease. INROADS Interns receive a solid foundation of
education, industry specific training, and practical hands-on experience. This
cornerstone gives them confidence in their abilities and themselves, and it shows.
Corporate etiquette is crucial. Your people skills play a huge role in helping
you reach your professional goals, determine if you will be hired or not, retained or
not, passed over or promoted. Beginning with your first contact with a potential
employer, you are being judged on how you handle yourself and others. These are called
soft skills, but they are just as important as knowing the fundamentals of your
industry. INROADS Interns receive both one-on-one and group training, so they know how
to effectively carry themselves the moment they meet their potential employer. In
addition, their experience in real life corporate situations provide unprecedented
training.
Networking makes you more attractive. Networking is more than collecting and
passing out business cards. When done effectively, you can build relationships for
personal, professional, and corporate success and growth. INROADS Interns consistently
and routinely have the opportunity to network with corporate executives, industry
leaders, and other INROADS Alumni.
“INROADS has been a tremendous advocate in helping me reach my corporate goals. INROADS
is a wonderful program with thorough trainings, interactive mentors, and much guidance. My
experience with INROADS has been pleasant every step of the way. Going through the INROADS
process, I’ve been able to learn so much more about the corporate world and relationships in
the corporate environment. My INROADS experience has made me a better person in and out of
the office,” says Brenden Younger, who is a junior at the University of Massachusetts Boston
and an INROADS Intern at Liberty Mutual.
Armand Quenum is a mechanical engineering major at North Carolina State University and an
INROADS Intern at United Technologies Corporation. “I believe my INROADS experience has put
me ahead of many of my peers because of the exposure I’ve had to the corporate world,” says
Quenum.
“Throughout our 37-year history, INROADS has perfected the science of the internship. We
do this by learning our clients’ businesses and industries and using that information to
give our student interns superior training and industry specific skills, says Charles
Cornelius, INROADS President and CEO.” Students who are looking for that competitive edge,
should visit http://www.inroads.org
and apply.
