Name: Kristina Bender Year, Major: 5th year senior, Public Relations and Advertising with a minor in Art and Design Number of Internships: 6 Names of Companies and Job Titles of Two Favorite Internships: Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL): Community Relations Intern, St. Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Center at Purdue: Communications Intern
How has she gotten so many internships?
Kristina knows how to use her resources. She utilized multiple college career services websites including CCO Express, found previous and current positions on search engines such as Intern Queen and Intern Sushi, and used this information to do company research using Google. Doing company research allowed Kristina to determine which companies would be a good fit for her, and from there she contacted companies directly, whether they had a job posted or not.
Of all the internships Kristina has had, only two have had a job posting she applied to. The others she has obtained by looking at previous intern positions the company has offered, doing some company research, and contacting the company about the opportunity for an internship. This has resulted in Kristina completing both summer and school-year internships, and two internships at once in some cases.
How did she manage all those internships?
Time management was crucial. When working two internships at once, communication with both employers was important to work out scheduling commitments. During the school year, being able to appropriately estimate course-load is important. And last but not least, she just worked hard.
Her advice for other students looking to build their internship experience
Kristina says students should think about what their “dream internship” would look like. What’s a company you would love to work for? What would you like to be doing during an internship? Contact the company you want to work for and see what they have available. Even if they don’t have a position open, it’s a great way to build contacts.
One skill Kristina recommends brushing up on is the ability to talk to people, in a professional setting or otherwise. She has found that interviewers are impressed with her ability to fully answer their questions. Recruiters are not satisfied with the bare minimum to an answer, including when they ask questions about the candidates themselves.
Lastly, be aware of your attitude. When attempting to enter the building for an interview, Kristina could not gain entry due to a swipe card problem. By being patient, and treating the security guard nicely, Kristina received compliments from the interviewers for her positive attitude.
Her future plans
First, Kristina will graduate in May. Her main objective is to find a job, preferably with a company she has already interned with. Her long term goal is to end up in Chicago with a creative design agency.
