As the end of July approaches, you’re probably half way through your summer internship.  Whether or not you got a coveted gig at City Hall, it’s time to take stock of your progress and learning and think about what you’ve gotten out of the experience to date and how to make the internship meet your expectations if its not doing so already.

Here are the 4 most common pitfalls of summer interns:

1. Not getting good / meaningful work
2. Not knowing how to do the work you do have
3. Not knowing how well (or poorly) you’re doing
4. Not meeting the right people

Not Getting Good / Meaningful Work

If you’re still fetching coffee every morning and spending more time by the photocopier than in team meetings, then it’s probably a sign that you’re not being challenged quite enough.  Think about what you set out to learn this summer and approach your supervisor or mentor to ask for some good practical experience learning how to do X, Y, or Z.   Read More »

Today, Urban Interns, the go-to site for part-time work and internships, interviewed me for their blog about being an entrepreneur and hiring part-time employees.   When asked about what I look for in a job candidate, here’s what I had to say:

“Eminently capable” is the term I use to describe what I’m looking for in an employee. In a small business, you need to find people who can figure out how to execute on whatever you need them to do. To me, that means have a great attitude, being highly motivated and taking ownership for your work. Asking for help is key too—that demonstrates judgment and thoughtfulness and I always prefer that versus someone going down the wrong path without involving me early on with questions or issues.

As a career switcher, I don’t necessarily care about past work experience being relevant—I care more about the qualities and traits that you possess that have enabled you to have success in your past endeavors. Are you a quick learner? A strategic thinker? A problem solver? Are you going to give 110% percent to be a part of a fun, dynamic, fast-paced growing organization that hopes to seriously change the world one day with a new approach to teaching communication?

Are you eminently capable?  Would love to hear your thoughts.

To read the whole interview, including if and how communication strategies differ for people at big companies versus small start-ups, and what workplace TV show I’d most like to work in (Mad Men!) click here

Do you struggle to introduce yourself to new colleagues, make the rounds at your organization or just sound smart when you extend your hand to a client?  The elevator pitch is a much-maligned but oh-so-useful tool to have in your back pocket for just those occasions.

I wrote a post for HBR on nailing your elevator pitch that outlined the Great on the Job strategy to make a powerful introduction.  The three key steps include:

• Thinking relevant, not recent
• Focusing on skills-based qualifications versus industry or experience-based
• Connecting the dots

Last week, Peter, a retired trade-show executive, participated in a GOTJ training workshop at Kellogg.  Peter had recently joined a non-profit board and had been asked to provide a brief bio to the board.  He had planned on including his typical spiel—30 years of experience building and running trade shows in North America.

Read More »

Lindsey Pollak,  Gen Y expert, best selling author (and a good friend) recently came up with a top-notch  list of must-reads for young professionals.  This is a great resource for everyone who’s looking for a little bit of guidance as they think about heading into the workforce for the first time (and even for the veterans among us).

I’m adding my own personal plug for Professor William J. White’s From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career.  I spent a fabulous 90 minutes at Kellogg with Professor White last week guest teaching his  “Managing for New Managers” class and it’s no suprise his classes are standing room only!   From Day One is loaded with actionable items of how you can make a contribution to your organization from the get-go.

So without further ado: Lindsey’s list…with a few of my own comments peppered in

A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink Essential reading about the skills that will dominate in the new economy (reading it now and loving it!)

Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck My favorite book on figuring out what to do with your life

Getting from College to Career by…me! (it’s as good as she says it is) Of course I had to include my own book! I wrote the guide I wish I’d had when I was in your shoes. It includes everything I’ve learned along my professional path so far.

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty How you write is how you are perceived. This book is the best modern writing primer I’ve seen.

Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi (seriously, buy this one!) The best book on networking at any age, in any profession

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois Frankel Like having your own personal career coach

Roadtrip Nation by Mike Marriner and Nathan Gebhard with Joanne Gordon A fun, insightful look into a wide variety of career paths

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron An absolute must-read for anyone who wants a creative career

They Don’t Teach Corporate In College by Alexandra Levit The best book on thriving as a young professional in the corporate world

Your Best Year Yet by Jinny Ditzler The ultimate guide to setting and reaching your goals over the next 12 months

Last week, I wrote a post on How to Ask for a Reference Letter which gave three steps for asking for (and getting!) a great letter of recommendation.   The second, and arguably most important step, is to provide a template for your reviewer of what you’d like included in the letter.

Recently, an elementary school teacher told me that her former principal had failed to respond to her request for a letter of recommendation.  I asked if she had included a template for her principal of what to say, to which she replied no, and then admitted sheepishly, “Honestly, I wouldn’t have any idea how to write the letter myself.”  At the risk of stating the obvious, if you can’t imagine writing the letter yourself, how do you think someone else is going to write it for you? 

Read More »

In the 2009 film “Up in the Air,” Natalie Keener decides she can no longer stomach being part of a corporate firing squad and quits her firm. Her mentor, played by George Clooney, behaves as the magnanimous gent we all know him to be: he writes a glowing reference letter on her behalf, addressed simply “to whom it may concern.”

In the real world, getting a reference letter is far more difficult and often a source of much anxiety. Whom to ask, how to ask, what to say?

But getting an outstanding reference letter is entirely within your control and easier than you think, even if you don’t have a benevolent benefactor at your back…

Read More »

Last week, I wrote a post about exiting a conversation gracefully that generated some buzz.  Beyond commenting on the strategies and tips to help you get out of those awkward moments, many of you rightfully pointed out that breaking into conversations was just as perplexing, especially at networking events, conferences and other forced-conversation forums. There are two strategies, however, that I recommend to client and friends alike to ease in and out of group conversations effortlessly.

Both strategies begin with a polite interruption followed by a quick retreat.  The first one takes some chutzpah, aiming itself at the whole group while the second strategy targets a single person first before gaining an entrée into the larger group soon thereafter.  Both can give you the opening you need to break the barrier of closed-circle groups and save you from a night of eating alone at the bar during a conference or event.

Read More »

Last week, my husband Eric was caught in the crosshairs of an overzealous museum curator eager to impart his knowledge about twentieth-century model trains. For what seemed like an eternity, Eric feigned interest as he searched for a way to end the conversation.

Fortunately, there is a way to exit gracefully.

We have all been in Eric’s place, stuck in a tedious, boring or uncomfortable conversation, at work functions or social gatherings. Common courtesy dictates that you don’t cut someone off mid-conversation and I personally know of no way to politely let someone know that you find their debate over live steam versus diesel-hydraulic powered model trains, well, boring.

Read More »

It’s hard to argue that a primetime network T.V. show that debuts after the Super Bowl has any mission other than to entertain the masses. It’s perhaps unfair then to ascribe any responsibility to the “Undercover Boss” other than the blatantly obvious—we all knew what we were getting—another reality show.

In reality T.V., however, there is an endgame separate and apart from mere entertainment. The Bachelor promises love, American Idol fortune and fame, and The Apprentice, a dream job with The Donald. In the case of the Undercover Boss: the chance for an executive to “garner an up-close look at his company and workforce to see how and where improvements can be made.”

Read More »

First and foremost, take it offline (don’t do it in front of anyone else). Second, do it in person. Third, as you approach your colleague or teammate, point out or question the facts of the mistake rather than directly blaming her. Don’t make it about “you did something wrong.” Instead, position it as: “I’m concerned there might be an error here” or “I’m wondering whether or not that was the intended outcome we were hoping for?” Or “It seems to me like there’s a mistake in the presentation that just went out to the client, do you have a few minutes to discuss?” Let the facts speak for themselves, and make it clear that your main interest is what’s best for the client/company, not in laying blame.