This Week in Career Services (29 March)

For questions about events or deadlines, please contact Career Services, 540-458-8595.

SLAC COAST-TO-COAST VIRTUAL FAIR

The Selective Liberal Arts Consortium is hosting a virtual career fair open only to the students of the 14 SLAC schools. 29 available positions are currently listed.

Go to http://www.slaconsortium.org/stu/#Coast_to_Coast_Virtual_Fair_Ma for more information about submitting your resume.

Deadline is April 5.

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 25, 8:00 PM: Cookies, Coffee & Careers
March 29: Application Deadline: CAREER 15 Key Employer Panel
April 1, 12:15 PM: Ultimate Money Skills
April 6, 12:00 PM: Live Discussion with GEICO
April 7, 10:00 AM: Live Discussion with Ferguson Enterprises

For more information about each event, click on the links above.

UPCOMING APPLICATION DEADLINES

March 29
+ Admissions Counselor, Washington and Lee University: Lexington, VA
+ VFIC Key Employer Panel Student Representatives, W&L Career Services: Charlottesville, VA
March 31
+ Associate Director, Georgetown Learning Centers: Washington, DC
+ Financial Advisor, Virginia Asset Management LLC: Richmond, VA
+ Summer Intern, SNL Financial: Charlottesville, VA
April 1
+ Elementary Faculty, St. Paul Christian Academy: Nashville, TN
April 2
+ Associate, Fortress Group Inc: Atlanta, GA
April 3
+ Camp Counselor, Camp Easter Seals: New Castle, VA
+ Editorial Intern/ New Media Intern, The Chronicle of the Horse: Middleburg, VA
+ Urban Education Fellowship, The Match School: Boston, MA
April 4
+ Commercial Real Estate Investment Sales Intern, Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services: New York City, NY
+ April 5
Camp Counselor, Camp Horizons: Harrisonburg, VA

Go to https://wlu-csm.symplicity.com/students to access your W&L JobLink account to apply for these and other positions.

You can also find W&L JobLink and other resources at careers.wlu.edu.

VFIC CAREER 15: NEW JOB POSTINGS

+ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): 5 open positions located in Washington, D.C.
+ The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond: 6 open internships, with application deadlines ranging from March 31st to April 9th.

Go to www.career15.org to create an account and view these positions.

This Week in Career Services (22 March)

For questions about events or deadlines, please contact Career Services, 540-458-859.

SLAC Coast-to-Coast Virtual Fair
The Selective Liberal Arts Consortium is hosting a virtual career fair open only to the students of the 14 SLAC schools. 26 available positions are currently listed. Go to http://www.slaconsortium.org/stu/#Coast_to_Coast_Virtual_Fair_Ma for more information about submitting your resume.

UPCOMING EVENTS
March 23, 12:30 PM:
Health Lawyer: First Do No Harm
March 25, 8:00 PM:
Cookies, Coffee & Careers
April 1, 12:15 PM:
Ultimate Money Skills

UPCOMING APPLICATION DEADLINES
March 24
+ Executive Assistant, DRS Technologies: Various Locations Nationwide
+ Public Relations and Event Planning Internship, Brotman-Winter-Fried Communications: Falls Church, VA
March 25
+ Full-time Analyst, MCG Capital: Arlington, VA *The employer will select students for on-campus interviews taking place April 5.*
March 26
+ IT Specialist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Washington, DC
March 29
+ Admissions Counselor, Washington and Lee University: Lexington, VA
+ VFIC Career 15 Key Employer Panel Student Representatives, Boar’s Head Inn: Charlottesville, VA
April/May
+ Stockbroker- Account Executive, DMG Securities: Great Falls, VA
+ Go to https://wlu-csm.symplicity.com/students to access your W&L JobLink account to apply for these and other positions.
+ You can also find W&L JobLink and other resources at careers.wlu.edu

Complete Online Survey for a Chance to Win $250 Amazon Gift Card
Even if you're not interested in financial services, J.P. Morgan is interested in hearing from you and invites you to fill out a brief survey – it should take no more than 10 minutes. By completing this survey, you will be eligible to win a $250 Amazon gift card.

Please note that responses will not be considered at an individual level and will not impact the application process or your relationship with J.P. Morgan. All responses are collated anonymously.

Please go to http://www.workcomms.com/surveys/jpmorgan/march2010-2/ to complete this survey by March 26, 2010.

This Week in Career Services (15 March)

For questions about events or deadlines, please contact Career Services, 540-458-8595.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

March 16, 10:00 AM: Intelligence Community Virtual Career Fair
March 16, 11:30 AM: Quick Questions in the Marketplace
March 16, 9:00 AM: Open House for Hertz Corporation
March 17, 12:30 PM: Chairman and CEO of The Martin Agency Visits W&L

For more information about each event, click on the links above.

UPCOMING APPLICATION DEADLINES:

March 15:
- JPMorgan Launching Leaders Experience 2010: New York City, NY
- JPMorgan Winning Women Experience 2010: New York City, NY
March 17:
- Secondary School Teachers, The Field School: Washington, DC
- Summer Leadership Program, Ernst & Young
March 18:
- Account Manager, Kforce Professional Staffing: Reston, VA
March 19:
- External Relations Intern, National Children’s Museum: Washington, DC
- Summer Intern, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA): New York/ Washington, DC
March 20:
- Business Internship, AH&T Insurance: Leesburg, VA
- Financial Representative Intern, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network: Various Virginia Locations

Go to https://bl2prd0102.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=3975ba76bed24407865376413bd7839c&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwlu-csm.symplicity.com%2fstudents to access your W&L JobLink account to apply for these and other positions.

You can also find W&L JobLink and other resources at careers.wlu.edu.

The FBI is Hiring

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is hiring. Please check the FBI Jobs website (http://www.fbijobs.gov/) or USA Jobs (see last blog entry). Seniors should not be deterred by the current job market - the government is hiring.

Apply for Positions at the CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency offers a number of very interesting and demanding positions that offer great experience and quick advancement. These positions demand strong integrity of character, analytical skills, and leadership qualities.

These positions offer a very rewarding and unique experience serving our nation. The background check is exhaustive, and it can take anywhere from several months to two years. Those interested are encouraged to apply now while continuing with other endeavors until they hear back from the Agency.

To find out more about available positions at the CIA and the CIA's application process, please visit the Agency's career website at https://www.cia.gov/careers/index.html .

2009 National Internship Study

Washington and Lee University
2009 National Internship Study
(The link to this survey is at the BOTTOM of this message.)

Washington and Lee University have been asked to participate in a national research study of internships and related experienced-based opportunities.

The purpose of this national survey is to gain an understanding of your expectations when participating in an internship or experiential program. The results of the survey will be shared with tens of thousands of employers throughout the country to help improve internship and co-op programs and recruiting practices.

Everyone’s opinion is needed!
Whether or not you have had an internship, summer job, or other experience-base opportunity, all W&L undergraduate students are asked to participate. Help build better internship programs by giving feedback.

THANK YOU GIFTS: ALL SURVEY TAKERS WILL RECEIVE A $25 TRAVEL COUPON TO STUDENT UNIVERSE AND BE ENTERED TO RECEIVE A $500 SPRING BREAK TRAVEL VOUCHER!
BONUS gifts for W&L students: send an email to cspt@wlu.edu With Subject: took the survey upon completion of the survey and you have a chance to win one of four $25 Itunes gift certificates.

Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary. As a participant, you may discontinue the survey at any time.
· There are no risks associated with completing this survey.
· Participants have the right to not answer questions they might feel uncomfortable answering.
· Your information will be treated with strict confidence.
· Intern Bridge will never release information as it relates directly to your individual submission, contact information, or Washington and Lee University.
· The survey takes only about 25 minutes to complete.

Only group data will be used in our reports and your confidentiality will be protected to the maximum extent allowed by law. Reports will be available at either www.InternBridge.com or www.ceri.msu.edu. All data will be retained for a minimum of three years following closure of the research. Data will be stored on secure computers of the principal investigators and the Institutional Review Board at Michigan State University will also have access to the research data.

If at any time you have questions regarding this research or your participation, contact the campus investigator, (Beverly T. Lorig, Director, W&L Career Services, 540-458-8595), or IRB chair, Wythe Whiting, Professor of Psychology at W&L, whitingw@wlu.edu or the primary researcher Richard Bottner, nationalstudy@internbridge.com., Intern Bridge, Inc., 19 Railroad Street, 3B, Acton, MA 01720; telephone: 617-764-2352.You may print a copy of this consent form or obtain a copy in W&L Career Services, Room 301, University Commons.

You indicate your voluntary agreement to participate in this research by completing this survey.

Beverly T. Lorig, Director, Career Services, Washington and Lee University,
Signature of Investigator
Date: October 26, 2009

W&L NATIONAL INTERNSHIP SURVEY

Summer Profiles: John Skolnik '10

John Skolnik
Business Administration and East Asian Languages and Literatures: Chinese

Where did you intern this summer?
This summer I interned at a large light manufacturing company outside Shanghai China. The name of the company is Yaming Lighting, and I worked in the International Sales and Marketing department.

How did you find this internship?
I found the internship through a program listed on the career services website. The program name is Abroad China. I was accepted to the Summer Study/Intern program for 8 weeks during the summer. It included assistance in finding an internship in my desired field of study, as well as complementary language classes. My week consisted of Chinese language classes on Mondays and Fridays, and interning at my company Tuesday through Thursday.

How would your typical day go?
My typical day consisted of waking up in the morning and commuting to work. My work day consisted usually of working on one large project per week. Although most of my coworkers spoke almost fluent English, I tried my best to speak with them in Chinese. After work, I would usually come home and relax before going out for dinner and drinks with the other people in my program. All the other members were also American college students working in different fields.

What was your most interesting project?
The company I worked with wanted to design a new logo for their developing branches. They gave me a general idea of what they wanted and let me run with it. I spent an entire week fooling around with graphics on the computer and running ideas by my supervisor. As a business student particularly interested in marketing, I especially enjoyed trying my hand at the design aspect of the field.

What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
Finding an internship can be fairly difficult, especially now. My advice would be if you can’t land your dream job for the summer, try something different. Take the opportunity to experience something you otherwise may not have had the chance to. If you speak another language, or are studying another language, search for internships abroad. The main goal is to gain not only work experience, but life experience as well.

What were the other highlights of your summer experience?
Overall the summer abroad was a great experience. Apart from the great friends I made over the summer, and the experience I gained from working for a large manufacturing company, there were other things that made the trip unforgettable. Some highlights include the weekend trips to other cities including Qingdao and Hangzhou, heckling with Chinese women over the price of fake Gucci bags and Rolex watches, and standing at the window of the highest bar in the world watching as Shanghai rapidly expands.

Summer Profiles: Dalton Harris '10

Dalton Harris '10
Accounting & Business Administration, American History

Where did you intern this summer?
Wachovia Bank NA, Raleigh, NC

How did you find this internship?
I contacted a family friend in Raleigh early in my internship search. I heard about the opportunity, and I sent my resume in.

How would your typical day go?
Arrive at 7:30-8 AM, and since very little of my job description was set in stone, I would essentially wait for instructions for my project(s) of the day. When projects were larger in scale, I would resume them when I got to work in the morning. About 2 days a week I would work on college campuses at orientation events signing up incoming students for Wachovia accounts.

What was your most interesting project?
An “Own the Downtown” Project in which I compiled a comprehensive list of businesses within a 4 block radius of our building in downtown Raleigh and then assigned Relationship Managers, Business, and Small Business bankers to each company depending on their size, industry, and previous relationships. Once a bank representative was assigned we attempted to gain as much business as possible from each of these companies surrounding us, ie to “Own the Downtown.”

What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
Get your name out there to as many people as you can. It’s the squeaky wheel that gets heard.

What were the other highlights of your summer experience?
I was lucky enough to attend a few “young professionals” networking events in Raleigh as well as some regional Wachovia quarterly meetings and a Raleigh board meeting.

Summer Profiles: Sarah Robertson '10

Sarah Robertson ‘10
Math and Pre-Med

Where did you intern this summer?
This summer I worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA.

How did you find this internship?
I knew a few family friends who worked there. I spoke with them about their work, and I asked if they had any positions. I sent my resume in, and after answering a few of their questions they searched for an opening in my interest. They had a position, and I started working at the CDC.

How would your typical day go?
I would get in at 9 AM and go through security. In the morning I would work on my own projects. After lunch, we would have a group meeting where we discussed world events, their possible impact on public health, their prevalence to CDC, and if they should appear in our daily report. After these meetings I would either help compile the information from the meeting’s discussion into the next day’s report, or I would continue work on my projects.

What was your most interesting project?
I ran statistical analysis to determine the sound level differences in calls to the CDC. I found a correlation between the mainstream media reporting of a possible health emergency to the hotline traffic and caller noise level; one such example was the Tollhouse Cookie Dough incident over the summer. The mainstream media tended to be 2-3 days behind reporting on the incident than when our group in CDC became aware of the incident. I also helped to create a prediction of the number of H1N1 calls for this fall.

What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
Use whatever connections you have. Be polite and professional in any and all correspondence and answer emails promptly.

What were the other highlights of your summer experiences?
I had the opportunity to tour the Emergency Operation Center at the CDC’s main campus. I was also allowed to sit in on, via video feed, the CDC director’s weekly briefing of H1N1.

Summer Profiles: Franny Couch ‘10

Franny Couch ‘10
Independent Major of Music Business

Where did you intern this summer?
I interned this summer with a start-up, non-profit organization called Alabama Lawyers for the Arts (ALAARTS). Founded in 2007, ALAARTS provides lawyer referral services for pro bono and reduced fee legal assistance to income eligible artists and arts organizations. It also presents educational workshops and seminars on a variety of topics such as copyright, contracts, and entity formation. ALAARTS is committed to protecting the legal rights of the arts community and to providing legal assistance and education to artists and arts organizations in all creative disciplines.

How did you find this internship?
I originally wanted an internship with an entertainment law firm in Nashville; however, with none of the law firms hiring undergrad students, I turned my focus on my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. I knew that it was a long shot to find an entertainment lawyer/law firm in Birmingham, but I decided to try my luck anyway. I emailed every lawyer in Birmingham that was listed as specializing in “Entertainment Law”. Most replied that they actually specialized in sports law, some claimed that their Nashville office was the only place that practiced entertainment law, and a few did not reply at all. Fortunately, one man, Marcus Hunt, emailed me back saying that he had recently started a non-profit dealing with law and the arts and that they might have room for an intern, provided that I was not expecting to get paid. The rest is history; I interviewed with program director, Neki Garrett, over Spring Break and we had our first ALAARTS meeting in early June.

What was your typical day like?
Working for ALAARTS, there was no such thing as a typical day. The organization was an infant, start-up non-profit. Consequently, we did not have office space, a board of directors, employees, computers, a database, a website, or any grant money. I worked from home and we had weekly progress meetings at the local Starbucks. Each week we had different individual projects ranging from researching art organizations in Alabama to creating the look for our marketing materials. For the most part, I was in charge of grant and art organization research and I would work for an hour or two a day. I also had another (paying) internship, and Marcus and Neki were great about letting me create my own hours and pace.

What was your most interesting project?
The most interesting project I worked on was writing the Market Analysis section of ALAART’s business plan. As a 21 year old, it was a worthwhile experience that I will carry with me in my future endeavors. I know it will come in handy in future job interviews to say that I have helped write a business plan for a start-up non-profit.

What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
The best advice I can give to others seeking internships is to never under-value the power of initiative or the importance of timing. Some people use the lack of contacts in an industry as an excuse for not entering it. However, in my experience, most businesses are more impressed with those that make their contacts than those that inherit them. It is also important to remember that timing is everything. When I first contacted Marcus, he forwarded my email to Neki. She quickly replied to him that ALAARTS did not have the resources or the time to train an intern. A few weeks later she went to a conference and the topic of the key-note speaker’s address was the importance of interns to a start-up company. I sent a follow up email the next Monday and, thankfully, she had changed her mind.

What were the other highlights of your summer experience?
Some other highlights of my summer experience were creating a MySpace page for ALAARTS and sitting in on a meeting with a potential member of the board of directors. I also enjoyed researching potential grants on both the local and federal level — during these depressing economic times, you have to get creative in order to find lucrative grant resources!

Summer Profiles: Robert Claiborne '10

Robert Claiborne ‘10
BA History and Philosophy

Where did you intern this summer?
I split my summer interning at two law firms in Newport News, VA, and Birmingham, AL.

How did you find these internships?
I got a head start on my summer plans last year, and I put in a lot of work in Fall Term networking and improving my resume. I knew some alums and family friends who were attorneys; I went ahead and called them about their firms, talked to them about what they did, expressed my interest, and asked if they knew of any summer opportunities. I sent my resume to two of the firms, and they both offered me a 4-6 week internship over the summer. My uncle told me it would be best to do both, so I did.

What was your typical day like?
I would come into the office, check my e-mail, and get to work on any of the projects the attorneys assigned me. Of course, every day was different, so sometimes I would end up driving around picking up court documents or sitting in on depositions and civil trials. There was a good amount of work but also a lot of observation.

What was your most interesting project?
At one of the firms I had to prepare a notebook of evidence for the expert witness. The project was for a W&L alum, and it involved a lot of business documents. When I mentioned that I was a liberal arts major and not the biggest business expert, he simply replied “Well, most attorneys aren’t, and this project is going to require you to make some judgment calls. It’s all in English, though, so you can handle it.” I went back to work and completed the project. He was impressed with the work, and it turned out to be a great experience being given that kind of responsibility and judgment as an undergraduate intern.

What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
Start early, and complete your search ahead of time; it’ll increase your chances of getting an internship, and it will make the process a bit saner.

What were the other highlights of your summer experiences?
While I was in Newport News I got to go sailing with a partner in the firm and a bunch of family friends each Wednesday and Sunday.