Backpack to briefcase

Most people, when asked, will say they are spending four years of their lives in college so they can get a good job. However, as most college students will discover, good grades are only part of the total package sought out by employers. College students not only need good grades, but also great internships to land that dream job after graduation.\nThe trick is finding that great internship that will jump-start a career and lead to a job offer. \nMany students seek out help during this process at the Career Development Center, which assists students in areas such as resumes and cover letters, internship search strategies, and graduate school preparation.\nJan Van Dyke, senior assistant director for career recourses at the CDC, sees every internship as a valuable experience, even if it doesn't directly lead to a job.\n"Internships are so great because you get to try out careers and see if that's what you really want to do," Van Dyke said. "Even bad experiences are good because then you know that career is not for you."\nHowever, he says there are still things interns can do to increase the chances that employers will want to hire them. \nVan Dyke said good writing, communication and people skills are central to making a good impression with any employer. He also stressed the need to pay close attention to detail in any internship.\nAlthough most college students have had some sort of work experience prior to applying for an internship, Van Dyke said many of these were "character building jobs" -- like flipping burgers at Burger King. He said although these jobs teach basic employer expectations, they do not prepare students for the level of performance that will be expected in a professional internship.\nTo remedy this, Van Dyke prescribes the book "The Ultimate New Employee Survival Guide" by Ed Holton.\n"This book should be required reading for every graduating senior," said Van Dyke.\nOne successful internship program available to IU students is the School of Public and Environmental Affairs' Washington Leadership Program. \nStudents who participate are given the opportunity to earn a full semester of credit as they intern for an "outstanding" organization, according to the program's Web site, "The Washington Leadership Program has a very high rate of success because of networking opportunities," WLP Director Blanca Miller said. "It is sponsored by the University, and many of the employers have IU connections. The program jump starts so many of our student's careers." \nMiller also has advice for students who want to find an internship that will help them with their future careers.\n"Think about ... where you want to be when you graduate, and get internships in that city to establish connections there," she said.\nMiller also stresses the need for interns to show initiative and not just wait for a project to come to them.\n"Sometimes people are so busy they can't sit down and say 'What needs to done here?'" Miller said. "An intern has the time and opportunity to be the solution to that employer's problems."\nJoseph Aamidor graduated from SPEA in May and is a WLP success story.\nThrough the WLP, Aamidor interned with Senator Richard Lugar during the fall semester of his junior year in Washington. While there, he worked on a variety of tasks for the Lugar office, the most memorable of which he said was giving tours of the capitol to Indiana residents.\n"I really enjoyed that internship because I had always been interested in government and knew the WLP was something I wanted to do," Aamidor said. "I made up my mind while I was there that I wanted to get a job in D.C."\nAamidor believes his WLP experience led to his receiving another internship during the summer between his junior and senior year at the National Academy of Public Administration. While there, he worked for a "think tank," which was contracted to solve problems for different government projects.\nHis hard work paid off, and he now works for ICF Consulting in Washington. The company has been serving major corporations and the government since 1969 and grossed $150 million \nin 2003, according to its Web site, \nwww.icfconsulting.com. There, Aamidor specializes in transportation and environmental issues for the federal government.\n"I really enjoy my job because I get to work with people from all levels," Aamidor said. "I also feel like I can get really good advice from people in the office ... they are people who will help me learn."\nAamidor said there are many things students can do to get great internships, which will hopefully lead to a great job.\n"You have to be really persistent," he said. "Talk to counselors. They are extremely helpful in more areas then just getting a good cover letter and resume."\nStudents who do land an internship should try to be excited about what they are doing, Aamidor said.\n"Some work you get as an intern is less than exciting," he said. "But take everything as a learning experience and don't let it affect your performance or attitude"