It’s okay to mess up! Come to this session to explore your capacity to learn and develop. Build your understanding of neuroplasticity, the significance of your mindset, the role of self-talk, and how risk-taking and failure are critical to growth. This session will help you train your brain to embrace “failure” as a learning opportunity, while also planning ahead for potential obstacles and encouraging self-resiliency. Presented by Bruce Perlow | Program Director and Facilitator, The DREAM Program
Unfortunately, not every job posting or offer is an opportunity. Scammers know that job opportunities are a powerful tool for gathering personal information, so you need to know how to distinguish legitimate job postings from scam attempts. Below are some tips to follow and red flags to look out for.
Basic Tips
If a job sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Don’t provide financial information or your Social Security number! Legitimate employers won’t ask for your bank account details or your SSN.
Do not send money! Legitimate employers will not ask you to wire money or pay for services.
When in doubt, look for the job posting on the employer’s official website. Much like phishing emails, scam job postings often capitalize on well-known names and images. Do not follow links from the suspicious posting, which could take you to a cosmetically similar page, and check the employment page to be sure the opening is real. Calling the company in question (again, using publicly available contact information) is another good strategy.
If you experience anything unusual about a job posting in Handshake, please contact CCI as soon as possible and flag the posting in Handshake.
Red Flags
The same warning signs that signal fraudulent emails and websites: bad grammar and spelling, requests for personal information, and difficulty contacting or identifying the poster are all clear signs of trouble.
Request for an initial investment.
Request for bank account access.
Requests for payment or transferring money.
Offers to pay a large amount of money for little work.
Offers you a job without interviewing/interacting with you.
You are contacted by phone, and the number is not available.
Vague descriptions that focus on money rather than the job.
Email domain that doesn’t match the employer’s official domain.
Email domain of a free provider is used such as live.com, yahoo.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com etc. Legitimate organizations almost always have their own email systems.
Website that has information only on the job you’re applying for, rather than about the company in general.
What if I’m already involved in a scam?
End all communication and immediately contact the local police and Public Safety.
Get in touch with your bank or credit card company and dispute any fraudulent activity immediately.
If the scam happened online, file a report with the FTC’s cybercrime division.
CCI is offering a $500 AIRLINE GIFT CARD just for completing the résumé approval process.
There will be 7 drawings, the first 6 will be for $20 in Middlebury Money and the final (cumulative) drawing will be for the $500 airline gift card.
All you have to do to enter is complete your Handshake profile and have your résumé reviewed and approved by a CCI Peer Career Advisor (PCA) – (go/PCAs for their drop in hours to have your résumé reviewed.) The earlier you complete your profile and have an approved résumé, the more chances you will have to win!
Three workshops this week will teach you how to find a summer internship, how to create or improve your resume, and how to navigate interviews and networking conversations.
CCI events to get you ready for your summer internship or job search:
This webinar will be recorded so if you can’t attend, please register via link above and the recording will be sent to you.
Resume Tips and Tricks Wed, Jan. 12, 4:30 pm-5:30 pm, Axinn 229 Is your resume ready to apply to summer jobs, internships, or CCI’s summer internship funding? CCI’s Peer Career Advisors will teach you their top tips and tricks for creating a resume or taking your current one from good to great! Register and access link in Handshake
After attending this workshop, get your resume approved at Quick Questions and be entered to win a $500 airline gift card!
Attend this event co-sponsored by CCI, MiddCore, and Compass to get you ready for important informational and networking conversations that can lead to internships, jobs, and clarity on future career paths.
Cultivating Relationships: The Art of the Informational Interview Tuesday, January 11, 3:00-4:00 pm via Zoom Do you have nerves around interviewing and outreach? Want to put your best foot forward in an interview? After a successful start to a career in sales, Amelia Howard ’19.5 will share a framework and best practices for taking the lead in professional conversations. With Amelia’s support, build skills, strategies, and confidence to make lasting professional connections this winter and beyond. Presented by Amelia Howard ‘19.5 | Account Executive, Gong | Co-sponsored by CCI, MiddCore & Compass Register and access Zoom link and password
The Center for Community Engagement is hosting a series of 3 Winter Term Workshops focusing on Social Justice in Community Engagement, and they’d love to have you join them!
Their goal is to create a co-learning space to advance social justice and build community between Middlebury College faculty and staff, Middlebury students, and Addison County non-profit organizations and social service agencies.
If you are interested in joining one or more sessions, RSVP here!
If you haven’t already done so, do some research on the company you’re interning for. Find out more about their work ethic and their values to see how you can fit in best. Through your research, you may also find some projects that you’re interested in to later express to your employer.
2.Set goals for yourself
Since this is such a short time-period to have an internship, make sure to go in with an idea of what you want to learn, what you want to accomplish, and maybe have an idea of what your plans are after the internship. The best way to do this is to find your passion and think about what you are most interested in learning about. Once you figure this out, make sure to physically write your goals down. This will help keep you on your toes and recenter you if you ever feel yourself getting overwhelmed.
3.Ask questions
Asking questions will not only make you look more connected to the company, but it is also the best way to get the most out of your internship. Don’t ask questions just to ask them though; make sure that you are asking questions that are of use. By doing so, you express your interest in the work you are doing and the company itself. Being curious will also make you learn more than you would have if you did not become further involved.
4. Adopt an optimistic attitude
The intensity and short time-period of a winter term internship can sometimes make it feel demanding and draining. If this happens or the internship is not exactly what you had hoped for, pause and think about the aspects of your internship that you love the most. If you love your work, your performance will show it. In addition, think about what you can learn from the opportunity even if it isn’t the perfect match for you – what skills can you develop, what learning can you take with you, what insights have you gleaned? These tips can allow you to adopt an optimistic attitude and take full advantage of the experience.
5. Develop relationships
The network you build throughout your life will be one of the most helpful tools you’ll ever have. While you may doubt how necessary some of your connections are, it may surprise you how useful they will be to you. These contacts may end up writing letters of recommendation, offering advice on your future career, becoming a mentor, or simply being someone to talk to. Don’t be afraid to take the first step and introduce yourself! You never know if that person can be your future employer or your key into graduate school someday.
6.Organization is key
Make sure to keep track of your deadlines and the projects you have to complete. The worst thing you can do is make your supervisor doubt your abilities when you forget to turn in something because you mixed up the dates! Keep notes during meetings and in general to not forget anything of major importance; a great way to do this is by keeping a journal. Also, by being organized, you are much more likely to manage your time more wisely and enjoy the other exciting aspects of J-Term like skiing!
7.Reflect
Take some time to reflect on the skills that you’ve gained and all that you’ve done, both during the internship and afterwards. Often after completing an internship, we tend to quickly seek the next experience. In doing so, we fail to acknowledge all that we’ve just finished accomplishing. Make sure to sit down after an internship and think of all you’ve learned so you can take those developed skills onto your next experience. As in the previous tip, you could also do this by keeping a journal of everything you think has been notable. Another important thing to do while you’re reflecting is to write down all of your responsibilities in your resume as it may be more difficult if you wait to include them until the next time you apply for something.
8.Take initiative
If you’ve finished a project you were assigned, it may be tempting to sit back and relax but try to fight this urge. It will make you a memorable and dependable intern if you show that you are motivated to take on more responsibility. Another aspect to taking initiative is sharing any ideas for improvement that you may have. Don’t be afraid to speak up! Your employer will likely see this as you wanting to get more involved in the organization, which may help you in obtaining an employment offer or further developing your relationship with the employer.
9.Be your own advocate
Being a student causes us to place pressures on ourselves to turn in everything on time and never make a mistake, however, we are still human. If you are feeling overwhelmed with all that you are tasked with, explain your situation to your employer. Communication is key in any internship or job! Your supervisors want you to do the best work that you can, and if you are rushing to finish a project, it will show.
10.Be professional
Treat this internship like it is a month-long interview for your dream job. When you begin to think of it this way, dressing professionally, being punctual, and having proper etiquette all tend to come naturally. Whether your internship is in-person or virtual, all of these are still extremely applicable. You should make sure to abide by dress codes and dress for the role you want, always show up slightly early and if you are late, make sure to communicate this with your employer.
The author of this article, Cindy Cardona ’22, is a Biology major and Sociology minor who will be attending veterinary school after graduation. Cindy is a Peer Career Advisor at the Center for Careers and Internships.
CCI is offering a $500 AIRLINE GIFT CARD just for completing the résumé approval process.
There will be 7 drawings, the first 6 will be for $20 in Middlebury Money and the final (cumulative) drawing will be for the $500 airline gift card.
All you have to do to enter is complete your Handshake profile and have your résumé reviewed and approved by a CCI Peer Career Advisor (PCA) – (go/PCAs for their drop in hours to have your résumé reviewed.) The earlier you complete your profile and have an approved résumé, the more chances you will have to win!
