Dr. Internship

Meet Dr. Jabbawy at these February Teen Summer Fairs

2012-02-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

Stop by, look for the Internship Connection booth and tell us what type of internship you might be interested in. We'd love to meet you!

Camp Source Teen Summer Expo
Monday, February 6, 2012
5:30-8pm
Newton South High School
140 Brandeis Road
Newton, MA 02459

Teen Life Live Community Service Fair and Expo
Sunday, February 12
12-4pm
The Mall at Chestnut Hill
199 Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467

January 29th Information Session

2012-01-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

Are you a high school, gap year or college student thinking about a summer internship in business, engineering, arts, science or law? Are you passionate about the environment or politics? Internship Connection Director, Dr. Carole Jabbawy will provide resume and interview tips and discuss local students who have worked with mentors in television, medicine, finance, non-profits, newspapers, pharmacy, costume design, magazines and more.

Join us on Sunday January 29th, 2012 at 1pm, 17 Countryside Rd. Newton, MA 02459. The session is free and open to the public. RSVP to carole@internshipconnection.com 617-796-9283. For more information, visit www.internshipconnection.com.

From High School Intern to College Star

2011-11-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to hear from Hannah Orenstein on Linked In. While still in high school, we established two internships for Hannah: one in media and the other in fashion. Hannah, second from the right, is pictured on her high school media internship with Harvard grads and founders of HerCampus, the award winning online magazine for college women.

Now a freshman at NYU, Hannah tells us that she parlayed her previous experiences to several exciting positions.

"I want to thank you for everything you've done to launch my career. Here are a few updates since we've last been in touch: I absolutely love writing for the Washington Square News at NYU. Barely two weeks into school, they were already sending me to New York Fashion Week to write reviews. Now, I'm working as a writer and stylist for their upcoming biannual fashion magazine, FRINGE.

I'm also working directly with the editors of Huffington Post High School to syndicate weekly content.

I run an online weekly journalism class for high school students through the HerCampus High School Journalism Ambassador program.

Finally, a contact I met through my high school fashion internship has offered me a part-time paid position doing client acquisition and social media for her new jewelry line. We're currently negotiating a salary. I owe this all to you! Thank you!"

Thank you Hannah for staying in touch. We wish you much success always.

-Dr. Internship

New York High School Students make a Splash on their Summer Internships!

2011-11-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Evan Attipoe, Mt. Vernon, NY and Sophie Nir from Manhattan who started their career paths through their summer internships in marketing and fashion.

Evan's objective was to gain exposure to the field of marketing and digital media. We helped Evan create a resume and prepare for a workplace interview that emphasized his interest in graphic design as well as previous participation in DECA,the International Association of marketing for students. We matched Evan to a NYC brand development and marketing agency where the office vibe was young and energetic. The CEO told us that Evan was a valuable addition to his staff and was responsible for much of the research for their clients.

Sophie is a young woman, who like many girls,is interested in fashion and makeup. Yet because of her experience as a consumer, she was able to express her own opinions about how items they might be packaged and marketed more effectively.We matched Sophie to a seasoned marketing mentor who was in the initial stages of starting a focus group and online community for girls to share their shopping finds, beauty advice, and style tips. Her responsibilities included:involvement in online marketing + social media efforts through short-form communications, watching, storyboarding and writing short video segments on new trends. Sophie reported to the Senior Directors.

Now, even as high school students,Evan and Sophie have resume and interviewing skills that will enable them to secure their own internships and jobs in the future. Fresh from their summer internships,with significant experiences to include on their resumes, they have opened the doors for exciting opportunities in their college years and beyond.

-Dr. Internship

Seminar for Internship Connection Business Interns

2011-10-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Students interested in business and entrepreneurship participated in a tour and seminar organized by Dr. Jabbawy. Students were interning in a variety of businesses over the summer and came together to listen to CEO’s stories of how they began their companies.

Students met in the offices of MassChallenge on the Boston waterfront. MassChallenge runs a $1M annual startup competition and accelerator to catalyze the launch and success of high-growth, high-impact new businesses.

Speakers included Scott Bailey, the Director at MassChallenge. Stephanie Kaplan, the CEO of HerCampus and Ben Jabbawy, the CEO of Privy.

Internship Connection featured the latest issue of "Business Insider"

2011-06-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Todd Stone, a writer for "Business Insider" in New York City contacted me about our students interested in entrepreneurship. We had quite an interesting conversation and I was happy to tell him that many students lately have a real interest in business. I love placing students with young entrepreneurs who may be 5-10 years older and just a few steps ahead of them career wise. The mentors are so enthusiastic about their new ventures and our students learn what it takes to create and run a successful business including all the highs and lows. Students learn about venture funding, marketing, managing employees, the importance of networking and much, much more.

Currently we have placed students with interests in entrepreneurship at: a young NYC digital marketing agency, a Harvard University incubator, a science related start-up in the Boston Innovation District, a fashion forward start-up on the Boston waterfront and a focus group for a new beauty company in NYC.

http://www.businessinsider.com/not-all-computer-science-students-want-to-intern-at-google-2011-6

-Dr. Internship

Dr. Jabbawy interviewed by Family Magazine NY

2011-06-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Jabbawy discusses the importance of internships and volunteer experiences for teens:

http://www.webfamilyny.com/stories/2011/6/fp_lionstigersteens_2011_06.html

June: Fabulous Internships Still Available!

2011-05-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

We have recently been contacted by CEO's about amazing internship opportunities.
These companies would like a high school or college intern for the following positions:

Boston:
1. Medical Research
Be involved with scientific research relating to the cure of a disease. This non-profit organization has opportunities related to both science and marketing.

2.Entrepreneurship at Harvard University
Amazing entrepreneur with several businesses would love a high school or college intern to be involved in all facets of business.

3. Law/Business Internship
Prestigious law firm. Intern will work on a special business development project under the guidance of the business/law partner.

4. Fashion
Fashion company located in the Boston Waterfront Innovation district and the finalist of the prestigious Mass Challenge Competition. CEO would love an intern interested in fashion/entrepreneurship.

New York City:
1. Fashion Internship
For teenage girls only. Have you ever shopped at a mall? Are you interested in fashion? This is a two day per week internship where you will become part of a focus group and be involved with an exciting fashion company.

Contact: carole@internshipconnection.com 617-796-9283

Announcing 2 Fabulous Fashion Internships in NYC

2011-04-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

These CEO's just contacted me for high school or college interns from our program.

1. West 21st St. Creative Marketing Agency with prestigious fashion clients:

Research fashion trends
Write blog posts
Manage social media properties and support and maintain fashion sites (ecommerce and branding)
3-4 days a week with Fridays off!

2. Mid-town agency has created a new site for girls to share their shopping finds, beauty advice, and style tips with each other and the world.

Are you a High School Junior or Senior who has shopped at a mall?

In this part-time internship you will:

Become part of a focus group for teens
Work with online marketing + social media
Watch, storyboard, and write short video segments on new trends
Report to the Senior Directors

contact: carole@internshipconnection.com

Internship Connection featured in Scarsdale 10583

2011-04-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

Dr. Jabbawy offers advice for teens as they look ahead to summer job interviews.

http://www.scarsdale10583.com/201104101552/parenting/job-interview-tips-for-teens.html

Internship Connection featured in Teen Life Media

2011-01-24T18:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Jabbawy discusses six steps to finding a summer internship.

http://www.teenlife.com/news/57215/Tips-for-Teens-Six-Steps-to-Finding-a-Summer-Internship.htm

Meet Dr. Jabbawy at the following Fairs:

2011-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Fairs are a wonderful way to learn about Gap Year and Summer programs. Stop by, say hello and tell us what type of internship you may be interested in.

USA Gap Year Fair
Sunday, January 23, 1-4pm, Nobles and Greenough School, 10 Campus Drive, Dedham, MA 02026

Teen Summer Program Expo
Monday, February 7, 5:30-8:00 pm, Newton South High School Cafeteria, 140 Brandeis Rd., Newton, MA 02459

Updates from Former Internship Connection Interns

2010-12-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

It's so rewarding as an educator to keep in touch with our interns. We love to hear how their high school internship jump-started a career or helped with a college acceptance.

I was honored to help our former student, Jennifer Pierre from Roslindale, MA. We secured a government internship for Jen when she was a student at BB&N. She then went on to become class president at Bryn Mawr. I came to bat several times for her, recommending her as applied for and was accepted to several internships during her college years, from a position with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development to an internship at the UN.

Ben Prawdzik, formerly a student at Philips Andover wrote to say that he is enjoying his freshman year at Yale. We placed Ben on an internship as a sophomore in high school with the VP of Technology at the fastest growing e-commerce business in the US. Ben was offered a paying job there his junior summer and made fabulous career connections.

I recently heard from Lauren Cohen. When she was the editor of the Newton North High School newspaper, we matched her to a journalism internship at Women's Business, Boston. She then went on to U Wisconsin and told us that her high school experience led to an internship at Dateline NBC in NYC.

As I tell my friends and colleagues, this is certainly the most rewarding work that I have experienced in my professional career. To my former interns, keep in touch and let me know if I can help you as you embark on your career paths.

-Dr. Internship

Winter is the time to think about a Summer Internship.

2010-12-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

November has been a very busy month in our office, with many inquiries coming from college students home for Thanksgiving. The job market is still very tight for college graduates and those students in the know realize how important it is to describe internship experiences on their resume. These days, employers expect students to have multiple internships before they graduate.

For high school students, December and January are the perfect time to meet with Internship Connection to discuss career interests. Often students are not returning to summer camp, they may have already spent a summer traveling and college applications loom ahead.

We suggest taking advantage of Winter Break to begin the process of establishing an internship. Why so soon? The process is time consuming and actually involves the same steps as looking for a job:

Thinking about your innate talents and/or academic interests.
Researching which career fields would be relevant.
Creating and sending a business resume.
Prepping for a workplace interview
Contacting businesses and organizations.

Let us make the process easy for you. Over the last eight years, we have established hundreds of internships with workplace mentors who trust our program and the students we send to them.

We look forward to hearing from you!

-Dr. Internship

A Sampling of 3 New York Internships- Summer, 2010

2010-10-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Divya, from Old Westbury NY is a junior at Boston University and contacted Internship Connection about a summer internship in Public Relations. We matched her to an internship at Publishers Clearing House where her mentor crafted a thoughtful letter of recommendation. Certainly this letter will be valuable as she applies for jobs after graduation. "Divya has taken on individual responsibilities more often assigned to a full time associate. She diligently prepared the team for projects and attended numerous meetings, both internal tactical meetings and vendor appointments.Divya is not only intelligent, but she also possesses the intangible qualities of being adaptable, dependable and passionate about new opportunities."

Tanna, a high school sophomore from New York City, was interested in antique books. After much research, we connected her to a rare book dealer. In her recommendation letter, the owner described Tanna's experiences there. Tanna catalogued new arrivals and wrote catalogue descriptions, archived a NYC poet's body of work and personal library, working on location in the poet's residence. She participated in rare book field trips around the city, meeting professionals in the field. She went on book-buying trips and visited a professional paper conservator and book binder and even attended an auction of books and manuscripts at a prominent New York auction house. Her mentor wrote, "Tanna has the intelligence and ambition necessary to make a valuable contribution to the field of literature and rare books, or whatever field she chooses to pursue."

Jared, a high school sophomore from New York City, was interested in "helping people" and social justice. We matched him to a famous non-profit that empowers young people to change the world. In his Internship Connection Journal, Jared wrote that he executed write-ups on social networking, prepared for an award show on VH1, and researched and contacted every minor baseball team! He especially enjoyed the intern scavenger hunt because it was a great bonding experience.

Engineering 101

2010-10-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Harry, a junior at Hingham High is an outstanding student athlete with particular strengths in math and science. Interested in engineering and manufacturing operations, we matched Harry to a manufacturing internship. Harry's mentor was the company's CEO, a graduate of MIT who wrote Harry's letter of recommendation:

"I have been impressed with Harry’s engaging personality, intelligence and maturity throughout his internship. He quickly grasped the necessary concepts involved in our operation and excelled on every task that he was assigned to. His responsibilities included: attending all manufacturing meetings, learning ISO requirements and the operating procedure for all machines. Once I understood his advanced level of competence, I assigned Harry the task of developing procedural documents for maintaining each piece of equipment. Harry became aware of vendor issues and wrote up a thoughtful report concerning quality control. I found his interest in engineering and quick grasp of manufacturing issues unusual for a high school student.

With the intelligence and drive that Harry brought to our company as a high school intern, I can only imagine what he would have to offer to MIT and his chosen profession."

In addition, Internship Connection contacted another CEO of a prestigious engineering consulting firm in downtown Boston, who was happy to arrange a visit. Harry spent several hours touring the offices and meeting all types of engineers. He learned about engineering as a profession, the various types of engineering fields and enjoyed lunch and camaraderie with professionals immersed in the field.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2010-10-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Nick, an Austin Prep junior, is learning the ropes of television production. Internship Connection established an internship for Nick that reflected his interests in television and his previous experiences in theater.

He has created a stellar marketing piece for a community theater group, while at the same time, he learned all facets of TV production- camera work, interviewing, filming, writing and editing.

Nick is pictured with his mentor, an extraordinary educator and Executive Director of the station.

Fashion Internship, Summer 2010

2010-10-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Newbury Street Fashion Internship, Boston

Hannah Orenstein, a junior at Needham High, is passionate about writing and fashion. We matched Hannah's blogging talents to the hottest designer in Boston, Daniela Corte.

Internships for January Freshman

2010-08-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

As the Director of Internship Connection, I have just finished arranging a fall government internship and homestay in Boston for a January freshman from Mexico. Joaquin has been accepted to Babson College starting in January.

"J-Frosh" is a concept that's gaining popularity at many colleges including the Ivy League. There are so many wonderful students that colleges would like to accept but dorm rooms are at a premium. Space opens up when juniors take a semester abroad in the Spring- thus freeing up campus housing.

Joaquin wisely felt that the fall semester would give him the opportunity to build his resume, get familiar with Boston and brush up on his English. I look forward to welcoming him at the airport, giving him a tour of Boston (including Fenway Park of course)and taking him to his homestay.

Never too soon to create a Boston sports fan!

-Dr. Internship

A List of Internship Positions still available in Boston and NYC

2010-05-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

We have placed students in amazing internships for the summer, and we are still hearing from businesses who would love a high school or college intern from our Internship Connection Program. The following positions are still open.

Boston:

1. Medical research in Waltham relating to the cure of a disease

2. For students interested in writing- a fabulous scholarly organization

3. Cable TV under the station director

4. Education position in Cambridge

5. Environmental education

6. Music Production- in their library cataloging

7. With the Director of Business for the State of MA in Lawrence

8. The arts in Somerville

9. Event planning

New York City:

1. Sports Marketing at a prestigious university

2. Human Resources at a famous Fortune 500 company in the financial district

3. Sales and marketing at a Fortune 500 company in the financial district

Contact Dr. Carole Jabbawy:

carole@internshipconnection.com

Give your Internship Time to Develop

2010-05-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Now that many of our interns have started their internships, it's important to stress that an intern should give the internship a bit of time to develop. Sometimes a student jumps to the conclusion on the very first day that the internship may not meet their expectations. That can be a crucial mistake.

Often in the beginning the two parties are just starting to get to know each other. Mentors need to appraise a student's strengths and talents and interns need to learn about the organization. Simple assigned tasks will allow the student to get to know the office routines and employees' roles in the company. At the same time, the mentor will learn which projects would best utilize the student's skills.

After a while, mentors will be able to assign more meaningful projects and the interns will feel more confident about letting the mentor know the types of assignments they would like to work on.

Patience is the best policy!

-Dr. Internship

Internships illegal according to the NY Times?

2010-04-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

New York Times Article: "The Unpaid Intern, Legal or Not"

Lately, the legality of unpaid internships is being discussed in the news.It's common knowledge that employers expect students to have completed more than one internship before graduation. The National Association of Colleges and Employers survey found that 50 percent of graduating students had participated in internships.Yet, state and federal government are now looking at certain legal criteria that must be satisfied for internships to be unpaid.

The bottom line is, "Is the internship educational?" When I talk to a potential internship mentor, the first question I ask is "What type of projects and activities would our student be involved with?" The experiences must be meaningful and educational or I would never place a student there. Both the student and mentor should benefit equally.The article mentions Trudy Steinfeld, director of N.Y.U.’s Office of Career Services, who said she increasingly had to ride herd on employers to make sure their unpaid internships were educational.

The interns in our program would never experience what this article describes:

"One Ivy League student said she spent an unpaid three-month internship at a magazine packaging and shipping 20 or 40 apparel samples a day back to fashion houses that had provided them for photo shoots. In a second case, a N.Y.U. student who hoped to work in animation at a Manhattan children’s film company was assigned to the facilities department and ordered to wipe the door handles each day to minimize the spread of swine flu. If that happened in our program, I would pull the intern out immediately and arrange for a different placement!

Personally, I have seen so many benefits for our students. A high school internship leads to a more prestigious one in college which leads to a meaningful job after graduation.Internships — paid or unpaid — serve as valuable steppingstones that help young people land future jobs. "Internships have become the gateway into the white-collar work force,” said Ross Perlin, a Stanford graduate and onetime unpaid intern who is writing a book on the subject.

As always, the deciding factor must be, "Is the internship educational?" which of course, is core of our Internship Connection program.

-Dr.Internship

Internships: Enjoy the Unexpected

2010-04-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

I just had an interesting conversation with a parent that I wanted to share. Sometimes the best part of an internship is what happens "between the lines." When high school students and their parents are so hyper-focused on achieving an internship placement limited to a very narrow career choice, they may be missing the point. Students benefit from all aspects of an internship.

While on a college internship in production at MTV, my own son, when filing the contracts of the VJ's (yes, that dreaded activity) he realized that he wanted to become the lawyer who drew up those contracts- hence his current career as a corporate lawyer in NYC.

Another son, while in high school, interned at a science start-up in Boston. He was fortunate to participate in many science-related activities, but what he found most interesting was learning about the VC firm that provided their initial round of funding- hence his current career in venture capital.

So, my advice is to be open to all types of internships- interning at a non-profit cooking program for inner-city kids may peak your interest in culinary, social work, marketing or fund raising. Expect the unexpected and run with it!

-Dr. Internship

Resume Tips for High School Students

2010-03-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Often the high school students we meet wonder if they have enough experience to list on a resume. The answer is yes! Activities outside of school that show responsibility may include mowing lawns, baby sitting, delivering newspapers, life guarding, camp CIT, etc. Activities in school may be newspaper staff, band member, a school trip to to Washington, D.C., Model UN, debate, etc.

Many of the students in our program have volunteer experience at a soup kitchen or at the Special Olympics, have participated in walks for charity, or delivered meals to the elderly. The best way way to describe these experiences is to use action verbs and "resume language". If you were a lifeguard at the Dedham Racket Club, you might say: Responsible for monitoring pool area for violations and potential hazardous situations, maintaining pool and recreation areas, and teaching swimming classes.

Students tell us that once they have their resume, they simply add new experiences. More tips to come!

-Dr. Internship

Internships for College Graduates

2010-03-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

Lately, I 've been contacted by graduates from prestigious colleges who haven't been able to secure a job related to their college major. Well let me emphasize this; there is no shame, for in this economy, many of you are in the same boat. An internship after college, paid or unpaid, gives you career exposure, builds your resume and provides valuable networking contacts that often lead to a job.

Recently I placed an Ivy League English major on a prestigious government internship where she is using her writing talents, communicating to constituents. I connected a RISD furniture design major to a set design company for theater and trade shows. We brainstormed together and thought about different career fields that would make use of their talents and skills. A little tweaking of their resumes and voila- they were off in a new career direction. All it took was a little "out of the box" thinking.

-Dr. Internship

Spring Break in Acapulco vs. Interviewing for your Summer Internship

2010-02-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

A no-brainer you say? Well let's see college students. Maybe you can do both. It takes quite a bit of planning, but here's how our current students are making it happen. We started taking calls and emails beginning in November, getting to know all of you from Emory, Vanderbilt, Boston University and even Seoul, South Korea.

You sent us your resumes- some great, some not so great. We started from scratch for some of you and polished them up for others. Next we sent them out to our contacts for summer internships in Boston and New York City and set up interviews for you in March. It's amazing to me the far flung places you go for Spring break, but at least for those of you who were nice enough to squeeze in a few days to come back home to visit your parents (or high school buddies), you'll know that you've got a jump start on your internship search.

Don't forget to pack that suntan lotion!

-Dr. Internship

Biomedical Internship for an 8th grader?

2010-02-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, I've had more than one request for this ...and the answer is..... no! Which brings up a very important point. What is the best age for an internship?

It really depends on the maturity of the student. Sometimes a high school freshman can be more mature and ready for an internship than a high school senior. One very young student in our program did so well at her internship at an arts organization, the director told me that she was better than interns they've had from Harvard.

Ideally, sophomore and junior summer is ideal for a high school student. By then, they may have had an interesting course that sparked their interest or a school or family trip that inspired them. One mom told me that she thought her daughter would enjoy interior design but when we met with her, she spoke enthusiastically about a school trip to Washington, D.C. We placed her on a government internship at the State House where she was exposed to a myriad of experiences- everything from seeing how legislation is passed to attending hearings and lectures from mayors and governors.

With the internships fresh in their minds, students talk about their experiences during college interviews and on college essays.

So.... to our 8th graders (and their parents) - not this summer, but it's always good to plan ahead.

-Dr. Internship

Where do you begin?

2010-02-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

Winter is the time to get serious about a summer internship. Stop day dreaming and swing into action! Many high school and college students have an idea about their "fantasy" internship - The Daily Show, Teen Vogue, the White House. I suggest another approach. It's always best to be a bit more realistic and think about your very first experience as a way to start to build your resume.

What are your interests (other than Xbox)? Do you have a special talent? Are you passionate about politics? Perhaps you write for your school newspaper. After we established an internship for a high school student with the editor of a local newspaper,she was able to land an internship in college at Dateline NBC in New York City.

Baby steps will lead to big results.

-Dr. Internship

15 Years of Internship Knowledge

2010-02-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

Personal experiences led me to create the Internship Connection. As a former teacher, college professor and parent, I learned the importance of encouraging each of my students and children to explore and develop their own strengths and talents. Once my children were in high school, I helped them secure internships relating to their academic and career interests. Through their experiences, they discovered on their own, the path and direction that they most enjoyed, enabling them to be more certain about career choice before committing to a tremendous investment of time and money. Each had very different interests, from computer animation, to medicine to engineering. When I saw how important their internships were for college, graduate school and beyond, I established the Internship Connection, in order to help more students learn about themselves through career exploration. It’s extremely rewarding to work with students to provide opportunities that have such an impact on their lives.

-Dr. Internship