CBNC recently ranked Boston in the top ten best cities for new graduates! "“A low unemployment rate and high mean income attracts career-minded young professionals,” says Aragon. Boston shouldn’t feel like a shocking transition to the “real world,” since it is already a college-dominated city. The area is home to Harvard, MIT, Boston College and Boston University, to name just some of the major institutions of higher education. As such, Aragon, notes, “nightlife options abound.” Check out the full article here!
The best way to stay in Boston after you graduate is to get an internship while you are still in college. Internships boost networking capacity, work experience, resumes, and the like. Check out the Boston-area internships we have to offer from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's member companies by clicking the link below to get started!
Interested in why Boston is considered to be such a great place? Check out our "Why Boston is Great" blog by clicking the link below! Let us know if you have anything else to add!
A new internship has opened up on Chamber Intern Connect- hurry and apply today before the opportunity passes! Below is some information about the internship:
Title: Social Media Internship
Company: AEI Speakers Bureau
Description: Assistance with company's social media including: Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, LinkedIn, & YouTube
Video editing of speaker presentations-no previous experience required/training will be provided. Edited videos to be uploaded to company's YouTube channel. (Editing primarily done in Windows Movie Maker)
Less than 15% of internship on other tasks as assigned.
No making coffee!! No filing papers!!
Fun dog friendly environment
Starting Date: As soon as possible.
To view this internship opportunity and others like it, please click the link below and get started!
We just added a 9th awesome reason to our Why Boston Is Great page- check it out and let us know what you think! Have any other reasons to add to the list? We would love to hear them! Click the link below to see our top nine reasons why you should stay in Boston!
#9. Massachusetts' Economy
According to a new article in EconPost, Massachusetts has been the best state for the new economy for five years running. To read their article, click here! There rationale is quoted below:
"The state of Massachusetts has been able to hold on to first place the last five times this report has been published with its concentration of; software, hardware, and biotech firms, which are ably supported by world-class universities such as MIT and Harvard in the Route 128 region around Boston, according to the [economists'] report.
The 2010 New Economy Index by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a technology think tank, looked at many factors that help states compete in the global economy. These factors include managerial, professional and technical jobs, workforce education, foreign direct investment, IPOs, immigration of knowledge workers and a host of others.
Massachusetts survived the early 2000s downturn and was less hard hit than the nation as a whole in the last recession, because it is better equipped to compete in the new economy. Furthermore, the state has continued to thrive, enjoying the fourth-highest increase in per-capita income."
Internships may slow Boston’s student ‘brain drain’
By Katie Johnston | GLOBE STAFF MAY 15, 2012
Sydney Arbelbide graduated from Northeastern University last year with a degree in systems engineering and a job offer in Silicon Valley from Google Inc. But she turned down the Internet search giant for a small tech firm in Boston.
A major reason was her six-month co-op job, similar to an internship, with the Boston company, Eze Castle Integration, which provides information technology services to the financial industry. As she set up IT systems downtown, she found she liked working at a smaller company - and liked being in Boston.
“Not many people turn down Google: Hey, we’re Google. We have free food, you get to live in sunny California,’’ said Arbelbide, who is from Denver. “As sexy as Google is, I knew I’d be a lot happier here.’’
Arbelbide, 23, represents the kind of young, skilled, and educated workers who often leave the Boston area after finishing college; her experience is an example of the strategy business and government leaders are pursuing to keep these workers here. Over the past few years, both public agencies and business groups have launched initiatives to connect students to internships and similar job programs in the hopes they will make the same decision as Arbelbide.
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, for instance, last year started a website for members to list internships.
“There’s a certain glue that having an internship provides between students and the community,’’ said Chamber president Paul Guzzi. “With all the world-class colleges and universities that produce all the world-class talent, we’ve got an incredible opportunity.’’
Attracting and retaining young talent is considered crucial for the Boston area’s economic future. The region’s innovation economy runs primarily on brain power, and the state’s workforce is aging, creating a risk of labor shortages as baby boomers retire.
In recent years, business leaders and policy makers have raised concerns about a “brain drain’’ as older workers retire and college graduates head for Silicon Valley, New York City, and other places. Nearly half of college students leave the Boston area after graduation, and a 2008 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that New England had the greatest rate of outflow of recent college graduates of any US region.
Internships can slow that trend by offering students stronger ties to the local job market, and in turn, to a region where they may settle down, according to the study.
Internships are a way for students to get experience in their fields, and companies to train and recruit employees. Some internships are paid, some are unpaid, and students sometimes receive academic credit.
“Retaining talent is our single biggest inhibitor to growth here,’’ said Tom Hopcroft, president of the industry group Mass Technology Leadership Council. “Massachusetts educates the world, and so if we could just retain 5 percent more of the students that come through here, that would be transformative for the industry.’’
The council last summer launched a website listing internships from its 450 members, as well as other technology firms, and plans social events for interns this summer to further build connections to Boston.
Heather Johnson, executive director of the industry group’s education foundation, even jokes about starting “meetageek.com’’ dating site to introduce interns to local singles - ideally locals who will persuade their new partners to settle down here.
“Is there a way to excite them about Boston?’’ Johnson said.
An internship at the start-up promoter MassChallenge did the trick for Emma Bisogno, 22, a senior communications major at Simmons College. She had expected to move to New York after she graduated this month, but instead will soon start a marketing job at Promoboxx, a South End tech start-up that connects major brands with local retailers.
Interning at MassChallenge, said Bisogno, “definitely opened my eyes to the entrepreneurial spirit in Boston.’’
Big companies are also trying to increase awareness of internships. EMC Corp., the Hopkinton data storage giant, is working with the state to spread the word about openings and increasing its recruiting on campuses.
Hiring workers familiar with Boston is beneficial because they know about cold winters and aggressive drivers and won’t want to leave after two years, said Cindy Gallerani, director of university relations at EMC.
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, a quasi-public state agency, pays interns a $7,200 stipend and places them at small companies that might not otherwise be able to afford to recruit or hire them. The center has placed 747 interns at 239 companies since 2009to help maintain a skilled labor force that attracts firms to the state, said chief executive Susan Windham-Bannister.
Avaxia Biologix, an 11-person Lexington firm that develops oral antibodies, has hired several interns through the Life Sciences Center program.
If Avaxia had not taken on Brenda Lemos as an intern last summer, she might have left the state after graduating from the University of Massachusetts Boston last year with a degree in biochemistry.
Lemos said she didn’t realize how many different drug therapies are developed locally until she started at Avaxia, where she is now employed as a research associate. “They don’t market [internships] the way they should to students,’’ she said.
The Venture Development Center at UMass Boston works with high-tech firms to identify the skills they need, then trains students who can fill that need.
“Students are one of the best resources that the Boston region has. But we kind of take them for granted,’’ said center founder William Brah. “It’s an economic issue. The best students need to be here, otherwise we lose jobs.’
We at the Chamber want to send our congratulations to the Greater Boston-Area Classes of 2012! With hard work and perseverance, you are now entering a new time in your life. As you know, you have important decisions to make and potentially wonderful things ahead of you! Many of you now will be looking for full-time jobs, and so we would like to offer you a few words of advice as you go out into this dynamic world:
Remember your strengths. You have learned a lot about yourself in the last few years of your life. You have learned more about what you like, what you don't like, what you want to do, and who you want to be. Use those strengths and that knowledge to decide where to go from here. You have completed coursework, worked at internships, had summer jobs, worked with professors on projects, volunteered, participated in fundraising events, been an active part of student clubs, tutored, babysat, any combination therein, and more- make sure all of that is reflected in your resume and in the skills you bring to the table as you job search. Call upon old networks, don’t be afraid of finding new networks and using every engine available to you to catalyze the next stage in your career.
Many of you completed internships during your time in college- excellent choice! Now you must apply that knowledge, that experience, and those skills, to your new endeavors. No matter what your internship was, what you did, where you were, who your boss was, or what field your internship was in- there was something to be learned. Experience is experience- whether you learned something about your field, a field you have decided isn't for you, what to do in meetings, or what NOT to do in meetings, you can now go forward with new and important knowledge about the working world. You might have learned what qualifies as “business casual,” what to talk about at lunch with a boss, how to organize your thoughts in a communicative way, how to meet with clients, how to utilize the knowledge you have learned in school, and so much more. Use all of that new knowledge to your advantage, and always continue learning.
Good luck, Class of 2012! Whatever you choose to do, and however you choose to do it, make choices that reflect all you have learned, and help the world be ever-improving.
In an article featured in GoBankingRates.com, attention is brought to unemployed workers who are lookin for internships. This article asserts that one way to increase your chances of being hired full time is by having some internship experience, and we agree! Here is some advice they give to people looking for summer internships:
"[How to Secure Paid Summer Internships
As summer approaches, companies prepare to offer their unpaid and paid summer internships. With over one million internship positions likely to present themselves this year, this is a great time to take advantage of new opportunities.
- Look at start-ups and boutique firms
- Be ambitious: Experts often tell student intern-hopefuls to send out at least 10 resumes each season they hope to work in an internship program.]"
To read the full article, which addresses unemployed workers' search for internships, please click here. There is a lot of advice out there for interns and unemployed workers, but the most important things to remember are to put your name and resume out there, to be ambitiously searching... without that, employers can't find you!
To continue your search for internships with us, please click the link below!
Hey Students! Haven't gotten a summer internship yet? Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is looking for a summer intern- and they are accepting resumes NOW! Tomorrow is the deadline to get your resume in to their department to be given an opportunity to be interviewed. Here are some quick facts about the internship:
Title: Compliance Intern (Paid)
Job Description:
**40 hours per week**
- Assist with review and revision of COI policies to reflect regulatory changes.
- Review of existing COI policies and PHS COI regulations and identify gaps and needed
revisions.
- Assist with development of public web site context for Financial COIs and institutional COI policy.
- Assist with development of templates for potential management and mitigation plans.
- Assist with development of content for COI training, including Power Point presentations.
- Create spreadsheets/databases to organize information for institutional reporting.
- Enter data for faculty and research staff into COI database for reporting and tracking of disclosures.
- Assist with developing procedures for tracking and reporting to federal funding agencies.
- Coordinate with Sponsored Programs in the review of COI language in contract and grants.
- Other administrative tasks as needed.
Requirements:
- Proficiency in MS Office
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills
If you are interested in the position, please register now with Chamber Intern Connect at the link below:
And then follow THIS LINK to read more on that specific internship. If you have any other questions about the position, please contact Patricia Thomas at patricia_thomas@harvardpilgrim.org
Bloomberg Businessweek encourages students not to give up if they haven't found a summer internship yet, and we agree! Below is some of their advice on finding some of the remaining internship opportunities!
"Go where you’re needed
Students can offer their services to nonprofits or startups that might not have resources to recruit and hire paid interns but usually need help with meaningful work. Faith-based organizations and the local Red Cross are organizations to consider, says Mark Brostoff, associate dean and director of the Weston Career Center at Washington University in St. Louis’s Olin Business School. That students aren’t paid is not a career problem. “Recruiters value that kind of experience,” says Brostoff. “Leaner organizations will have you roll up your sleeves, and they provide good stories for you to tell potential employers.” They also help students build networks."
This advice is very applicable for students looking for jobs on Chamber Intern Connect, as we have a number of non-profits and a few small businesses still looking for interns!
To view these internships, click the link below and get started!
To read the full article in Bloomberg Businessweek, click here.
In a recent article on Boston.com, Boston-area students and professionals offer their advice to students who are still seeking summer internships. To read the full article please see this link: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs/thenextgreatgeneration/2012/04/still_need_a_summer_internship.html
Some of the great advice included in the article is as follows:
Show your dedication to your internship search. “If you are stuck and applying late in the game, it’s important that you’re proving to these companies that you’re still passionate about working with them, not merely scrambling to find something at the last second," Barton said. "Find what is most relevant for you -- having patience is key late in the game!
Concentrate on your application. “Despite feeling pressured to get applications in quickly, still make sure you are thorough in your application," Barton said. "Make sure that you’re still doing your research and applying with a purpose.”
Keep your resume and cover letter strong. “Whether your cover letter is sent the day of the deadline or two months prior, it should still have the same level of priority," Barton said. "Do not merely mass submit your resume in order to land something.”
Reach out directly to employers. “Pick up the phone! Call HR and relevant departments of companies of interest and ask them if they are hiring interns for the summer," Hammond said. "You’ll get an immediate answer, as well as find out how to apply straight from the source.”"
Some more great advice: use Chamber Intern Connect to connect directly with some of Boston's best internship programs!
In a recent article, Forbes' writer Jenna Goudreau asks interviewees to "Watch Out!" for these ten interview questions that are designed to trick you! Even interns should be careful of these sly questions- as some internship programs are extremely competitive and the interviews can be very intricate. Below are the highlights that might be applicable to you from Jenna's article, if you want to read the whole article, click here! If you have more of your own to add, feel free to comment!
"How did you prepare for this interview?
The intention of this question is to decipher how much you really care about the job or if you’re simply going through the motions or winging it. Kennedy says the best way to answer is by saying, “I very much want this job, and of course researched it starting with the company website.” Beyond explaining how you’ve done your homework, show it. Reveal your knowledge of the industry, company or department by asking informed questions and commenting on recent developments.
Do you know anyone who works for us?
This one really is a tricky question, says Kennedy, because most interviewees expect that knowing someone on the inside is always a good thing. “Nothing beats having a friend deliver your resume to a hiring manager, but that transaction presumes the friend is well thought of in the company,” she says. Because the interviewer will likely associate the friend’s characteristics and reputation with your merits, she recommends only mentioning someone by name if you’re certain of their positive standing in the organization.
Where would you really like to work?
“The real agenda for this question is assurance that you aren’t applying to every job opening in sight,” says Kennedy. She advises never mentioning another company by name or another job title because you want to highlight all the reasons you’re perfect for this job and that you’ll give it all of your attention if achieved. A good response would be: “This is where I want to work, and this job is what I want to do.”
What bugs you about coworkers or bosses?
Don’t fall into this trap. Kennedy says you always want to present yourself as optimistic and action-oriented, and hiring managers may use this question to tease out whether you’ll have trouble working with others or could drag down workplace morale and productivity. “Develop a poor memory for past irritations,” she advises. Reflect for a few seconds, and then say you can’t recall anything in particular. Go on to compliment former bosses for being knowledgeable and fair and commend past coworkers for their ability and attitude. It will reveal your positive outlook and self-control and how you’ll handle the social dynamics in this position.
Can you describe how you solved a work or school problem?
Kennedy says that, really, no one should be too taken aback by this, as it’s one of the most basic interview questions and should always be anticipated. However, all too often interviewees either can’t come up with something on the spot or miss the opportunity to highlight their best skills and attributes. Kennedy says what the interviewer really wants is insight into how your mind works. Have an answer ready, like how you solved time management issues in order to take on a special assignment or complicated project, that showcases an achievement.
Can you describe a work or school instance in which you messed up?
This one is a minefield. “One question within the question is whether you learn from your mistakes or keep repeating the same errors,” says Kennedy. Similarly, the interviewer may be trying to glean whether you’re too self-important or not self-aware enough to take responsibility for your failings. Perhaps even more problematic, if you answer this question by providing a list of all your negative traits or major misdeeds, then you’re practically spelling out your insecurities and guaranteeing you won’t get the job. So you don’t want to skirt the question or make yourself look bad. “Briefly mention a single small, well-intentioned goof and follow up with an important lesson learned from the experience,” she advises."
With those words of advice in mind, apply to some internships below and see if you get asked any interesting interview questions from those opportunities!