Author : Beth IbarraAll students should take advantage of internship programs through their schools or independently through the various companies in the community Students who do take advantage of such opportunities often leave school with a greater sense of what to expect from the real world once they graduate and may be able to impress interviewers and employers with their experience These students have a significant advantage over their peers when they graduate and hit the job market for the first time

When students actively seek a college internship program that will allow them to succeed, they are showing initiative in seeking a way to gain experience and develop job skills Not only will this have great benefits for both of these things, but it will show employers that they display some initiative and will not sit idly by in the corner while the rest of the company moves forward

Employers look for students who will make contributions to the company and hopefully become a valuable asset to the office or organization When this is the case, everybody wins and the employer is often happy with their new employee The best way to show that they have initiative is to go out and get a college internship to show that they care about learning new job skills and gaining valuable experience that will benefit them later in their career

With this experience under their belt, students will be able to call their college career a success A high grade point average and high test scores are not the only things employers look for in students They look for well-rounded individuals who they believe will make contributions to their company They want students who offer something unique or have valuable input to the company so that the organization or company does not sit stagnant

The best way for them to accomplish this is by hiring individuals who display something new or different from the other applicants Seeing the same applicant over and over can become mundane and boring for the interviewer, so having something unique about them helps students separate themselves from the pack A college internship is a great way to expose themselves to new ideas and new perspectives so that they can demonstrate some uniqueness in a job interview

Students should do all they can to make their college experience successful and worthwhile Only going to class and studying in the dorm room can be very limiting to students They may believe that classes are the whole point of college, when in fact classes are a large portion of, but not the entire pie Getting a little exposure to the real world will help students to learn a bit about what they should expect when they graduate A college internship program is a great way to learn new things and experience the world much differently than their fellow students

This is a great way to show that they are willing to do things a little differently and will not sit idle while the rest of the company is moving forward Making contributions starts by having new and fresh ideas and input to offer When students get some experience in the real world, they are more prepared to offer these things More information on college internship opportunities, College Works Painting estimates and College Works Painting resources in your area is just a click away.

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Author : Anita Web Weaver”If people are adrift in today’s job market, it’s because they haven’t yet identified their dream career ” - Carolyn McCormick, Success Coach

Carolyn McCormick (quoted above) is my coach, helping me stay consistently on track realizing my own dream career The quote above is something she said to me very recently It gave me pause

Too many of us have jobs; we work, exchanging time for money and are concerned with ‘not losing,’ i e , not losing our job or position or income We are not playing to win

There’s a big difference between playing to ‘not lose’ and playing to win Playing to win means we have dream careers supported by dream income We are fulfilled and happy

What is the difference between the two approaches? Those who play to win play full out; they determine what they want, what is best for them, what will make them happy and what will let them express themselves as fully as possible

Those who play to not lose stay in fear; play small and never look at their career dreams because they are so focused on not losing They don’t look at what it takes to win that dream career, along with the dream income They don’t let even the possibility enter their thinking

But those who play to win know that the secret to identifying and obtaining that dream career is found by focusing on their inner compass It’s where they find their magnetic true North - where their interests, talents, desires and values all combine to literally point them in the direction of their dreams

We all have an inner compass, but not all of us have taken the time or had the support to learn what makes up our unique true North

Many people take career assessments These can be helpful at identifying our unique abilities, some of them hidden or not yet developed

Personality assessments can help identify our traits and preferences Prior accomplishments can help us articulate the skills, knowledge and abilities we’ve already developed

But the inner compass is made up of much more than that information In the world of jobs, that information is germane and critical Ultimately, though, it exists on the periphery of the inner compass

That is because the inner compass is made up of desires, needs, values and meaning that gives the drive to express certain qualities in the world Let’s take a closer look at the parts of the inner compass

First, it is important to identify your life purpose It’s not as hard as you think It is usually generic, but it also relates to your unique situation

My coach, Carolyn McCormick, identifies her purpose as ‘waking up each morning learning and growing and being with other people who are also learning and growing ‘ A good coach can help you uncover your life purpose

Next, you have to look at your core values Most of us have 6-8 core values by which we live our lives These may change over time as our emphasis shifts with age and life experiences

For example, you may identify compassion, kindness, integrity, beauty, financial security and care for others as your core values Whatever core values you have, it is important that you recognize how you can use them as guides in identifying your dream career

If you violate any of your core values, you feel uneasy, and vaguely guilty It is also not easy to focus on your true North if you are living apart from your core values

Once you understand your life purpose and your core values, you can then identify your talents and interests, adding them to the mix The power of the inner compass is activated when you have identified all the various parts that make it up

It is then that you have enough inner power to move forward in the direction of your dreams All the parts that make up the inner compass are congruent and support one another as you move forward

Dream careers are meaningful careers And meaningful careers move from the inside out Get to know the make-up of your inner compass so you can steer the career course you desire Anita Web Weaver is the owner of Design to Shine Consulting, offering coaching, mentoring and speaking services to help people shine, no matter what, in their career, their life and their health.

Get her FREE Audio: Busting Through Fear
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