How to be the best intern ever
Alright, that post title may be a bit inflated, but you get the idea.
After a long, long hiatus from blogging, I’m finally back with a new series that has me inspired. And it’s all about interns. A few months ago, I volunteered to take over the marketing intern program, thinking it would be a great experience and a way for me to get the ever-coveted “management experience.” In this role, I am now responsible for:
- Job posting and recruiting
- Intake of resumes and interviewing
- Onboarding
- Workload management
- Professional development and
- Exit interviews.
- Resumes and Interviewing
- Day-to-Day on the Job
- Post-Internship
- Anything else you can think of? What else do interns need to know?
- Dressing for the office (AKA “I know it’s summer, but that skirt is too short”)
- Office technology: Microsoft office, calendars, fax machines (because yes, they are STILL used)
- Finding an internship – where to look, how to network
Bearing Witness to Change
This weekend, I went to a funeral for a woman who was born in 1910. She died on Memorial Day at the age of 101. A true celebration of life, the funeral service for my Great-Aunt really got me thinking of the amazing change and advancements she witnessed.
In her lifetime, she watched as communication shifted from the first radio stations to iPhones and Twitter. Music on the radio shifted from jazz and big band to 80s rock and hip-hop. She heard of Charles Lindbergh flying across the Atlantic, the U.S. landing on the moon and satellite exploration of our solar system. She lived through too many wars. Her family drove some of the first cars, and now, we’ve developed cars to run on electricity (albeit, not very far).
The technological advances that she witnessed are nothing short of amazing and overwhelming.
As a Millennial, I’m wondering if I will experience the same leaps and bounds in society and technology.
Sure, new things will be invented to make our lives easier, faster and more convenient. We will experience our own social injustices and fights for equality. Undoubtedly, war will continue and evolve. But, will we bear witness to changes that are so widespread and life-altering? I’m not so sure.
Wedding joys and woes, a privilege?
Yesterday, as Andy and I were meeting with our pastor to finalize our wedding ceremony plans, the Minnesota Senate voted to pass a bill that would amend our state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
The same thing has happened in 31 other states. And in each of those 31 states, the voting public has passed the amendment.
Unreal. I can’t even process what’s happening.
At no point in my life have I ever questioned whether or not I had the right to get married. The only question was, “Who out there can possibly handle my sass, loud laugh and love for the Packers?”
What I’m Watching
Posted by Kristin in Social Media on April 22, 2011
Keeping tabs on new social networks could be a full-time job (and what a fun job that would be). However, I do my best to monitor what’s gaining steam and how it could potentially be used. Some that I’ve been watching lately:
The tagline for Squabbler is “everything’s debatable” and, I’m quickly realizing after spending some time on the site, that’s totally true. The basic premise of Squabbler is simple. If you have a topic you’d like to argue, shoot a 30-second video, enter the email address of your opponent and Squabbler sends them an invitation to Squabble. Once they have created a video response, both videos are uploaded to the site and open for public voting on who is right. Some debates in the Hall of Fame include the “cool factor” of tapered jeans and a dog lobbying to discontinue use of the vacuum.
The verdict: While this site is largely a huge time suck, it could be a unique outreach strategy for lifestyle or niche brands. Maybe there is a pet-friendly vacuum that exists which emits no loud, scary noises? Probably not, but it’s kinda neat. Plus, I tend to be argumentative.
Marriage vs. Career
Last night, I participated in #u30pro. I jumped in about halfway through and found myself in the midst of a conversation about relationships, commitment and work-life balance.
To my dismay, many of the participants were in agreement that marriage and being career-minded don’t go together. Several tweets included such phrases as:
“I’m focusing on my career, no time to think about marriage.”
“Planning a wedding is a full-time job.”
In fact, one participant sent a tweet that it is impossible to be career-focused and thinking about marriage/married.
Wait, what?
Do people really think this? Actually believe that you have to choose between being a motivated professional and love, marriage and family?
Well I sure as hell don’t. Maybe I’m sensitive because I’m planning my wedding, but even before I was at this stage, I believed that it was possible to have it all. Find a successful balance between professional goals and personal relationships. Serve on a nonprofit board and still make it to happy hour with your girlfriends. Have chats about climbing the corporate ladder with a significant other over dinner that you two cooked at home, together.
Am I crazy for thinking that this is possible?
Fearing a Second Death
Posted by Kristin in Social Media on February 25, 2011
Why do I do it? Twitter, a blog, Facebook, about.me, Posterous, another Twitter, another blog…
This is one question that I am often asked and one I ask myself all the time, especially when I haven’t posted on my blog in a while (cough, first post this month, cough).
Answers to this question often include some variation of the following:
- I need to use the tools to truly understand the business implications.
- To stay competitive as a candidate in my field, I have to show competency – and even expertise – with social media.
- There’s a conversation taking place. I want to take part, and I think I have something worthwhile to say.
However, I’d like to throw out another potential reason for our use of social media: avoiding a second death.
I recently read Have a Little Faith by Mitch Alborn. In the book, the main character is asked by his childhood Rabbi to deliver the eulogy at his future funeral. In their conversations, the Rabbi brings up the idea of a second death – which is scarier than actual death for many people.
So, how does someone die twice?
A second death, in short, occurs when someone is forgotten, not out of spite or the intentional actions of others, but just naturally. Once friends, family members, colleagues are no longer around to share stories and memories – that’s a person’s second death. Let me move on, because I don’t want my first post this month to be a total buzz kill.
The Internet, however, is forever. Facebook profiles, Twitter feeds, blogs (for as long as you pay to host the domain) are legacies of one’s existence, life and experiences.
So, is this why we do it? A desire to make our mark in the giant timelines of life and after? To prove, long after we’re gone, that we existed, had opinions and did something?
I think this is a part of it, but maybe not something that everyone is willing to admit.
What do you think? Why do you do it?
101 in 1001
Posted by Kristin in 101 in 1001 on February 5, 2011
My 101 goals to complete in 1,001 days
(January 1, 2011 – September 28, 2013)
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).
Progress Tracking:
Items in bold: Completed
Items in italics: In progress
Travel
1. Cross the equator
2. Visit three new states (1/3) – Heyo, North Dakota!
3. Fly first class
4. Go to BlogWorld
5. Ride my bike to work – at least once Probably won’t happen now that I work in Edina…
6. See Garth Brooks in Concert
7. Go on a real honeymoon
8. Go deep sea fishing (and don’t get sick)
9. See the Twins play outside Minnesota
10. Go to 2012 College World Series
Personal
11. Run a 5K
12. Read one new book a month (17/33)
13. Lose 10 pounds
14. Lose 20 pounds
15. Full 90-minute session of Bikram yoga without stopping
16. Donate clothes not worn in past 18 months
17. Post 3 vlog entries (0/3)
18. See a movie by myself in theater
19. Update my name on all official documents and online (after July 16, 2011)
20. Go one full day without swearing
21. One full week without swearing
22. Go to the gym 3X/week for 2 separate months (0/2)
23. Buy and successfully grow a house plant
Skills
24. Complete two practice GMAT exams (0/2) — note: and we’re back to the GMAT
25. Take the actual GMAT — see above
26. Take three courses at LiveMocha.com (0/3)
27. Learn to knit/crochet
28. Take a dance class
29. Master 10 things from the 75 Things every Woman should Know list (0/10)
30. Memorize basic HTML codes
31. Learn how to iron a shirt correctly
32. Take another Twin Cities EXCO class
33. Learn 50 new words
Career
34. Join a professional organization
35. Speak at an industry/networking event
36. Take on new responsibilities at work
37. Learn all my co-workers’ names – I work with over 120 people!
38. Update resume once every six months
39. Successfully complete all current freelance projects (3/3)
Money
40. Pay off my credit card
41. Put $50 from every paycheck into savings account
42. Save for and buy an iPad
43. Create a budget and stick to it
44. Roll 401K accounts together
45. Learn more about credit union accounts
46. Start babysitting again
47. Use Groupons, etc. before buying new ones
48. File taxes by mid-March
Food and Drink
49. Eat fresh veggies every day
50. Master a recipe for a killer frozen margarita
51. Take a cooking class
52. Visit the farmer’s market 3 times every season (3/9)
53. Host a dinner party
54. Visit a winery
55. Go on the Surly brewery tour
56. Drink only water for 2 weeks
57. Determine a signature drink
Relationships
58. Write 1 card/letter every month to a friend
59. No TV one night every week
60. Send 10 “just because” gifts (0/10)
61. Visit Chicago five times (2/5)
62. Date night with Andy once every two weeks
63. Host five game nights (1/5)
64. Meet 10 new online contacts in real life
65. A hug and kiss everyday
66. Host a murder mystery party
Local
67. Visit 10 new restaurants (6/10)
68. Participate in the Luminary Loppet
69. Go to three museums I’ve never visited (0/3)
70. Attend a local summer festival
71. Go to a street dance
72. Ice skate in Rice Park
73. Go to Como Zoo
Organize
74. Create an address book
75. Keep address book updated
76. Create an emergency kit for the house
77. Get a safety deposit box
78. Collect all friends’ and family members’ birthdays
79. Put a second bookshelf in the office
80. Create some sort of professional work portfolio
81. Buy a pocket calendar
82. Keep track of all appointments
83. Organize closet(s)
84. Create spreadsheet with all usernames and passwords
Giving
85. Participate in three charity runs/walks
86. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters
87. Sit on a new nonprofit board
88. Volunteer with a new organization
89. Give one percent of my income to charity (or charities)
90. Start donating blood again
91. Attend one major nonprofit gala
Misc. (AKA I don’t want to renumber this entire list to make these 10 fit into the above categories)
92. Become a guest blogger
93. Serve as a mentor
94. Finish decorating my apartment
95. Go parasailing/paragliding
96. Learn how to snorkel
97. Sing karaoke
98. Make my own lattes at home
99. Stop biting my nails
100. Ride the Pedal Pub
101. Frame one of my photos and hang in our house
About Me
Marketing, web and communications professional. Passionate about sports, photography, travel, friends and family. Minnesota gal, who happens to cheer for the Packers."In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary." --aaron rose