In Defense of 20-Somethings

Did you see the New York Times Magazine’s cover article, “What is it about 20-somethings?”.

The author, Robin Marantz Henig, poses the question:

“Why are so many people in their 20s taking so long to grow up?”

Henig states that “The traditional cycle [where kids finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and eventually retire to live on pensions supported by the next crop of kids who finish school, grow up, start careers, make a family and so on] seems to have gone off course, as young people remain untethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options, traveling, avoiding commitments, competing ferociously for unpaid internships or temporary (and often grueling) Teach for America jobs, forestalling the beginning of adult life.”

There were plenty of responses to this article, but one of my favorite ones was by Lindsey Pollak, author of College to Career and the LinkedIn Global Spokesperson. Pollak points out that “There is no “one size fits all” adulthood” and that today’s “20-somethings just want what we all want: the opportunity to live life on our own terms and in our own time frames.”

The initial article in the NYT Magazine is long, but offers a fascinating glimpse into the ongoing discussion about “the changing timetable for adulthood” and what is up with the millennials.

Q. What’s the outlook for business internships this summer?

A. Good news! The New York Times, in the recent article, “Job Market Stabilizes for Business Students,” reports that business students and career advisors expect an increase in internship opportunities this summer. According to the article, banks are climbing out of the recession and more business students are finding banking internships. 

And more good news—you can find lots of business internships right on internships.com. Check out Kinderhook Industries, which is searching for financial analyst interns. Located in New York City, Kinderhook is a private equity firm that manages $800 million of committed capital. The firm targets orphaned non-core subsidiaries of corporate parents, existing small capitalization public companies lacking institutional support and management-led recapitalizations of entrepreneur-owned companies. Why not target Kinderhook for your internship experience?  Be part of the Kinderhook team that matches unique investment opportunities with high quality management in its “Search for Value.”  Help Kinderhook in its search by being a valuable intern.

To find out more, click here.

P.S. Have you had a business internship or do you know anyone who has? Write a review and let other students know what to expect. Or offer advice on how to prepare for a business internship interview. Thanks!

Internships: helping you to define your career

The other night I watched More than a Game, a documentary about LeBron James and his legendary St. Vincent-St. Mary high school team. The documentary depicts the team’s growth in knowledge, experience and teamwork, both on and off the court. And as I watched the movie, it occurred to me that LeBron’s high school basketball experience was really the internship for his professional career.

This is what an internship is meant to achieve–growth in knowledge, experience and collaboration.

Watching the documentary, it was clear from early on that a professional basketball player, without a doubt, was what LeBron was destined to become. Unfortunately, unlike LeBron, many of us don’t have that singular talent, passion and calling at such a young age. I’m a college career counselor working with students as they start thinking about the imminent job search, and the most frequent refrain I hear is: “I don’t know what I want to be. How do I choose?” This is actually a great question, though, and one that all of you should ask yourself.

Many students sit back and take a hit or miss approach to defining their career. This can be a costly process as you jump from one area of possible interest to another (switching majors and jobs along the way!). A better approach is to define areas of possible long-term career interest and pursue internships and job opportunities that match your preferences–likely spelling success for your career pursuits.

A great way to start the process is to take the Internship Predictor on internships.com. The results should provide you with a starting point for exploring your options. And don’t forget–enjoy the journey. It’s a luxury to have the time and opportunity to make good decisions about your chosen career.

When you have a moment, let me know how your search is progressing!

Internship opportunities — a chance to explore

How many of you watched the Super Bowl last weekend? I’m guessing more than a few of you tuned in, if only to see the commercials!

It was definitely an exciting game, showcasing two of the best teams in the NFL. At the party I attended, however, the football didn’t draw the biggest reaction. Rather, it came during the Casual Friday commercial.

The commercial starts with this regular guy, dressed in a golf shirt and khakis—looking pretty good for a casual Friday at work. Then the camera pans out, and the audience gets an eyeful of skin (or in some cases, hair in unfortunate places) and very, very bad underwear. Clearly, golf shirt guy, was the only employee who had a clue about how to dress on casual Friday. My fellow party goers groaned each time the poor guy with the golf shirt and khakis came in “contact” with his scantily clad co-workers.

This commercial underscores the need to be selective in your career choice. As a student you have a fabulous opportunity to research and experiment with the best possible career fit by trying different internships, with the obvious goal that the job you ultimately land will involve wearing more than just bad underwear each Friday. Don’t let these internship opportunities pass you by or you could end up like golf shirt guy–in a company, job and environment you hate.

Before you pursue an internship, determine the companies, industries or functions that hold the most interest for you. If you are unsure of where to start, check out the internships.com Internship Predictor, and further determine preferences that will help to guide your internship search for the perfect fit.

During your college years it’s possible to have multiple internship opportunities to try out a variety of companies and settings to find the right place for you. Take advantage and save yourself the painful experience of golf shirt guy and his hairy, mostly naked co-workers.