Avoid Career Burnout With a Mid-Career Internship

wpengine — Thu, 07 May 2020 17:41:25 +0000

Some professionals in the second or third decade of their career might look back to their college or post-college internships as the jumping-off point for their career and their way to get their foot in the door with real-world job experience. Those same professionals might reject the idea of entering an internship now, a third or halfway into their active career. It turns out, though, that this is a smart move for seasoned professionals to gain valuable skills.

The Rise of the “Minternship”

A “minternship”, or mid-life internship, is exactly what it sounds like – taking on a role in a company or industry that you have an interest in, but little practical or tangible experience. It’s also usually a role that’s temporary and often not considered a full-time employee, so pay and benefits may not don’t apply. In exchange, you can get guidance and mentorship from professionals at a company that you’re interested in working for or an industry that you’re excited about moving into. Like many college-level internships, this can sometimes lead to a job with the company, but sometimes it is just a learning experience to take with you on the way forward.

Who Takes a Mid-Life Internship?

“Minternships” are great for people who are feeling stuck in their current role. Whether it’s an inability to move up in the company, a lack of interest in the type of work, or a downturn in the industry, a mid-career internship can help people comfortably pivot and even get excited about work again. It’s also a great step for people mid-career who lost their jobs due to market disruption, company layoff or needed to take a professional break to attend to personal family or health reasons.

It’s a risk for some people, as losing income or “starting over” can feel disheartening, but more people are choosing this path because they want to find meaningful work at a company they care about and can commit to for the rest of their career. Most companies are choosing to embrace this trend, as it often brings people who are genuinely excited about the work to their door as opposed to people only motivated by a paycheck.

If you’re fresh out of your “minternship” or racked up new certifications through continued learning, we’re ready to help you find your next role and grow successfully in your new industry.

Ready to start a new role?

Give our team a call today and talk to one of our employment experts about how you can take your next steps forward.

The post Avoid Career Burnout With a Mid-Career Internship appeared first on Open Systems Inc..

Attention College Grads: Here’s How to Convince a Recruiter to Hire You

wpengine — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 16:24:26 +0000

Finding a job after college can be stressful – not only do you want to start using your degree, you might have student loans to begin paying back or other financial obligations that make finding a job an urgent concern. Plus, it seems like every job posting always has some previous job history or experience requirement. This can seem like an impossible task sometimes because most of your attention over the last few years of your life was on obtaining your degree so you could get a job and not on work itself.

Here are a few ways to make it easier to find a job post-graduation:

Prepare before graduation: Of course, the way to give yourself the best chance at post-college job success is to start planning and networking before graduation day. Sometimes this means making connections at an on-campus job fair, and other times it involves sending out resumes and emails to recruitment firms that specialize in your field or future industry. It might also mean asking peers and past classmates for their job plans and asking for referrals to help get your foot in the door.
Make your experience matter: You might not have job experience, but chances are you have skills and qualifications that matter. Instead of posing your job search as a way for you to grow skills and experiences, make it about what you can offer your potential new employer. Find the links between your educational and extracurricular achievements and what the job requirements are. For instance, if you’re looking for a sales position and were also on the debate team or part of an honors business class, play that up in your conversations with recruiters.
Know your resume is still a valuable tool: Not having job experience isn’t an excuse for having a subpar resume. Meet with your school’s job placement or alumni team to help you get your resume in the best shape possible so that you can use it to get the attention of more recruiters.
Consider an internship: Internships are a great way to get exposure and also experience. If you’ve completed an internship with a company previously, reach out to their HR team to ask if they’re looking for any permanent help. If you haven’t done an internship yet, it might not be too late. Considering asking an organization you’d be interested in joining if they’d let you do an internship or trial period before hiring you fulltime. This can give both you and the company a sense of if it’s a good fit and also show your work ethic and desire to learn.

Get your foot in the door

If you’re looking for an entry-level position as a college graduate, get in touch with Open Systems today. A proactive search using all the resources available to you is one of the key ways to ensure that you get a job faster, and our team can help you find the right fit.

The post Attention College Grads: Here’s How to Convince a Recruiter to Hire You appeared first on Open Systems Inc..