TOP DOG COMMUNICATION
Follow Top Dog on Twitter!
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Executive Board
  • Client Campaigns
  • Awards
  • Client Application
  • FAQ
  • More
    • Applied PR Class
    • Dog Blog

Dog Blog

Welcome to the Dog Blog!  This blog is written by students in the Top Dog Communication course.  Students share their views, experiences and knowledge on topics such as college, the class, internships, jobs, etc.

internship tips & tricks

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
By Kyle McGinnis

The internship hunt may seem like a very daunting task; however, there are a few ways to make the task more manageable. In terms of finding an internship, who you know is just as important as what you know. I have found that my professional network has bridged the gap between me not having a Scooby where to start looking and putting my name in good light to stand out in the application process. I have been able to connect with a hiring manager for a prominent Indianapolis public relations firm through Top Dog Communication. Being a part of an applied communication course has helped me tremendously, even in the short time I have been involved this semester. I have also been able to connect with and interview John Koluder, head of Indy Eleven’s public relations, by means of another communication class here at UIndy. My coaches have also been able to connect me with many other professionals in the athletic field at various levels. I cannot stress how important it is to simply reach out to faculty here at UIndy. The staff here has more connections than students think, and most are more than willing to help get you connected if one makes the effort.
            My dream internship would have to be public relations for a fitness company. The fitness industry is something I am very passionate about. I would love to see the inner workings behind the fitness companies in the top of their field. From supplements to branding to actual workouts there, the brands as a whole fascinate me. If I could emphasize anything to someone seeking an internship it would be this: find something you are passionate about and tackle your tasks vigorously.
0 Comments

internship Drama

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
By Kaitlyn Hedger

How is it that I could feel like I’m completely ahead of the game in my studies and extracurricular activities, yet when I sit down to fill out an internship application I suddenly feel inadequate?  In Kaitlyn’s internship utopia, I would receive an application and fill it out with all of my outstanding qualities.  I would be hired the day after I turn it in, they’d love me, and I’d be offered a full time job when I graduate.  But as we all know, that’s an unachievable reality.  Internships are a lot of work to get your foot in the door.  I sat down to apply for an event planning internship and was extremely let down when I saw that three out of the five short answer questions were about previous events in which we’d planned.  I’m a sophomore in college, how much experience could I possibly have?  I was discussing my frustration with a good friend who told me that I should still go for it.  She brought up the best point ever: we actually have more experience than we think. 
            She explained that no, we may not have EXACT experience for the job we’re after, but we’ve got more than we’re thinking.  I have planned birthday parties before for my family and friends, yet I completely overlooked those times because I did not think it would count as it was “informal”.  I got to thinking how many other events that I have been a part of, and I realize that I actually do have some experience.  This applies to resume’s as well.  Many people might be nervous about not having enough to put on their resume.  Many people overlook babysitting due to that same informal sense.  A professor once told me that babysitting is important because someone had trusted you with their most valuable asset—their kids.  So, I’m going to leave you with one piece of advice: forget informalities, because even the smallest task matters. 
0 Comments

The panic of internships

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
By C. Rev

When thinking of internships I panic a little. And by a little, I mean a lot. I don’t panic because of how daunting the whole process of acquiring one sounds (I don’t mind being interviewed, I’m an attention hog), I panic because there are so many out there that would be highly beneficial to me and my future career. There are also so many around me, it makes it hard to narrow the list down to which one I would really like to chase.
            But, because I’m a big picture dreamer, there is one internship that beats all of them. It does so because of these two reasons; 1) it’s in New York City and 2) it’s with my favorite late night talk show host, Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon has been my comedic inspiration since he took over Late Night and even more so when he took over Jay Leno’s spot on The Tonight Show. He’s basically the epitome of what I want to do. (Well, one thing I would like to do.)
            Obtaining such a highly received internship isn’t easy to do. There is a lot of hard work that needs to be put in so my name gets out there. I have several ways to go about doing this. First off though, I’m making sure I am creating content that would be appealing on a resume. Before I came to college, the only jobs listed on my resume were four dishing washing jobs. Exciting right? Since realizing what I want to do, I have created several skits with the TV department here on campus and have continued to create content on my own.
            While creating this content, I’ve also been sure to challenge myself when doing so. I set several goals for myself and made sure to check off at least one after each project. For example, one of my goals was to learn a new video effect in Adobe After Effects. Having a vast knowledge of how to work Adobe programs looks great on a resume and ever better in action. Another example of one my goals is to try out different comedic techniques. I know my strength is in parodies, so I challenge myself by writing more situational and slapstick comedy pieces. I find this important to do because “funny” has such a wide range.
            With these building blocks for my resume, I make sure to make it as presentable as possible. I’m constantly asking friends, professors, and experts for help with my resume. By doing this, I’m also helping my name be broadcast. Those professors and friends might know someone I don’t that could help me get my foot in the door.
            I also make sure to keep my portfolio up to date. A portfolio is an easy way for a future employer to look at the best of my work in one place. I’m currently working on an online portfolio so it’s easily accessible to anyone who is looking.
            Hopefully, all this hard work will pay off one day and I’ll land that perfect internship or, even better, that perfect job. But for now, I’m just going to keep working on my skills and improving them to the best that they can be.
0 Comments

Internships: The Hardship We Never saw Coming

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
By Reagan Van Cleave

Ahhh. Internships…so overwhelming. As if just getting your schoolwork done was not enough. Now its time to use what little time you do have not spent writing papers and studying for midterms to start your internship hunt. Internships are intimidating. You know you need real world experience in order to get a job when you finally get out of here. Competing with hundreds, maybe even thousands of other hopeful college students to get those few positions at that fancy PR firm downtown. If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking what makes me so special? My brochures on InDesign sure could use some love…hire me? Not to mention as a junior in college I have absolutely no internship experience. Well kid, you’ve got to start somewhere.

Start by sifting through that overly crowded bulletin board in the stairwells or outside your department’s office just filled with promising opportunities. I would consider this search the hardest part as an internship newbie. Just about any internship sounds like it could benefit someone like myself who has no experience. Social media coordinator for the Indianapolis Pacers? I don’t know much about sports, but hey I can definitely rock some gold and yellow pinstripes. Media relations for Joe’s Trash Service? This could make me more well rounded. Perhaps I will give it a try. Then reality sets in and you realize you have less than a month to polish your resume, get letters of support from professors who still can’t remember if your name is Reagan or Megan, and get writing samples, which you somehow have not done in your three years of college. Great. Time to pick my two favorite internships and hope for the best.

Getting that first internship is always the hardest. You have to market yourself against individuals with resumes that look like scrolls detailing all of their experience and awards. Just remember that everyone started here. Even if you get that internship that makes your desk the copy machine and classifies your pay as some fancy word like “pro bono,” you’re starting somewhere. Make it another notch in your belt that you look back on and laugh when you’re sitting in your luxurious office in New York City. Remember it as the frustrating, but rewarding first step to following your dreams.
0 Comments

The Internship Hunt

10/22/2015

0 Comments

 
By Jessi Shelton

Everyone makes it seems so easy.

 
I have discovered that the largest stressor in college in a lot of students’ lives is the “I” word: internships.  Finding internships, doing well at internships, racking up enough internships to graduate…
 
I, for one, hardly even know what the word internship means, and more specifically — I am hardcore struggling with the search process.
 
That’s right, you aren’t alone.  I feel like up to this point, I was under the impression that there was some sort of website called “GET AN INTERNSHIP” wherein I could rifle through a compilation of online applications, make my resume look extra pretty and then be able to call myself an intern a few weeks following.
 
Unfortunately, this is not reality.
 
All of the uncertainty has caused me to flounder, and I plan to do something about it.  Instead of internally having a complete panic attack once I am old enough to acquire an internship, I plan to be proactive.
 
I plan to visit the Professional Edge Center that is located on campus because I hear they are some sort of internship wizards.  I plan to ask professionals that I encounter about any internships they are aware of. I plan to research organizations that I would be interested in working for.  I plan to not procrastinate and to use the realm of internships as motivation throughout my schooling, and I plan for this plan to work out in my favor.
 
This is me silently freaking out telling you not be worried.  As Greyhounds, we have resources, and as Greyhounds — we should plan to utilize them.
0 Comments

    Author

    Students in UIndy's Top Dog Communication Class. 

    Archives

    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    April 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly