HANNA CHU
Assistant A&E Editor
Although Ryan Wickers has to fight through traffic on Highway 101 for an hour and a half to reach his internship in Glendale, he believes his unpaid job is worth the gas and extra travel time, especially because it prepares him for life after graduation.
“It’ll be on my resume,” Wickers said. His supervisor also told him that if he worked hard, there would be a good chance they’d offer him a job after graduation.
As he begins his junior year, Wickers, an advertising major, said he thought an internship would help him play catch-up for the past year spent abroad in Florence, Italy.
In the first week of classes, he applied to some 15 internships and interviewed for 10.
Two weeks later, Ryan finds himself answering phones, stuffing envelopes and attending press junkets and movie premiers for the national publicity department of Dreamworks SKG, a leading movie production company. He said that despite not getting a paycheck, he enjoys it.
His dream job is to be an advertising executive or a marketing or publicity executive in the entertainment industry, he said.
As a prospective intern, Wickers said all the internships he applied to in the entertainment industry were unpaid. But he pointed out that there are many perks to his job.
“I went to a screening of ‘Just Like Heaven,’” Wickers said. “I was invited to go to the red-carpet premier and the after-party, but I had class.” He also eats free meals at the company cafeteria.
For interns, compensation often comes in perks instead of money, Pepperdine internship coordinator Melissa Jordan said.
“Each company has their way of giving their students bonuses,” she said. “You can go to company lunches and outings and even if it’s not getting a monetary check, you are getting rewards in many ways.”
While some students like Wickers deliberately seek internships, others find them because it’s a requirement for their major. Jordan said she believes in the importance of an internship regardless of the reason, and she is happy to help students find one.
She said that more than half of employers hire their interns.
“It’s a much easier way to get a job. It’s the third most important criteria for hiring,” Jordan said. “The first is major, then interviewing skills, then their internships.”
Mike Sheridan, owner of Venature Capital and Consulting, agrees.
“There’s no better way to know someone than through an internship,” he said. “A resume only says so much.”
Besides increasing the likelihood of being hired upon graduation, internships are also beneficial because they help interns adjust to the working world.
“(Internships will) determine what office environment works best for our style and also look at what type of management style works best for who we are,” said professor Debbie Wideroe, who teaches one of the internship classes in the Communication Division.
Senior Kevin Longo, an advertising major, said that through his internship at Santa Monica-based Venature Capital and Consulting, he was able to understand the operations of a consulting firm. He also glimpsed into what his days would look like if he pursue consulting.
Longo doesn’t want to jump into a career he doesn’t like, and so he plans on interning elsewhere next semester to see what that experience is like in comparison, he said.
Other employers agree about the importance of experiencing different career paths through internships.
“The student should walk away with a strong understanding of what the company and industry does,” said Alex Salazar, a human resources manager at Rubin Postaer and Associates, a Santa Monica-based advertising agency. “It’s their opportunity to give that particular career a test drive.”
Finding an internship can be a daunting task, though.
Jordan said that the internship office is a great starting point.
“Most people don’t realize what resources the internship office has,” she said. “We have so much that students can tap into.”
The office offers daily internship workshops that help students with their resumes, interviewing skills and search for the right internship.
“I’m here all the time,” Jordan said. “Basically, if the student wants to come see me, I’m available.”
There is also a Web site through the Seaver Career Center with a separate section for internships. In the past month, Jordan has been updating and adding opportunities for students.
Employers who have consistently hired Pepperdine students as interns include MTV Networks, Sony Corp., Fox Broadcasting Company, Merrill Lynch & Co., Dreamworks SKG and Union Bank of America Corp.
While there are many internships listed on the Web site, the list usually does not include the contact information for the position. To gain access, students must first select six to eight different internship companies and finalize a resume and cover letter. They receive contact information upon Jordan’s approval.
“There are so many tips that people need to know about the process,” she said. “We just help you one step along the way before you apply.”
When Longo went in for his internship interview, he said he was nervous and unprepared for the questions they asked him.
Jordan prepares students for situations like Longo’s by running them through mock interviews. The sessions include preparation for questions employers might ask students during the interview and questions students should ask in reply, as well as advice on proper attire.
The Career Center isn’t the only place students can find help. Various Web sites, such as internshipprograms.com or collegegrad.com, offer help locating internships. Other sites, such as resume-resource.com and collegeboard.com, help individuals craft their own resumes.
Longo and Wickers both agree that getting an internship is an important part of college. Whether help comes from Pepperdine’s Career Center, online venues or elsewhere, there’s plenty of assistance to help students break into the working world.
said. “We have so much that students can tap into.”
The office offers daily internship workshops that help students with their resumes, interviewing skills and search for the right internship.
“I’m here all the time,” Jordan said. “Basically, if the student wants to come see me, I’m available.”
There is also a Web site through the Seaver Career Center with a separate section for internships. In the past month, Jordan has been updating and adding opportunities for students.
Employers who have consistently hired Pepperdine students as interns include MTV Networks, Sony Corp., Fox Broadcasting Company, Merrill Lynch & Co., Dreamworks SKG and Union Bank of America Corp.
While there are many internships listed on the Web site, the list usually does not include the contact information for the position. To gain access, students must first select six to eight different internship companies and finalize a resume and cover letter. They receive contact information upon Jordan’s approval.
“There are so many tips that people need to know about the process,” she said. “We just help you one step along the way before you apply.”
When Longo went in for his internship interview, he said he was nervous and unprepared for the questions they asked him.
Jordan prepares students for situations like Longo’s by running them through mock interviews. The sessions include preparation for questions employers might ask students during the interview and questions students should ask in reply, as well as advice on proper attire.
The Career Center isn’t the only place students can find help. Various Web sites, such as Internshipprograms.com or Collegegrad.com, offer help locating internships. Other sites, such as Resume-resource.com and Collegeboard.com, help individuals craft their own resumes.
In some cases, professors are even willing to help. Dr. Roy Adler, a marketing professor, said students should dress in full business attire for their interviews rather than trying to second-guess a company’s dress code.
“If they’re wearing a sweater and jeans, they might look at you and say ‘wow, you look terrific, you didn’t have to do that today,’” Adler said. “But the opposite would be horrific.”
Longo and Wickers both agree that getting an internship is an important part of college. Whether help comes from Pepperdine’s Career Center, online venues or elsewhere, there’s plenty of assistance to help students break into the working world.
09-22-2005
