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Experience Necessary: Business School Internships

Business school internships provide students with mentoring and networking opportunities as well as the chance to obtain references. A business internship also provides students with on-the-job training in their chosen career field before completing school. Internships also provide an inside glimpse into the business world, providing observation of the day-to-day operations of business.

Internships are valued by employers, because of the actual working experience gained through the internship. Many employers use internships as a means of evaluating potential full time employees.

Business school internship requirements vary by school. For example, some business interns must spend a minimum of 140 hours at an internship location. Also, prior to enrolling in a business internship, students must complete specific courses and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher. Business internships are typically graded pass or fail and can be paid or unpaid.

Other business internship programs at require business interns to make arrangements between the school and a business. These arrangements must include an on-site business supervisor, a university supervisor and a university internship coordinator. All three then review and agree to the student intern’s proposal for completing the business internship. The internship requires a minimum of 120 hours and a C or higher to pass.

Additional business internship programs offer three types of internships. These are academic credit without pay internship, academic credit with pay internship, and paid internship with no academic credit. All require a university supervisor and on-site business supervisor. Academic credit business internships are graded; require a minimum of 150 hours and a cumulative 2.75 GPA

Types of companies that offer business internships include accounting firms, grocery chains, insurance firms, department stores chains, marketing firms, human resource management firms, state or federal government and financial services firms. Typical responsibilities of business interns while include recording financial transactions, conducting front desk operations, providing customer service, entering data, shadowing on-site supervisors, making travel arrangements, promoting sales and any other duties requested by the business.

To Protect and Serve: Careers in Criminal Justice for Veterans

So, you've recently rejoined the civilian population and are ready to get back to work. You've always thought a career in law enforcement would be the right choice for you. Your service has prepared you mentally and physically for such a job. Or perhaps you're just interested in continuing to protect and serve but on a more local scale. As a veteran, you have a tremendous edge in pursuing a career in criminal justice.

The physical training you have received in the armed forces will be a valuable asset if you are looking for a criminal investigative or patrol position. Federal, state and local agencies will require a fit test prior to employment. Many follow the Cooper's Institute Fitness Standards for Law Enforcement, which includes the familiar push-ups, sit-ups, a 1.5 mile run and a 300 meter sprint tests.

Positions within law enforcement which do not require routine physical fitness tests should not be overlooked. In the case of large federal agencies, these positions can also provide a foot in the door. Such positions include a computer forensics expert, financial analyst, evidence technicians, security officers, photographers and even an auto mechanic.

For those looking to brush up on their skills, going back to school is a great way to make you a more marketable job candidate. The new post 9/11 GI Bill offers veterans excellent incentives to pay for college courses, professional certifications and technical course. Depending on the amount of active duty you have completed, you can receive benefits that cover up to 100 percent of your tuition costs.

A great way to get a feel for the depth of career choices offered by federal law enforcement agencies is to go to USAJobs.com. There you can search for a position by job title, agency, location or job series.

Remember, as a vet you have an edge. The U.S government offers career transition assistance to veterans and veterans often receive preferential status in the hiring process.

Office Life: A Hospital

Sirens sound and red lights flash as an ambulance pulls quickly up to the hospital emergency room and the back doors fly open. A patient on a gurney is rushed into the hospital attended by a group of doctors, nurses and emergency room personnel.

While this may sound like the scene from a television program or blockbuster movie, for many healthcare professionals working in a hospital this may be an everyday occurrence. For those seeking a less intense health care profession, there any many positions within a hospital that extend well beyond the emergency room.