Monthly Archives: March 2010

Amazing: Empower People to Create – Bamboo Bike Studio

Written by michael. Posted on March 19, 2010. Filed under Amazing Things, Startup Scene. Tagged Bamboo Bike Studio, bamboo bikes, social entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship. No comments.

Teaching people to make bamboo bicycles is awesome.

Amazing people doing amazing things — it’s inspirational, it’s motivating, it’s, well…amazing. Good things happen when you can identify a problem to fix, be it simple, technical, or social.

At Intern Inc., we’re hoping to help bridge the gap between employers and students entering the job market in a difficult time with the power of social networking. It’s exciting to meet new people and share our story. The Denver and Boulder areas have a great startup buzz and nous. But there’s always an extra element of excitement when a startup has an inherently altruistic mission.

Enter the Bamboo Bike Studio.

The problem: How do you help people get around in a sustainable, low-impact way?

The answer: Teach people how to make their own bicycles out of bamboo.

Some folks visit the Brooklyn bike studio to build their own new bike. But the real appeal is where “self-propulsion and sustainable entrepreneurship go hand in hand.” Supporting bamboo bike factories in Africa and South America, the three 20-somethings behind Bamboo Bike Studio are creating a positive solution to an everyday problem while simultaneously putting the power of creation back into people’s hands.

Justin Aguinaldo, Marty Odlin and Sean Murray represent a form of exciting and admirable social entrepreneurship.

And we think it’s an amazing thing.

Amazing: TOMS Shoes — One for One.

Written by michael. Posted on March 18, 2010. Filed under Amazing Things. Tagged alpargata, Amazing Race, Blake Mycoskie, espadrilles, TOMS, TOMS Shoes. No comments.

Blake Mycoskie on a shoe drop.

Inspiration can strike at any time. For Blake Mycoskie — third place finisher on the second season of the Amazing Race — inspiration struck while vacationing in Argentina. Inspired by the local alpargata or espadrilles style of canvas shoe traditionally worn by farmers, Mycoskie went on to found TOMS Shoes to provide shoes for impoverished children.

The premise? One pair of shoes donated for every pair purchased. One for one.

The shoes are great — comfortable, breathable, light and stylish; I own three pairs. The concept is equally fantastic. For $44, you get a pair of shoes and the piece of mind that your purchase is also funding a pair of shoes for an impoverished child.

TOMS continues to expand and update not only their shoes and styles, but their reach and scope of the shoe drops.

And we think they’re doing amazing things.

I trust your cash will fund my future, mom and dad.

Written by sarah. Posted on March 16, 2010. Filed under Career Planning, Internship Advice. Tagged buying internships, experience, internship placement, recessionomics. No comments.

: I trust my fund will never run out, right mom and dad?

A lot of students are lucky enough to have Mom and Dad front the bill for their college education. College is expensive enough, but according to the Wall Street Journal, college isn’t the only thing parents are stuck paying for.

In all seriousness, some parents have always shelled out cash for their kids. With college graduates facing a brutal job market, kids are milking their folks for as long as possible. A better solution? Getting one or several internships before (or even after) graduating can help make all the difference.

After all, rich kids like to work for free, and with the bad economy, parents are worried. So, an ever-more popular solution is buying their kids that foot in the door with an internship post-college. Some parents are creating direct mail campaigns advertising their kid’s potential, while others just buy internships in auctions.

Internship-placement programs are doing really well, but the price paid is pretty steep. University of Dreams in Los Gatos, California helps place interns at internships, for a whopping $5000-$9000 dollars. If that is a little out of your price range, you could always try out Fast Track Internships, they will help you polish your cover letter and resume for a mere $799.

The reality is, we don’t all have rich parents. And yes, internships are invaluable, and can defintely help you become successful, but there should be an easier, more accessible way to get an internship. That’s why we started interninc.com — we want to help you get the internship of your dreams at a price that’s a little more affordable for everyone: Free.

Spotlight On: Fashion Internships

Written by sarah. Posted on March 15, 2010. Filed under Career Planning. Tagged fashion, fashion careers, fashion internships advice career, internship advice, internships. 2 Comments.

The fashion industry is full of people who are dying to be the next Anna Wintour or Marc Jacobs. Money, fame and glamor lure people to major cities all over the world in hopes of making their fashion dreams come true. The reality is, the fashion industry is cutthroat. Whether you want to be a photographer, a designer, an editor or just an overall fashion icon, you’ve got to have a competitive edge.

Look no further than Bravo’s “Kell on Earth” for a glance into the ultra-competitive, tough world of fashion through the eyes of Kelly Cutrone — a fashion PR icon and founder of People’s Revolution. Cutrone rips through her interns in several episodes. It’s indicative of the dues young adults in fashion are expected to pay to make it in the industry.

It can be tough, but an internship is a great way to get a feel for the industry, get your name out there, and gain an advantage over all the fashion hopefuls.

What kind of internship you should shoot for depends a lot on how you want to get involved in fashion. It could be public relations, branding, marketing, design, production and so much more. Here’s a few recent examples of internships. Compare your skills to what these postings require. It’s a great way to figure out how to hone your skills and narrow your focus so you can make your way into the industry.

NYC – Dana Maxx Assistant Needed
FEBRUARY 25TH, 2010
Women’s RTW company Dana-Maxx (www.dana-maxx.com) is looking for an assistant who can begin ASAP and who has the ability to potentially grow with the company. The paid internship is approximately 1-3 days per week and hours vary.

Assistant responsibilities include:

-Working directly with the designer
-Sending emails and making calls on a daily basis
-Sending weekly updates
-Manage showroom samples
-Assisting the designer in various business meetings
-Helping with fittings
-Picking up fabric
-Meeting with vendors
-Attending private events
-Assisting the designer with daily duties and responsibilities
Candidate must have the following qualifications:
-Dedicated
-Organized and focused
-Reliable
-Ability to multitask
-Hard working and passionate
-Flexible schedule
-Honest
-Enthusiastic and positive attitude!
Please email your resume and availability. In the subject line, please put “Dana-Maxx Assistant.” Emails without this title will be disregarded! intern@dana-maxx.com
Interviews will be set up ASAP.

NYC – Ardistia New York Fashion Marketing & Business Internship
FEBRUARY 25TH, 2010
Company: Ardistia New York
Location: Flatiron/Gramercy
Availability: 2-3 full days/week
Duration: 2 months minimum
# of Interns: 2
Contact: Ardistia Dwiasri (ardistia@ardistianewyork.com)
Note: Please email only your resume. Include the number of days and hours/day you can work. Bachelor degree in Business and Fashion Design/Merchandising degree (AAS or BA) is required. Only qualified candidates will be contacted via email. This is an unpaid position. Thank you for your interest.
Job title: Fashion Marketing & Business Internship

Miami – Fashion Intern
FEBRUARY 17TH, 2010
· Location of internship: Miami, FL
· Name of company: MIAU Fashion
· Where applicants should send their applications: events@miaufashion.com
Concierge and Online Boutique, MIAU Fashion is seeking a bi-lingual intern to work directly with the owner and PR Company for a series of upcoming sales events and the re-launch of our online boutique.
This is a NON-PAID internship with bonuses based on your performance. Must be able to commit at least 10 hours per week between Brickell and South Beach. Must have reliable transportation and a lap top computer. Passion and knowledge about fashion is required. We encourage students to apply for class credit. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the credit granting process with their school. This internship can lead to a permanent position for the right candidate.
Only serious candidates need to apply. If you are interested please submit your resume along with a cover letter describing your interest in this internship and your available schedule.
Please email to events@miaufashion.com

LA – Three Rock & Republic Internships
JANUARY 30TH,2010
Rock & Republic, located in Culver City, CA is currently seeking two interns for the LASR (Los Angeles Showroom) located in downtown LA to assist the team. Interns will assist with our major accounts, Market week, and other projects/ duties as assigned. Interns with retail experience preferred. Please send your resume to jobs@rockandrepublic.com

NYC – Handbag Company looks for short-term intern
JANUARY 30TH, 2010
Searching for a organized, efficient and fast worker with advanced computer skills. Looking for someone able to dedicate 5 days a week but on a short term time spand. At least 2 years working experience in the fashion industry required with a good understanding of all the industry terms. This will be a paid job earning $8 an hour.
Knowledge of the fashion industry is a must!
Please send all resumes to info@malinim.com
http://www.limcollege.edu/

NYC – HH Productions Intern
JANUARY 21ST, 2010
HH Productions – Union Square, NYC , United States
Full service fashion company seeking stylish, proactive interns to assist through fashion week and market.
We work with the very best in the world.. Vogue, In Style, Barney’s, Intermix, Harvey Nichols, to name a few. Our focus is on Sales, Marketing, Brand Development, PR, Events, and Merchandising.
This internship is an excellent opportunity to connect and grow within the fashion industry.
We offer our interns real opportunities and help them move on to the next level!
This internship is unpaid but comes with perks.
Please only serious applicants apply, students preferred.
Thank you!
Please send resumes to:
info@hhproductionsnyc.com

Guess Internship Program
JANUARY 19TH, 2010
2010 Summer Internship Program will begin in June! GUESS offers opportunities in many different dept.’s. Apply now! www.guessinc.com/work
Visit Guess for more information.

NYC – Twinkle by Wenlan Design Intern
JANUARY 15TH, 2010
TWINKLE BY WENLAN OPPORTUNITIES
Fashion Design Intern
· Good sketching ability
· Fundamental knowledge of garment construction
· Basic sewing skills
· Must be hard working and a team player
· Creative, entrepreneurial, and detail-orientated
· Ability to recognize and react to change if work demands
· Will work in trimming, design, sketch, design board, inspiration, photo shoot, styling and fashion show
Showroom & Sales Assistant Intern
· Excellent communication as well as interpersonal skills
· Assist in growing the label and the business
· Will work directly with the sales team to organize and run sales events
· Track showroom samples
· Keep showroom neat and organized at all times
· Sit in on buying meetings
Positions available: 2
Start: Within 2 weeks
Clothing allowance available
Position held in New York City, in the heart of fashion district
Please send resume to internship@twinklebywenlan.com

Fashion Internships & Jobs Around the Web
JANUARY 14TH, 2010
Internships
NY – Summer interns needed at Cosmo
?? – Fashion Law Internship w/ Staci Riordan
NY – Frank Tell design internship
Remote – Factio Magazine Internship
NY – Elie Tahari Design Internship
NY - Elle Accessories intern
NY – Fashionista.com needs fashion week interns
NY – Harpers Bazaar needs FT editorial interns

NYC – Vogue Accessories Intern

JANUARY 14TH, 2010

New York, NY

VOGUE Spring 2010 Accessories
The accessories department at Vogue is looking for interns who can start immediately. Candidates must be self starters, extremely organized, have a great sense of decorum, as well as open to responsibility. Applicants must also be able to work Mondays as well as 3-4 days a week, and be able to receive documented school credit.
Please send cover letter and resume to megan_hayes@vogue.com

Also check out some solid fashion career advice.

If you think you’re ready to dive in, check out the Fashion Career Expo

Wading through all the resume advice to arrive at YOU.

Written by michael. Posted on March 10, 2010. Filed under Career Planning. Tagged cover letters, HR, interviewing, interviews, resume advice. No comments.

Pearsonified: Smart resume advice.

There’s no shortage of resume advice out there. 54 million-plus hits on Google. Paying attention to what people in your field are recommending is a good idea. The only pitfall comes when you get conflicting advice, or advice that’s really based on the judgment of only one expert/recruiter/HR director.

Interviewing for jobs is like dating. There’s awkwardness, fidgeting, everyone is trying to be super-courteous, overly nice, well-dressed, impressive; Do I chew gum? No — gum is unprofessional. Bad breath is worse. Mint? It’ll clatter around in my mouth. Is my tie on straight? I wonder if they like me. Should I crack a joke? Etc., etc.

The thing is — just like people and dating — everyone has different taste! Swap a potential hire for a potential date. We all look for different things. If only it were as simple for us as Birds of Paradise:

Be unique.

Great — what does that mean? That doesn’t help someone in college or just entering the job market. Unique can be a lot of things.

You want to be superficially “attractive”? Then load up your resume with great design, details of every Boy/Girl Scout award you ever received and go for it.

Want to be intellectually engaging? Focus on framing what motivates you, the problem you want to solve, how you’ll save the world and how this job will help you do it in your cover letter.

You have to know your audience. Applying for a graphic design gig, you’re probably going to want to make everything you show the employer as sexy and visually arresting as possible. Want a gig with a web startup? You’re going to want to inject some personality — how your awesome self is capable of awesome programming, conquering mountains, saving orphans, etc.

Andrew Hyde — a notable startup enthusiast in Boulder, CO with TechStars — has a great post with advice for startup applicants. Andrew’s main thrust: People are at sea when it comes to resumes, interviews and trying to get noticed in a bloated, saturated applicant market.

Web developer Chris Pearson talks about “The Only Thing on Your Resume That Matters to a Smart Person” on his blog…and guess what? That “thing” isn’t on your resume. Because it’s YOU. But what about people that aren’t especially eloquent or personable? Let me drag the dating metaphor back: Sometimes it’s about getting out of your shell.

Being yourself, being unique, showing how awesome you are — these are all impossible goals when you’re nervous, fidgeting, worrying about the superficial stuff like gum vs. mint, tie vs. no tie, joke vs. no joke. Forget about that stuff.

Come with ideas.

Advancing your ideas, your concerns, your solutions to problems you may notice related to your field is one of the best things you can do. No ideas = no passion. Employers want to hire passionate people, and if you can’t muster the enthusiasm to write a unique cover letter for a job, talk about issues in whatever industry you’re in — it’s a tip off. It’s like forcing a conversation with someone you’re just not compatible with.

And that’s the takeaway point. If you’re looking for jobs in an arena that you’re genuinely excited about, your interview isn’t an interview. It’s a conversation. It should be exciting. You should be buzzing. So let the sparks fly.

Are Unpaid Internships Illegal?

Written by michael. Posted on March 8, 2010. Filed under Internship Advice. Tagged 6 point intern test, Department of Labor, internships, legal internships, unpaid interns, unpaid internships. No comments.

Don't get eaten by jaguar sharks, intern.

These days, 84 percent of college students complete an internship before graduation and 64 percent of those are paid.

So are the other 36 percent college-educated slaves shackled by the burden of building a resume while being whipped until each and every TPS Report is filed alphabetically?

The legality of unpaid internships has been clouded by companies that don’t develop a truly valuable internship experience. Small companies may have a lot to offer a student looking for experience through an internship. They might not necessarily be able to afford paying an intern though. But when an internship is unpaid, it needs to meet a higher standard for what the intern gets out of it in terms of experience. In other words, if you can’t pay your intern, you better make sure they’re really getting something of value for their time.

Unpaid internships themselves aren’t illegal — it’s just that there are too many employers that can get away with substituting a valuable experiential learning experience with a filing cabinet and some phone jockeying.

It’s not unpaid internships that are the problem. It’s employers that think an intern is for slinging coffee.

Many employers offer internships that are either unpaid or for college credit in lieu of pay. The intern meme is that of a college student desperate for experience, hurriedly filing away endless mountains of paperwork, doing menial tasks and being given unwanted work.

If a business’ internship programs fits that meme, chances are it’s illegal. The Department of Labor created a 6-point test to evaluate whether a “trainee” is an intern or technically an “employee.” Each of these six points must be true for a legal internship:

1. If the training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in a vocational school;
2. If the training is for the benefit of the trainee;
3. If the trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under close observation;
4. If the employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees and, on occasion, the employer’s operations are actually impeded;
5. If the trainees are not necessarily entitled to employment at the completion of the training period;
6. If the employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.
The part that makes this dicey is displacing regular employees and the bit about the employer not directly benefiting from the activities of the intern. That may make you scratch your head — aren’t interns supposed to help? Yes and no.

Interns should be benefitting at least as much if not more than the employer from a given internship. At play here is the idea that an employer should be taking a hit to their productivity by taking time out to help serve a mentorship role, teaching the intern and helping them develop.

But let’s turn the tables and think about internships for a second: Sure, some smaller companies might be able to offer a great experience to a student looking to add experience to their resume. But at the same time, if the extra help isn’t worth $8 an hour to a company, there’s probably either something wrong with the help…or the company.