Author: wayupstudent

Top 5 Tools for Digital Marketing

When it comes to digital marketing, few things are as important as the tools digital marketers rely on to get their jobs done. These include everything from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to analytics tools like Google Analytics. Allowing marketers to create, test and measure the performance of their campaigns, digital marketing tools ensure that marketers can launch and test campaigns quickly and effectively.

Here are the five common digital marketing tools.

1. Social media platforms

A common part of any integrated marketing strategy, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are a great way for marketers to engage with their audiences and generate buzz around their brand. In addition to the standard features these platforms offer, there are also some features that are designed specifically for marketing. These include Facebook Ads Manager, which allows marketers to run ads and track ad performance. As an added bonus, social media management tools like Buffer and Hootsuite also integrate well with these platforms, making it easy to schedule social posts and measure engagement.

2. Design tools

Another key part of digital marketing is design and this is especially common when it comes to creating ads and content like social media posts and blog posts. Because digital marketing is such a design heavy field, doing it effectively wouldn’t be possible without design tools like Canva and Photoshop, programs that allow those without extensive graphic design skills to add dynamic images to their content.

3. Analytics tools

Another set of helpful tools for digital marketers are analytics tools. These include everything from Google Analytics (designed to track stats for web traffic to a particular site) to social media analytics tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics which provide metrics related to engagement and help marketers optimize their campaigns. For measuring stats on the backend of a site (particularly related to conversions, sales and user demographics), there are also tools like Periscope that track user data, site searches and conversion metrics.

4. Content marketing tools

For marketers who are more focused on content marketing, tools like CoSchedule and Hubspot are a big help when it comes to content creation and curation. They can help marketers identify content opportunities and craft engaging blog and social media posts that will resonate with their audience. And since Buffer also offers the ability to see what fans are talking about on social media, that content is almost guaranteed to be impactful and to generate attention for a specific event or news story.

5. Email marketing tools

The final set of tools in a digital marketer’s toolbox are email marketing marketing tools. These help marketers create email campaigns that amplify their content and encourage their users to become more engaged with their brand — taking additional steps like signing up for events and buying products. Common email marketing tools include email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Iterable which allow marketers to build email lists and automate their email campaigns. These platforms also provide analytics for every email campaign, making testing and optimization quick and easy.

Working in digital marketing involves a unique blend of passion, strategy and media savvy. In order to maximize the impact of your various campaigns, it helps to have the best tools at your disposal.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Career Opportunities for Marketing Majors and find answers to common interview questions such as What Other Companies Are You Interviewing With?

Top 20 Entry-Level Job Interview Questions and Answers

Congratulations on getting an interview, it’s no minor feat! It’s important to remember that the employer will be far less forgiving in an entry-level job interview than in an internship interview. Hiring a full-time employee is much riskier than hiring an intern for the summer. So come well rested, prepared, and as relaxed as you possibly can.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 20 entry-level interview questions and answers to help you prepare to land your first job after. They fall into the following categories:

Pro Tip: visit this page on your phone to turn these questions into flash cards for practicing!

Select a topic to navigate to related interview questions and view their answers.

The Core 5 Interview Questions

You’re guaranteed to get asked these questions.

1. Tell me about yourself.

This question is often used to break the ice and see how personable you can be. Be careful not to drone on endlessly for this question. It’s easy to get caught up in your back story and lose track of time. A safe answer is to give a brief overview that covers where you grew up, where you went to school, why you chose your major, any internship experience you have, and why you’re applying for this job.

2. What are your strengths? Your weaknesses?

To answer this question you need to do some introspection. Ask your friends, family, and any previous coworkers what they how they view your strengths and weaknesses. Prepare to discuss at least 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses. Stay away from clichés like “perfectionist” and “workaholic” as they can be interpreted as weaknesses. Own up to your faults. Everyone has them. Just be honest and open to improving yourself.

3. Give me an example or a situation in which…

These questions are not only used to determine what you learned from a particular experience, but also to assess how you would respond to potential workplace scenarios and situations. Prepare to talk about 3 scenarios in which you faced conflict or difficulty in either work or school, had difficulty with either a supervisor or peer, and a leadership opportunity or a project you are particularly proud of.

4. Tell me about this (class / internship) I see on your resume?

The good news here is that nobody knows and understands your experiences better than you, so you should be confident for this question. This is a great opportunity for you to sell yourself. A good framework for your answers is to explain the goals for any class or internship, cover your personal responsibilities in any projects, and discuss the outcomes. Again, avoid droning on for too long about any particular experience and wrap things up concisely.

5. What are your longer-term career goals (or where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years)?

There is no “right answer” to this question and it’s certainly ok to say that you don’t have any. However, be prepared to explain why you don’t have any. One solid strategy is to downplay your career goals and aspirations (you are young after all) and play up your interest in the company and industry of the job you’re applying for. Showcase your passion to be a part of whatever it is they are doing.

Entry-Level Specific Interview Questions

Questions specific to the nature of entry-level jobs.

1. Why are you interested in this role?

Stating a clear and concise answer here is crucial. The employer is looking to see that you are interested and ready to invest your time into such an opportunity. Be specific about your goals and expectations, discuss how you believe your qualifications are in-line with those required of the position, and be ready to explain why you chose this particular company when applying.

2. What do you know about our company?

Researching the company or organization you are applying to is an integral part of the application process, and this question is an evaluation of whether or not you have already done such an essential task. Prepare to answer questions regarding the origins of the company/organization, their current activities, and their objectives for the future.

Failing to have any knowledge of the company/organization you are applying for will appear to be indicative of a lack of interest or commitment to the application, and to the position itself, whether or not that was your actual intention.

3. How has your internship experience prepared you for the position you’re applying to?

If you don’t have internship experience, feel free to skip this one, as they probably won’t ask it. Otherwise, if your internship experience was directly relevant to the current role you’re applying for (i.e. the same general work), your answer should focus on the specifics of the internship work. Otherwise, it’s wise to focus on any experience you had working on a team, meeting deadlines, and communicating effectively.

4. What classwork has best prepared you for this role?

If you have group project experience, highlight it now. Focus on your role on a team and how you know how to be a team player. If there are classes with specific knowledge that directly prepared you for this role, you’re in luck, that’s another easy answer to this question.

5. How would you assess your writing and communication skills?

This is not a question that mid or senior-level applicants ever get asked. Writing and communication in school is very different from that in the professional world and the employer is checking to make sure you know the difference. If you’ve had experience communicating with full-time employees in your internship, let them know. Otherwise, hammer home the point that you know how to write clearly, concisely, and respectfully.

Academic or Interest-Related Interview Questions

Questions to assess your passion and motivation.

1. Why did you choose the major that you did?

You probably didn’t make a snap decision to major in your major. You likely chose it because you found it interesting, challenging, or thought it would lead to a promising career. The only key to answering this question is knowing why you chose your major and communicating that reasoning clearly. Be honest, even if your reasoning doesn’t seem interesting. It’s better to be honest to yourself and the employer up front than attempt to tell them what you think they want to hear.

2. What were some of your favorite/least favorite classes? Why?

Don’t just give a list of your classes or answer with something generic about how you liked all of them. Be opinionated here and honest. Try and stick to classes you enjoyed because they were stimulating or challenging and avoid saying that you enjoyed a class because it was easy or because you did well in it. The employer wants to see what piques your interest in your measure. They’re evaluating your ability to be genuine and passionate about things.

3. What activities do you do outside of work or school?

Employers like to see that you are engaged in other activities that are either indirectly or directly related to the skills required for the position you are applying for, but it isn’t a necessity. The most important part of this question is to be able to demonstrate that you have a life outside of work, and are invested in and passionate about experiencing new things.

4. How would your past professors or managers describe you?

It’s best to start answering this question with a clarification that you can’t known for certain how they would describe you. Start broad and cover as a whole how you think your previous supervisors or professors have viewed you. This is similar to the strengths and weaknesses question. Then, once you’ve stated broadly how you think you’re viewed, give a few specific examples. It’s best if you can demonstrate through examples (e.g. projects) why a professor or previous manager would say these things.

5. Have you worked any part-time jobs?

Part-time jobs are a major advantage when applying for a job. Over 80% of students have worked a part-time job by the time they graduate. It’s been shown again and again that students with part-time work experience do better in the work place. If you have some part-time job experience, highlight it here. One way to nail this question would be to talk about learning to work on a team, in a professional environment, and communicate with fellow employees. If you don’t have experience, a simple ‘no’ will do here.

Situational Interview Questions

Questions about your past behavior in certain situations to see how you react and learn from previous experiences.

1. Give me an example of a time in which you handled a looming deadline.

How well do you perform under pressure? That’s what the employer is trying to understand. Don’t be afraid to show your weakness here. This, like most situational questions, is trying to get at what you learned or took away from a past situation. Admit your weaknesses and how you’d handle them differently. Then highlight your strengths. Fortunately, you’ve probably had lots of recent experience with tight deadlines in your classes.

2. Give me an example of a time when you worked on a team. What was your role?

Your ability to collaborate and communicate with a team are probably the most important professional soft skills that you can have. Prepare for this by having some specific examples ready from when you worked on a group project. You don’t have to choose a group project where you were the team lead. What’s more important is that you knew your role on a team and that you performed well in your role. If that was a leadership role, great. If not, no worries. If you have examples of how you established or tweaked processes or mediated conflict within the team, use them.

3. Describe a situation where you taught a concept to a co-worker or classmate.

You’ve just spent a lot of time learning from professors and in groups, so you might not think of yourself as a teacher. However, the more knowledge you accumulate, the more likely it is that you’ll be teaching things in the future. It’s best to be specific if you can, and focus on an example from a group project at school or in a previous job. Focus primarily on how you communicated with the person and ensured that they were learning. Don’t focus so much on what you taught them, but rather on how you taught them.

4. Describe a time where you disagreed with a coworker or teammate on a project.

Disagreement is natural. The employer isn’t trying to assess your ability to debate, or even to know whether you’re right or wrong. What they want to know is at the end of the day, can you reach a consensus and move forward. Disagreement is good as long as it doesn’t prevent good work and progress from being made. Being able to resolve differences and move forward is a critical skill that all employers are looking for.

5. Describe a situation in which someone critiqued your work. How did you respond?

You’re (hopefully) going to get lots of feedback in any new job. How you take that feedback and what you do with it will often determine whether or not you keep the job. If you’re not willing to listen to feedback (even if you think it’s wrong) and attempt to address concerns, you likely won’t do well in many professional environments. To answer this question, try and find a situation where someone not only critiqued you, but a situation where you disagreed with that critique. Attempt to demonstrate how you still listened to the critique, voiced your own opinion, and did your best to understand where the critiquer was coming from. Show that you have the capacity to listen and change your behavior.

What’s Next

Now that you’ve got the top 20 questions down, you’re gonna nail that interview and get the job. Well, at least we hope you do! Next, check out some tips we have on evaluating entry-level job fit.

Once you’ve got the job, come check out our tips on starting your entry-level job off right and setting great entry-level job goals.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

Ultimate Guide to Dealing with Multiple Internship Offers

Getting multiple job offers is a good thing… a very good thing, given the current job market. You submit your resume a few times, you cross your fingers and you get an offer! But wait a minute, a few days later you get another offer and then another. Rather than panic or attend more interviews when you’ve already accepted somewhere else, it is best to respond to each offer in a timely and professional manner so that you don’t burn any bridges in an industry you are still new in.

A couple important points to consider:

  1. Chances are if an employer liked you enough to give you an offer this time around, they will be open to interviewing you again. Following-up with a kind, professional email like one of the ones we have below (tailored, of course, to your specific situation) will reinforce the idea that you are a grade-A professional and someone they will want to work with down the road. A LinkedIn connection isn’t a bad idea either.
  2. You are a hot commodity now. Some employers might be willing to give you a counter offer. If this is something you are interested in, then a follow-up is definitely worth writing.

Sample Email: To Turn Down an Offer

Dear (Name of Person Who Made the Offer)

Thank you for your time and offer — I really enjoyed the opportunity to
interview with you and the rest of the xyz team.

I wanted to let you know I recently accepted another position. While I
am extremely passionate about the work you are doing, the offer I
accepted was at another top choice of mine.  I wanted to tell you as
soon as possible so that this does not interfere with your candidate
search.

I hold your company in high regard, have connected with you on LinkedIn,
and hope we can stay in touch!  Thanks again for your time and for
considering me as a candidate.

Sincerely,

Name

Sample Email: Inquiring About a Counter Offer

Dear (Name of Person Who Made the Offer)

Thank you for your offer! I am thrilled to have been selected as a
potential employee. I wanted to let you know I recently received another
offer that I am also strongly considering. The positions are a bit
different and I wanted to see if you’d be available to speak briefly on
the phone with me today or tomorrow to discuss a few remaining questions
I have about this role?

Thanks again for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

Name

Sample Email: Turning Down an Offer Alternate

Dear (Name of Person Who Made the Offer)

Thank you for your offer! I appreciate you taking the time to teach me
more about the company. I am a strong believer in your mission to… and
hope to become directly involved with your work at some point.
Unfortunately at this time I have accepted another offer that I think is
a better fit for the specific interests I am looking to develop this
summer. I hope this doesn’t interfere with your candidate search.

If you are free at any point to get coffee or lunch I would love to
continue talking and hopefully explore the option of reapplying later
on. Thank you again for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

Name

How to Use a Blog to Apply for An Internship

Writing a blog post on why you would like to work at a company is a brilliant way to stand out. A blog post application serves two purposes:

1.) It demonstrates that you understand and know how to use important online marketing and communication tools.

2.) The medium itself allows you to express a voice and excitement for a company in a manner that is much stronger and more powerful than a traditional cover letter.

There are two easy to use services for writing a blog post on — Tumblr and WordPress!

Tumblr
takes only a few seconds to setup and is built to allow to get applying quickly.

WordPress
is more customizable, a little more complex to setup, but has a ton of additional tools and features to help you standout.  It is also more commonly used by companies so is more helpful in teaching you the right skills when applying for a marketing or communications role.

Inspiration:

This blog post by Lisa Petrilli explains 4 ways your blog can succeed in making you standout and offers additional insight on why this strategy can be effective.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

Using Social Media to Network Online

Did you know social media is an easy and effective way to network with peers and hiring managers? But where should you focus your time online while networking and what’s the process for using online platforms to network? At WayUp’s Internship Hangout on Google+, hiring managers from Nestle Purina and Google share the benefits of networking through social media and how to go about using the online mediums for networking.

Social Media Networking Online Video Transcription


Brook Lashley, Sourcing Strategies Manager, Nestle Purina:

So, many of these logos are going to be very familiar to you. These networks are your opportunity for constant connections. So it’s not necessarily that you meet someone at an event, and you take a business card anymore. You are connected with these people electronically, through technology, and you can keep in touch with them over a time which is extremely beneficial for you.

Companies are becoming more and more active in the social realm. Leverage your social sites for your career networking. It’s huge. Try to engage in these networks as frequently as possible. 88.9% of companies that are using social media. And of that group, over 55% of those use Facebook. So keep in mind, companies are leveraging Facebook for their actual college recruitment and entry-level recruitment.

So it’s very important that you guys think through how you might be able to leverage Facebook, specifically. Twitter is growing leaps and bounds and you’ll see the data off to the right here. 11 Twitter accounts are created every second, so that is a huge, huge, huge size increase. And really about 13% of Twitter users are volunteer demographics, specifically.

LinkedIn is the number one professional social network. It has over a hundred and 35 million users on it, and over two million companies have pages, or profile pages, on LinkedIn.


Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

I tell a ton of students, “Have you got a LinkedIn account yet?” And they look at me like I’m crazy. And it’s like, you’re meeting people as a freshman, as a senior in high school, what have you, you’re meeting people all the time that you don’t know where they’re gonna be in a year, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years.

Maybe you’ll remember that dude sat next to in an English class and now he’s a CEO of some cool company and he’s looking for a person just like you.


Brook Lashley, Sourcing Strategies Manager, Nestle Purina:

This I cannot stress enough is an excellent resource for students. So, companies like Nestle Purina buy into contracts with LinkedIn where we can run searches around specific skill sets or areas of focus, like your major. And when we have internships and entry-level opportunities of it available, we’ll go out to that database, and we’ll do searches, and we’ll contact students like you letting you guys know that we have these opportunities.


Dana Suhre, Senior Recruitment Specialist, Nestle Purina:

So we recommend joining industry-specific LinkedIn groups. This will allow you to learn and interact with those functional specific individuals. And it’ll really help you be able to follow those discussions on trends that may be happening within the industry and express more specifically open positions that may be happening within your target employers.

There’s a really good chance that within employers that there are alums from your school, from your alma mater, or your current school that you can reach out to, and that’s a great way to get connected connected with the most relevant people within the organization.


Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

The way the world works now, with you know, social networking and all these sites like this, you’ve got to grab that stuff by the horns. I mean I look back when I was in school. We barely had the internet. And that’s a much different deal than students today. And so taking that opportunity to start building your network from day one is just the biggest thing I could tell you to do.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

Washington, DC Summer Housing Guide

With its perfect blend of tree-lined streets, colorful row homes and bustling city-life, Washington, DC is an amazing place to spend the summer. Whether you prefer 24-hour Internet cafes and dog parks or boutique stores and fresh farmers markets, DC has a lot to offer a newcomer.

Despite all of its glory, living in DC can be expensive. The recent influx of young professionals to the city has caused rents to escalate, which makes finding affordable housing difficult and competitive. With monthly rent averaging around $1000, we created this Summer Housing Guide so that you will have a leg up in your search.

While the list below contains descriptions of DC’s most popular neighborhoods, sites like Craigslist, PadMapper and Yelp are still the best ways to search for housing and read reviews about different neighborhoods.

LeDroit Park/Bloomingdale
Price: $$
Walking Score: 81
Weekend: Quiet

Duke Ellington and Jesse Jackson once called this neighborhood home. Young professionals, working class families and Howard University students and professors make up this neighborhood. LeDroit Park boasts a community-sponsored co-op garden and the kind of small cafes and convenient stores “where everybody knows your name.” Students choosing to live here will be no more than a 5 minute walk to the local buses and a 10-15 minute walk to the metro and U Street nightlife.

Columbia Heights
Price: $$$
Walking Score: 83
Weekend: Bring your headphones

This is probably the only neighborhood in DC where you can buy a bagel, a burrito and a bloody mary at 6am! CH has plenty of restaurants, internet cafes, dog parks,sports clubs, grocery stores, bodegas and it even has a Target. What doesn’t it have? Parking. The upside is that you can catch a cab from this area to any place in the city for under $12. We promise, you’ll want to go Vegan after a cupcake from Sticky Fingers. 

DuPont Circle
Price: $$$$
Walking Score: 98
Weekend: No inside voices needed here

Modern meets contemporary in this artsy hub of the city. With its French-inspired architecture, fountains and fresh bakeries, choosing to live here will almost feel like you’re in Paris — until you look up and see the National Monument. Even though there’s plenty of public transit in this area, you’ll never want to leave this neighborhood on the weekend because it has everything you need: froyo, yoga, a farmers market, bars and plenty of bookstores. Less than 10 blocks from the White House, those choosing to live in DP should be prepared to fork over a pretty penny for rent. Tip for grabbing brunch at Kramerworks? Ask them to seat you at the bar.

Adams Morgan
Price: $$$
Walking Score: 90
Weekend: Who needs sleep?

This is the kind of neighborhood where you can buy a piercing and a jumbo slice of pizza all in one sitting. There’s no shortage of dive bars, wi-fi or panhandling here. Searching for food around these parts is like a trip to the United Nations, everything is represented – from authentic empanadas and gyros to injera bread and baklava (and for reasonable prices). Bus lines are located on every other corner, but you’re in for a 15-minute walk to the nearest metro. If you like to party, then welcome home!

Georgetown
Price: $$$$
Walking Score: 89
Weekend: Did the Hoyas win or lose?

If you consider yourself a “bro”, prefer the collars on your shirts flipped up and take pride inyour 3-letter sorority/fraternity, then there’s no place like Georgetown. Full of high-end stores, restaurants, spas, small dogs and pedestrians, Georgetown is the neighborhood that people take visitors when they want to prove the city’s got class. With all of its bells and whistles, the public transportation in this area sucks: there’s no metro line and only a few bus routes to bustle people in and out. But don’t worry, Georgetown is the kind of neighborhood where friends are more than happy to visit you. After bruschetta and brunch, make sure you check out Blues Alley nightclub – where legendary performers like Sade and Bebe King have graced the stage.

Capitol Hill
Price: $$$
Walking Score:98
Weekend: Did you hear that pin drop?

Those serious about politics need only apply to live here. Affectionately known as “the Hill,” most of DC’s major politicos call this neighborhood home. During the day it’s bustling with lawmakers and Congressional aides and on the weekends you’ll find families with young kids hanging out in the park or folks running the steps of the Capitol Building. Eastern Market is a must-visit and the perfect way to blow a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Foggy Bottom
Price: $$$$
Walking Score: 91
Weekend: Is there a protest?

Foggy Bottom is home to the lawmakers and the lobbyist (and George Washington University). Living here will provide students with the most accessibility to some of DC’s most prized locales like the National Monument, the White House and cool neighborhoods like DuPont Circle and Georgetown. Apartments are expensive and they go fast, so if you want to take up residence here then you should start searching early. This neighborhood has all the trimmings of an upscale area: Whole Foods, Burberry and bistros. Since you’ll be sharing the block with the World Bank, be prepared for lots of protests. Otherwise, this is a great part of town with easy access to public transportation. Make sure to stop by Founding Farmers for brunch – you can thank us later.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

Washington, DC Summer Internship Guide

Congratulations on landing a summer internship in Washington, DC! With its plethora of free museums, national landmarks, world-famous cupcakes (more on those later) and a thriving political scene, spending the summer in the nation’s capital is sure to be one that you won’t forget. DC has such a rich cultural history: from its French-inspired design by architect Charles L’Enfant to the historic March on Washington, it has always been a place that both artists and activists could comfortably call home. Most of the young professionals who currently live in the city are transplants from all over the world, making DC a cultural hybrid of some of our nation’s most well-known politicos and changemakers. So whether you want to discuss foreign policy while sipping fair trade coffee or attend a concert by your favorite band, you’ll definitely discover your perfect fit.

We want to make sure that you get the most out of your summer in DC so we created this Internship City Guide to give you an idea on how to maximize your summer in the city. This guide covers it all: from transportation and housing to avoiding common pitfalls (ever had a boot on your car?). More importantly, this guide was designed for a person like you in mind – someone who wants a more unique, off-the-beaten-path experience.

Exploring Washington DC as an Intern

While interning in DC for the summer, you’re bound to visit the usual suspects like the National Monument, WWII Memorial (make sure to go at night), Embassy Row, Ben’s Chili Bowl and the Smithsonian museums, but the city has so much more to offer! From hidden gardens and espionage exhibits to discussions with journalists and policymakers, you will definitely find your niche.

There’s tons of great food but if you really want to eat like a local then join the FoodTruckFight, discover your favorite Ethiopian restaurant on historic U St., dine at the best Indian restaurant (Bill Clinton’s words not ours) Bombay Club and elbow strangers for a soul food feast at Ohhs and Aaahs. More than anything, a true DC resident knows great cupcakes and for good reason: they’re home to the first ever cupcake shop – Sprinkles. So if you really want to earn your local stripes then head over to their famous shop in Georgetown and taste one of their award-winning cupcakes (red velvet is our favorite).

Hidden Gems

If you’re looking for a calorie-free way to spend the day, then check out some of DC’s most overlooked treasures. Conveniently located on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Botanic Garden is a living plant museum and home to some of the world’s most exotic collections of plants and flowers. Treat yourself (for free) to a day of beauty and discovery. Another place that you don’t want to miss is the Newseum. It’s not free like most of the museums in the area, but it’s the only place in the world where you can experience 5 centuries worth of interactive media exhibits. Like the Berlin Wall, Pulitzer Prize winning photography or the Watergate door. Those with a serious appetite for politics should visit the Brookings Institute and the Center for American Progress. These think tanks usually offer summer events that are open to the public. Past speakers include Arianna Huffington, Timothy Geithner and Condoleezza Rice.

More than Politics

Washington, DC is more than just politics and the city also boasts plenty of ways to stay entertained and take a break from long days on the Hill. Sports fans can take the metro over to Nationals Park and catch a baseball game or sign up to play flag football or soccer in one of the cities summer leagues. The newly renovated Howard Theater
is a great place to take in a concert and if you want to spend the evening outdoors, check out WolfTrap’s summer concert series. If you enjoy spoken word, then stop by Bus Boys ‘n Poets, grab a cup of java and catch one of their late night performances.

Need a lift? The Need-to-Know About DC Transportation

DC is commuter-friendly and accessible by most major forms of public transportation. While the getting around part is easy, parking can be a hassle. Most of the city’s available parking requires meter fees (credit cards accepted and you can pay from your mobile) Monday-Saturday. While there are plenty of parking garages, most cost an average of $15 to $25 per day. On-street parking is available in some residential neighborhoods, so if you plan to bring your car make sure to register for a parking permit or be prepared to move it during odd times for street sweeping and rush hour. Meter maids in DC are really aggressive, so don’t get caught parking in the wrong space or forget to feed the meter, because multiple tickets can result in a boot.

Public transportation is the best way to get around DC! WMATA offers multiple bus lines and trains that run throughout the city and surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Beware of morning and evening rush hour. Plan your route ahead of time with WMATA’s Trip Planner or Nextbus to make on-the-go travel plans. One of WMATA’s newest implementations is the DC Circulator – a specialty shuttle bus whose route includes only the hottest stops in the city ($1 and they arrive every 10 minutes).

Paying for public transportation is simple. Pick up a SmarTrip card, available at DC Metro stations and local convenience stores. You can add value and manage your card right from your mobile device. Make sure to register your card, because you can redeem its value in the event that it’s lost or stolen.

There are plenty of other alternatives to the metro. DC has multiple Zipcar lots or you can participate in the Capital Bikeshare and grab a lift from more than 160 bike racks around the city.

Working Out

Just incase flag football and outdoor yoga aren’t enough to keep those endorphins going, there are several gyms to choose from in the city. Local gyms like Results and Golds are great for those serious about a hardcore workout or weight lifting. For an all-in-one health and spa gym, Vida Fitness and Mint are the perfect places to go. Their facilities are high-end, including a full health bar, squash court and tons of cool classes.

If you’re on a budget, then check out the Washington Sports Clubs and the YMCA. They often offer a seasonal discount to students. Yogis will want to join Yoga District, a non-profit yoga studio where you have the option to pay or volunteer in exchange for your class.

Getting in and Out of Town

There are plenty of ways to get in and out of DC. The three major airports are DCA, IAD and BWI. All three are accessible by public transportation, Shuttle Bus or a $20-$60 cab ride depending on which airport you choose.

DC’s great location means that it’s only a few hours away from Philadelphia, New York and Boston, so if you’re looking to hop on the bus for a short weekend trip then try the BoltBus.. Warning: weekend tickets go fast and they’re known to overbook so always purchase a round trip ticket and arrive at the stop early.

If you don’t have room on your couch for friends and family, then direct them to cool sites like Airbnb, Hotel Tonight, or suggest they rent a bed in one of the cities numerous hostels.

What’s Up Doc?

Searching for a new doctor or health clinic in a major city can be frustrating. Use ZocDoc to book appointments and search for a physician based on your location and insurance provider. If you’re in a real emergency then you can visit one of the cities local hospitals –Howard University Hospital, George Washington University Hospital,
or Georgetown University Hospital.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

The Importance of Location in Your Entry-Level Job Search

In general, recent grads that are looking for their first job fall into 3 major categories when it comes to location preferences:

  1. You’re willing to go anywhere. The world is your oyster after all.
  2. You’re open to several locations but not willing to work just anywhere.
  3. You have strict location requirements. Gotta stay close to home, your boo, or whatever it is.

You location preferences are one of the primary determining factors in your search for your first job after college. You may really want that amazing non-profit gig in NYC, but if you really need to stick close to home it’s not going to do you much good to spend time wishing it was local.

Willing to Go Anywhere

If you’re willing to go anywhere, you’ve got plenty of options. In fact, the primary difficulty is in narrowing your location options to those that interest you. Even though you’re open to re-locating, that doesn’t mean that you should be willing to move absolutely anywhere.

The location of your job has a dramatic impact on how enjoyable and satisfying your job is. Particularly your first job. If you really can’t stand winter but move to Chicago to take the job there anyways, you might find yourself resenting the job all winter long. It’s important to prioritize your search efforts to focus on the locations that are most likely to bring you joy first. If you can’t find the right types of positions there, then broaden your search.

When considering the viability of a location you don’t know about, it’s important to do proper and thorough research. Here are some critical factors to consider when learning about a location for the first time:

  1. The weather. How do you deal with winter? Heat?
  2. Red state vs blue state. Knowing the political leaning of your location will help you fit in ideologically.
  3. The average age of the population. You’re young and likely want to make young friends. Don’t move to Palm Springs (sorry Palm Springs).
  4. Travel to and from the location. You’re likely going to have friends and family elsewhere if you re-locate. How easy and expensive is it to get to and from them?
  5. The local activities. What do the local folks do outside of work? Hike? Eat? Dance? Theater?
  6. The commute. You’re likely going to be making the same trip every day. What will it look like?

Open to Some New Locations

If you fall under this umbrella, congrats, you’re well on your way to an easier job search process. You don’t have too many options nor do you have too few. The trick is going to be quickly figuring out whether or not the location requirements you have align with your job interests. For example, if you really want to get into theater as a performer and eventually make it to Broadway, you’re probably not going to find the best opportunities in a small rural community.

Once you know the several locations you’re targeting, head over to some major job search sites like WayUp
to run a search for jobs in a particular location. Then sign up for job alerts by email for that location. You should start getting notified by email when new jobs pop up in your desired location. This way you don’t have to spend time constantly running the same job searches on multiple sites.

It’s also imperative to weigh the relative attractiveness of the locations you’re considering. For example, say that you know that you want to be on the west coast in a city. You’re attracted to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. It’s important to research each city and prioritize them. The stricter you can be about your preferences in every dimension of your job search, the smoother your search will be.

Strict Location Requirements

Recent grads with strict job location requirements often either have it fairly easy or really tough. If you’re looking for a theater job and you have to be in NYC, then there’s already great alignment between your interests and your required location. However, if you’re looking for a theater job and you don’t want to go far from your home in Fargo, you likely have a major uphill battle.

When looking for entry-level employment in a single location there are several specific tools that can help you right off the bat. First, head over to major job search sites like WayUp to search for jobs and create job alerts by email for that location. This way, you see every job that pops up in that location. Ideally, you set your filters for entry-level jobs only so you don’t have to comb through endless part-time and senior-level roles. Second, leverage the career resources available in that location. If you’re looking in the same city as where you attended college, head on over to the career center.

Career centers often partner with local businesses looking for great entry-level talent.
Otherwise, check out the city’s official website. There will often be lots of helpful advice on gaining employment in that particular location.

Location is critical when searching for entry-level jobs. Make sure you don’t underestimate just how impactful the right location can be on achieving success in your first job after college. We’ve got other great tips to
help you get started on your entry-level job search and land an entry-level job without any experience.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell me about yourself.

Internship Interview: Questions and Answers

Got five minutes? Great! Here are the top five questions you should be prepared to answer before any internship interview. The art of interviewing well includes knowing how to respond to the most popular types of interview questions.

If you feel nervous about being interviewed, we encourage you to practice answering the following foundational questions. Remember, you initially took the time to prepare an outstanding application (which got you to this stage in the first place) so continue this trend and take the time to prepare for the interview.

Of course, please take more than five minutes to actually prepare for your interview.  Practice the answers to these questions—in fact, master them:

1. Tell me about yourself?

The interviewer’s intent of asking this question is to get to know you. Your goal, however, is for the interviewer to remember you. Be brief by keeping answers to 60 seconds or less. One way of doing this is to open up by introducing where you are from and by directly stating what you are currently doing (student or working professional). Proceed to discuss your academic of professional interests and list 1-3 past experiences supporting your interests. Conclude by stating the reason(s) for applying to the internship.

2.  What are your strengths and weaknesses?

The intent of this question is to learn more about your competencies and your motivation to improve your weak ones. Prepare to discuss at least 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses.

Most candidates get nervous at the thought of divulging weaknesses. After all, isn’t stating a weakness a bad thing?  It actually is not if you are choosing to do something about. Herein lies the strategy; first, stay away from cliché and ineffective answers such as “perfectionist” or “workaholic.” Second, always follow a statement about a weakness with a statement describing what you are doing to improve upon it.

For instance, if you have struggled in the past with public speaking, you could state, “However, by learning to collaborate within smaller teams and joining leadership positions on campus, I am learning to give speeches and short announcements to larger crowds…”

Also remember that the lack of experience in a given field can be a weakness but that transferable skills or experience may make up for it. For instance, “While I have never worked in a marketing position for a large nonprofit, I have taken classes in nonprofit management and I have volunteered for political campaigns where I learned to develop targeted messages.”

3.  Give me an example or a situation in which…

The intent of this question is to understand how you would respond to situational or work-place situations. By asking questions about your past, the interviewer may try to predict how you would handle and resolve future workplace situations, from deadlines to interacting with coworkers.

Individual questions vary, but typically, you should prepare at least 3 scenarios to cover any of these questions: (1) a situation in which you faced a conflict or difficulty at work or in school; (2) a situation in which you may have had difficulty with a supervisor, co-worker, or peer; and (3) a leadership opportunity or a project you were most proud of.

Where do you find examples?  Look at your resume. Remember, you can use also use experiences from school or from other prior internships or work.

To answer such questions, use a variation of the “STAR” technique: answer the question by retelling the situation
and stating the task at hand that was involved in the situation. Then describe how you acted (the action). End by revealing the results of your actions and how you resolved the situation. Using the STAR technique will keep your answers relevant and succinct.

4.  Let’s go over your resume (and what’s not on it).

The purpose of this question is to see how you discuss past educational and professional experiences. Seize this opportunity to successfully market yourself. An interviewer may start by going over your resume but end by asking you to provide more details on a variety of topics, whether it’s a project you’ve collaborated on, the time gaps in between jobs, and class subjects you enjoyed or least enjoyed.

This question is a big reason why you should know your resume inside and out. Aside from sounding confident and prepared, you will sound professional. So know your resume like the back of your hand. One strategy to help you highlight certain parts of your resume to the interviewer would be to prepare an “interview resume” to bring to the actual interview. This is a resume that has been slightly marked up with your notes. These notes could be extra information or qualities that are relevant to the internship description. If permitted, pull out the resume at the beginning of your interview so you can have your notes in front of you at all times.

5. What are your career goals (a.k.a. where do you see yourself in ___ years)?

Interviewers usually pose this question because they may be interested in knowing how serious you are in pursuing a given academic or professional field. In an internship context, this question should compel you to dig down and think about your career interests in the long term: Are you planning to go back to graduate school? Are you interested in gaining a few years of actual real-world experience? Would you like to work as a full-time staff member of an organization similar to the one you are applying for? There is no “right answer” but you do have to provide one that is insightful in that you have a plan to keep building your professional skills after your internship. Who knows, maybe your organization would like to know if you would be available for a permanent position after you complete your internship. And in that case, how you answer this becomes all the more important.

There you have it. To sum up, thoroughly prepare your answers on these 5 basic questions. In fact, have a friend drill you to help keep your answers brief and avoid rambling. Talk to a mirror. Repeat the answers in the shower.  Write your answers down and keep studying at it. The results: a successful interview and newfound confidence in your ability to interview well.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your Boss and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

Loudoun County Summer Internship Guide

Located just 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C. in Northern Virginia, Loudoun County is simultaneously a pastoral escape for history and wine enthusiasts and an economic hotbed for professionals working in the high tech, Internet, satellite and defense industries. Interns in Loudoun County live in the most highly educated region of the United States — 58% of Loudoun residents have a bachelor’s degree (while the national average sits at 28%), and the unemployment rate slashes the national rate in half at under 4%! Diversity abounds in this entrepreneurial county, too. Nearly one in four Loudoun residents were born outside the country, and the most common languages after English are Spanish, Vietnamese, Urdu, Arabic and Farsi.

Being so close to America’s capital city means that interns can visit national monuments, world-famous landmarks, museums, zoos and other attractions. There’s also plenty to explore in Loudoun County itself, home to the cities of Ashburn, Bluemont, Leesburg, Middleburg, Sterling, and Waterford, all within its picturesque landscape.

Exploring Loudoun County:

If you love the outdoors, there’s plenty of adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Potomac River, two of Loudoun’s natural borders. Known as D.C.’s wine country, Loudoun also boasts 34 wineries and several breweries. Depending on your interests, you may either hike the Appalachian National Scenic Trail — a 2,174-mile footpath winding from Maine to Georgia — or follow your tastebuds on the Wine Trail.

Historic Leesburg is the county seat of Loudoun County and draws visitors with its charming, old town atmosphere. Visit Morven Park, a National Register Historic Property, where Virginia governor Westmoreland Davis resided for 40 years. Its 1,200 acres offer three museums, an equestrian center, gardens, sports fields and hiking trails — not to mention interactive programs like Civil War reenactments and festivals. Take another trip to the past with the Oatlands plantation, which features a stately Civil War-era mansion, farmland and gardens.

With its reputation as the capital of horse country, historic architecture, tree-lined streets, quaint boutiques, and eateries, Middleburg is understandably a popular getaway setting for celebrities (try to spot Robert Duvall and Willard Scott while you’re in town!). Be sure to visit the Red Fox Inn, established in 1728 and steeped in American history. The inn also offers hearty meals and a fine arts gallery of animal and sporting art.

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the National Air and Space Museum in downtown D.C. Here, you’ll find the Boeing Aviation Hangar, the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar, an observation tower, an IMAX theater, and more!

Getting Around:

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Leesburg Executive Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), and Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) are all nearby landing pads for your arrival.

Once you’re in Loudoun, you can take public transit, but having a car is ideal.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?