What's Happening MoCo?
An authentic, unscripted update from County Cable Montgomery highlighting items that help residents of Montgomery County. This program features interviews with elected officials, employees, public servants, and residents. It is produced by the Office of Community Engagement from the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Services. Interviews are recorded live and presented with very few edits to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the conversations.
What's Happening MoCo?
What's Happening with Job and Internship Hunting? - Work Source Montgomery
In this episode of "What's Happening MoCo," Anthony Featherstone, Executive Director of WorkSource Montgomery, discusses the organization's role in supporting the county's workforce through nine job centers. He highlights the Mobilize Montgomery coalition's efforts to assist highly-skilled professionals affected by federal workforce reductions. Dr. Elizabeth Carr joins to talk about the importance and implementation of internship programs. The episode offers practical strategies for job seekers, small business owners, and students.
For job resources, visit worksourcemontgomery.com or visit the job center at 11510 Georgia Avenue.
Good day and welcome to what's Happening MoCo, an authentic unscripted podcast from your Montgomery County government. Now here's your host, derek Kenney.
Speaker 2:Good day. Welcome to what's Happening MoCo. Today we're talking jobs with Works for Works. Montgomery's, Anthony Featherstone. Good afternoon, Anthony. How are you today, sir?
Speaker 3:Eric, I'm doing well. Thanks for having me All right.
Speaker 2:Do you mind if I call you Anthony? Sure, all right, you do such an important job. Jobs are so important for families, for individuals, people coming out of college, people that are transitioning from careers that they thought they might retire from. What is the current state of affairs in your view when it comes to the job market in Montgomery County now?
Speaker 3:Well, that's a great question, Derek. I think you know it'll probably be no surprise that you know talking about the federal workforce and federal talent that's been affected by the rifts or the reduction in force at the federal government level is kind of, you know, front and center right now, and so we're seeing a lot of federal workers, federal contractors, who have been highly compensated, who are highly educated, have great experience, come through our jobs and adore seeking assistance, and so we're trying to do our part to make sure that we can help them with their reemployment needs as best possible. But then also realizing, derek, that there's still a lot of need in Montgomery County with, you know, returning citizens or young adults or older adults or individuals with disabilities that are looking to break into the labor market or advance in the labor market, and so we're trying to balance the two to make sure that we can achieve our core goal, which is that all Montgomery County residents have access to economic mobility through workforce resources.
Speaker 2:That's great. That's great. Now we can take a step back. We see what the situation is with jobs in the county. But your organization, Workforce Montgomery, does something about that. It's not just aware of the situation. You work with communities, you work with individuals, you work with the federal government I mean, that's right the county government to help affect positive change for people seeking jobs. What is Workforce Montgomery? What does it do and what is your role with the organization?
Speaker 3:Sure, so we're the county's lead workforce organization, and so we are part of the larger workforce ecosystem of community providers, chambers, education institutions, community organizations that all work to advance workforce development within the county, and so we operate our job centers, nine of them across the county. Some are mobile, some are virtual, some are brick and mortar. One is at the correctional facility in Clarksburg.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 3:But I think it pertains to kind of the current state of affairs when it comes to workforce. As I mentioned, we're just a part of a larger ecosystem and so there's a coalition called Mobilize Montgomery, which includes county government, montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, worksource Montgomery, community partners, the Montgomery County Chamber that came together in response to you know what's happening at the federal level with federal workers, and so with that coalition we are streamlining the communication of resources to federal workers, because there's a lot of different resource hubs that are out there. But directly we're doing workshops, we're we're putting on job fairs, we're providing job placement assistance, we're providing free training resources and we're trying to meet people where they're to to get, get back to the workforce or find the next opportunity now, how do people become aware of these, these job fair, the resources you mentioned, the different places they can go virtual or in person for help.
Speaker 2:How do they find you?
Speaker 3:Well, I would say, check out the mobilize-mcgomerycom website, and that pulls together all of the programs, resources and services that are out there. But for WorkSource Montgomery, you can check out our social media sites, whether it's Instagram, facebook, linkedin or whatever the case may be. You can come to our website, wwwworksourcemontgomerycom and look at our calendar and you can see all of the professional development workshops, all of the job fairs that are available, and then a lot of our community partners. That's usually our best marketing tool is just word of mouth, through community organizations, through customers who are telling you, know, family and friends about services they receive, and so it's a variety of ways you can get in touch with us and learn about those resources. But if you just want to come see us and talk to us, come to our job center on Georgia Avenue, at 11510 Georgia Avenue, and just talk to us and we can pull you into the services that are available to you and what's best for you to help you achieve your goals. Oh, wow, incredible.
Speaker 2:Incredible. Now, what do you have like more of a on a personal level for individuals that are like, oh my gosh, I need a job? What are your top tips? Do you have like three, maybe four tips that you give to job seekers when they are at square one? They realize they have a need for a job, they realize that they may not be totally aware of what the job market is bearing right now or where to go to first. What are the tips that you would give? And we'll start with number one. I love top lists, so we'll do the top three lists. Top three lists from Anthony Fetterstone, worksource Montgomery. Number one one, one.
Speaker 3:So my number one you're really putting me on the spot here, derek.
Speaker 3:So so my number one would be know yourself and know your, your strengths know your interests, know what's going to make you want to get up out of bed and go do that job with that next opportunity, and so you can tap into a variety of career coaching tools. We have a virtual career coach tool which will help you identify strengths, interests, work values and then identify number two your targets. So once you know yourself, you know your strengths, start identifying your targets based on your knowledge, skills, experience and abilities, so that you can have a targeted job search as you start to put your name out there and start to put applications in and start to network and so forth. And I think, number three make sure you have a quality product to present, and that's written and verbal. Make sure you have a quality product to present, and that's written and verbal. And so make sure you have a quality resume that's tailored to the opportunities that you are applying for.
Speaker 3:And then make sure, as I mentioned with number one, you know yourself and that you can articulate your skills and your value proposition, whether you're in a grocery store talking to somebody behind you that could be your potential coworker or next supervisor, or whether you're in an interview, or whether you're at a job fair networking and so like. Those are my three kind of know your strengths, know who you are, know what you like and want to do. Number two identify your targets from an employment standpoint. What are the jobs with the companies? What are the areas that I want to work in and I don't want to work in? And then, number three, wrap it up in a bow make sure that you can sell yourself in writing, verbally and then through social media. I always recommend that folks start to you know. Build their brand on LinkedIn at the very least. It's the only social media platform I'm on and I highly recommend that job seekers buy into LinkedIn.
Speaker 2:Now. Are there any things that are different now as opposed to pre-COVID or even 15 years ago when it comes to how to conduct yourself for an interview, how to dress for an interview, and, depending on the type of job you're looking for, does it matter how you're dressed? I haven't been out there for a while, but I'm an old guy, so any type of interview I've gone to, whether it's McDonald's or whether it's for, like a copy clerk when I was, like in college or even as recently, trying to work for the county government I've always walked in with a suit on. What's the expectation now among employers for in-person or virtual interviews among employers for in-person?
Speaker 3:or virtual interviews. So I think, as far as how you you dress, I think professional is a very relative term and it's hard to define. It's hard for me to say this is exactly what you should do and it'll be right in the eyes of every employer that you sit in front of. I think you always want to err on the side of you know being cautious when it comes to an interview. It's better to be over dressed than to go on an interview and be under under dressed, and so you have to know the company, you have to know the industry, you have to know the culture.
Speaker 3:You may dress different if you are looking to, you know, jump into the construction trades as opposed to looking to interview for a business professional position within an office setting. So I would say, just kind of know, as you know, your target, you know address to impress, but do not address to take away from the attention that should be put on you as a job seeker and what you have to offer. And so what that means is that you want to stay away from things that may detract from yourself and that could be accessories, that could be certain colors, things that an interviewer will watch as opposed to listening to you, but it's hard to say wear a suit and tie, because every employer is different. But we always say you are better in a situation where you're overdressed than going into an interview. If everybody's suited and booted, you're in there with a t-shirt on. You want it to be the reverse, at worst.
Speaker 2:And we don't want to say. I think I want to emphasize this the most important thing for a job interview is to show up.
Speaker 4:So even if you don't have the Brooks Brothers suit.
Speaker 2:even if you don't know how to tie a tie, still show up. Show up and present the best you possible, and you never know what the opportunity may yield for you. So this is a little conversation here. I just wanted to make sure that we clarified that for anyone out there seeking jobs we're not saying we're kind of giving it tips on how to present yourself the best way possible. But the main thing right, I guess always is to try apply for that job, show up for that interview and then the first day of work.
Speaker 3:Go in there and give them the very best you got Right. Yeah, absolutely, when you, when you show up for that interview, show up prepared, yeah.
Speaker 3:Show up, having done research on the position that you're applying for, the, the company, uh, important events in that industry or within that that company, um, with questions, thoughtful questions, prepared, um about you know what life would be like, um, if you were hired in that position and what success would look like Um, and that shows the the employer level of due diligence, um, from your standpoint as a job seeker. And so what you wear is always subjective, but how you come in, how you show up and how you're prepared and how you're able to articulate your skills and abilities and be authentic self, I think that's what, that's what matters most and makes you most comfortable as a job seeker.
Speaker 2:Yeah, fantastic, fantastic. Now we have a couple of minutes left, perhaps Fantastic, now that we have a couple of minutes left, perhaps give us your last, like a last statement from WorkSource Montgomery and then also, I think we didn't have a chance to get to meet you, of course, as the leader of WorkSource Montgomery. What is your title there and kind of, what do you do? And then, just like a last couple of tips for job seekers out there, or parents of job seekers out there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, as I mentioned, you know, anthony Featherstone, I'm the executive executive director for WorkSource Montgomery and our local workforce development board, and so the board is a body of business.
Speaker 4:Led members. Who kind of?
Speaker 3:you know, set the vision for our workforce system and WorkSource Montgomery is the staff for that board. And so you know just a couple you know words to. You know leave folks with when it comes to WorkSource is that you're not alone when it comes to finding your next opportunity or finding your next employee. And when I say you're not alone, it doesn't mean that WorkSource Montgomery is the only entity that you can come to and that we do it all. But there is a workforce system that's there to support you, and so it always starts with a conversation, and you can come see us at any one of our job centers. You can connect with us virtually, but if you are a business, if you are a resident looking for work, come see us. And if we're not the best place for you to provide services, we know a partner who likely is.
Speaker 3:And so we want to start that conversation, and so a lot of people can do it on their own and a lot of people may need support, and so if you do need support, we're here for you, and that's what WorkSource Montgomery and our partners are all about, and that's what's happening.
Speaker 2:MoCo, Be sure to check out WorkSource Montgomery and, of course, Anthony Featherstone, the executive director. They are there to help you and others like you to find jobs and live your best lives here in Montgomery County, Maryland. So what's the name of that? The URL for your website again.
Speaker 3:So you can visit wwwworksourcemcgcom. That's wwwworksourcemcgcom.
Speaker 2:And that's what's happening. Moco. Be sure to like, share, subscribe and, if you see them out on social media, engage with WorkSource Montgomery. It's another great way to get yourself started on your next job or career journey. And up next we'll be talking about internships. So if you're younger and you're trying to get your feet wet in your profession or your future career, be sure to listen up. Next we talk to a small business that has tips for other small businesses on how to integrate internships and internship opportunities for young people in Montgomery County, maryland. And we're talking to none other than the Dr Elizabeth Carr. Thank you for being here. And what's the name of your business? You're not an internship business, but you are a business that has interns.
Speaker 4:Yes, so my business is Kentland Psychotherapy. We're in the heart of the Kentlands. It's a psychotherapy practice. We do talk therapy for adults and children and couples, medication management and testing.
Speaker 2:All right, and a round of applause for Montgomery County-based businesses, all right.
Speaker 4:Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And thank you for all you do when it comes to helping with the health of county residents. We've talked quite a bit on this podcast about mindfulness and wellness and health and health and also the fact that health is not always just physically being in shape, although that does help Not saying that I'm an example of that but there's also the deliberate need for us to be healthy mentally as well, and I know we're not talking about that today, but I just wanted to thank you and your colleagues and Kentlands for that great thing that you guys are doing there. Thank you Now. Why internships? You reached out to us at the podcast and you said you know what there's all these things going on on a federal level.
Speaker 2:There's some challenges that young people are facing when it comes to our internship opportunities. What inspired you to give us a call? And then let's start talking about tips for other businesses like yours.
Speaker 4:Absolutely. You know, I think it's always important that we support young people, but now more than ever, because I think the job market is really difficult for young people to get into and having professional experience in your field is critical for breaking into that job market. And so I think many businesses don't realize that they could create and stand up an internship program at their office to support young people, to get those experiences, to help them prepare to get into the job market when they graduate.
Speaker 2:All right. Right. Then, when you talk about internships, how young do you consider not that you're an expert when it comes to, I think, the legal ages for those type of things, but how young are we talking when you're? If you're a small business owner and you're looking to have someone that can help you from a productivity standpoint, how young are you thinking of for internships?
Speaker 4:I think it really depends on what you think they're going to be doing for the organization. Of course, it's really important that it's grounded in something that's educational for the intern. They need to be learning. It can't just be cheap labor. It really needs to be a learning opportunity for them. So first, I think, the business needs to-.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, hold on. I'm sorry, you said it can't be. It cannot be cheap labor. It cannot be cheap labor.
Speaker 4:There's lots of laws involved in doing it right. And so we need to do that, of course, and part of that is having a vision for what do you think you could create? That's a win-win where you can be teaching young people something of value to them.
Speaker 4:And then they can be contributing back to the organization of value to it. So it's worth it to the organization to take the time to invest in the young person. Now back to your age question worth it to the organization to take the time to invest in the young person? Now back to your age question. We've had interns for years that are in the high school level helping with first drafts of advice columns and things like that.
Speaker 4:As you probably know, for high school kids, by the time they're a senior, if they have enough credits, they can leave in the middle of the day and do an internship for the second half of the day, and so there's a lot of Montgomery County kids that are seniors that are looking for these internship opportunities that start around like 12, or one in the afternoon, that go half day. Right now, what we're doing and what we have found works best for our organization is college level interns. They just bring another level of experience and sophistication and skills to the table, which is really helpful to our organization, and we have partnered quite extensively with University of Maryland, particularly right now with their communications department.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. Now, many moons ago, back when I was a youngster, there were the duties that internships were what interns had to do. You know, like you do, all this grunt work, so to speak, that the bosses don't necessarily want to do themselves.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then you're able to do some of the more fun things or some of the other things that you may want to do as an intern right.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You come in as an intern, you're big and bold, you know everything and you want to do what your bosses do, but back then it was copy making copies, faxes, mail. There is no mail, is no email, copies or PDFs, and you know who knows what else. Other things are outdated. What are some of the things that interns can do for the average small business that they should be prepared for, going into their interviews or even in their residence?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think one of the things is even for me as a small business owner, if I walk in the front door and there's a bunch of dead leaves out in front of my step.
Speaker 4:I'm going to come in and put my briefcase down, go to the closet, get a broom, go back out on the front porch and sweep off those leaves before I start my day, because when you're a small business owner, like those old Kinko commercial show, you're doing everything, and so I do think that you bring that spirit of nobody's above filling, refilling the K-cup station or the crackers or whatever, and so we'll ask the interns to help with that too, but everybody helps with that kind of thing. But primarily, the question is what can they do that's really meaningful, that they will learn from, that is helpful to the business? I think for so many businesses nowadays you live and die by social media and having an online presence, and so, particularly for communication students, there are these opportunities to help with those social media accounts and just getting the word out about your business.
Speaker 2:Right, right, and it's almost like. I mean like this is few as 10 years ago. If people couldn't Google you, then you didn't exist, and that's as an individual or as a business. Nowadays, if you're not on Facebook, if you're not on Instagram, if you're not necessarily on TikTok, then your business, some of the ways that you would normally engage with your audiences and some of the ways that people found your business, they couldn't find you.
Speaker 2:They can't find you, who have grown up with Google as a, you know, second nature and social media as something that they were into early on in their lives, whereas we've kind of adopted it later in our lives. Oh, I'm talking speaking for myself as a whole person. They're they're adept to doing Right Now. What, what type of learning curve is there when it comes to bringing in interns to help with social media, to help them be more appropriate for your business?
Speaker 4:and then an asset as well as just someone as great as social media, yeah, so this is such an excellent point because they are. You know, we used to talk about digital natives, now we're talking about sort of social media natives, and the younger generation brings a perspective on how to use that communication medium. That I think can be really helpful to your average 50 plus year old business owner who is not really comfortable in that arena but knows they need to be there. But what the business owner has that the student doesn't have is expertise about your particular field.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 4:And so what you do is you're partnering your expertise about your field whether it's, you know, air conditioning repair or psychotherapy with the student, who understands social media and those outlets and how to use platforms like Canva and things like that. And so I think that's where you have that synergy between the expertise of the business owner and the expertise of the student as a user of social media.
Speaker 2:And that's fantastic, because you're looking at a person with no experience in a profession but has skills that lend to almost any profession psychotherapist later on in life, then your first steps, before you even finish your first few classes in college, could be interning with Kentlands.
Speaker 4:So, for example, when I was a student, I did internships at a battered women's shelter. I did internships at a cancer support center. So there are many opportunities out there if you search for them. Half of the internships that I had as a young person were not advertised. I just thought about well, what do I want to do?
Speaker 4:And then you have to pound the pavement sometimes and be brave and approach places that aren't even listing having an internship, and if you can explain to the organization what it entails, because I think sometimes when you say an internship program, that sounds like a big deal but in reality oftentimes you just have a vision for what you can do to partner with a student that can be mutually beneficial and there's a minimal amount of paperwork that you do with the school in terms of their quarterly evaluations or something. It's not really that cumbersome.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, fantastic. And so you said something a little while ago that really resounded with me. You said hit the pavement or beat the pavement. What does that mean for a person that has grew up literally in the cyber world, where a lot of your first engagements with people were virtual? Yeah, the first time you heard someone's name or read someone's name, it was online. What does pounding the pavement look like for an intern these days?
Speaker 1:Is it literally going?
Speaker 4:door to door, or was it research.
Speaker 4:That's a great question, you know. Just as an aside, I always like to ask the high school interns you know, what's the most beneficial thing you got out of this experience? And I was shocked one year when a student said you made us make phone calls to strangers. And I'm not used to making phone calls to strangers and that was kind of an anxiety provoking thing that I needed to learn how to do. Right, but it really speaks to such a different generation. You know, you and I, when we were kids, if we wanted to talk to our friend we had to call their landline and talk to their parents.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Right, and that's something that's just foreign to most young people, and so there are many times that even just something like that, like having students help with outgoing phone calls, can be a really good growth opportunity for them, you know. And so again, when you think about when you want to do an internship, when I was graduating from college, I had a mentor in Washington State and he went with me to the state library because it's back in 1990. And we looked through the yellow pages in the state library for Washington DC to find organizations that I wanted to work at, so that I could mail them letters suggesting that I could be an intern.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 4:Right, but there is a new, modern, 21st century way of doing the same thing. You can still look online for organizations that you think you'd like to work with, get to know that organization by looking at their digital footprint and then crafting a letter of what you think you could contribute to the organization as an intern, so that you can sell yourself to them.
Speaker 2:Right, and so what you're talking about here is unsolicited connections to places that you'd like to work. Right unsolicited connections to places that you'd like to work.
Speaker 4:Right, because if you limit yourself to just the internships that you see posted, you are limiting yourself more than you need to.
Speaker 2:Right Now. What's something that some tips you can give to interns to be successful in getting an internship once they've identified a person to reach out to, whether they've found them via, like a reference, or going to the library or Mr Google or social media what's the first step that you think, or what are some of the characteristics that their outreach should have?
Speaker 4:Yes, I think. Know the organization that you're applying to well. Reference the things that you know about them. Know the organization that you're applying to well. Reference the things that you know about them in the letter that you're writing. When you're selling yourself as a potential intern, if you are responding to a job ad, make sure you read it very carefully, in granular detail, and follow the instructions exactly. You and I were talking before the show about how often we will post a job, say on Handshake, and say and Handshake is like Indeed, you know, for college students.
Speaker 4:And it will say apply, send in your resume and cover letter to this email address and people will just submit their resume on Handshake. And so they haven't read to the bottom, I guess, but that's going to make them disqualified instantly, because if they can't read those instructions, then you think they're going to make other mistakes at the office. So read the instructions very, very carefully. The other thing I would recommend is that there's a good chance you might have prospective employers cyber sleuth you, and so you should Google yourself, see what pictures come up, what presentation you're making on the internet, and consider making some of those things private. You have a right to have a private life, but you should make your private life private, I think, when you start to enter into the job market.
Speaker 2:Right. So that's interesting. You say private life, because there's this thing about data and social media really revealing a lot about who you are as a person. How concerned should an intern or a regular person should be when they're applying for an internship or job these days, when it comes to their private thoughts and activities on social? Media and how they present themselves Does that have an impact.
Speaker 4:You know, I think it would depend from organization to organization, but I just think in general, some organizations are very concerned about how all of their employees present to the outside world, and so image can be really important to a lot of organizations. And so think about what's the image you want to present to the world and how do you come across the way you want to right, because maybe some of the things that you posted five years ago just don't reflect who you think you are today and you can make those private.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's okay to audit your social media, I think. I really recommend everyone, every three or four years, go back through your social media accounts and audit your social media. It doesn't mean you change who you are or who you were, but you might want to enhance it or remove some things that may not be who you, as you say, reflect who you are today.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:Because every day you learn something new, every day you grow and change, and who you are today may not be who you were many moons ago. And we don't know about getting jobs because of social media, but we do know that a lot of people have lost jobs because of something they posted on social media years ago.
Speaker 2:So well let's make a little transition here from talking about how to get an internship to talking about someone that did get an internship with your organization. And the young lady is here. She's from the University of Maryland, yep, and her name is Allie Gottlieb. Allie Gottlieb, and what was it about, allie, that got her, or earned her, a position with your organization?
Speaker 4:So we have found that the interns, who are really good at presenting themselves and articulating their interest, and that their passion for what they do in terms of communications and public relations really fit with what we're doing. And when we spoke to her it just felt like she really kind of got our values and our mission and was excited about contributing and helping the community.
Speaker 2:Wonderful Well using the magic of media. The next person you see here will be Ali Gottlieb, and we're back with Ali Gottlieb. Helloie how are you today?
Speaker 5:I'm good, how are?
Speaker 2:you Pretty good, pretty good. So we've learned quite a bit from Dr Carr about what interns should be mindful of as they research and apply for internships, and also what it takes to be a good intern. But from your perspective, what is it like as a college-age intern in today's society? In Montgomery County, maryland, I think it's tough.
Speaker 5:A lot of people I know were really struggling. It's a major stressor for people because it feels like your career is dependent on finding an internship. So I think for a lot of people it becomes something bigger than an internship. It becomes something that they place their value and their future on and I think that makes it. It just makes it tough. A lot of people don't like talking about it because it's so stressful and when someone does get one, they feel a little bit bad and guilty and they don't really want to post about it because so many other people are just completely stressed and it's just not a super fun topic anywhere.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow. So someone would think, in many cases internships are unpaid. Was your internship paid or unpaid? It is paid.
Speaker 5:It's about 50-50, I say, with people being paid and not paid, it depends on your area of interest and how you're doing the internship. A lot of remote ones tend to be unpaid and in-person tends to be paid.
Speaker 2:Now, what was your experience like finding this opportunity with Kentlands and what was your once you found out about the opportunity? What did you do to get the job? What do you think helped you to earn the position?
Speaker 5:So it just kind of fell into my lap. My dad sent me an email and he was like hey, look at this. And I'd I'd applied a lot of places and heard back from maybe like two of them and they were both no's. The issue is you kind of get it feels like you're sending them into a void a little bit. And I went and I checked out Kentland's website and I looked over their homepage and I looked over their internship responsibilities and requirements and I really liked that.
Speaker 5:I felt like they tailored the internship to the person who got it. So had I been a psych major, it would have been more psych focused, but I'm a PR major, so it's tailored to the person who gets it and I really liked that. I thought I could tell that Dr Carr was looking to help someone in the community rather than again looking for someone to do cheap labor. So that stuck out to me a lot and I think, just the values of the company, especially like when I went and I spoke to Dr Carr, I felt like we aligned on a lot of things and the the interview was not serious or stuffy. It was very laid back and relaxed, which I enjoyed. I don't really tend to get nervous at interviews, but I know that they're a major stressor for people um, so I thought that was really telling of what kind of place it was to work at and what, what?
Speaker 2:what does that experience mean to you to be able to find this? Is this your first internship in college or is there?
Speaker 5:I had one last year and it was remote and it was a great place to work, but it wasn't it, but it wasn't it.
Speaker 2:I don't want to say anything so. So this this year is a bit different. The last one was in, remote, was remote, this one's more in person.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 2:OK, and you're able to use your skills as a PR person. What, what ways that Kentlands reshape the internship or shape the internship around your specific skill set?
Speaker 5:So I do a lot of the social media posting. There's me and another intern, so that's been super helpful because obviously I'm learning about this stuff in my classes but I'm not doing the stuff I'm learning about. I'm just learning what the concepts are and at this internship I get to apply those concepts, which I think is super important, because had I not gotten it, I would not have known how to apply some of the things that I'm learning, like SEOs or like generally how to use Canva. Like this stuff is what we're learning in class, Like we learn about all these things but we're not actually doing them things, but we're not actually doing them.
Speaker 2:An seo for people that aren't initiated.
Speaker 5:Searching optimization and canva is a uh, a cloud-based ai, quasi ai, graphic design tool it's like not as much ai, but it is um like you're making graphics on it. Yeah, okay great.
Speaker 2:So you're able to. So you're learning this stuff in school and, at the same time, in your internship, you're getting practical experience using some of the things that you're learning about in school how does that? How does that? Does that give you an edge over some of your peers?
Speaker 5:I think so yeah, I think if you were to go straight into a job post-grad and you hadn't done any internship experience, you would be a little bit shocked, like if I was just taking my classes and not doing any extracurriculars or going to any events for my majors. Like I will go to networking events and stuff. If I was not going to those, I think I would be missing a lot of information that is kind of crucial to know about the field I'm going into, information that is kind of crucial to know about the field I'm going into and I think it helped me feel better in my decision about what my major is. But had I not done that, I think I would have been entirely unprepared.
Speaker 2:Wow, right Now, what would you say to others, other young people like yourself, that are seeking to enhance their ability to get jobs after they finish school? What would you say to them to give them tips on how to get an internship, and what would you say to them how to get the most out of their internship?
Speaker 5:I think to get an internship, a lot of people struggle with not having any experience and then not getting the internship because they have no experience. And to that I think making use of the resources at your school or university, like joining organizations and clubs and making positions for yourself in those clubs, will really help your chances, because that is experience in its own way, even if it's not an internship. And I think once you're in an internship, you just have to like in my mind like this is my job, like I treat it as such, like I take it very seriously and I think that's the best way, like I want to absorb all the information that I'm getting, like I want to be like a sponge, like I want to know everything there is to know.
Speaker 2:Fantastic, fantastic. So let's play a little game here, okay? All right, you are a PR major and you're getting some PR experience through your internship here. You haven't learned all that you're going to know about public relations, which is PR, pr is public relations, right, and you have your client. Your first client is Kentlands. Client is Kentland's. Give us your, your best spill to let people know about your about where you're working now about Kentland's.
Speaker 2:About Kentland's. If you, if you were to give maybe a social media post or just something to provide information for people that are looking for therapists in the Montgomery County area and why they should use Kentland's.
Speaker 5:Okay, Kentland psychotherapy is a small to medium-sized practice. They have tons of therapists and they specialize in all different sorts of things. There's two dogs around the office which is pretty unique to there, I think and the space is beautiful. It's not a typical stuffy doctor's office. It feels almost like a spa and I think that's a major drawing point for them is how beautiful and comfortable everything feels. It makes it a lot easier, I think, for clients to feel comfortable in telling people that they're seeking help there and I think it makes the client experience a lot nicer.
Speaker 2:Wonderful, wonderful Round of applause here for Ali. That was fantastic and what I liked about what you said number one you took a breath and you thought about what you were going to say and somewhere in there you realized you, you know all about this place and the way you spoke about the place. It wasn't um, just a white paper about um, an office that provides services. You gave a visualization where you painted a picture for people out there about what they can encounter, uh, with the um, kentland psychotherapy, right, um, but then also it kind of because we're a podcast, people can kind of visualize what this place looks like. And even though we're here and we do have video, some people watch us on video. They can also get a sense of what's there. But then they also get a sense of a differentiating factor. I guess when marketing, you really want differentiation right between one organization to another, and you gave those specifics as well. So congratulations to you for getting an internship and thanks to you for sharing some more about this organization and thanks to Dr Carr for being here. And that's what's happening.
Speaker 2:Moco Get an internship learning more about getting jobs through Work. Get an internship learning more about getting jobs to work. Source Montgomery, learning more about getting internships through practical examples from an intern supervisor and an intern from University of Maryland. Thank you, ali, thank you Dr Carr, and thank you to you out there for listening, for subscribing and for liking this podcast.
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