I Got My Placement...Now What?

You are a Community Fellows intern and you have received your non-profit organization placement. You have arrived at the precipice of your next collegiate experience...now what? Well, I'm here to reassure you that you can prepare yourself in advance so that you are fresh and ready to start on your first day. Use this acronym as your guide:

Contact them. You and your non-profit representative or supervisor will need to keep in contact prior to your internship. Make it a point to meet them in-person or to call them ahead of time so that they can get to know you. If your NPO has not contacted you by the end of this week, ask a CFP Career Counselor about the person you are to be corresponding with ASAP!

Find out. Do your research and find out more about your NPO by visiting their website. What were some programs or events they recently hosted? What were their outcomes? Are there any activities or developments your NPO is working on that you wish to inquire about? Doing this may result in receiving an opportunity to collaborate with your NPO on a project that personally interests you.

Plan ahead. Remember to update your resume (and perhaps even your wardrobe). Do you have sufficient business casual and formal attire for your internship? Plan ahead by revising that resume and going on a shopping trip before your internship. You are not only representing your school, but also your work ethic, both aesthetically and practically.

Once your final exams are over (and what a relief that will be!), review these steps. Allow the time between the end of this semester and your first day as CFP intern to do some soul-searching. How do you really want to make a difference while working with your non-profit? What does this say about your character? Why did you want to become a CFP intern in the first place? Think about it.