Urban Interns Blog | Find Part-time Assistants, Interns, Internships and Jobs

Tweet for Me

2010-11-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Social Media Tip: Find an Urban Intern to help you with Twitter.

Maybe you’re already tweeting like crazy. Or maybe you think the concept of Twitter is crazy. Ether way, you know that 100 million plus Twitter users can’t be wrong, and now you want an Urban Intern’s help with managing your tweets. Here’s a checklist of a few easy items that an Urban Interns can help you with.

Set a Schedule – Because Twitter makes updates in real time, the more you tweet, the more often you’ll appear at the top of your followers updates. To stay relevant and on your followers’ pages think about how often you’d like to tweet. Set-up a tweet schedule and stick to it!

Add Apps – You may want to tweet ten times a day but who has the time? Instead, why not ask your Urban Intern to use a Twitter application to easily manage your account. Our favorite app is Hoot Suite. Create an account so tweets can be scheduled in advance. Automatic direct messages can also be set-up when your account has a new follower.

Find Some Interesting Folks to Follow – Now that you’re set-up, it’s time to start finding some key people to “follow”. Presumably these are folks who are notable in your industry, are always in the know, or maybe are just funny! How do you locate them? First, search Twitter for industry keywords and leaders. Next, check out their followers to find other people you’d like to hear from. Speed up the process by using Twellow, a Twitter app, that allow you to find other users based on similar interests.

Tweet Types - With each tweet, you’re limited to 140 characters, but you’re not limited by the types of tweets you can send to your followers! Here are some tweet ideas to get you started:

Updates: Let everyone know what's going on in your business. Is registration open for your new class? Did you just get in new inventory? Check out @marieforleo for more ideas.

Retweets: Use the retweet button to pass along messages that you like. Don’t forget to retweet our posts that you find helpful @UrbanInterns.

Blog Posts: Let everyone know that your blog has been updated, just like Chris Brogan, a master of social media, @ChrisBrogan does.

Customer Service: Answer your customers’ questions in real time using Twitter. No matter what size your business you can answer followers questions or troublshoot problems. @ComcastCares has this technique mastered on a large scale, but it can work for any size business.

Multimedia: You can show your followers photos and videos that you’ve taken using applications. Looking for inspiration? Businesswoman and trendsetter Tory Burch is always posting photos to her followers @ToryBurch. Use applications like Twit Pic to send your photos.

Lots has been written about twitter and strategies for effectively leveraging it as a business tool. If it seems like it’s too time consuming for you (or simply not you’re interest), you’re in luck! There are tons of people out there who love Twitter (especially on Urban Interns) and would really love to call Twitter Time a job!

Insider Tips for Finding a Great Freelancer

2010-11-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hiring a freelancer for the first time is a big step for your business. You probably have a big project on deck, perhaps even something that’s mission critical, and you’re bringing someone on to get it DONE! Even more importantly you’re trusting that it will be done right. So how do you find that perfect person to work with you and your team? Read below for a few tips!

1. Shop Around – Even if you do strike gold with the first person you meet, keep looking around. Trust us, you’ll be happy you did. Why? Not only will you be that much more confident in your selection, but you never know when you’ll need some extra hands and want to pull back out the contact information of the runner-ups.

2. Play with the Pros – Experienced freelancers are business owners, too. They are responsible for managing projects with multiple people and trying to lure new clients. An experienced freelancer should be familiar with independent contractor forms and should ask you to sign a contract with payment terms and conditions along with the scope of the project. Pros also have credentials – whether it be an impressive portfolio or membership in professional associations, your freelancer should look quite nice on paper. His experience might cost more, but in the end – it’s worth your time and effort to find a professional who means business.

3. Reach Out to References – Professionals will also have previous clients that you can reach out to as references. When you’re working with an experienced freelancer, you’ll be paying for her expertise, but you’ll also be paying the credibility she has built up over time. Get in touch with your freelancer’s past clients. She’ll obviously recommend people who were pleased with her work, so ask more informative questions. What the process was like from start to finish? Are they’re things that they wish they had done differently? Learn from other peoples past experiences.

4. Simplify and Clarify – Before any contracts are signed, determine exactly what work needs to be completed, your budget for the project and your expectations in terms of communication and timelines. The more precise your expectations, the more likely your freelancer will meet them.

It's true- finding a great freelancer can take time. But in the end, when you're working with someone great, you won't be sorry!

4 sure-fire strategies for a successful internship at a startup

2010-10-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

Congrats! You’ve just landed an internship with a growing company. While you look forward to your first day, you know that your daily grind will be different from your friends’ stints at Fortune 500 companies. But maybe you’re not exactly what to expect, even after your interview. Here’s an insider’s take on what you need to know to thrive in a start-up culture even before your first day on the job:

1. Think Like an Entrepreneur – An entrepreneurial mindset is always an asset, whether you’re in the office or on the go. Entrepreneurs tend to think about the big picture, while ensuring that even the smallest details are delegated. Entrepreneurs tend to always ask questions and are willing to learn from others, and you should be eager to do the same. Ask to read the company business plan, and stay up-to-date on recent trends and newsworthy events through industry blogs. See the office through the eyes of the person who started it all, and you’ll have a greater appreciation for the vision of the company, and the small details you’ll be working on to make sure success is in sight.

2. Get Organized – The one thing that all entrepreneurs have in common is that they’re always busy. Even if you’re boss doesn’t ask, send a weekly report highlighting your accomplishments for the week. Not only does this help your boss know what you’ve accomplish and where you’re at on projects, but it’s a record of successes you can put on your resume.

3. Be a Jack-of-all-Trades and a Master of One – In a growing organization, there is an emphasis on the all-hands on deck approach. Some days you’ll need to help with administrative work, and other days you might be running errands or event planning. While you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to help where necessary, it’s ok to highlight your skills. If you’re studying public relations and you can write-up a press release that gets journalists’ attention, make sure your boss knows. While it’s good to be a jack-of-all-trades, make sure your boss knows about the one (or two!) skills you’ve mastered.

4. Pitch It – The company you’re working for exists because the owners decided to take a good idea and make it happen. Your boss shouldn’t be shy to the art of pitching ideas, and neither should you. If you see an idea that can be executed, write a plan of action and pitch it to your boss. Back your plan up with research and ideas for execution.

The start-up environment is fast-paced and action packed. Make the most of your internship by being a team player, using your best skills and thinking like your boss and you’ll be a start-up veteran before your semester is over!

How to Be a Good Social Media Intern (Without Even Trying!)

2010-10-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Put Your Skills to Work!

It’s a fact: business owners need help with social media. Companies are finding that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and You Tube are proving to be a cost-effective way for businesses to advertise, acquire customers, and generate sales.

Needless to say, many of them are looking for web-savvy interns to navigate the online social channels and take charge of their social media strategy. And that’s where you come in.

Chances are you’ve been using Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube for your personal enjoyment for years. Now is a better time than ever to put these finely tuned skills to work. But are you unsure how to translate your social media capabilities into a career? Consider these tips on how to put your pre-existing skills to work and become an effective social media intern.

• Show you’re tech and social media savvy. Keep up with influential technology blogs (TechCrunch, Mashable, etc.) and always have your fingers on the pulse of the next big social media trend.

• Constantly re-evaluate the strategy. Your job in social media is never done; pay close attention to the online climate and suggest fresh, new directions to take the strategy. Keep in mind they may not always get used and you might have to pitch a few ideas at once.

• Create a conversation. Get online and engage your company’s audience. Listen to what they have to say, whether positive or negative, and react accordingly. Keep track of valid feedback and present it to your manager for consideration.

• Show managers that social media translates to sales. Look for indisputable proof that your efforts are bringing profitable results. Use trackable links, analytics programs, and click maps to show your strategy is working. Comparative data speaks volumes, so keep track of “before and after” numbers, whether they’re the number of views on You Tube, total Twitter followers, or net sales generated through Facebook ads.

And given the growing importance of these social media sites as marketing channels for businesses, if you prove you’re worthy, you just might end up with a full time gig!

3 Tips for Avoiding Year End Chaos (And You Know its Coming)

2010-10-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

It happens every year around this time: inevitable “craziness” among your business operations. We’re talking about hectic holiday orders, budgetary breakdowns, and elaborate events that come with the closing of another year. Whether you’re in retail, customer service, or any field in between, it seems no matter how far in advance you plan you’ll never be prepared for the rush.

But before you gear up to trudge through another year’s end, consider enlisting the help of an Urban Intern. Capable, quick to learn, and eager to assist, an Urban Intern can help you shuffle in a new year of business with ease. To make the most of your extra set of hands, consider the following tips for hiring an Urban Intern, and learn why this time of year is better than any other to do so.

Plan, Plan, and Plan Again
Determine the scope of help you’ll need by making two separate lists; one that outlines “ordinary” jobs, and one that outlines “year end” specific jobs. Next, cross off tasks on your “year end” list that you and your staff can realistically tackle, and circle those you can delegate. Keep in mind that the goal is to save time, so chose tasks that don’t require a lot of “hand-holding,” elaborate training, or constant supervision. Read on for some specific ideas.

Put Your Urban Intern to Work
In addition to the unique year-end needs of your business, consider the following:

• Processing the increase in customer service requests
• Assisting with holiday outreach to clients (mailings, email communications, etc.)
• Additional call center and email support
• Event planning and production
• Inventory control
• Processing online returns
• Fielding product and service Q&A from customers

Start the Hiring Process Early (And that Means Now).
With college students planning on coming home for the holidays and experienced professionals looking to further their career, the end of the year is a prime time to recruit extra help. Furthermore, you’ll have a troop of helpers on hand should you need additional help to kick off 2011!

Social Media Tip: Find an Urban Intern to Help Build Your Blog

2010-10-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Give your blog the TLC it needs!

Do you have a blog on your website? If you're at all focused on social media marketing, you probably do. A blog with thoughtful content is a great way to build your brand and have an interactive dialogue with your business community. But like everything else with social media, to execute properly takes TIME. Here are some tips on how hiring an Urban Intern can help.

• Think of some topics for your blog. Create a quick outline with some bullet points and hand it over. While at least initially you may need to spend a few minutes editing the posts, the process will likely move a lot quicker than trying to find time you don't have to write.

• Repurpose that content! Once you have that great content, stretch the mileage. Ask your Urban Intern to include it in a weekly newsletter or a daily FeedBurner blast. You can also offer to contribute it to other sites. The possibilities are endless once you have the material in hand.

• Monitor and Respond: Once you start to regularly blog, you want to keep an eye on the reception and traffic. Did some posts resonate more than others? Were dialogues started that need a response? Add this kind of tracking to the list of blog-related tasks for your Urban Intern.

From DailyWorth.com: Create Other Income Streams

2010-10-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

We found this great post by one of our advertisers, DailyWorth, and thought it worth sharing. Enjoy! If you like this, click here for more.

Create Other Income Streams
By MP Dunleavey | Tuesday May 04, 2010

More than a paycheck
In today's unpredictable job market and economy, it's smart to think about developing multiple streams of income.

Whether starting a side business, becoming a consultant or learning to invest, you can capitalize on your existing skills (and time) to increase your overall net worth.

Risks and rewards
Any new income source can take years to show even a small return. Consider this conversation a seed in your mind to help you evaluate your options—and build future returns, one year, five years or even 20 years out.
Every investment is a risk. Amanda Steinberg, DailyWorth's founder, has started five businesses in the past 10 years--two of which are successful and growing. The other three were learning experiences and, well, costly failures. Do not invest time or money unless you've calculated that you can afford to lose it.
Listen up
Last week, Amanda (photo, left) interviewed Jacquette Timmons (right), author of Financial Intimacy, MBA, and CEO of Sterling Investment Management, Inc.

In this 15-minute podcast Amanda and Jacquette explore the specifics having multiple streams of income, from low-risk options like consulting to higher-risk options like real estate investment.

Your move
Do you have more than one stream of income? Share the What, Where, When, How and Why with the DailyWorth community.

Video Blog: Talking Interns with Lindsey Pollak!

2010-10-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

This week we are thrilled to feature career career and workplace expert (and Urban Interns success story!) Lindsey Pollak, who shares her thoughts on internships and hiring trends today.

Lindsey Pollak, Career and Workplace Expert from Urban Interns on Vimeo.

Applying for and Managing Seasonal Opportunities

2010-10-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

* This week's sponsor: Figjam Portraiture.

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It might not seem like it, but now is actually the right time to be looking for an applying to seasonal opportunities. For people looking to supplement their income, test-drive a new job, or add experience to their resume, seasonal opportunities are a convenient option. And because the businesses that offer them usually hire new batches of employees every year, jobs are reliable and relatively easy to find. Here’s how to go about it:

Be early. Inquire about position openings six to eight weeks in advance of busy season. Approach store owners or receptionists and ask for applications, and keep an eye on local press for advertised opportunities.

Be flexible. Your willingness to adapt to scheduling needs is your greatest asset to seasonal businesses. But be honest; if you can only work two days a week, or you’re hoping to transition to full-time, tell them upfront. If a business can’t offer as much money or as many hours as you’d hoped, you might consider taking two temporary jobs. If that’s the case, keep your schedule transparent to both employers and establish your respective time commitments immediately.

Be smart. Shopping malls are an obvious option for seasonal employment, but think about all the other places, services and events that are more popular during certain times of the year (weddings, ski resorts, snow removal, delivery services, ice cream shops, amusement parks, landscaping, moving, school supplies, etc.). Anticipate these businesses’ needs. Also keep in mind the traits they’re looking for. Since most seasonal jobs tend to include customer-facing roles, good communication skills are essential. They’ll also want team players who are comfortable in a fast-moving environment, so market yourself accordingly.

Video Blog: Talking Interns with Ray Madronio of LocalBigwig.com

2010-10-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

The latest installment in our video blog interview series: Ray Madronio of LocalBigwig.com shares his thoughts on his company's culture and why Urban Interns is important for his business.

Ray Madronio, Founder, LocalBigwig.com from Urban Interns on Vimeo.

How to Develop Your Personal Pitch.

2010-10-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

You made it past the online screen – check. Now you’re about to be interviewed in person. So all the careful work you’ve done up to this point to present yourself so carefully on paper and online – crafting a beautifully formatted resume; writing eloquent and spell-checked cover letters; and combing through your social networking profiles to make sure only the most professional version of “you” is publicly available – is basically moot. They know all of that information, and everyone else that you’re up against has done the same. Now you need to go in with something strong. You need to develop your “pitch”.

What is your pitch? It’s your personal statement that conveys who you are and why you’re perfect for the job. It shouldn’t take longer than 2 minutes to deliver. And it should include the following:

1. Experience

2. Strengths

3. Awards/honors

4. Near- and/or long-term goals

One important point: only mention any of the above to the extent it’s relevant to the position or the interviewer. So if you’re applying for a part-time admin gig at a literary agency and you ultimately want to be publicist, definitely mention it – they’ll love the long-term view. But if you’re doing it to pay the med school bills and you ultimately want to be a veterinarian (nothing wrong with that!), leave it out of your pitch…it’s not relevant.

An example of a good pitch: “My name is Rachel Berry. I am the lead soprano in my school’s Glee Club, New Directions. I am also its captain, and under my leadership, our team won at Sectionals last year. My career goal is to be a Tony-Award winning performer on Broadway.”

Now, naturally, all items on the above list could take a person 5-10 minutes each, or longer, to really delve into. And you should – after your initial pitch. But if your interviewer doesn’t “have you at hello”, your entire interview won’t last much longer than your pitch – and that’s not usually a good thing!

The typical first question in any interview is, “Tell me a little about yourself.” Perfect. They’re asking an open-ended question to see how you handle it. You’ve got this covered! Give your pitch, do it succinctly, and then ask the interviewer if they’d like to hear about any of those items in more detail. If they say yes, chances are your pitch worked – or at least your interview will last a few minutes longer ☺.

Do You Need Help with Social Media?

2010-10-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

According to recent activity on Urban Interns, you do.

As a business owner today, you’re inundated with information about all the social media tools out there. Once you’ve figured things out- either by hiring an expert or by doing your own research- you begin to wonder how to best execute on these time consuming tasks?

Hire an Urban Intern.

Over the last several months, we've been watching a steady flow of businesses look for help with social media. Sounds like something you're interested in, but wondering how to get started? A few tips for effectively leveraging Urban Interns:

Identify Channels: It’s not enough to say “you want help with social media.” That’ll get you nowhere. When bringing on an intern or part-timer, you want to make sure that you’re very specific about what areas of social media you need help with. Do you need a blogger, someone to maintain your profile online, someone to tweet for you? (Believe us, we’ve seen postings for all of these).

Specify Content: Once you decide where to focus, take some time to think about the message you want to convey on behalf of your company. Provide a short-list of topics, headlines, or key points that you want communicated.

Track Results: As a business owner, you’re already used to looking at metrics for your business. This area is no different. Before pressing go on your project, be clear about what you’re trying to achieve through social media and how you’ll measure it. Do you want to blog once a week, attract 1000 twitter followers, develop a facebook fan page? Being clear about your goals makes it easier to evaluatie whether hiring an Urban Interns was a good decision.
(And based on the feedback we’re hearing from business owners, we’re sure it will be.)

Are You a Bottleneck?

2010-10-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

3 Tips for Effectively Managing Urban Interns

Ever hire someone (a consultant, a vendor) only to find that there's WAY too much project management invovled in doing the work? Too much attention may seem like a good problem to have, but let’s be honest…anything that slows down progress is simply a waste of time. It’s one thing to have a responsible point person. It’s entirely something else when the person in the middle is just that—in the middle.

But now look at this question in the context of your team and ask yourself—are you the bottleneck? Are you the one slowing things down? If you’ve hired an Urban Intern (or are about to), you did so for a reason—because you’re busy and need help! Check out the following and make sure the person in the way of productivity is not YOU.

Too hands-on? Starting off a new work relationship with hands-on management is a good idea. It’s important to specify goals, expectations, and have regular check-ins to answer questions. But at the point where you’ve seen nothing but good work and your Urban Intern can’t move forward without having the zillionth check-in, it might be time to loosen the reigns a bit in the spirit of keeping things moving.

Acting as a middleman? Along the lines of seeing good work, once your role as a manager becomes simply forwarding along work to someone else on your team, (colleague, an outside vendor or partner) take it as a sign that it’s time to streamline the communication and get yourself OUT OF THE WAY.

Taking too long to make decisions? There are still many areas where you’ll need to be intimately involved in the details. For example, if you hired someone to write some blog posts, you want to review them before they go online. If you asked for research needed to inform a purchase, you’re going to need to digest than info before moving forward. That’s well and good, but keep in mind that the ball is in your court and next steps can’t be made until you get yourself moving.

If you’ve been wondering why things around you aren’t moving quickly and any (or all!) of the above sound like you, you may have just found your answer!

Are You Smart?

2010-09-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

Interesting question, and one, according to Kevin O’Connor, chief executive of FindTheBest.com, and former C.E.O. of DoubleClick, should be asked during interviews. In an interview printed in the Corner Office Section of this weekend’s NY Times, Mr O’Connor talked about asking questions that will throw people off balance and make them uncomfortable. To him, how people handle those tough questions gives him an indication of what he calls ‘raw intelligence.’ As we wrote in our post on Asking Tough Interview Questions, another way to dig beneath the surface of self- promotion is to ask about a Worst Job and seeing how comfortable people are in admitting difficult situations.

Other qualities he looks for? People who have experience in competitive situation. To him, it’s important to build his team with people who will stay the course, and not jump at the first sign of rocky waters.

Ask a million business owners what they think is important on a team and you’ll get a million answers. But most importantly, have you figured out what’s important to your team?

The Future of Getting, Doing and Losing Jobs

2010-09-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

What do you the futurists have to say about trends in the workplace? This post was written by Erica Orange of the leading futurist consulting firm. Weiner Edrich Brown Consulting

One big take-away for us is the idea that virtual work will continue to become more commonplace from the big corporations to the smaller companies. We already know that growing businesses are comfortable in the virtual world, and see approximately 1/3 of you turn to Urban Interns to find virtual help. As discussed in the Wall Street Journal and CNN World Business, building a virtual team is a great way to keep overhead costs down, tap into top talent beyond your local area and depending on the time zones, keep the wheels moving 24 hours a day.

Keep reading to see what Erica has to say about the future of virtual work and the changing nature of jobs. Thanks Erica!

Locally and globally, we continue to see that the nature of jobs is profoundly changing, and what we do in order to earn our incomes, and how we do it, will never be the same. Importantly, none of this will ever again conform to what were the norms or rules or expectations across companies or through the years. The business of getting, keeping, being rewarded for and losing jobs has become a virtual free-for-all.

In the evolving world of work, everything is in motion. Almost half of IBM’s employees rarely come into a physical office. Like Accenture, Crayon and Best Buy, work gets done wherever you are. Even headquarters can be in cyberspace, and telepresence is gaining in quality and popularity. The processes, protocols and cultures of organizations are divergent as never before. Some companies are even encouraging the use of Facebook as a way to recruit for the company and collaborate with their colleagues and clients. Getting and keeping talent is taking on all kinds of new dimensions.

More workers are moving around the world to live, work and retire. There is increasing demand for high-end and low-end (personal services) jobs, leading to a sagging middle in the job market. Alan Blinder, Princeton University, has made a point of distinguishing between personal services and impersonal services – if it can be digitized (like much of medicine and finance), it doesn’t have to be done in geographic proximity. If it requires direct contact, like plumbing and building, it is more difficult to outsource. Now we are seeing the offshoring of even more personal service providers, such as tutors and concierges.

The workplace itself, where it continues to exist, will be a patchwork of new opportunities and challenges. In many buildings, it is coming to resemble more of a design studio than an industrial center. Emerging core values are collaboration and innovation. So, while many employers are increasingly observing and tracking employees to reduce slacking and absenteeism, others are doing away with the clock altogether and evaluating output rather than input.

While there is a great deal of emphasis being placed on managing younger generations of employees, the older generations are lost in the sea of turbulent job surfing, too. Many younger people have grown up with uncertainty, and they are cynical and wary of employer communications and expectations of loyalty. They make their demands up front, and communicate more informally up, down and across the organization. It comes as no surprise to them that in each place they land, the culture is different, the levels of integrity are uneven, the social networks are in play, and the measurement parameters are not consistent. But those who are older are the ones who are befuddled by the virtual office, the breaking down of silos, the differing expectations from one organization to the next, and the short-lived tenure of the jobs they hold.

While people are being accorded more flexibility in the workplace, the competition for many jobs is intense, and there are no “career paths” any more in one place or one industry. Plus, there is no longer any guarantee that the job will even be there as long as a year later. There are no longer any rules, there are no longer any promises, and there is no longer much trust. That means there will have to be evolutionary change, if not revolutionary change, in the way people are prepared for work, for life, and for life between jobs and after work.

Urban Interns Video Series: Lara Paul, iKidNY!

2010-09-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hear from Lara Paul, the founder of iKidNY, on hiring and being an intern at her startup.

4 Ways to Channel Your Inner European

2010-09-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

This guest post is by Vicki Salemi, former recruiting executive, journalist, speaker and author of Big Career in the Big City. For more information visit www.vickisalemi.com.

It’s a funny thing about leaving the concrete jungle for a spectacular international journey. Sometimes you need to escape the metropolis to visit to the rural, beautiful countryside of Sicily to enjoy the mountains, Mediterranean Sea and national parks to appreciate the beauty of success.

During my trip and being immersed in the tranquility and beauty of southern Italy (not to mention the delicious pasta and seafood), several career metaphors popped into my head.

1. Be authentic and don’t sugarcoat it. Have you ever been on an interview and asked if you had experience with a certain system and tried to fudge your way through it? As I enjoyed fresh ricotta on a daily basis (literally, cannolis included), I couldn’t help but wonder: there’s literally one or two ingredients that makes up the fresh cheese! That’s it. Delicious, fresh, organic. So, when you’re pitching yourself as a product during an interview and tackling important projects on the internship, remain true to your main ingredients and try not to fake your way through unchartered territory. The interviewer/your boss will clearly identify the transluscent sugar-coat.

2. Take your time. Slow and steady wins the race. During an interview or even on the internship, have you ever thought the first one to the finish line wins? Think again. Sometimes we feel rushed and buy into the notion that a job well done is a job done quickly. In the midst of Nebrodi Park (seriously, this trip was very insightful), I watched the cows slowly meandering among the trees. The sunlight glistening off the waves of the lakes. And it hit me: You don’t need to be quick to get through a job. Rather, the alternative is often the better case: On an interview or on a project, be methodical. Take your time. Think before you speak. And be sure to smell the roses.

3. Your work is a mirror of yourself. Upon chatting with a manager at the Verdura Resort (so beautiful; on a clear day you can see the northernmost part of Tunisia! But alas, I digress), I asked her about the overall Sicilian philosophy of work. Do they work their fingers to the bone, barely taking fifteen minutes for lunch, I wondered? As it turns out, it’s not uncommon to clock ten to twelve hour work days but the beauty is this: When they’re not at work, they shut it off. They are immersed with their lives, their families and friends. So, too should urban interns in a metropolis. It’s all about knowing when to stay focused and the importance of unplugging at the end of a tedious work day.

4. Create work that lasts the test of time. I realized this (yes, everything goes back to careers even when you’re amidst ancient ruins!) when walking among the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento which mainly date back to the 5th century B.C. Can you imagine creating something out of nothing and having it last forever? Literally. Well, that may be a stretch if your internship requires scheduling conference calls but net net: We become our work product. Make it an outstanding one.

More on the Changing Way of Work: LooseCubes

2010-09-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of meeting with Campbell McKellar of LooseCubes last week. For those of you who haven't checked it out yet, we are huge fans of this business. LooseCubes allows businesses with extra space to post on their site so that business owners, consultants and others who work remotely can access those hard to find spaces.

Why do we love this business? A few reasons. As we wrote in our Entrepreneur column on Finding the Right Co-Working Office, we've worked in a variety of office spaces in the last year and a half and can definitely relate to the problem that LooseCubes is solivng. It's tough to find affordable office space, especially if you're just looking for a desk or two. Also (in case you can't tell), we're big fans of the niche marketplace concept. There's a lot of noise out there in the online world and it's great to provide users with an experience that's focused on meeting a specific need. When users come to our site, they know that they can find top notch interns, part-time help and freelancers. When they come to LooseCubes, they know that they'll find a great inventory of work spaces.

Perhaps what we love the most about LooseCubes is it's also focused on the changing way that people work. Business expansion and office space are opposite sides of the same coin and its great to know that as people are thinking more creatively about building their team, they also have a resource that allows them to think more creatively about where to work.

Lindsey Pollak Testimonial

2010-09-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to hear that one of our favorite people and career experts, Lindsey Pollak, found an awesome Urban Intern to help with the upcoming re-release of her book, Getting from College to Career. Below she shared her thoughts on her experience on Urban Interns. Thanks Lindsey!

"I am so impressed with the quality of candidates I found on Urban Interns and the ease of using the site. I recommend Urban Interns highly and will definitely use it every time I need a short-term employee or intern. Thank you for providing a much-needed resource for business owners."

Lindsey Pollak

Career Advice Author & Consultant
www.lindseypollak.com

Introducing the Urban Interns Interview Series!

2010-09-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

At Urban Interns, we get to meet phenomenal people every day on both sides of the employment equation: entrepreneurs seeking top talent to help them grow, and eager job-seekers looking to put their skill sets to work. This video series will showcase the coolest companies, most up and coming business leaders, and their rising Urban Interns. Please email us at info@urbaninterns.com if you'd like to be featured!

This week's video interview is with Ev Boyle, the Editor-in-Chief of Measy.com. Measy is a website that helps you find the perfect gadget. Ev is an employer on Urban Interns and found his awesome intern on the site. Hear from him as to why Measy is an awesome place to work and why he loves using Urban Interns to find top talent.

Ev Boyle, Editor-in-Chief, Measy.com from Urban Interns on Vimeo.

How to Ask Tough Interview Questions

2010-09-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Interviewing is a skill. Some of us may bend over backwards trying to make our interviewees comfortable, that we forget to ask the tough questions. While it’s all well and good to try and establish a rapport with a prospect, you still need to make sure that you’re getting to the heart of whether a particular applicant will get the job done. Here are 4 tips to get you on track:

Bring in Someone Else: As a business owner, you’ve probably accepted (or at least acknowledged), your strengths and weaknesses. Decide where interviewing falls for you. If you know it’s not one of your areas of excellence (or interest!), bring someone else in to do some screening for you. Even if you work alone, ask someone you trust to jump on the phone or grab a quick coffee to add another layer of vetting to your process.
Seek out the Specifics: “I’m a self-starter.” “I’m detail oriented.” “I have experience running and managing large projects.” Sounds great! But every time you hear one of those too good to be true statements, ask for a specific example from the candidates work history. Another approach is to dig into the candidates resume and ask questions about that. “So, I see you were a manager at company x. Give me an example of what you did when you were there that shows that you’re the most organized person on the planet.”
Open Ended Questions: It’s amazing how much information you can learn just by asking some seemingly simple questions. “Tell me about yourself.” With that little phrase, valuable information tends to come pouring out. Did the applicant spot the opportunity to sell himself to you? Was she polished? Too polished? Babbling on and on? Talking about yourself can be difficult to do, so you can really learn a lot here just by listening. And remember, if someone can’t sell themselves, can they sell your product for you?
What Was Your Worst Job? For those who breeze right through the self-promotion, you want to probe at the other side of the coin-- failures or weaknesses. Just as we want people on our team who are rock stars at work, we also want people who can take direction, admit when they need help or when an idea was just plain bad. In asking about a worst job, you want to understand what it was about that experience that made the candidate unhappy. You also want to make sure that your organization isn’t strikingly similar to the one that the applicant hated. So, for example, if you hear things like, “I wasn’t happy because there weren’t enough people around for me to talk to,” you may conclude that this applicant won’t fare much better at your 8 person startup!

Want to Be Your Own Boss? First Step: Intern with an Entrepreneur

2010-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

This guest post is brought to you by Jordana Jaffe of Embarkability.com!

If you're planning to BYOB (be your own boss) one day, one of the best ways to begin your journey is to work alongside a current business-owner. Here are the top 10 reasons why this kind of internship may be exactly what you're looking for this fall.

1. Red tape is minimal. When you intern in a corporate setting, there are a lot of people who have to say "yes" before your idea has the potential to become a reality, or even a consideration. When you work in a small business setting, the likelihood that your voice will be heard is much higher.

2. The more out of the box, the better. The word "traditional" doesn't really exist in the land of an entrepreneur. Creativity is welcomed and appreciated, and fresh unconventional ideas are expected and applauded.

3. There is no "typical" day. Whether you're spending the day working on the business' new social media campaign or discussing new marketing ideas, interning with an entrepreneur keeps you on your toes.

4. Network, network, network. Entrepreneurs know lots of people and are always meeting new ones. They have a Rolodex of resources that can help you, whether for future internships, jobs, or possible mentors.

5. A hands-on learning experience. You have the opportunity to learn the inner-workings of a successful business. You have the opportunity to ask lots of questions, spearhead projects and really see that starting your own business can be done.

6. Casual work environment. Feel free to leave your heels at home! At many internships with entrepreneurs, you meet at the corner Starbucks, their studio apartment, or even the park. Hours are usually flexible and attire can be more casual than business.

7. Choose your own adventure. When you work with a small business owner, you have the chance to really shape your experience. Being that there's so much that goes into running a business, you really can experience it all.

8. Get a backstage pass. You may be privy to where money is coming from and where it's going, and see things that you would definitely not be exposed to in a larger corporation.

9. Master the art of time management. Learn how to budget your time effectively, especially if you're working virtually part of the time.

10. Have fun! Whether it's taking a 5 minute break for a Lady Gaga dance party or heading out for errands and ice cream, working alongside a small business owner is a very fun-filled experience.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Hiring an Urban Intern

2010-07-21T10:10:00.001-07:00

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As a savvy business owner, you've recognized by now that you can't do everything on your own. So you've made the decision: you're ready to bring on someone who can handle all the things that you A) don’t have time for, and B) would choose oral surgery over (expense reports, anyone?). But how do you pick the perfect person, whether a part time employee, contractor or intern, who can handle all the chaos, er, complexity that comes with running a small business? Here are some crucial questions to consider when hiring:

Do you see initiative? References may point to the answer, but even in the interview you'll notice things like whether you’re doing all the talking and contributing valuable ideas. Beyond that, probe for clues on whether your prospective hire might buckle under pressure or let things slip through the cracks when you're not around.
What’s the organization quotient? Not only will the person you hire need to keep himself on track, but you may lean on your Urban Intern to keep you on task. Do you see a track record of multi-tasking, handling several schedules, coordinating resources, and implementing systems to improve efficiency? Someone who is organized and pays attention to detail is essential.
Are meaningful questions asked? It's important that someone you bring on "gets" you and your business—that they understand how it runs, what your goals are and how he or she will be expected to contribute. If you need to put everything on pause every hour to walk her through another process, it could add up to way more hand-holding than you have the patience for. Find someone who listens well the first time and demonstrates the ability to problem solve on their own.
What will happen when the cat’s away? There's a "gut-sense" factor that comes into play with every hiring decision, but if you’re hiring someone who will work remotely and out of your direct supervision, it's even more important that the person you hire puts you at ease and exudes trustworthiness.When you consider that this person will be unsupervised at times, handling confidential information, and partly responsible for the success of your business, do you feel reassured... or scared?
What's the slacker factor? Do you sense enthusiasm from your interviewee on becoming part of your team? Whether you’re bringing someone on for a few hours a day or a few hours a week, you can’t afford to make hiring mistakes. Everyone you bring on must pull their own weight and there is simply no room for slacking off. Look for someone who considers themselves as instrumental as any full-time employee and has the eagerness to match it.

Musings on the State of the Intern.

2010-07-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

Media commentary on the internship environment continues. Time.com and the NYTimes recently posted articles essentially lamenting the fact that job-seekers, facing one of the toughest job markets in history, are now having trouble landing internships at big corporations. Some folks are actually paying their way into high profile internships. Even Lady Gaga wants to intern, so you know the competition is fierce.

You have to wonder, why the change? For one thing, there continues to be talk about the Department of Labor's evolving policies on what constitutes an unpaid internship. As we’ve written in the past, some of these factors include whether the training the intern receives is similar to training that can be obtained in an educational setting, whether the unpaid interns will displace a paid employee, and whether the employer goes so far as to derive any “benefit” from the intern’s work.

In an effort to fulfill these sometimes onerous criteria, many employers go as far as navigating the work study rules of various academic institutions and offering to provide academic credit for their positions. But sometimes, they’re still out of luck, as many students don’t need the credit, or for other bureaucratic reasons, wouldn’t qualify for it. Further, this would limit the applicant pool to only students! Who’s to say that recent graduates, young professionals and more experienced folks aren’t interested in internships as well? Much has been written, in fact, about “adult internships.”

Look, we’re business owners ourselves, and we carefully watch every expense. As we have written in the past, people should be appropriately compensated for their work. If they’re not, employers may have a tough time retaining them. Their costs to acquire talent could go up over a long period of time, as they continually need to find and train new people.

Alternatively, if you’re someone who can invest the time in educating, training and mentoring, then perhaps an unpaid intern is the right model for your business. And, now, in the worst recession in 80 years, is not the time to be decreasing businesses’ access to these workers.

Further, in the most competitive job market since the early 1980's, now is not the time to be decreasing the quality and quantity of opportunities for job-seekers to learn new skills, particularly when they are ready, willing, and able. This is not simply about the current class of 2010 finding a summer gig. This is about education and innovation. Many businesses, especially smaller organizations, can offer opportunities that, paid or unpaid, can enrich a job seeker by giving them the chance to learn new skills and develop experience that they can bring to new employers-– or their own endeavors! – on a full-time basis.

Those who argue in favor of cracking down on unpaid internships, we ask you this: what advice would you give to job seekers who can’t find a job and are now being told that, though they are willing, they can’t volunteer their time in exchange for meaningful experience? Spend more time on Facebook complaining with friends that there are no opportunities out there? Why should the proactive job seekers and businesses who are taking the time to open their doors be punished?

As we said above, we think that the business case falls out on the side of paying interns. But ultimately, we argue this decision should be left up to the employer and the candidate to come to mutually agreeable terms on on their own.

interesting stats on the "startup ecosystem"

2010-06-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Where and How do Startups Work?

There was a great article in the Business Insider earlier this week about the Startup Eco-System. This comprehensive overview looks at startups from a variety of perspectives including break-down by industry, revenue model, fundraising strategy and location.

Not surprisingly, the stats about the employment landscape and how startups work caught our eye.

Get this:

80 percent of start-ups have seven or fewer employees.
Of course, you have to wonder whether "employee" is being used in the sense of full time help, and if so, how do these numbers change if you start including contractors, part-time people and interns. We spoke with a company just yesterday that counts itself at 22 people of which 12 are interns and freelancers. Where would this land on the chart? We’re not sure.

Close to 45 percent of startups in both NYC and Palo Alto are run out of people’s homes.(And yes, we’re aware that there are many hotbeds of startup activity between the two coasts, but hey, we didn’t create this report—we’re just reading it.) If this stat doesn’t scream a reliance of virtual resources, we don’t know what does.

And given this next stat, home offices sure do look attractive. The average rent per month per employee in NYC is $733, followed by $475 in Palo Alto and $500 in Boston. Again, virtual workforces are looking mighty attractive when looking at those numbers.

The good news: 42 percent of startup companies with commercial office space in NYC do not pay rent, followed by 22 percent in Palo Alto and 24 percent in Boston.Are they squatters? No. This is thanks to incubators providing free space and those business owners that are paying it forward to their friends and giving a free space to set up shop.

Fascinating stuff, and definitely hits on some of the challenges and costs that entrepreneurs face as they encounter periods of growth.

Are You "Imminently Capable"? One on One with Jodi Glickman of Great on the Job

2010-06-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

Tell us about Great on the Job.

I launched Great on the Job in 2008 to train people how to communicate at work— everyday, in every situation, weather you’re a star performer or a struggling novice. GOTJ focuses on what most everyone else overlooks—the daily interactions that make up 80% of the workday—asking for help without sounding dumb, answering questions you don’t know the answers to, raising red flags when problems come down the pipeline, etc. In essence, I’m providing the building blocks and a road map to give people simple strategies to master daily work place conversations.

What’s your favorite part of being an entrepreneur?

I love building and creating something that didn’t exist before. It’s totally amazing to me that I can go out and market and sell my own products and services in a compelling way. I love winning new business, servicing the hell out of my clients and getting feedback that says GOTJ knocked it out of the park. I love hearing from people after a training session who tell me they’re going to use the GOTJ strategies right away or the ones who email me after the fact to tell me how they’ve had a breakthrough at work because of a GOTJ strategy.

I guess, in short, I love the impact GOTJ is having on people. Beyond that, I love the challenge of building something sustainable and leverage-able and scalable. I can’t wait to see where and how this business grows over the next 12 to 18 months and beyond.

Urban Interns is all about connecting business owners with talented people looking for part-time work and internships. Tell us a little bit about your approach to hiring --when you bring someone on board, what are the top three qualities you look for?

“Imminently capable” is the term I use to describe what I’m looking for. In a small business, you need to find people who can figure out how to execute on whatever you need them to do. To me, that means have a great attitude, being highly motivated and taking ownership for your work. Asking for help is key too—that demonstrates judgment and thoughtfulness and I always prefer that versus someone going down the wrong path without involving me early on with questions or issues.

As a career switcher, I don’t necessarily care about past work experience being relevant—I care more about the qualities and traits that you possess that have enabled you to have success in your past endeavors. Are you a quick learner? A strategic thinker? A problem solver? Are you going to give 110% percent to be a part of a fun, dynamic, fast-paced growing organization that hopes to seriously change the world one day with a new approach to teaching communication?

More and more, business owners are turning to part-time staff and interns as a first step in growing their team. As an expert on workplace communication, what’s one piece of advice to business owners if they’re new to managing staff.

Over-communicate—plain and simple. It’s critical when you’re managing staff and interns to give more guidance than you’d ever think you need to give. When you’re giving assignments, make sure your team understands them. Offer guidance and support along the way instead of making your team come to you—often times they’ll worry they’re supposed to know what to do. I’m always happy to discuss projects and assignments for as long as possible until my team and I are on the same page and everyone knows the direction to take.

And to the job seekers, what should they know about working in a start-up environment? Are the communication rules different than if they were working in a corporate environment?

I don’t think so really. In an entrepreneurial environment, you’ve arguably got to be more flexible and more proactive, because there are less clear-cut definitions of roles and responsibilities. However, I think all the same rules apply. Be proactive. Ask for help. Download your team regularly on what’s going on. Highlight or flag issues early on. When things go wrong, come armed with solutions not just problems.

Last but not least, what fictional tv or movie character would you most like to work for? (Note about us: Cari would work in the Miller Gold Agency on Entourage, though not as Ari’s assistant. Lauren would work for Gordon Gekko on Wall Street.)

Oh that’s an easy one! The Mad Men folks for sure. I’d either have to go with Don Draper—the fabulously creative and brilliant exec whose always able to swoop in at the last minute and come up with the perfect ad campaign. Or I’d go with Joanie— she’s the definition of imminently capable—she’s 100% reliable in terms of getting things done correctly or fixing other people’s screw ups.

Want to work for Jodi and Great on the Job? Apply for an awesome job as Director of Social Media here!

Jodi Glickman is the President of Great on the Job. Great on the Job teaches simple and basic strategies (“Micro Strategies”) for communicating strategically and effectively in all workplace situations—reaching out to new clients, answering questions you don't know the answers to, inserting yourself into team processes, asking for help without sounding dumb, dropping by a partner's office to introduce yourself, and more. For more info, visit www.greatonthejob.com.

Top 5 Reasons to Enjoy Work - and Working! - This Summer

2010-05-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

Anyone else besides us take a look at the calendar recently and realize it's almost SUMMER?! How did that happen? When you work for yourself, there's often a tendency to lose track of time (seasons, dates....). Our work calendar is marked with many significant dates, but rarely are they tied to the rest of the world's calendar.

But yes, it's almost summer, which means, even those of us with the busiest of schedules need to find some time to enjoy.

So, as we approach Memorial Day Weekend, we've taken a minute to think of the Top Five Reasons to Enjoy Work this Summer:

5. While the rest of the world may slow down, start-ups stay busy. Proof point number 1-- one of the most active times on Urban Interns is Saturday night, followed closely by holidays. Startups work on their own calendar, and that includes staying focused throughout the summer.

4. The Days are Longer. While technically summer days don't include a 25th hour, it sure is nice to feel like we have some more time and energy in each day.

3. No More TV. That's right. There's nothing on television to distract us. No more endless discussion of Gossip Girl, 24, Lost. Our dvr's go into hibernation while we come up with other ways to fill our "down" time (unless of course something great is starting soon- if so, let us know!)

2. Company Picnics. Just kidding. Our idea of a picnic is sitting outside our office while we eat lunch, but still, it's good to mix up the routine from time to time.

1. It's Time to Take a Break. While you may be thinking this contradicts Number 5 and the idea that entrepreneurs are all work all the time, the truth is we all need some time to recharge our batteries. Taking a step away from the routine and approaching your business with fresh eyes actually makes you more productive, not less. So whether your idea of a break is an hour, an afternoon, or a month (and if it's a month, can we work for you??), find some time to make it happen. After all, you'll have some great Urban Interns keeping things going while you're gone.

...and of course, the corollary...the Top Reasons to Enjoy WORKING This Summer!

5. Air conditioning. Seriously. While it might be 90 degrees outside (and in your apartment), you can usually count on most office buildings - even startups - to have A/C. It may just keep you sane!

4. The Days are Longer. This goes for those in workforce too, but for different reasons. You need to fill your days. May as well do something productive and fulfilling!

3 & 2. No More TV & Company Picnics. Guess these are true for everyone as well!

1. Break Time! It's well documented that at businesses of every size, summer is the time when employees take the time to get to know each other outside of the office. And restaurants and coffee shops are thrilled to oblige with happy hours and specials (we personally are loving the Frappucino Happy Hours at Starbucks). Not only is socializing with your co-workers fun and refreshing, it is a networking tool, AND it makes you more productive by getting you out of the office for a little while. So enjoy!

Let us know what's on your list, and have a very Happy Memorial Day.

meet the urban interns!

2010-05-21T10:35:00.001-07:00

Who are these multi-talented job seekers? Learn more as you read about this month's featured Urban Intern.

Meet Molly Aaker.

"I graduated from Skidmore College with a B.S. in Studio Art. Since graduating, I have worked in stock photography sales, Clinique retail, have temped at a top building management company, top PR firm and very well know yearly conference with an award winning website. Most recently, I worked as an Art Buyer at an ad agency, securing and negotiating photography. I was also the office photographer, videographer, and assisted other departments with strategy and social media. I'm also an avid blogger, a babysitter and fast learner."

1. What was your first job?
My first office job was working at a celebrity portraiture photo agency, coordinating the syndication sales between the New York office and various international sales associates around the world. I learned the art of negotiation from the sale side and worked with a variety of people from celebrity publicists to Japanese sales agents.

2. Why do you want to work for a small business or startup?
I am the "Jill" of all trades and enjoy being constantly challenged, learning new skills and getting my hands in everything from marketing, to the day to day of running a business. I'm innovative, think about the big picture, and am consistently up to date on the latest technologies and happenings in business. One needs passion, ingenuity, and drive to lead their small business or start up to success. These are the people I prefer to work with.

3. What’s the one skill that you’re best at?
Asking the right questions to approach any task or problem.

4. What’s one word that describes you perfectly?
Genuine.

5. What’s your favorite TV show?
Is there any show that can compete with 30 Rock?

Interested in talking to Molly or meeting some of the other Urban Interns? Log in here.

it matters how you market

2010-05-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

...and that applies to your job description.

Fact: How you write your job description can directly impact the number of responses you receive.

Don't believe us? Try it yourself. Go back and edit the title of your job or maybe even the entire thing and watch to see if you receive an uptick in responses.

Yes, by offering someone a job you're offering them an opportunity. But job seekers won't know just how unique your position is (compared to the many others on Urban Interns) unless you showcase it.

So what are some elements of a good job description? Heed our "Three P's":

People: This is where you brag about how great your company culture is, the amazing results you achieve together, the exciting team you're building and how the open role fits into it, including who your hire reports to and who he or she will be working with.
Perks: While the People are sure to be amazing, don't be afraid to entice with the other characteristics of the position, i.e. the pay situation, opportunities for career advancement and future employment, travel or work from home, access to great contacts, parties, and even free food.
Pizzazz: This is the "stand out from the crowd" factor. You can be hiring for the least glamorous position but surely you're working on interesting projects or are developing a top notch brand or have the BEST founders (don't all entrepreneurs think that about themselves?!) Don't be afraid to flaunt it.

And while it should go without saying -- don't forget to describe in detail the duties and qualifications of the position. Try to squeeze all of this into less than 300 words, or else you might lose people.

Lessons from Rework: Our latest post on Entrepreneur.com

2010-05-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

See below and here for the latest article in our column on Entrepreneur.com, Hire Up!

We recently started using BaseCamp, the project-management website from 37Signals. We love our Excel spreadsheets and to-do lists, but it was finally time to move to something a bit more, well, cohesive. The folks at 37Signals really understand the needs of small businesses--primarily the importance of keeping things simple. The 37Signals programs are easy to use. They eschew unnecessary bells and whistles and are easy to figure out-- even for those who don't self-identify as tech savvy.

Coincidentally, we started using BaseCamp about the same time the 37Signals founders released the book ReWork, which applies the "keep it simple" philosophy to a variety of business situations.

In particular, the chapters on hiring caught our eye. Hiring decisions are among the most challenging for a business owner. And with good reason--each time you add someone to your team, you need to invest time in training. And, as we all know, time is money. ReWork provides a refreshing framework for thinking about taking this step.

Do it yourself first. The writers suggest that before you hire someone for a job you spend some time in that position yourself. For example, the founding team spent three years doing customer support before hiring someone for that role. They argue that in order to effectively hire for a job, you need to know exactly what the job requires. And, they say, the only way to gain that perspective is to do it yourself first.

The good news is that in the early days of a business, most of us wear so many different hats that we genuinely understand the requirements for success in a given role. We love the "roll up your sleeves" mentality, but the one caveat we'd add is that as you grow and scale, you can't possibly (and shouldn't) be doing all the functions that you hire for. The very reason you're hiring is so you don't have to do every single thing.
Resumes are ridiculous. Well, maybe not ridiculous, but they're really a one-dimensional way to assess whether a candidate is right for you. You can learn just as much (if not more) about someone by how she communicates with you, including whether she's passionate about your business, as you can by looking at a list of credentials. Another important piece of information about a resume: How does it look? That's right. It might seem superficial, but a candidate's resume is your first and best example of the candidate's finished work product--and a good indication of what her work on the job will look like.
Delegators are dead weight. We think this applies in small businesses even more than it does in big companies. On a small team, everyone needs to do the heavy lifting. There is absolutely no room for someone who needs a lot of support and resources to accomplish his or her goals, particularly since you're hiring so someone can support you. You simply can't be working with people who pass the buck.
The best people are everywhere. We couldn't agree with this point more. Thanks to all the modern communication tools out there, geography is becoming less and less important in making hiring decisions. Virtual work is no longer a novel concept, and there are many benefits to it. You don't need to increase your overhead by adding additional office space, and you can choose to work with someone in your time zone or someone who burns the midnight oil while you sleep. Most important, you can hire the best candidate and not just the one that's best for you given your location. However, make sure you've got the tools in place to properly manage and communicate with your virtual team--Skype, text, webconferencing, etc.

As an entrepreneur, you're always looking for ways to be more productive. Leave it to the productivity experts to come up with these great hiring tips. We'll definitely be paying attention to whatever they come up with next.

The Info to Know on Independent Contractors

2010-05-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Do you have independent contractors working for you? If you're a small business, the answer is probably yes. And therefore, you probably already know that the classification of a worker as an independent contractor or an employee is dicey business.

But in case you missed the article in Business Week last week, it looks like it's about to become even more of an issue as the IRS and state agencies across the country are "redoubling" their efforts to crack down on businesses who have long-term workers that are misclassified under the Tax Code. It's true- employers can save as much as 30 percent on wages by avoiding payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, workers compensation coverage and benefits they provide to employees. And while independent contractors can play a vital role to you in building your team, now more than ever, you want to keep the distinction between these two concepts (independent contractor vs. employee) top of mind.

And as a sidenote- is it just us or does it seem that at the same time that everyone is hailing small business as a powerful engine to stimulate our economy, the regulatory environment surrounding small business seems to be tightening. From raising the accreditation thresholds for angel investors to employment issues-- what gives?!

Okay, back to the topic at hand. We're not about to give you legal advice on this one-- that's why you pay your lawyer the big bucks. But we will note that the distinction between independent contractors and employees turns on the notions of "independence" and "control," or how much you directly manage the manner and method that work is completed.

The IRS website talks about three categories of facts that provide evidence of independence and control-- behavioral, financial and type of relationship. And as each working arrangement is different, there's no magic set of facts. Instead, determinations are made by looking at the totality of circumstances.

So what does this mean for you? The bottom line is this-- independent contractors are valuable and play an important role in business. But like many, employment situations, the relationship is not without regulation and needs to be managed carefully. So take a minute, digest this blog post, review the IRS website and Resources page, and then get back at it.

Multi-taskers: A New Breed of Part-Time Job-Seekers

2010-05-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

“art buyer at an ad agency, securing and negotiating photography; was also the office photographer, videographer, and assisted other departments with strategy and social media.”

“currently work 13 hours a week on campus as a computer lab assistant while balancing 15 credits”

“professional with over 14 of experience in sales, management, and business development”

“specialized skills in interactive media, 3D modeling, video graphics, post production and web development”

“health and wellness enthusiast with a background in advertising and publishing”

Look at all of the above excerpts from profiles on Urban Interns. What’s the underlying theme? This last one probably sums it up the best:

“someone who can multitask with a smile!”

Multi-taskers. This new breed of part-time job-seekers has their toes dipped in a lot of different pools. Why do we think this is?

Necessity. The job market is still really tough. If you are looking for work, you’ve got to be flexible and open to as many opportunities as come your way.
Inherent ability. The mind’s ability to process many different types of information has expanded as a result of that information being available in so many different forms: internet, TV, mobile, and lest we forget, the printed word. We are so used to processing data from multiple streams – ie, having 20 applications open, answering phone/email/skype at the same time – that job-seekers are just better at learning what they need to in order to “be dangerous”, so to speak, in a variety of areas.
Demand driven by growth in small business. Startups are leading the way out of the recession. And entrepreneurs need staff that can handle multiple functions. They can’t afford to hire specialists in every field, so they’ll take a few scrappy self-starters that can handle whatever’s thrown at them. (Editor’s note: just yesterday we met a candidate for one internship position that we knew immediately could handle not just that role, but another open role – so we hired her for both! Why manage two people when you can manage one?)

So what do you need to know in order to use this to your advantage as an employer, and how can you manage these multi-taskers?

Accentuate the positive. Multi-taskers can’t possibly be experts in every field. It’s great that they’re positioning themselves as such – and that they have so much self-confidence that they actually believe that to be true! – but you’ve got to find out what they’re best at and what they have aptitude to learn. Really study their resumes. Ask them what roles they’ve enjoyed the most and what their passion is, as sometimes what we love the best is what we’re best at. Talk to former employers to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are. Then set them loose on the tasks that they truly have experience and knowledge in, and establish training for what they need to learn.
Track progress. As we’ve talked about in the past, check-in, check-in, check-in. By definition, multi-taskers will have 100 things going at once. Heck, they may be job-searching while they’re working for you. So it’s your responsibility to know exactly what they’re up to, every minute, and to track progress has been made on all of their projects. Involve them in the process by having them analyze their own results. It will make them feel good that you care about their work and their role.
Refine, redirect, and repeat. The best thing about multi-taskers is their ability to change and take on new responsibilities. Let’s say you hire someone who’s a clear social media guru, but also has good writing skills. Once your social media execution is chugging, have that person manage another social media intern so they can focus on taking your content creation strategy to the next level.

Multi-taskers are not the easiest to reign in, but by effectively hiring and managing them, you’ll be building your team while building your business at the same time.

How to Get & Stay Hired at a Startup

2010-04-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

This week, we couldn't help noticing that so many of our positions are based with "startups" - and by this we mean businesses that appear to be relatively young and still in high-growth mode. They might be innovators in their spaces, or they might be jumping on a trend - either way, these can be some of the most exciting but risky jobs. While you may end up at the next Google, you can also end up at the next Kozmo. (If you don't remember that one, just let it go - we're showing our age.) And these can be incredible opportunities to work directly with founding teams. If you're interested in entrepreneurship yourself one day, listen up. It makes total sense that we're seeing a bit of a resurgence in startup hiring:

The costs of starting and running a high tech company are relatively low. As Thomas Friedman eloquently wrote this week in the NYTimes, entrepreneurs are increasingly taking advantage of "all the tools of the flat world — teleconferencing, e-mail, the Internet and faxes — to access the best expertise and low-cost, high-quality manufacturing anywhere."
As we've written in the past, the economy is showing signs of life - consumer sentiment, retail demand, and manufacturing output are all up. Startups are risk-takers, and they eager to be first in front of the consumer when they start spending again.

But don't just jump into that startup job - or even into applying for that job - without heeding our tips:

Think like a startup entrepreneur. If you were in high growth mode, potentially operating at a near-term loss in order to grow your business, what type of person would you want working for your company? Probably one who's super responsive, scrappy, and succinct. Keep the fact that you're dealing with a really special type of interviewer - an entrepreneur - in mind when you're applying. And, know that even though you might be applying for a part-time job or internship, this role may be as important to the company as a full-time position - and has high potential to grow into a full-time position if and when they take off.
Be prepared for non-traditional hours. Startup companies work around the clock. That may or may not be the job you're applying for, and you should find that out before you start so that if it's not your cup of tea, you know it's not the right fit for you. But if you do commit, know that entrepreneurs tend to get inspirations at 2 am, and you may be on the receiving end of those emails. Make sure you and your boss have a mutual understanding of what hours you're expected to work, so that you don't disappoint.
Show undying interest and passion for your product and your industry. For a new or unproven company, there can be NO ONE more excited about its products and prospects than its employees. You've got to be its cheerleader to the world.
Show interest in entrepreneurship. Startups like to hire people that are looking specifically for startup experience. However, that's the operative word: experience. If you're in it for money, equity, glamour, or fame, you should reconsider your desire to work at a startup because none of those things are guaranteed! Or, at least, don't share that with your interviewers.
As with any job, know the company. Doing your research before applying - by checking out its product / service, perhaps testing or using it, and checking out its competitors - will impress the startup entrepreneur because these issues are what s/he lives and breathe every day. Some fresh perspective on them (even if s/he disagrees) will undoubtedly be appreciated.
If the proverbial shite hits the fan, stick with it! Let the founders worry about the future of their business. You focus on being as helpful as possible. Startup companies have very few bodies and need people that are energetic, positive, and are willing to deal with the ebbs and flows of the business.

See our newsletter for the latest part-time and internship opportunities in the startup world. Or, click here for a full list of jobs on Urban Interns! Remember, you must login to apply.

Unpaid Internships: Free Markets Rule or Employers, Get Real

2010-04-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

Last week, on the heels of an important article in the NY Times about unpaid internships, we wrote a blog post that tackled some of the meaty issues surrounding this trend. We talked about the importance of providing mentorship and learning opportunities for interns, encouraged employers to be realistic about their needs and hire accordingly. We received a lot of great responses and comments to the post, many from folks who though that in all instances, interns deserve to be paid.

However, after looking at this month's Trend and Insight Report and noting that the percentage of unpaid internships rose in March, we find ourselves wondering if this sentiment is really widespread when it comes to unpaid interns, or is it the perspective of a vocal minority?

Hey, we don't place judgment. We think there's huge value in both paid and unpaid positions and think that there's room in the employment universe for both. It just struck us as a notable comparison that at the same time there's buzz about unpaid positions, the stats indicate these are exactly the kind of hires employers want to make.

What does this mean? Well, it could mean a couple of things.

For one, it could indicate that employers are truly willing to provide valuable skills and training in exchange for some free labor. And given the tough economy, this bargain seems acceptable to job seekers. Taken a step further, this would indicate that the discussion around the "unfairness" of unpaid internships is almost without merit if there's a healthy quid pro quo in the relationship (extreme situations aside). If, as an employer, you don't keep an unpaid position interesting, good luck to you in retaining talent. In other words, the free market will regulate the worth of unpaid positions.

Alternatively, it could mean that employers don't have realistic expectations about what would make someone want to work for free. We know-- you're an awesome startup. You have great founders, tons of energy and can provide a real opportunity to gain hands on experience. Same is true for us, and probably most of the people reading this post. But that still doesn't mean someone is going to want to make 500 sales calls a day for free. And why should they, unless you're dedicated to teaching that intern how to be the BEST salesperson that ever lived.

So which is it-- free markets rule or employers, get real? You tell us.

The NY Times on Unpaid Internships

2010-04-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

The NY Times wrote an interesting article this week about the growth of unpaid internships which revisited the question what qualifies as an unpaid internship in the eyes of labor and employment law.

The first thing to note is that as a business owner, hiring staff of any kind requires a basic understanding of the relevant employment rules and regulations. For example: is a worker an employee or an independent contractor? What kind of insurance are you required to carry for full-time employees? What are the tax implications of taking on new employees? These are all questions that need to be answered when building your team, and the issues surrounding interns are no different. (And as a business owner, you’ve probably already figured out that your lawyer and your accountant are your BEST friends.) The current questions are around unpaid interns, so that’s what we’ll address here.

Let’s talk about what unpaid interns are NOT. They are not free labor who can be brought in to do lots of grunt work around your office. That, typically, is an assistant, who needs to be paid. (Could be part-time, but still needs to be paid.) They are not there to replace your entire staff so that you can cut your costs. That, among other things, sounds like you need a new HR plan.

Unpaid interns can be valuable additions to your team, but there is absolutely a give and get involved. You give training, you give supervision, and you give mentorship. You get assistance, you get the opportunity to teach, and you get to know your intern and evaluate if the role can develop into something more meaty. Essentially, you get a long, substantial interview.

As the NY Times article points out, the laws on this topic are murky. There are 6 federal legal criteria on the books defining the scope of unpaid internships, but the interpretation is lacking, largely because of a lack of enforcement activity on this front. But that may change as the job market comes back.

Our advice? Yes, ask your lawyer or a trusted advisor for some input if you have questions about your particular situation. But also, take a common sense approach to what makes sense for your business. As scrappy entrepreneurs, we like to save money when we can. But we also like to save time. If you hire someone unpaid and they NEED the money, their motivation will be to find a paid position, which means you’ll be back in the market looking for someone again before you can say “intern”. Also, let’s call it what it is—money motivates. If you’re on a tight deadline, have a huge new client you need help with, or generally expect someone to work above and beyond for you, you are looking for a new employee. And last but not least, just the word intern conjures up images of teaching moments and life-changing insight. If that’s up your alley, then yes, hiring an unpaid intern can make sense. But if you’re style is more “I needed it five minutes ago,” (and again, no shame in that - we all know the entrepreneurially clock is perpetually on fast forward) than call the position what it is—a J-O-B. Setting expectations correctly will lead to greater satisfaction for everyone involved.

Hire Up on WomenEntrepreneur.com

2010-03-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

This month's column on WomenEntreprenuer.com addresses the communication gap that can sometimes exist when managing Millenials (those born in the 80's or early 1990's). Millenials, as a generation, have a number of unique characteristics. They grew up with the internet. They CREATED many of the social media tools that the rest of are trying to keep up with. They're plugged in, highly mobile and tech savvy.

But what does that mean for employers in terms of the most productive management style? And Millenials, what are the workplace dynamics that you should know about? Read on to learn more.

Take the Leap!

2010-03-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

We recently came across the folks at Creative Hub and learned about their blog Take the Leap. Take the Leap profiles the stories of entrepreneurs and does so in a way that often includes the humorous twists.

Because let's face it-- to be an entrepreneur requires maintaining a sense of humor.

Thanks Take the Leap for our great profile.

March Update

2010-03-17T17:53:00.001-07:00

It's been a few weeks since our last post. But we're back with lots of exciting news to share. So what's been happening at Urban Interns?

Urban Interns turns One!! That's right. On February 18, we celebrated our one year anniversary. And what a year it's been. We took a moment to reflect on how thankful we are for becoming a go-to resource for small business owners looking to hire and talented job seekers looking for part-time positions and internship. Now we look forward and continue our national expansion.
The Trend Towards Virtual Positions Continues: As we reported in our February Trend and Insight Report, nearly one-third of the positions posted on Urban Interns are virtual. And when you think about it, virtual internships make so much sense! So many of the tasks that business owners need help with can be done from anywhere (like social media and blogging, the top two tasks for the last five months). Why be constrained by geographic locations when you don't need to be.
Our column, Hire Up, made it's debut in WomenEntrepreneur.com: Don't miss our monthly column on the hiring trends every business owner needs to know about. Check it out here
Press, press and more press: In case you missed any of our recent articles, some of the highlights have been a great article in Inc. and a visit to Fox Business News!
Summer hiring season is here. That's right. Don't let the fact that it's March confuse you. Now is the time to think about summer positions. With this in mind, see Business Journalist Donna Fenn's recent post on BNet about Tips for Managing Interns. Thanks to Donna for including us. (I have Donna's recent book on Upstarts on my night stand. Excited to dive in).

More Urban Interns news to come.....

Who's Hiring on Urban Interns

2010-01-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

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who's hiring on urban interns?

the numbers are in.

Last week we released our Monthly Trend and Insight Report, which includes data on small business hiring trends for December.

Who’s Hiring? The top five industries are:

Internet Companies
Marketing/PR/Advertising Agencies
Art/Media/Design Firms
Non-Profits
Educational Institutions

What are the top areas where business owners are looking for help?

Social Media
Blogging
PR/marketing
Email Marketing and Business Development.

Other trends?

Virtual Positions remain strong and make up close to 1/3 of positions posted on the site.

Ready to find part-time help? Login here.

For the full report, click here.

advertising opportunity.

Interested in learning more about advertising in our newsletter? Contact us at advertising@urbaninterns.com.

How to Get a Part-Time Job or Internship in 2010

2010-01-07T10:34:00.000-08:00

Start 2010 off right!

Job-seekers, the good news is that January is the most popular month to find a job. That is also the bad news. You've got a lot of competition.

So cast a wide net and apply for a lot of positions. Consider:

part-time jobs: even those billed as short-term or temporary could develop into full-time or permanent if you perform well.
internships: experience is critical to landing a full-time job in your desired industry.
small businesses: the company will not forget who helped them out in the early days.
multiple industries or job types: for example, if you want to ultimately land a job in marketing for a media company, consider doing part-time marketing for a retail company. Or finance for a media company. Either way you're getting closer to your dream and will have a great story to tell about building valuable experience.

If you do apply for a lot of positions, keep a list of the job and status of your application, and update it often. Nothing bugs an employer more than the words, "which company is this again?". If you don't appear to want it (even if it's not your dream job), why should they hire you?

Good luck and check out some awesome new jobs below! Full list of recent jobs posted on UrbanInterns.com is right here.

awesome gig #1: business development: rare opportunity

Online start up headed by Silicon Alley vet (previous IPO experience). Ground floor opportunity to be part of a small core start up group. Our business model has a direct path to revenue (not advertising supported). Work directly with CEO. Can work remote. Part-time initially--can set your own hours. Could evolve into full time within 4-6 months. Looking for a self starter, online business development experience desired. Most of our clients will be offline companies in billion dollar industries. This is not a "cool" job but a real opportunity...read more and login here to apply.

awesome gig #2. marketing intern for games, TV & fun products

PFF Entertainment is seeking interns specializing in New Media Marketing and Public Relations. Interns will work on a variety of projects that will build PFF Entertainment's existing brand, Sexy Slang, as well as several new brands under development. The primary project for this position will be to assist in the creation and implementation of a new media marketing strategy for PFF Entertainment. Candidates should have a strong understanding of social media, and an interest in games, pop-culture and consumer behavior. Candidates should be outgoing and self motivated and must possess strong written and oral communication skills...read more and login here to apply.

awesome gig #3. PR/event planning/marketing internship

A Life Style Brand that works one on one with its clients via Fashion, Entertainment and Dating Service. Seeks a Confident, High Energy, The ability to Multi-task, Professional Individual to get the job done! Must be able to work independently, be proficient in internet research, Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point is a plus! Excellent oral communication skills, and great attitude is a must. Requested duties but not limited to: Maintain info on social networking site via Face book, twitter etc , assist with processing paper work of potential clients, assit with writing of Presss Release and Media distrubtion, source venue space for special events, admin duties. Requirements: willing to work 3 days a week, punctual and detailed orientated...read more and login here to apply.

Now What?

2009-12-16T19:34:00.001-08:00

Now What?

You found a great Urban Intern - - someone who's skilled, talented, available when you need them. You can finally cross 'hiring' off of your to-do list, right?

Not so fast! Consider the following:

We recently spoke with a few business owners who thought this exactly-- their team was in place so they devoted zero time to ongoing recruiting. Until one day, someone on their development team gave notice. And the next day, their marketing team was suddenly down one person!!!

Finding top talent is an ongoing process and the same rules apply for part-time help and interns. In an ideal scenario, we'd all have HR professionals in-house who are solely devoted to keeping a fresh rolodex of people to call upon in the case of a job opening. But for those businesses that don't, here are some tips on how to keep the pipeline fresh:

Once you narrow down your pool of candidates, continue to invest in the relationship with those you don't hire. Maybe they'll be free in the future or can step in if your top choice doesn't work out.
Stay connected with a resource for finding candidates. Save job descriptions and other information you found useful in the first go-round as it can save you time down the line.
Use the downtime (do we ever have any) to think a step ahead. Nothing beats the feeling of making a decision without an impending deadline looming right in front of you. Now's the perfect time to evaluate needs for 2010 and get going with your search.

Or at the very least, you'll have good advice to give to your friends who don't do this, because sooner or later, they'll come to you and ask-- NOW WHAT??

**Log into Urban Interns here

Winter is the New Summer for Finding Internships (guest post on LindseyPollak.com)

2009-12-03T05:42:00.000-08:00

As I was perusing the job listings on UrbanInterns.com today, I couldn't help but note the following excerpts:

"understand the inner workings of a start-up..."
"24-hour turn around work during business days..."
"As the business grows, I will be hiring [full-time]..."

Don't all of the above sound like summer internships? Wrong. They're all winter internships with small businesses.

Read the rest of our guest post for Lindsey Pollak's blog here! Lindsey is an author, speaker and consultant specializing in Gen Y career and workplace issues. We love her blog - she's got a lot of great advice for job seekers, and we think people of all ages and experience levels can benefit from her wisdom.

Trend & Insight Report Shows a Rise in Paid Positions

2009-11-30T17:57:00.000-08:00

We just ran our metrics from November and there's some great news for job-seekers -- paid positions as a percentage of posted positions on the site are up! Below are some highlights from the release -- download the full release with tables here.

Nearly half (49%) of the positions posted on the site were paid, up from (36%) in August and (41%) in October.
The internet category continues to lead in hiring, but we note that more companies increasingly have a presence on the web and therefore fall into that category more frequently. Professional services firms also continue to lead in hiring.
The general area of marketing continues to be the main focus of hiring for small businesses, and social media specifically remains the top task.
Given that the overall percentage of paid jobs on Urban Interns has increased and the concentration of hiring in internet businesses, marketing and professional services, we believe these categories are indicating signs of economic optimism.
Approximately one-third of the positions posted on Urban Interns are purely virtual, indicating that the trend of small business owners hiring virtual help continues.

Are You Ready for Black Friday?

2009-11-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

Black Friday -- It's been called the biggest day of the year in retail. 16% of all consumers are planning to start their holiday shopping this Friday (up from 10% in each of 2007 and 2008!). Think of all who are gearing up to spend, and ask yourself:

Are you ready?

Have a storefront? Now's the time to make sure you have extra salespeople on hand to provide a great experience for your customers.

Have an e-commerce site? Customer service is equally important, as is ensuring that your fulfillment process can handle increased volume.

And the very best part of Black Friday? It's just the beginning of holiday shopping season. There are several weeks ahead where you'll need to turn it up to ensure a solid end to the year. Promoting year end sales, distributing news to social networks and blogs, following up on leads....Who has time for it all!?!

Lucky for you, URBAN INTERNS CAN HELP.

Whether you need someone for a few hours a day or several days a week, qualified part-time help and interns are just a click away. And remember, Urban Interns work virtually and locally.

You define your needs * We provide access to great candidates.

Get started here.

Urban Interns Refer a Friend Program

2009-11-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

If you haven't had a chance to post a job or search for a top notch Urban Intern, now's your chance. With the holidays approaching and all that needs to get done before year-end, we know you could probably use an extra set of hands.

Want some great news? We're giving you one free job post until December 24, 2009 (that's right - FREE!!) in exchange for you helping us to spread the word about Urban Interns.

Here's how it works:

Spread the word about Urban Interns to friends and family. Below is some suggested language which you can copy/paste into an email.
Make sure that when friends and family sign up, they put YOUR NAME in the "how did you hear about us" text box on the registration page.
Each time a referral pays to post a job or search the Urban Interns database, we'll email you with a coupon for one free job post. ***This coupon is only good until December 24, 2009 so don't delay.

Please let us know if you have any questions, and thanks again for being a part of Urban Interns.

Warmly,

Lauren & Cari
Co-Founders
Urban Interns
www.urbaninterns.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is some suggested text for an email to your friends:

Hi there! I wanted to let you know about a phenomenal resource to grow your business during the holiday shopping season. It's called Urban Interns (www.urbaninterns.com). Urban Interns is a national marketplace that connects small business owners with people seeking part-time jobs and internships, locally and virtually. If you need help this season but don't want the commitment of a full-time employee, it's the perfect way to cost-efficiently scale your business. I have used Urban Interns, and I have found it very helpful. They have a database of thousands of qualified candidates, all college-aged or above. You can find people in NYC, Boston, Chicago, and Washington DC, or for virtual positions nationwide. The fee is $39.95/month, which gets you 1 job post plus unlimited access to contacting the candidate database.

I am especially interested in spreading the word because if I refer a friend who signs up as a paying employer before December 24th, I'll get a free month! Make sure to put MY NAME in the "How Did You Hear About Us?" text box on the registration page. Thanks for helping out, and I hope you enjoy using Urban Interns!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a suggested Tweet, Facebook or LinkedIn update:

If you pay on www.urbaninterns.com now thru 12/24, I'll get a free month! Put my name in "How Did U Hear Abt Us" box on reg page

The Employer Report: Outsource Your Networking

2009-11-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

With the holidays around the corner, you probably see your calendar booking up with holiday networking events. If your business development relies heavily on word of mouth referrals, why not think about increasing your reach during this busy season by hiring someone to network on behalf of your businesss.

Sound too good to be true? Here are some things to think about:

Train your Urban Intern on how you give your pitch. He or she will be representing you and your company and you want to make sure it's done right. Talking points are also helpful - a few bullets on the information you want to share will go a long way.
Provide company materials. Even if it's just your business card, you want to make sure that people who hear about your company and love it can get in touch with you.
Plan a follow-up strategy. Whether you want to follow up directly or want your Urban Intern to send a quick note to new connections, post-event contact is critical to maintain relationships.

And remember, whether long-term or short-term, virtual or in-person, college student or seasoned professional, paid or unpaid -- you define your needs, we provide access to connections. WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF HIRING!

Ready to find quality part-time help or interns? Login here.

* And remember, we have Urban Interns in NYC, Boston, Chicago, and Washington DC; and virtual Urban Interns across the country.

The Employer Report: Finishing Up Strong

2009-11-05T08:12:00.000-08:00

How did it get to be November? That's what we've been asking ourselves the last few days. We're probably not the only ones taking a second glance at the calendar.

The end of the year is in sight, which means that on top of running day to day operations, we need to get organized to ensure a solid finish to 2009.

In the next few issues of the Urban Interns Employer Report - a free resource focused on effectively leveraging part-time staff and interns - we'll highlight ways to utilize Urban Interns to help tackle these year-end to-do's.

Project #1: Client Communication.

Are you planning on reachining out to your clients, contacts or supporters in the next two months to send holiday greetings? Might seem like a small task, provided that you've been diligent all year about updating your contact lists. For the 99.9 percent of us that are still looking at a stack of business cards in a pile at the side of our desk, now is the time to get this sorted out. Mid-December is a bit too late.

An Urban Intern can help you:

sort through and organize your contacts
research options for holiday greetings (printed, electronic, custom)
send out your note, once the above has been accomplished.

Ready to find quality part-time help or interns? Login here.

Urban Interns Is Launching In Chicago!

2009-10-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

Spread the word - we're expanding our local presence to Chicago. As a job-seeker, right now you can login to Urban Interns and select Chicago as your local city. As an employer, on MONDAY November 2nd you'll be able to post a job and/or search the database for candidates specifically in Chicago. Of course, you can find and post local positions in NYC and Boston, as well as virtual positions in any city. Our local city-by-city rollout will continue with Washington DC and other cities later in November. Stay tuned and help us help you by spreading the word to all your colleagues, friends, press and other contacts in Chicago!

The Employer Report: Part Three in Our Series on Virtual Internships - Managing a Virtual Intern

2009-10-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

In this issue of the Urban Interns Employer Report - a free resource to help you grow your business by leveraging part-time staff and interns - we will address the third and final topic in our series on virtual internships, "How to Effectively Manage a Virtual Intern."

A Brief Recap on Virtual Internships

Hiring virtual interns is a growing trend, especially among small- to mid-size businesses.
The benefits of virtual interns include low overhead, flexible scheduling and extended talent pool.
When selecting a virtual intern, remember the three P's: Professionalism, Performance and Presence.

So now that you've hired your virtual intern, what's next?

Goals, Guidance and Good Communication.

Goals: Begin your work by clearly defining what you expect from your virtual intern. When is the project due? What format are you expecting? Are there certain milestones that need to be hit by certain dates? Things that may be intuitive to you or otherwise may be picked up "on the job" need to explicitly stated when you're working with someone remotely.
Guidance: When bringing on an intern, or any new staff member for that matter, upfront training is needed. This is no different with someone who is working for you virtually. The more effort you put in to getting someone up to speed, the more you can expect in terms of performance.
Good Communication: First, get your method of communication in order and on a regular basis. Do you prefer phone, email or Skype? Or perhaps a combination of the above? Second, establish a routine for communication and check-ins. Whether daily, weekly, or regularly with as-needed updates, both you and your virtual intern will come to appreciate this ability to touch base, catch up, and regroup. The earlier you establish the routine, the quicker you can find your most productive pattern.

Virtual Interns are a great resource for cost-effectively growing your business. Check back with us for more tips on selecting wisely and managing well.

Ready to find part-time help or an intern? Login here.

The Employer Report: CNN.com on Urban Interns & Part Two in Our Series on Virtual Internships

2009-10-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Read about Urban Interns in

CNN.com World Business's article
about Virtual Interns.

Welcome to the Urban Interns Employer Report - a free resource to help you grow your business by creating and implementing win-win opportunities for part-time staff and interns. Each week, we will answer questions, provide tips and inspire you to think creatively about using flexible resources such as part-time staff and interns to achieve your business goals.

Virtual Internships Part Two: Selecting a Virtual Intern

As reported by Urban Interns earlier this month, virtual internships are on the rise. In our October Trend and Insight Report, we noted that the percentage of virtual positions posted on Urban Interns increased from 9% to 24% between the end of August and September. This growing trend is also gaining a lot of discussion in the media, as indicated by yesterday's article by CNN.com World Business which featured Urban Interns as well as our work with our very own intern, an incredibly talented Columbia student.

The benefits of bring on a virtual intern are many: low overhead since you don't need to expand your office space, you can set the hours that best suit your business and your schedule, and you can tap into a talent pool that expands well beyond your geographic location.

But, before we dive into tips on how to most effectively manage a virtual intern, which we'll do in next week's Employer Report, the first question is how to select a virtual intern. Unlike a traditional job interview, this interview may be entirely over the phone or Skype -- meaning there's no opportunity to evaluate body language and rapport. So how do you navigate the online world to find the best fit for your organization? Consider the Three P's of Professionalism, Performance, and Presence:

Professionalism: Prior to your interview, you will likely have many initial interactions with a candidate through Urban Interns and over email. First impressions are still powerful, so even in these early interactions, you'll be able to get a lot of insight into a candidate. If a candidate is writing you quick emails and forgetting to capitalize letters, think of it as the modern day version of walking into a room and forgetting to make eye contact or address you by the proper name. Just because it's a virtual position does not mean your standards of excellence should be any lower.
Performance: If you're adding to your staff in any way, it means you're busy and need help. You need someone who will ramp up quickly and deliver stellar work. Ask for samples of work, professional references and perhaps consider asking the candidate to do a short exercise so you can evaluate work product.
Presence: That's online presence. With all the social networks and ways to get in touch, we're all so discoverable these days -- including candidates. Go ahead and take a look at the information that's publicly available online. You are certain to learn a lot.

So while going the virtual road means you may need to forego some of the benefits that come with in-person interactions, there are still many ways to successfully evaluate a candidate and make the selection that makes the most sense for your business.

Stay tuned for Part Three in our Virtual Internships series in next week's Employer Report: Managing a Virtual Intern.

Ready to find your perfect virtual intern? Login here.

The Employer Report: Virtual Internships - An Update

2009-10-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we highlighted for you a WSJ Article on virtual internships.

Since then, we have seen many employers turning to Urban Interns for virtual help to fill a variety of virtual needs. Some examples:

Los Angeles-based software company seeking business development intern.
Silicon Valley startup seeking part-time blogger - can work from anywhere.
Web 2.0 startup seeking community manager for website to manage social networking profiles, respond to question/inquires about the company, and initiate conversations in applicable community.
iPhone App Developer and Publisher looking for online marketing and PR internfor keyword research, app description optimization.
NYC Social Media firm looking for social media intern to do keyword research, link-building and article posting.

So what does this mean to all you employers?

Hiring virtual interns is a growing trend and one that you should consider for your business. Imagine having access to a pool of part-time help - students and graduates from top tier schools, seasoned professionals - that extends beyond your local area.

The advantages of a virtual intern extend beyond cost and logistics. Are you short on office space? They work from home. Do you like work that's done while you sleep? Set up your virtual intern's hours to be during nighttime hours.

So many of today's small business owner's daily needs lend themselves to virtual work: blogging, social media, business development, research. Sound familiar? Search here.

What to do once you've hired someone? In our next Employer Report, we'll explore how to best manage a virtual intern.

Ready to find your perfect virtual intern? Login here.

The Employer Report: Seeking Part-Time Help with Experience

2009-10-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

You may have seen Dan Schawbel's mention of Urban Interns in yesterday's US Metroencouraging college students to get started on looking for meaningful internships and entry level positions. That college students are so on the ball these days as to not even be in school for a month and already be thinking about internships, is amazing, and presents a phenomenal opportunity for you as a small business owner to reap the benefits of such ambition!

However, this brings us to our Question of the Week:
What if I am looking for someone with more experience than college level, but still on a part-time basis?

Answer:
College students are not the only ones looking for part-time jobs. The Labor Department released data on Friday showing unemployment is at it's highest rate since 1993. In addition, the percentage of people employed part-time for economic reasons is up 220 basis points year-over-year and 10 basis points month-over-month. In other words, a lot of people are looking for work right now, and a lot of people are turning to part-time work and internships in absence of a full time job. This absolutely does not mean the quality of the labor pool on Urban Interns is any lower for it - quite the contrary. Below is a smattering of profile excerpts from recently registered Urban Interns:

"Accomplished executive with 11 years experience in business development, program/project management and growth strategy"
"veteran in the Event Planning industry for 18 years and 15 years in the special event production industry"
"I worked as a sportswriter at the New York Daily News from May 2005-September 2009"
"I currently manage an e-commerce website"
"Ten years of New York City advertising experience...encompasses marketing, promotions, and advertising"

The Bottom Line: if you need someone with work experience and perhaps a few years (or more) of post-college life experience under their belts to help manage your social media campaign, do some writing, research, or otherwise help you execute your dream, login to Urban Interns now and start searching.

Ready to find your perfect virtual intern? Login here.

Employer Report: WSJ on Virtual Internships

2009-09-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

You may have seen the article about virtual internships and Urban Interns in today's Wall Street Journal. If not, a few highlights:

Virtual internships are most popular among small to midsize companies and online businesses.
Virtual internships first became popular in the late 1990's in information technology and software development. Today, they also include the sales, marketing and social media departments of companies across various industries.
One of the many benefits of virtual internships include an expanded pool of candidates and saved money on office overhead.

Hmmm...Interesting. Does a virtual intern make sense for your business? If so, here are a few things to consider:

If working virtually is new to you, before jumping in and hiring a completely virtual intern(i.e. you're in NY and your intern is in Seattle), test the concept with someone semi-virtual (i.e. you're in Boston, so is your intern). This allows you to have the benefit of bringing someone on without increasing your office overhead, but still gives you the opportunity to meet face to face with your intern as needed.
Set up the structure for communication at the outset. Do you prefer to talk on the phone once a day, or receive an email update once a day? Especially because you won't be sitting together and your intern won't have the opportunity to observe your work style, it's particularly important that you set the rules at the outset.
What's the schedule you expect your virtual intern to keep? Do you want them to be available for you during your business hours or can they work on their own schedule? With a virtual arrangement comes a lot of independence for your intern, so if you'd like them to be working more on your schedule (and not potentially at 3 am!), it's necessary to state this at the outset.

A virtual intern can be a great resource for your company. Sure, because virtual internships are relatively new (and may be completely new to you!) you'll need to make an upfront investment in time in thinking through the position. But, find someone great (like our very own Urban Intern) and it could very well pay off in multiples.

Ready to find your perfect virtual intern? Login here.

Writing an Effective Job Post - an Urban Interns Success Story

2009-09-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

Last week we told you about one of our recent users, savvy lawyer and insurance guru, Keith Le Pack. Keith heard about Urban Interns from a colleague and quickly posted a job-on a Friday night, no less.

When we checked in with Keith this week, he already hired an incredible Urban Intern. Now that's the kind of success story we like to hear about!

We're often asked for advice on what makes a good job post, so we decided to do some first-hand research on the topic. (Keith's post being one great example). We found the following common elements among the most effective job posts.

Be concise. While you want to give Urban Interns a comprehensive overview of your position, you don't want prospective candidates to get lost in the details. Include the key elements (what kind of company, what kind of work) but the rest is better suited for direct communication with interested candidates.
What's the opportunity? That's right- Urban Interns are working for you but in order to entice top talent, you also need to make it clear what you're offering. Is it a paid position, do you offer school credit, will you offer the best of the best mentorship and networking?
What's the potential? Do you envision your position as a short-term gig or is their an opportunity for a more long term arrangement. There's a market for both, just be clear about your goals.
Be flexible. One of the great things about Urban Interns is that you can edit your job post mid-month! So if you're not getting the number of responses you wished for, consider re-thinking the terms of the position and what you're willing to invest in it.

Have a job you've been meaning to post? Login here.

The Employer Report: How to Build a Marketing Team on a Budget

2009-09-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Urban Interns Employer Report - a free resource to help you grow your business by creating and implementing win-win opportunities for part-time staff and interns.

This issue is brought to you by Traci Feit Love, a small business writer and consultant. To learn more about Traci and how she can help your company, visit her website at http://tracifeitlove.com.

Question of the Week:

I need to do a better job promoting my small business, but I have a very limited marketing budget. What's the best way to get some marketing help without breaking the bank?

Answer:

Marketing plays a key business development role in any small business. It's important to focus on, regardless of your budget.

If marketing is a foreign language for you, setting a strategy is best left to the experts. The good news is that once you have that strategy in place, you can bring in some less expensive resources to help you execute.

For example, if part of your marketing strategy involves e-communication, there are many do-it-yourself email platforms out there that provide you with great templates. Many programs also provide easy-to-understand analytics, so you can see how effective your campaign was. We use Constant Contact, but another great one is Vertical Response. Or if you're more tech-savvy, we've heard Campaign Monitor is good.

Still, developing the content for your campaign can be time-intensive and perhaps writing isn't something you enjoy. This is a perfect job for a part-time person or even a really great intern.

This can apply to many other areas: social media, guerrilla marketing, blogging, even PR. These "free" forms of marketing can comprise the bulk of your marketing campaign in the early days of your business. The key is that as a business owner, you set the strategy, and hire others to execute.

The bottom line: The more limited your budget, the more creative you need to be about finding great resources. That doesn't mean cutting important pieces out of your growth plans, it just means understanding what's worth your time as a business owner, and stretching your dollars to include some highly efficient "do-ers".

When you're ready to find the perfect candidate, visit www.urbaninterns.com and click on "Find an Urban Intern." To submit your questions for future issues of Urban Interns' Employer Report, just e-mail us at admin@urbaninterns.com.

Announcing the Urban Interns Employer Report

2009-09-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first issue of the Urban Interns Employer Report - a free resource to help you grow your business by creating and implementing win-win opportunities for part-time staff and interns. The report will go out by email to our registered employers, so if you are not already registered as an Urban Interns employer, you can do so here.

Each week, Urban Interns will answer your questions about internship programs and inspire you to think creatively about using flexible resources such as part-time staff and interns to achieve your business goals. This issue is brought to you by Traci Feit Love, a small business writer and consultant. To learn more about Traci and how she can help your company, visit her website at http://tracifeitlove.com.

Question of the Week:

I live in a city with tons of college students. Back when I worked at a big company, we would often hire interns. I don't have the resources to support a formal internship program. Is hiring an intern still a good option for me?

Answer:

Yes! There are plenty of reasons why small businesses should consider hiring an intern, especially with so many qualified people looking for internship opportunities. Here are a few of them:

Increase your productivity without the expense of hiring a permanent, full-time employee.
Find the perfect fit for your next full-time opening by using an internship as a "trial period" to test out qualified candidates (instead of taking a risk on someone you've never worked with before).
Only invest in the time and work you need - internships can be temporary, seasonal, or part-time, or unpaid depending on what you're offering and what your expectations are.
Bring fresh ideas and energy into your business. College students, for example, are usually more familiar with new trends in technology and social media and can infuse your business with fresh perspective.
Former interns who become full-time employees can hit the ground running.

The bottom line: if you have more work than you and your current staff can manage, you should consider hiring an intern to handle it. To find the perfect intern for your business needs, visit www.urbaninterns.com and click on "Find an Urban Intern."

To submit your questions for future issues of Urban Interns' Employer Report, just e-mail us at admin@urbaninterns.com.

Lessons from the Inc 500

2009-08-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

The Inc. 500 recently came out. This issue, with Inc’s Annual Report of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies is one of my favorite. I love seeing who made the list, observing current trends among high growth start-ups, and of course, doing that gut check to see- are we on track to one day (fingers crossed) cross the threshold to be included in the All-Star Round-Up? One can dream, right….

One particular profile caught my eye—the story of Diapers.com, the niche marketplace that focuses exclusively on baby products. (You know how the Urban Interns team loves the niche marketplaces!) The stats (as per Inc.): Diapers.com, number 34 on the List, was founded in 2004. Annual revenue: $89.4 million. Three year growth- 3,473.8 percent. Amazing!

You just have to ask- what’s the secret sauce? Lots of retailers sell diapers—what’ so unique about this company that’s allowed them to achieve such rapid results and explosive growth?

Marc Lore, the CEO is profiled in Inc. A couple of points I find fascinating. First-- the company’s reliance on word-of-mouth for early growth. And think about it, that was before they had all these word-of- mouth enablers (ie social media outlets) at their fingertips. Pretty inspiring for those of us who are faithfully blogging, tweeting, facebooking and ever other “ing” that gets us in front of people.

The second point is their emphasis on customer service. Lore describes his customer service philosophy as “taking care of the moms at whatever cost.” He gives his really good customers “over the top treatment” including gift baskets and certificates to say thank you. Lore reports that they spend $1 million a year on this kind of customer service, close to ten percent of their marketing budget. It’s an interesting statistic, allocating that amount of marketing dollars to saying thank you to customers. Clearly Lore believes that in keeping the Moms happy and making them feel valued they’ll pay it forward in multiples. Judging from his numbers, looks like he’s right.

Now taking a step back, a very wise, successful and incredibly wonderful friend recently suggested that I focus on taking one important point away from every learning opportunity, whether it be an important conversation or something read.

My take-away from the Diapers.com profile? Treat your customers well and they’ll be more inclined to help you spread your word. And as for our Urban Interns plug, if you’re personally too busy to devote yourself to customer service, hire someone who will. Going the extra mile to keep your community happy can take you very far…..

Cari Sommer, Co-Founder, Urban Interns

Urban Interns Is Launching In Boston!

2009-08-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

You heard it here first! We're launching in Boston in early September.

Whether you have a client in Boston and need some local support or you're colleagues in Boston could also use an extra set of hands, Urban Interns will soon become the go-to marketplace for connecting small business owners with college-students and grads seeking part-time work and internships.

Good news travels fast, and we already have Urban Intern registrations from Boston area students and recent grads. We've also received a warm welcome from career services folks at Boston University and Boston College (see us listed as a resource on the BC Career Services page!).

PLEASE HELP US spread the word and forward this news to your colleagues in the small business, startup, and entrepreneurship community in Boston. Stay tuned for more details.

Did you know many students can qualify for school credits for their internships?

2009-08-10T18:21:00.001-07:00

With back-to-school right around the corner, small businesses can take advantage of the high level of competition amongst student bodies to beef up resumes, network, and gain hands on experience: internships for credit! At first, the whole area of credit might seem like confusing terrain to navigate: university offices, documentation, etc. But we have great news for employers: applying for credit is actually the responsibility of your intern. You might have to fill out some brief forms, but consider it up to them to bring you the forms, provide all the documentation, and just have you review and sign.

Now, every university is different, and some don’t even offer school credit for internship. But we’ve done a little digging at some of the major NYC universities, and we’ve found that certain undergrad majors at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development and at the NYU Journalism Institute can receive internships for credit. The same holds true for graduate students from Columbia School of International Public Affairs, which actually requires students to do internships. Barnard and Columbia do not offer academic credit for internships, but if an employer is only offering an internship for credit, some eligible internships can qualify for registration credit (not academic credit) through the career services department.

Feel like you need an advanced degree to figure this all out? We do too.

So here are our suggestions. First, find your ideal candidate (on Urban Interns, of course!). Then, if he/she happens to be attending university or grad school, ask if school credit is an option. Let them do the research. If the answer is yes, keep in mind that your intern will have certain academic goals that they are trying to accomplish throughout the course of working with you. They may have to write a paper, may have to report to a professor. If you genuinely have the time and interest in accommodating these needs, then proceed with the hire. And remember, you can always check in with career services if you have any questions.

What's an intern?

2009-07-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

What's an intern? Silly question, right? Not so. It really means something different to everyone you talk to. The "traditional" internship is 8 weeks, over the summer, at a big firm, and the intern is typically in between their junior and senior year of college. But we can tell you as the owners of a site with the word "intern" in the name, that we haven't seen a single job like that posted, so something must have changed. The economy has put a lot of people not only out of work, but in career transition, as well as in limbo after college or grad school. In addition, the growth in online universities has made higher education accessible to the masses, enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to gain additional skill sets. Social media has made it possible to build an entire business based on free online marketing, and it doesn't take an advanced degree to execute on that strategy. And non-Fortune 500 businesses need help more than ever. Essentially, it's the perfect time for small busineses to find part-time, flexible help. Call them interns or call them George, but they're multiplying, and not in the ways we saw 10 years ago when this girl interned at Arthur Andersen (aka happy hour every day! Should have known the place was doomed.)

Today, interns can be anything from apprentices, to admins, to research analysts, to PR people, to sales people. They can be in college, post-graduation, or experienced professionals with years under their belt. They can work on site, virtually, or somewhere in between (i.e., once a week in-person check-ins with the rest of the time being solo.) They can have set hours or a flexible schedule. They can work at a sole proprietorship, a mid-sized firm, or a large public company. The rules have changed. Thousands of Urban Interns await you.

Lauren Porat

Co-Founder

Urban Interns

Ultra Light Startups - Great Networking for Entrepreneurs

2009-07-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

When starting a new business everyone tells you to network, network, network. “Be out there,” “meet people,” – call it what you may, but the truth is that as the Founders of an early stage company, a VERY large part of our job right now is selling the concept of Urban Interns and building our brand. While you can fill every minute of your calendar with networking events, quickly learned it’s more about quality of affiliations than quantity. We deliberately keep our list of organizations and affiliations short. That said, Ultra Light Startups, started by Graham Lawlor, continues to be one of our favorites.

What is Ultra Lights Startups? “It’s a group Ultra Light Startups is a group of technology entrepreneurs who collaborate online and in-person to help each other launch startups quicker and cheaper.”

Okay, so what does that mean? It means that month after month, Graham fills a room of early stage entrepreneurs, all of whom have at least some tech component to their businesses (and who doesn’t these days, right?) to meet, connect and listen to a panel of experts speaking about a cutting edge topic relevant to today’s start-up environment. The first Ultra Light event we attended was on employment-related business models. In the last few months, he’s also had events based on twitter-based business models, bootstrapping a startup and monetizing online video. The event starts with an opportunity to do a brief pitch about your company, and dedicated networking (and pizza!) midway through. All this for $10, $20, or $30 per event, depending on whether you pitch, don’t pitch, or pay at the door.

Graham told us the other day that he began ULS because he was tossing around a number of business ideas and wanted to bring together like minded entrepreneurs, also in their early days, and looking for peers to discuss business ideas and challenges. Why “Ultra Light” (or pre-funding) as a requirement to pitch at ULS? Because Graham also believes that an entrepreneurs first job is to focus on building a profitable business, not to run out and secure funding. There are a lot of resources available for later stage companies. ULS is very unique in its focus on the earlier stage ones.

Why do we like ULS and continue to go back? Great info from the panels, a collegial environment and we never know where the connections will lead. As a business that focuses on serving small businesses, we’ve gotten a great response from the ULS crowd—who needs an affordable extra set of hands more than entrepreneurs?

ULS has chapters in New York, Boston and London. Their next event on August 6 is on Local Business Models. More info here: http://ultralightstartups.com/newyork/

Laurel Touby, MediaBistro Founder, Shares Insights on Entrepreneurship

2009-07-12T18:30:00.001-07:00

Last week, I had the good fortune to attend a Q&A with Laurel Touby, Founder of MediaBistro, courtesy of the Columbia Business School Women’s Entrepreneurship Network. Laurel is a total powerhouse, having grown her company from 1994 when she started hosting cocktail parties to meet people, to selling it for $23 mm to Jupiter Media in 2007 ). So many great tidbits about entrepreneurship were shared. Below is a sampling:

On how to grow a business through networking: You can get someone who would normally not open an email to open an invitation
On product: listen to your customers – they have the BEST ideas
On funding: build an audience and a revenue stream before approaching investors
On the CEO being the brand: if you’re too integral to your business, you can never sell it. You can set the culture but the biz should live without you.
On growing from local to national: let your customers do your advertising for you
On hiring: Hire slowly. Fire fast.
On being a female CEO: A female CEO will always be the “mean mommy”. You can’t please everyone all of the time, so don’t sweat it.
On accepting who you are: There are 2 types of CEOs: inward-facing and outward-facing. The former knows the numbers, the operations, the metrics. The latter talks to press, customers etc. Hire for whatever you’re not.
On technology: don’t be afraid to ASK your tech people to explain in laymen’s terms how things work and demand that they come up with creative ways to solve problems. There’s always a way. [ed. note: when I worked at IAC, the Expedia guys, who were really the Microsoft guys, would always say “it’s just software.” So true.]
On surviving the recession: conserve cash. Show up at your customers’ doors to get paid. Come up with new products.
On competition: once you get a foothold in your space, it’s harder than you think to knock you down.

Comments welcome!

Lauren

The Recession Start-Up Phenomenon

2009-07-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Urban Interns is a recession start-up. And according to the Kauffman Foundation study released in the middle of June entitled “Economic Future Just Happened”, we are also part of a rich tradition of entrepreneurship that stems from down markets.

From the release:

“more than half of the companies on the 2009 Fortune 500 list were launched during a recession or bear market, along with nearly half of the firms on the 2008 Inc. list of America’s fastest-growing companies…job creation from startup companies proving to be less volatile and sensitive to downturns when compared to the overall economy.”

While the perceived weakness of competition and unemployment are cited as factors contributing to the “recession start-up” phenomenon, we personally find the “why” to tell only a small part of the story. From our experience and our observation of others also in recession start-up mode, why we chose our current path is yesterday’s news. What’s much interesting is seeing how people are surviving these times and finding ways to thrive.

We’ve seen some businesses using this time to re-invest in themselves and refine their brand and positioning. Others are diversifying their revenue streams, while other are choosing this time to circle around an area of focus. In other words, the strategies are all over the board. The common themes? Creativity, perseverance, resourcefulness and optimism. And while the vast majority of us may not wind up on the Fortune 500 or Inc List (though believe us, the Urban Interns team is trying!) history teaches us that many of us that although somewhat counterintuitive, many of us can use these times to grow and prosper. Additionally, the rapid growth in small business is a major driver in job creation. Now that’s some good news we all can use.

What about you? Do these economic times have you reaching for the stars or burying your head in the sand? Leave a comment--- we’d love to hear from you.

Cari Sommer

Co-Founder

Urban Interns

Small Business Sentiment: Taking a Turn for the Better, or Will it be Doldrums for a Long Time?

2009-06-30T10:33:00.001-07:00

Some data recently came out from the National Federation of Independent Business (N.F.I.B.) that the New York Times commented on, but we question the thoroughness of their analysis. Since we have the ear of the small business community as well as job seekers, would love your input in the comments below, or if you don't feel comfortable commenting, send us an email at feedback@urbaninterns.com.

Essentially, the Times writes that the outlook for small business owners is bleak relative to the last two years, with the percentage of SBO’s planning to expand in the next 3 months contracting from 16% in July 2007 to 5% in May 2009. In addition, SBO’s expect sales to be down 5% in the next 3 months, whereas 2 years ago this number was up 16%; and hiring is expected to be down 5% in the next three months vs. up 13% two years ago. In addition, consumer confidence fell in June after 2 months of gains, the Conference Board reported today and as part of the same report, the % of Americans saying that jobs are “hard to get” increased slightly month over month. However, I don’t believe this data tells the full story. In the SBO data, you have to look at the month over month numbers, and while the “screen shot” of it is bleak on its face, I am seeing ever so slight upticks and/or stability in May over April pricing plans (3% vs 1%), hiring plans (steady at -5%). In addition, it’s not clear from either study whether this relates to just full-time work or part-time work as well. Presumably, many SBO’s have cut full-time hiring plans but still need to hire hourly / contract workers or interns to keep the lights on.

What do you all think? What are your hiring plans for full- AND part-time / interns for the next 3 months like? Please post your comments below!

Warmly,

Lauren Porat

Co-Founder

Urban Interns

Building structure around an unstructured internship

2009-06-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Shawn Graham of Courting Your Career for guest posting! We hope to return the favor!

You approach a small company or start up who has never hired an intern before about the possibility of working for them over the summer. They are interested in bringing you on board, but they don’t have a formalized training program or even much of a position description.

If they decide to make you an offer, should you just accept it on the spot so you know you’ll have something on your resume? Possibly…but that’s a risky bet. To make the most of your summer, your internship needs to be meaningful. And the best way to ensure that it’s meaningful is for you to take the lead on giving it some structure.

First things first, you need a job description 1) because you want to know what you’re signing up for and 2) it gives you something tangible that you can refer back to throughout the course of your internship so you can make sure you’re getting the experience you need to position you for full-time employment and your employer is getting the help they need to grow their business. Because they’re a small company, it’s usually much easier for you to pull something together for them to react to than it is to expect them to come up with something on their own.

Once you have a mutually agreed upon job description, you can initiate a discussion about a midpoint and final performance review. Doing so will put you in a position to receive actionable feedback that you’ll be able to address before the end of the summer and see how you throughout the course of the internship--this is especially important if you think there might be a shot at them hiring you on full time as you want to make sure you’re meeting their expectations and performing at the highest possible level.

If they don’t have a formalized training program, there’s a pretty good chance that it’s going to be up to you to get up to speed on your own. Take time to familiarize yourself with their business including their products and services. Listen for clues from management and coworkers about the challenges they’re facing as they could give you an idea for a project you could help get off of the ground.

And, speaking of which, don’t forget to speak up. Managers get busy. A typical 10 week summer internship goes by pretty quickly. If you find you’re spending most of your time on busy work or no work at all, approach your intern employer with ideas of how you might be able to help out on specific projects. You don’t want to come across as telling them what to do, but you do want to offer to help.

Adding structure to an unstructured internship is the best way to ensure a positive experience for the company and for you as their intern. The more meaningful your experience, the more meaningful it will be on your resume as you search for a full-time job.

Shawn Graham is author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job and a career expert blogger for FastCompany.com. For more information about Shawn, visit his blog at courtingyourcareer.com.

Women Entrepreneurs Rock the World!

2009-05-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

We had the great fortune to attend Savor the Success's 2009 Women Entrepreneurs Rock the World event (event details here) today. We were so psyched to be in a room of so many amazing entrepreneurs, and the speakers had volumes of advice and takeaways for small business owners everywhere. Here are the highlights:

Melissa Cassera of Cassera Communications on story spinning: your business's story is as much about YOU as it is about your business. In order to craft this, work hard to incorporate the EMOTIONS, DETAILS, and CHARACTERS into it.

Mike Michalowicz, serial entrepreneur and author of the best-selling Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: Here is his formula for success: YOUR BELIEFS + WHAT YOU FOCUS ON = APPARENT ACTION. If you believe there is an opportunity, it will absolutely happen. If you believe the economy will crush you, it absolutely will. Changing your thought patterns will change your business. Also, set your 10-year vision for your business. Anyone can achieve anything in 10 years. Your vision must be crystal clear and it must be big. But you have to achieve your goal in a zigzag pattern...that is, set your 90 day plan and achieve it, then re-calibrate and set your next 90 day plan, and so forth, because headwinds change and you must adjust.

Ayesha Matthews on branding: Decide what your core values are and make sure every aspect of your user experience reflects those. An awesome product is a necessary precursor to a good branding campaign.

Sydney Biddle Barrows - the infamous Mayflower Madame! - on creating a compelling customer experience: You need to understand what business you're really in, and create a unique selling proposition around that. For example, as a madame she was not in the escort business but in the fantasy and the trust businesses. (An interesting example, we know, but very effective as an example of a simple, well-branded business at the time - albeit an illegal one!)

Thanks to Angela Jia Kim, founder of Savor the Success, for organizing the event. We look forward to connecting with all of the great people we met there soon.

Warmly,

Lauren & Cari

5 Ways to Supercharge Your Job Hunt

2009-04-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

Guest post from Gradspot.com, the destination for life after college.

In the current job market, the absolute worst thing you can do as a job-hunter is do nothing else except look for a job.

Sound counter-intuitive? Let me explain.

Before the recession hit, the average job hunt took four months. Now, you might realistically expect it to take up to six months (or longer). So when the right opportunity finally comes, you don’t want to walk into the interview with no story to tell. The interviewer will almost certainly ask you what you’ve been doing since graduation, and unfortunately, “looking for a job” is just not a compelling answer.

But how do you build that story that will help you stand out from the rest of the pack? Looking for listings and networking can only take up so many hours in the week. Here are five things you can do boost your stock while you’re looking for a full-time job.

Do volunteer work. Finding a non-profit organization that interests you can be a great way use your free time productively. From a personal standpoint, you will benefit from the opportunity to meet new people, pick up some new skills, and do something worth feeling good about.

And when it comes time for an interview, you can say that you wanted to donate your time and effort to a cause you strongly believe in, which will demonstrate your commitment and work ethic. End result? Everyone wins.

Find an Internship. I know I’m preaching the choir here, but it’s crucial to have intern experience under your belt in today’s market. Even if you get an internship that’s unpaid and only keeps you occupied a couple days a week, it provides valuable experience to add to your resume and speak about with potential employers. Furthermore, it could be your golden ticket to a full-time gig—many great entry-level jobs never even make it onto jobs listings sites and instead are filled out of the pool of available interns.

Learn a New Skill. The more skills you bring to the table, the more attractive you’ll be to potential employers. Take advantage of the free time you have and learn to program, use Photoshop, or speak conversational Spanish. Find something that’s coveted in the field that interests you and dive in. If you are a self-starter you can find books and websites to learn almost anything for free, but you can also check out sites like Craiglist to track down tutors of all types.

Freelance or Find a Temp Gig. Why not make a little money and gain some exposure while you’re searching for a full-time opportunity? In the age of online content, finding freelance gigs is easier than ever, though the pay has suffered as a result. Moreover, you don’t have to be writer to freelance—web designers, artists, programmers, and copy editors can all pawn off their services. In addition to Craigslist, check out Indeed, SoloGig, and Mandy.

Take a (Productive) Vacation. Ok, so maybe going to Southeast Asia won’t help you with the specific goal of getting hired. But if your job-hunt is dragging on interminably, why not take a trip to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go? The chances of taking off on a two-month backpacking trek grow slimmer by the day once you’re on a career track, and as long as you explain your travels constructively, they shouldn’t hurt your chances of landing a job. In fact, they may even help. Employers value a range of experiences and a proven ability to be independent, and many companies report that employees who have taken gap years demonstrate more maturity and stay on longer than their peers.

Chris Schonberger is Editor-in-Chief of Gradspot.com and author of Gradspot.com’s Guide to Life After College, a humorous manual for the transition from college to the real world.

Personal Branding & Networking

2009-04-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

We attended a panel discussion on personal branding and networking last night at NYU, hosted by Step Up Women's Network (full disclosure: we are both on the board of Step Up). On the panel were a series of women who know a LOT about this topic: Carla Harris (Managing Director Morgan Stanley), Christine Beauchamp (President Ann Taylor), Hope Hughes (Director Deloitte Consulting), and Juliette Powell (Media Entrepreneur), and it was moderated by Beth Schoenfeldt (Co-Founder Collective-E). Some key takeaways that are applicable to you, whether you're an Urban Intern or a small business/entrepreneur/busy professional:

1. Your personal brand should accurately reflect the way people perceive you. In order to create a strong personal brand, think of 3 adjectives that you want people to describe about you when you are not in the room. (As Carla said, the most important decisions are made about you when you're not present: hiring, promotion, and new opportunities.) And then make sure that everything you do reflects those words.

2. Tough times can create major opportunities. If you've been laid off, use it as an opportunity to find a job that you absolutely love. And don't settle, because you can only excel at it if you're happy in the role.

3. Companies that are firing are also hiring right now. Think major retailers and even financial firms. They use times like this as an opportunity to "upgrade" their workforces.

4. Use your network - and do not be afraid to ASK for favors or introductions! Magical things can happen with the power of personal connections.

5. Build your resume. If your "dream" job isn't realizing itself, look for a similar position or function in a different industry. When the market turns around, you'll be in a great position.

6. Consider part-time/freelance/internship work. Lots of companies are using part-time help and freelancers to get work done without long-term financial commitments, but these roles very frequently turn into full-time jobs.

We are thrilled to be your go-to resource for part-time work solutions. We continue to refine the product and have some exciting announcements coming up. In the meantime, email us with questions and feedback!

Warmly,

Lauren & Cari

2 Week Anniversary!

2009-03-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

Today marks our 2-week anniversary, and it has been a busy 2 weeks! As of the time of this writing, we have 388 Urban Intern profiles and 55 registered employers on the site. We wanted to share a bit about what we've learned about you since we launched. On the Urban Intern side, you're focused and determined to find that next flexible opportunity, and many of you are willing to take an unpaid job in order to build your resume, your skill set, and your network. On the employer side, you're stretched, working insane hours to grow your business, and you need reliable help that can represent your business. You are looking for people that are responsive, trustworthy, and professional. You barely have time to search for the right people, let alone interview them. (And by the way, we get it! As small business owners, we're right there with you tackling a never-ending to-do list.)

Are you reading us? If you are an Urban Intern, you need to be proactive and energetic about your job search. If you are an employer, now is the time to find highly qualified, skilled people without the financial commitment of full-time employees.

Here's what one employer said:

"I am very impressed with Urban Interns. In record time, I've received and continue to receive contact information from exceedingly qualified candidates that I never would have known about, if it were not for your site. We are still evaluating many inquiries received to date, and have yet to make a hiring decision for the positions we've posted. Thanks for launching such a great resource!" -- Barbara Poole, Founder, Employaid.com

...and here's what one Urban Intern said:

"I am hopeful. This site, although it is still getting started, has made me more positive about my job search and I believe it can help a lot of people in my position. Thanks again." -- Maria Villena

We were also featured on NY1 (http://tinyurl.com/c2skme), Fox Business News (sorry, no clip available), and AM New York (http://tinyurl.com/bwuo5s)! We encourage you too, to spread the word about Urban Interns on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, wherever you go online...the more people that visit your site, the more people will see your profiles and job postings, making your searches that much more productive.

Feel free to add your comments below! Your feedback is important to us.

Lauren & Cari

Co-Founders

Welcome

2009-02-16T12:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Urban Interns, and thank you for checking us out! We're thrilled to be bringing you the web's first site dedicated to finding part-time assistants. If you're looking for an extra set of hands, on Urban Interns you can either post a job and let candidates respond, or search our assistant database. If you're looking for work, you can search our job database or post your profile and let employers find you. In these uncertain times, we know that small businesses are looking to get more efficient and that there are lots of talented, skilled New Yorkers looking for work. It's our goal to be that much-needed bridge between both groups.

You might be asking, who are we, anyways? "We" are Cari and Lauren, and we're great friends, colleagues, and the co-founders of Urban Interns. We are the ones who you'll be hearing from on this blog. We met on the board of a fantastic nonprofit called Step Up Women's Network. The seed of this business idea was planted many years ago at a board meeting, and our lives have taken many twists, turns, kids, and career changes to get to the point of launching Urban Interns together. Like many small business owners, we are incredibly proud and excited to watch our vision unfold.

On this blog, we'll be sharing with you success stories, tips for how to use the site, and recommendations of other sites we like that we think might help our users. We'll always try to be as candid and helpful as possible. You can also follow us on Twitter for more real-time updates, links to articles, etc.

As a "thank you" for being a beta user, Urban Interns will be free for the first 6 weeks or so. During that time you may get some emails from us with surveys, requesting feedback, etc. You are our most important asset - we know that - and your honest feedback is critical to us. Please either leave us comments on this blog, or send us an email at feedback@urbaninterns.com with whatever is on your mind, from specific feature requests to issues using the site. We'll always try to respond as quickly as we can.

With all that said, have a productive day and we look forward to serving you well.

Cari Sommer and Lauren Porat

Co-Founders, Urban Interns