Take criticism. It’s a gift.

Courtesy CliveSimpkins.blogs.com

It takes practice to see criticism as the gift it is.

The first thing you need to do look at criticism from a little different perspective. This of it as an opportunity. It means that there has been miscommunication or there is a genuine screw up. Both of these things need to be rectified so if someone takes their precious time to let you know about the problem – be glad.

I think of it as someone telling me I have something green in my teeth. Someone who likes you will tell you while someone who doesn’t care about you won’t. Granted, you may not get called names or cussed at when they tell you that there’s something in your teeth, but the favor is still there.

Let me provide a recent example. I work on a fundraising event called Holiday Market. I’ve purchased advertising on Facebook to hit all the women in the area. One of the women in the area was kind enough to leave an unflattering post that was along the lines of “I haven’t supported you since you changed your name to Holiday Market.” Alluding to the fact that we went all PC and changed from Christmas Market to Holiday Market. It’s always been Holiday Market.

This is where charm and grace took over and I thanked her for the post. I didn’t correct her or get defensive. I simply explained the reason we have our name and that I hoped she would join us for the best shopping experience of her life.

I used the opportunity to explain who we were, why we did what we did, that we love her and her input and that we want her in our family. Will she come to our event? Who knows. I do know that she can’t honestly tell her friends and family that we are rude and hate Christmas. Other people who read the exchange will see our organization as kind, attentive and thoughtful. You never know who is watching on social media.

Even if someone cusses you and your mother, stay cool. This could be just the chance you’ve needed to change a broken process; to update outdated information; to find out the way you do things is totally jacked up and needs improvement.

Courtesy ios.wonderhowto.com

I’m not saying it doesn’t suck and sometimes people are mean and life isn’t fair, BUT if you try at some point in the criticism to find the nugget of gold in the pile of bullsh*t you could come out smelling like a rose.

How do you handle criticism?

I’d love to hear from you.

-Tina

Intern every chance you get

Archive100.com

Seriously, if you can intern every semester of college – including summers – you will not regret it. Better yet, be such a good intern that you get hired while you go to school.

In Mass Comm at ETSU, you only get one three-hour credit for an internship and many students are cool with that. It was my experience however, that the first internship was just to get acclimated to the process. I did learn a LOT – most notably what I wanted and didn’t want in my future job. I didn’t get paid and I worked my ass off.

When my internship was over, I had good experience, great samples for my portfolio, and an A. Most importantly, I got a gig with the company after that. I was a (well) paid contractor doing the same stuff I was doing for free as an intern. If they had an opening I’m sure I’d be working there right now.

I did another internship the next semester after that. I didn’t get a paycheck, but I did get an in-kind payment that both my husband and I were able to enjoy. Everyone was happy. I loved that work experience, have even MORE stuff for my portfolio, and some great relationships.

Now, I’m in the internship that I hope becomes my job after graduation. You listening WETS?!

Through each internship I gained not only valuable experience and cool samples for my portfolio, I developed strong relationships and built a network. I have valuable insights into the work I want to do, the type of employer I want to work with, and I have narrowed my focus and path forward.

A lot of students think that the internship is just to fulfill a requirement, that it doesn’t matter because they’re moving away to follow their career anyway. That’s too bad for them but awesome for me (and students like me). Their attitude makes it easier for me to get a job  – even if I move away because the competition has a poor attitude.

Of course, there are students who have to work their way through college. It sucks that our system is set up that way. Because of recent Supreme Court ruling on internships, most companies now have to pay their interns. I doubt seriously they will pay very much, and the intern opportunities will most likely shrink.

That said, you may need to take a look at your finances to figure out how you can accommodate internships that may not pay well. How much spending can you cut? Living like a pauper as a college student is perfectly acceptable. Living like a pauper after college…mmm, not so much. Do you want a good career later, or do you want a good hourly job now? Do you want Nine West shoes now or Louboutin shoes later? Good internships are worth the sacrifice now for the career you want in the future.

Also, for the love of pete, don’t wait until the last minute to find an internship!! Start thinking about your next internship before the next semester starts. Be ready to apply, do some due diligence to make sure it’s a good fit. You are more likely to get the internship you want when you start early because everyone else is lazy. Don’t be lazy.

Speaking of lazy competition, imagine what your resume is going to look like when it shows college full time and a roster of awesome internships! Seriously, it makes a difference.

What do you think about internships? Are they worth the trouble?

I’d love to hear from you

-Tina

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Alfred Eisenstaedt / LIFE

This grumpy-looking old cuss is George Bernard Shaw. He said, “I dream things as they never were and ask, ‘Why not?'”

I’ve always believed this. Being the nerd-bird that I am, that was my senior quote in high school. I see opportunity everywhere – even in things that are said to be impossible. Impossible only means that something hasn’t been done yet.

WETSFM had always had RTVF interns, but never a PR intern. I’m a constant listener of the station, and I followed their social media. I could see that they needed a PR person desperately!!

I contacted the person who is the RTVF internship liaison for WETS and asked how we could do this. Some emails and a meeting later, I was the Fall 2013 PR intern for WETSFM. Woo hoo!

It totally boils down to creating your own opportunities. I had my passion for public radio, I was a consumer of WETSFM, I recognized the need I could fill and I went for it. I connected the dots.

That’s what everyone has to do in this life. You have to look for how your passion can fill a need for someone. You have to always be paying attention and follow your passion and you have to always put that passion to work for you.

This video is of Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement speech. He is talking about connecting the dots in life. It’s less than 15 minutes and totally worth listening to for inspiration.

I’d love to hear from you.

-Tina