Internships & Externships 

Web Development & Technology

Website development is a critical component of almost every business. Our organization is no different: the programming and redesign of our various websites has become a higher priority, the role of computer-savvy interns/externs has increased. This is an excellent opportunity for hands-on experience, a real resume builder, with possible revenue sharing. The ability to promote and enhance the organization's professional image is as essential as technical knowledge. We are looking to continue work on several of our commercial websites, Internships4You.com and hereismycoupon.com.

(Responsibilities May Include):

Re-develop and expand our commercial web site www.internships4you.com utilizing PHP, CGI and other technologies.

Develop new website functions, front end design and back end administration, features, and automation.

Create solutions and generate information for intranet, partners, and end-users. Maintain and develop our Apache server through new software, security and related.

Work with marketing and e-commerce strategies.

A results-oriented opportunity to work with state-of-the-art software for detail-oriented people. Ideal for self-motivated people who are driven to learn new web technologies and implement them while gaining hand-on experience and potential long-term affiliation (equity and ownership/ partnership).

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Web & Graphic Designer

Whether it is working on our numerous web sites, Powerpoints, templates, book covers and page layouts, manuals, or promotional pieces, image is a crucial part of the business package. Designers must be able to realize new visual concepts for all aspects of our company to reflect the professionalism of their content and medium.

(Responsibilities May Include):

Create HTML pages utilizing Dreamweaver and CSS for new commercial website (hereismycoupon.com) and client websites through (aed-is.com).

Design sales materials, press releases, training products, book proposals, and training materials.

Create new products for readysetpresent.com, PPT templates, presentations, manuals, articles, advertisements and newsletters.

Utilize a wide range of programs Quark, Adobe CS4 Suite, PowerPoint and many others.

Utilize audio and video software to create promotional pieces and products. A fast paced creative challenge to expand any portfolio with meaningful projects/work.

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Writers & Editors

Our interns/externs must function in a writing, editing, rewriting, evaluating, development, and creating capacity. This is for a variety of projects that may include: web site text, SEO meta tags, auto responders, marketing manuals, press releases, e-newsletters articles, PPT products, and more.

(Responsibilities May Include):

Conceptualize and develop website text, e-mails, flyers, documentation and more.

Write Press Releases for several of our commercial website that will be distributed nationally.

Coordinate correspondence between contributors, primary author, and publishers.

Create sales letters, press releases, marketing materials, PPT products, product descriptions, book proposals, and more.

Review and critique sales, marketing and technology documentation.

Edit and copy-edit new and existing products and materials (on- and off-line).

This internship offers a percentage of profit created from the team's efforts as well as contract, part or full time affiliation. Interns will receive written acknowledgement in publications when appropriate.

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Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing is an integral part of our organization. Marketing on-line and creating business partnerships are vital necessities to the continual growth and success of our organization. This position requires creative and persistent individuals who will clearly articulate the organizations services and their benefits to the decision-makers of the business community.

(Responsibilities May Include):

Develop partnerships for our commercial websites.

Develop strategies and new distribution outlets (on- and off-line) for products at readysetpresent.com and our services.

Utilize social networks to develop campaigns for each of our internal websites and several client websites.

Contact fund raising groups nationally and invite them to participate in hereismycoupon.com (still in re-development).

Assist with client e-mail correspondence, sales manuals, marketing strategy, writing copy, newsletters, press releases, contracts and negotiations and more.

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Social Networking (SEO) & Marketing

Our Social Media Coordinator will understand the value and mission of our websites (primarily HereIsMyCoupon) and appropriately represent this business in the social media space. The ideal candidate needs to have wide-ranging familiarity with major social sites and services; deep personal engagement in social media; and experience pitching bloggers and driving traffic through organic (non-paid) means.

(Responsibilities May Include):

Submit into on-line directories and search engines while monitoring site rankings.

Optimize our commercial websites using SEO and additional strategies.

Research and build relationships for incoming and outgoing links with other web sites.

Create content to disseminate on social networks, aggregation websites, message boards, fan sites and more.

Actively work to identify relevant audiences for our community campaigns.

Refine and accelerate our existing social media strategies on Facebook, Twitter and more.

Monitor social media best practices and provide proactive recommendations.

Develop link exchanges and ongoing relationships with appropriate partners.

Track the effectiveness of campaigns in daily and weekly reports.

Monitor day-to-day social media conversations; and keep up-to-date with emerging social media platforms and opportunities.

Observe and identify new trends in social media.

This internship offers a percentage of the profit created from the team's efforts as well as potential contract, part-time, or full-time affiliation.

What I liked about A.E. Schwartz & Associates is that it is a local company. I've worked for big companies that did not take time to explain to me anything because they were too busy. Working at A.E Schwartz & Associates has been a great experience and an amazing opportunity for me. Andrew took time to explain to me what he wanted me to do, how to do it and he also let me find solutions by myself. I am from France, so it gave me a glimpse of what it is to work abroad and live in another country. It was a great learning experience for me and I feel much more comfortable with working and communicating with people. Andrew taught me how to market his company and how to use many software. This internship enabled me to identify my strengths and weaknesses and to work on improving myself and my work.

Based on the list of projects which I got before I started, I expected to work a lot in Marketing and gain experience in Marketing. The internship exceeded my expectations. I worked on so many different projects within the first month – every day was exciting. My goal was to do an internship in Marketing to fulfill my schools requirements. Personally I was also interested to learn more about US business world. I learned a lot during my internship. It was a real “hands on” experience. Writing requirements, doing website critique, directory listings, SEO and Social Networking are just a few things which enhanced my resume. It turned out as an opportunity for the future – coupon project. I’m more than happy to work with A.E. Schwartz and Associates on this exciting project in the future. I also found a great topic for my bachelor’s thesis and now I know that I want to continue studying Marketing after graduating. I’m happy that I got the opportunity to do an internship with A.E. Schwartz & Associates where I gained a lot of knowledge. I think one reason for my high involvement was that I was working full time. As more as you work the more you will get out of the internship. Consider at least working two days per week to keep on track with all the things which are going on.

I really wanted a very hands-on internship. I had never had a marketing internship before and most of my friends who had an internship in the field only complained that they didn’t learn much while they were there. I didn’t want my main tasks to be getting coffee and making copies. I was hoping to continue completing a lot of writing projects. I wrote a press release in the first month and really enjoyed doing that. I expected to be given similar projects in the future. My first goal was to gain an understanding of whether or not I’d really enjoy continuing marketing as a career. I also wanted to sharpen my business writing and communications skills. I took on a variety of tasks I had never done before. I was given the opportunity to write press releases for the first time and realized my great interest in the PR field. I also was provided with confidence in my work. I even developed a Power Point presentation that is actually sold by the company as a product, which I feel is a great accomplishment. If you are interested in getting your hands dirty and really becoming involved in the company, this internship is for you. The company is very small and that opens doors to a myriad of opportunities to try new and exciting things.

Search Engine Optimization definitely opened my eyes in internet marketing and I am willing to continue learning more about it. I did not have knowledge of internet marketing much. I realized how fascinating it is! I have enjoyed the meetings of CEOs from New England Small Business Associations. I wish we could attend all of them. I have gained skills in writing a PowerPoint presentation and now know the details and little things that really make difference and give the presentation an eye-catching and organized look. Looking for vendors, resellers, and affiliates was very useful. This process allowed me to explore many diverse businesses, look at their compatibility with ReadySetPresent.com and other sites, get into every page and find external links that connect to that specific website.

What stands out in my mind regarding my experience with A.E. Schwartz & Associates was not so much what we did, but how we did it. "It" was laying down the foundation for what, I felt for the most part, to be my own company. Proposals, guidelines, and policies to which we adhered were created by us and not given to us as stringent, stale, and anachronistic business practices. Everyday was a step forward in which learning and knowing played an integral part.

Upon entering the Sales/Marketing internship position, I was unsure of what to expect. I thought I was going to be entering into a "hyped" up telemarketing position. Instead, I found that I was continuously challenged with projects and assignments which encompassed a wide range of arenas. Each of us had a great impact on the success of the company. I learned more at this internship that I would have at any other due to the amount of responsibility that I was given, coupled with the continuous feedback that I received. I would recommend taking the opportunity to learn through an internship at A.E. Schwartz & Associates. It truly is an enriching experience.

What was most impressive about working with Andrew was his personal commitment to making internships a true learning experience. Andrew is an unbelievably busy person who still finds the time to be very personally involved in his interns' development. He is sincerely interested in helping interns meet their career goals, whether or not they are in the training and development industry. Andrew will give you as much work as you can handle and the trust and guidance for you to carry it out. Almost as soon as I began working with him, Andrew gave me a manuscript to work on and scenarios to write. My brain was exercised as often if not more than my copy editing skills. The office is also a very exciting and dynamic environment, full of interesting people who are all busy with their own projects. Every time I talk to Andrew, he is brimming over with news of the office and the web site. An internship working with Andrew is sure to be a rewarding one for motivated individuals, no matter what their interests.

For the first time, I was exposed to "real-world" business concepts in a non-school environment. I never realized how much I could learn in a four-month period of time. During my internship, I have played a very active role in researching, developing, marketing, and participating in client meetings and so much more. I was overwhelmed in the beginning, although through Mr. Schwartz's mentoring I was able to learn and contribute productively. Highly recommend this work setting and experience so much so that I am continuing my affiliation on a project basis.

Looking back on my summer, I realize that I have learned far more than I had expected. As a writing/editing intern, I have not only gained valuable experience in editing, publishing, and business writing; but I have also learned about web-site development, marketing, and sales from my daily interactions with the other interns. We each had primary responsibility for one or more projects, which everyone usually had some part in designing, editing, or marketing. In addition, the home-based setting and flexible hours created an atmosphere that was casual, but nonetheless one that was fast-paced and demanding.

In working as a remote intern for A.E. Schwartz & Associates this summer I was able to sharpen my copy editing skills by working on a variety of projects including a book manuscript, marketing brochures, and training modules. I also helped develop the remote internship program which will enable students from all over the world to be a part of A.E. Schwartz & Associates. These tasks and many others have advanced my research, writing, and communication skills.

What originally interested me in A.E. Schwartz & Associates was the opportunity to write from day one. And during the application process, I was convinced that I wanted to work here because of the company's friendly, personable attitude. AES has proved to be an invaluable experience. Not only have I found friendships all over the US, but I have also published an article, worked on the website, had my voice recorded for all time on the School for Managers audio tape, edited and written training modules and reviews as well as learned from the numerous talents of my fellow interns. A.E. Schwartz & Associates has both improved my writing skills and broadened my horizons

Working at A.E. Schwartz and Associates has been a continuous learning experience for me. Besides learning about the different aspects involved in the business environment this internship has given me the opportunity to identify my own personal strengths and weaknesses through hands on experience; this is critical for any internship position. Through Mr. Schwartz's continuous feedback sessions, I can work on improving these weaknesses so as to make them strengths.

The aspect that distinguishes an internship here at A.E. Schwartz & Associates from my friend's internships is it's multidimensional approach. I have gone far beyond my primary sales and marketing responsibilities and been exposed to virtually every aspect of the organization over these 2+ years. This experience will most definitely lead me further than my peers. I have worked hands-on with sales, writing, databases, reports, correspondence, marketing, the Internet, testimonies, evaluations, clients, as well as with people both internally and externally. It has been fascinating watching the growth and success of my contributions and the organization's continued growth. I understand more about business, and what this organization through the unique one-to-one monitoring approach. Here, I have been treated as an adult and valued as a team member.

While I initially intended to work at A.E. Schwartz & Associates for just one summer, I stayed on throughout the subsequent school year on a part-time basis. The experience enriched complimented my MBA course curriculum; I applied classroom theory to real-life practice on a regular basis. Working for a solo practitioner afforded unique benefits - ready flexibility and hands-on work. That is, my projects were geared towards my interests, and thus the value of my internship experience was maximized.

This is no typical paper-shuffling internship. People are given a great deal of responsibility over their work, which fosters a sense of pride and achievement. To make things even better, there's a fantabulous camaraderie in the office and the change to work with a spectacular group of people. I feel I am very lucky to benefit from such an opportunity.

As a graphic design intern, my responsibilities were to create training materials, draft advertising and redesign web sites by utilizing various computer software. I also had the opportunity to attend fast paced seminars and conferences and was able to observe the impact of the training materials I helped to develop.

There is no question in my mind that an internship with A.E. Schwartz & Associates is a worthwhile experience. I was impressed with the responsibility and trust given to me from day one. It goes without saying that a friendship was formed this summer and I am certain that the relationship we built will continue for quite some time.

The internship soon exceeded my expectations. Andrew gave me real and important work. I copy edited his training manuals and programs as he prepared them for his clients. I also had the opportunity to write articles that were published in national management/business related publications. Andrew not only wanted to hear my opinions, he took them seriously. When you pick apart someone else's writing, you begin to think about the writing process seriously and carefully.

Making the Most From Interns and Internships

by Andrew E. Schwartz

Interns and internships: Many job applicants want a job but often do not have the prerequisite experience, experience that they can only have by getting a job. Managers who take the chance and hire them may have to spend considerable time and effort training them, only to find the new recruits unsuitable or unhappy with the jobs and looking for employment elsewhere.

One way around this problem for many organizations is an internship program. For professionals in career transition as well as students and recent graduates, such programs provide working experience that otherwise would never be supplied to someone interested in a specific field.

Types of internship structures range from full-time salary, minimum wage, stipend, and volunteer, to those in which the interns pay their employer for the opportunity. Most colleges and universities support internships for students matriculated in the institution or "work study" positions that do not necessarily constitute an internship but do provide financial compensation.

Students are trained at little or no cost to the employer. At the end of the internship, there is no further commitment, unless an employer feels that the intern may be qualified and capable for a full- or part-time job.

The Pluses... and Minuses: The value of offering student internships, the most common form of internships is broad and varied. From the student's viewpoint an internship offers the opportunity to explore career fields before committing to a major or graduate program and to strengthen skills and abilities. For those students who have a clear view of their future path, an internship provides the vehicle for increasing their possibilities of employment in their chosen field by building professional confidence, making contacts in their eventual field of endeavor, and bridging the resume gap between objectives and realities.

Fortunately for aspiring students, an internship program has real value for the many organizations and educational institutions that carry on internships on a regular basis. Interns contribute their energy, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity to situations that are often in need of a fresh perspective. Many interns, through hobbies, talents and non-formal training, have bona fide knowledge and technical expertise in an area that they are more than eager to apply in the real world. They are ideally suited to take on special projects that a full time-personnel cannot be spared for, or to implement short-term projects for which it would not be cost-effective to permanently cover.

Unfortunately, whatever the level of the internship program, the concept is often either not utilized or under-utilized by organizations. Management is often unable or unwilling to commit time to the training and supervision of interns. It is believed that since interns are neither on salary nor permanent hires, they have little accountability to the organization. It is true, but the failing is very often that of management for not offering the interns projects and responsibilities which are anything other than intellectually menial. Since the intern pool is made up of individuals who need new experiences and challenges, and are seldom satisfied with rote typing and filing, a misplaced intern will leave or be continually late for work.

"Intern Wanted": There are several important concerns in implementing an internship program. Although they apply particularly to student internships, many of the points raised are equally applicable to an internship for professionals in a career change. In implementing an internship program, you need to consider:

Needs? In identifying your needs for the internship, you need to examine the chief responsibilities of the position. And the broader they are, the more flexibility you will be giving yourself and the intern. Decide upon how often you will need the intern. Gauge any time factor related to the responsibilities you are assigning. Remember that the intern will not be as experienced as a regular employee would, he or she will need additional time to get acquainted with computer and other systems, your style of office management, and other on-the-job factors. Next figure your ability to offer a stipend. Not only will offering money bring you more qualified applicants, but it will suitably reward the intern. Many managers find it easy to offer a stipend in terms of travel expenses or living expenses, while also supplying miscellaneous costs.

Advertising. Most college and university career counseling offices contain internship listings or will post advertised internships. Research the universities and colleges in your area to find out where it would be most appropriate to list your internship. For example, if your internship is computer based, it would be wisest to list it in appropriate technical schools. It is also beneficial to find out what departments and fields of study are available in the educational institutions in your area.

Many departments are willing to list internships for students who are majoring in their department or who plan to pursue that field. Be broad-minded in this method of advertising. If your internship involves primarily public relations, consider departments such as psychology, English, advertising, communication, and foreign languages.

When listing the internship position, include several aspects which will present the internship in the most attractive, but honest light.

Overview. This is a brief general description of the areas the intern will be working in while also describing the organization itself. A typical overview might read: "Assist a broker in researching stocks, performing stock analysis, and networking new clients and contacts in an established stock brokerage firm. Work in a face-paced exciting setting with a goal-oriented approach to success. "

Title. This is often the first thing applicants look at so make sure it is concise, attractive, and self-explanatory. "Museum Curator's assistant" tells the applicant that he or she will have direct contact with the curator, will be assisting in curator tasks, and will be working with people in museum administration.

Hours. Specify the number of hours the intern will be needed each week. Will specific hours be adhered to, or will the schedule be more flexible? Salary. Applicants want to know up front what they will be paid, if anything. At this point specify whether the intern will be paid by project, by the hour, a stipend, or not at all. Remember that internships which at least offer a stipend will attract more qualified individuals.

Responsibilities. These might include outcomes that may not be apparent at first glance. For example, an intern working in a real estate office may not realize that the computer experience he or she will be getting will be helpful in a later job search.

Requirements. Here is your best opportunity to narrow down the field of prospective applicants to what you are looking for. You may want to include a required or preferred background, organizational abilities, any necessary experience, or office skills. Try not to be too selective in asking for experience - that's what you are there for.