Ask Heather: Two simultaneous internships, connecting with HR on LinkedIn

September 25, 8:31 AMEntry Level Careers ExaminerHeather Huhman

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Have a question about finding, landing or succeeding at internships or entry-level jobs? E-mail them to entrylevelexaminer@gmail.com to be included in an upcoming “Ask Heather.”

Q: What are the pros and cons of accepting two internships at once? I've been offered two internships and am considering working #1 on Monday and Wednesday, while working #2 on Tuesday and Thursday. How common is this? What are the drawbacks? How would I handle listing these two internships (completed at the same time) on my résumé?

A: This is an excellent question, and actually quite a common scenario. With your plan, you’ve actually set up the situation a lot like your course schedule at school – different classes on different days.

The pros, of course, are being able to complete two internships in one period of time and gaining the different experiences from both. The cons are trying to keep the internships’ projects straight in your head, particularly if both positions are similar. Just like with school, make sure you have a successful method of planning out your week so you know where you have to be when and complete assignments on time.

I personally recommend going for it, but being honest with each organization about the other’s existence. However, the decision is completely yours! Good luck!

Q: I met with an HR professional at a prospective company and we've been emailing since then regarding job opportunities. I wanted to refer her to my LinkedIn profile. Is it appropriate to "friend" or "link" to her on LinkedIn? Or should I simply message her suggesting she take a look? I'm still somewhat new to the LinkedIn community, and I'm not sure about the proper etiquette.

A: LinkedIn is a great tool, so I’m glad you’re checking it out! Everyone is different when it comes to how they’d like to interact on all social networks. HR professionals in particular often use LinkedIn to find perspective candidates for their open positions, so connecting with you would likely be a “win” for her just as much as you.

If you’ve had several conversations with her and or met her in person, and you feel confident she’ll know who you are, I would definitely try to connect with her! But, be sure you send a custom message. Never, ever use the LinkedIn default!

Q: I had what seemed like a promising job opportunity at a community college as an Admissions Representative. The Assistant and the Director of Admissions were very nice, and they said they were very interested in me. I was confident coming out of the first interview, and they said they were impressed with my persistence and determination.

I got to the second interview and the Regional Director was very rude. I did not get the job. I'd never been in an interview where the person interviewing me just put me down and listed all of my negatives. When that interview was over, I almost cried before I could get out the door. When the Director of Admissions e-mailed me and told me I didn't get the job, I didn't know how to respond. I don't know if I should tell him about my experience with the Regional Director or just leave it alone?

A: I’m very sorry this happened, but I strongly recommend you just let it go. Take it as a strong warning sign that you wouldn’t have liked working alongside the Regional Director. Sometimes, when things go wrong during the interview process, it’s actually a good thing. As odd as this might sound, it’s often better to have no job than one you hate and is literally causing you health problems.

Keep your chin up, and continue working toward a job in an organization that fits you better!