FocusQuest

INTERNSHIP

Internships are great ways to try out a career field, build skills, meet people working in your preferred industry, and gain full-time employment. While they are extremely valuable, they are also hard work. Preparation is essential to thoughtfully managing your quality of life, especially the path of your career experiences. You can pretty much have your cake and eat it too, with the right planning. Check out some tips to prepare yourself for gaining the opportunity and making the most of it.

Prepare for your internship

What are my qualifications?

Think about what you might be a good fit for, and what would be a good fit for you. Consider your degree, experience, skills and talents, and hobbies/interests/passions. Then update your resume accordingly with free or paid online resume builders that can help, if needed.

Where should I look?

Put your network to work by reaching out to see if they know of anyone hiring, or getting personal recommendations. Contact companies directly by writing a letter of interest. Search job and career websites for millions of job listings, narrow down results by specific criteria, and create job alerts.

What materials should I have on hand?

A resume showcases your skills, education, and professional background. A cover letter adds context to your application by persuading the reading that you’re uniquely right for the job. A professional social media profile on sites like LinkedIn is great to have. *Note: organizations are also checking out your other social media platforms to review personal details about you. An online portfolio (for those entering the creative field) composes a polished collection of projects and samples.

How do I prepare for the interview?

Review basic information about the organization to ensure you have done your due diligence. Come up with your own questions about the company to identify your passion and curiosity about the organization. Research and practice common interview question to be prepared, making sure to be yourself so they get to know who you are. Do not stop at the interview. First, breathe, then send a thank you message to people you spoke with. Check in if you have not heard by when they said they would reach out.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INTERNSHIP

PAY ATTENTION
  • Learn the expectations of your supervisor
  • Ask thoughtful questions
  • Listen to the information you receive
  • Take notes
EXPRESS POSITIVITY & GRATITUDE
  • Show up with enthusiasm
  • Take on assigned tasks willingly
  • Be courteous
EXPAND YOUR NETWORK
  • Introduce yourself to your coworkers
  • Connect with each person to get an idea of what they do
  • Research the field (during down time)
  • Maintain the relationships you make
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
  • Complete each task with excellence
  • Pay attention to details
  • Follow instructions
  • Ask for clarity as you need it
  • Be professional
BE PROFESSIONAL
  • Stay focused on the work
  • Follow up and follow through
  • Be punctual and complete projects on time
  • Limit outside interactions (phone, SM, etc.)
  • Take on more work without being asked
UNDERSTAND COMPANY CULTURE
  • Observe how the team engages and interacts
  • Identify routines
  • Read the organization’s material, policies, and procedures
  • Figure out office norms
  • Seek guidance from your team members
MANAGE YOUR SELF WISELY
  • Stay organized
  • Keep track of your work
  • Ask for feedback
  • Reflect on the skills your gaining
  • Be open to feedback
  • Make any necessary adjustments

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

We understand that choosing a career path can be overwhelming, and we’re here to help you navigate the process. Our mission is to guide you towards finding a career that aligns with your passions, strengths, and goals.

We offer a range of resources and tools to help you explore different career pathways and discover what jobs are available to you by studying certain certificate programs. Our team of experienced career advisors is here to assist you in identifying your strengths, developing your skills, and achieving your career goals.

We provide you with information on the degree programs required for various career paths, so you can make informed decisions about your educational journey. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, business, technology, or any other field, we can help you find the degree program that will prepare you for success.

At FocusQuest, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue their dream career. So, come explore the possibilities with us, and let us help you turn your aspirations into reality.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Reading is fundamental. Truly. With invaluable benefits such as memory enhancement, language and vocabulary development, focus, empathy, self-improvement, stress reduction, imagination and creativity boost, and new discoveries, it is imperative that we develop reading as a daily habit. As little as 30 minutes a day can enhance the capacity of our brain and our mind (yes, there is a difference).

We have curated a few options for you below to add to your already packed (we know) schedule. Start with a genre, book, and just 10 minutes. Allow yourself to be drawn in, keep it up for at least a week, and enjoy the experience of changing how you see the world.

FEATURED BOOKS

The Battle of Finance and Fame is an entertaining financial novel and guide for teenagers and young adults. It provides a fresh perspective on the age-old question; which is more important, money or fame? Through real world examples and practical advice, this novel shows you how to achieve financial success without sacrificing your integrity or your happiness.

It’s a unique combination of fact and fiction humorously woven together with relatable characters. Follow high schooler Chad’s bumpy financial journey and his pursuit of becoming a well-known hip-hop artist while his girlfriend pursue stardom as a reality tv personality.

This family-oriented book illustrates financial concepts: FICO /Credit Score, payroll tax, student loans, budget planning, bank & credit card statements, compound interest, illustrations, and graphs. The story communicates how to manage behavior, money and time, bounce back from adversity, form, and respect relationships, live a life of authenticity and integrity, apply generational knowledge, and serve the community.

Lisa McCorkle, author of “The Battle of Finance and Fame”, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her master’s degree in urban affairs at Queens College City University. While working full-time, she volunteered as an instructor for Operation Hope financial literacy youth program-going to New York City public schools and teaching their financial program to students. She is the founder of LMC Connection llc. —they provide literacy services to empower the youth with financial education. She is also the founder of B.O.O.K.M.E. Foundation (Books Offer Opportunities, Knowledge, and Mega Exposure), a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides literacy and art programs for inner-city youth.

While creating her next novel, she continuously works to encourage and support the visions and goals of those around her, using her life experiences to facilitate financial empowerment workshops in NYC public schools.

The Battle of Finance and Fame
Lisa McCorkle

The Hard Facts About Soft Skills

Richard Anthony Celestin

What are soft skills?

Are soft skills important?

If they are so important, then why are they called “soft”?

Despite its name, soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today’s professional world. It is not enough to be highly trained in technical skills, without understanding and developing the softer, interpersonal and relationship-building skills that are critical for professional growth. While technical, harder skills may present opportunities for you, it is your soft skills that will maintain those opportunities and provide avenues for new opportunities to present themselves. Your ability to identify and master these soft skills, ranging from critical thinking, dressing for success, networking and personal branding, are critical for achieving professional success. While these soft skills are often undervalued and/or not presented sufficiently to young professionals and pre-professionals, you will learn in this book that…

Soft skills are anything but soft!

Richard Anthony Celestin is a graduate of Queens College and The City University of New York School of Law. While at CUNY Law, he focused his studies on criminal defense and juvenile justice. Prior to entering law school, and since becoming an attorney, he has offered his knowledge and insight into the juvenile and criminal justice areas throughout New York City addressing issues and concerns that affect communities of color.

In addition to working with youth involved in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, Mr. Celestin created a limited liability corporation, Richard Celestin Consulting Group, LLC, for the purposes of developing and providing legal skill development, self-awareness, youth empowerment, and consequential thinking programs to elementary, middle and high school students in NYC, New Jersey and Long Island, particularly with youth of color.

Additionally, Richard Celestin is a Amazon best-selling author, serves as a Board member to CUNY School of Law, acts as a consultant for several organizations seeking to develop youth-based programs within the community, practices law as a solo practitioner and is an adjunct professor at Queens College.

Should she take the leap through the window into the unknown? Seventeen-year-old Kyrie had no idea if she could survive it, but the notion of staying was much less appealing than the risks of the streets. A bullet that finds a fleeing target in the night, a baby held out of a high-rise window, and squatting in a rodent-infested apartment are just some of the experiences within Kyrie’s family dynamic perpetrated by her father’s actions and enabled by her mother’s acquiescence.

Gifts in Brown Paper Packages (Gifts) is a coming-of-age story commencing the night New York City teenager Kyrie Graves impulsively flees the verbal and physical abuse prevalent in her childhood home to tackle life and adulthood with no plan except survival. The night that Kyrie decides to exit her bedroom window one final time changes the course of her life.

Gifts is a story of a young girl’s survival driven by strength, personal growth, a journey to self-awareness, and ultimately acknowledging her truth. Through Kyrie’s lens, the reader is led through vivid episodic flashbacks from her adolescence through young adulthood in a journey ripe with experiences that are sometimes funny, often shocking and painful, and always genuine. Acceptance of her story and how it shapes her enables Kyrie to embrace the lessons, i.e., gifts, that strife and challenges offer despite their unpalatable aspects. Kyrie reveals her struggles, fears, and growth through this tale while displaying the perseverance that births her power and voice. Ultimately, Kyrie recognizes and accepts all the gifts, even the ones that come wrapped in brown paper packages!

S.P. Brown, a seasoned writer, was born and raised in the vibrant city of New York. Her childhood unfolded across various boroughs, including Queens and Manhattan, ultimately leading her to Harlem. The journey through public schooling, from early years to high school, shaped her into an avid reader, instilling a deep love for books and the magnificent edifices that housed them.

From an early age, S.P. Brown was captivated by the notion that a short walk to the nearby library could yield a treasure trove of books, often too weighty for her young frame to carry back home. Yet, the promise of embarking on countless journeys through the pages of those books fueled her determination.

Fantasy fiction and mysteries held a special place in her heart during her formative years, nurturing the roots of her writing passion. This ardor for writing was further cultivated by her father’s insistence on reading and analyzing advanced literary works, which introduced her to an array of rich vocabulary and descriptive prose. These exercises not only shaped her linguistic skills but also provided a means of escape and creative expression.

Early experiences in community theater and a mock trial program at Columbia University School of Law stoked her affinity for words and public speaking. By the age of 14, S.P. Brown aspired to become an attorney, a path that aligned with her love for language and rhetoric. Over the course of two decades, she established herself in the field of Employment Discrimination law, dedicating 13 years to the media and entertainment industry. Here, she offered invaluable guidance to corporate leaders, yet her heart’s true calling remained in writing and mentoring.

Driven by an unwavering passion, S.P. Brown’s life mission revolves around inspiring and uplifting others through her writing. Her purpose is to share truths that catalyze positive change in at least one person’s life every single day.

In addition to her illustrious career, S.P. Brown is a devoted wife of 26 years and a proud mother of three remarkable individuals.

CREDIT EDUCATION

At FocusQuest, we understand that managing credit and finances can be a daunting task. That’s why we offer a range of resources and services to help our community members make informed decisions about their financial well-being. Our financial coaching services can help you create a budget, reduce debt, and plan for your future, while our student loan and personal loan options can help you finance your education or achieve your personal goals. 

 

We encourage all members of our community to take advantage of these valuable resources by learning more about how we can help you achieve financial stability and success.

RESEARCH

Academic writing and research are essential necessities to function successfully in certain degrees, programs, and even certifications. Over time these resources help to improve independent learning and critical thinking, technical grammar and vocabulary skills, and the synthesis of relevant information.  They can prepare you to speak with authority, communicate clearly, master the building blocks of your message, and engage your reader about various subjects. Overall, utilize these tools to develop you into a good writer or elevate you to a great one.

  • Google Scholar 

    Reference to access papers submitted to all databases on the web

  • Library of Congress 
    World’s biggest library, housing millions of recordings, books, maps, manuscripts, newspapers, and photographs, especially for historical analysis

WRITING / GRAMMAR

  • Grammarly

    Free (and premium) editing tool locating surface errors and pointing out structural issues

ACADEMIC

STUDENT LIFE

  • Hoopla

    Web and mobile library media streaming platform (free through your public library)

  • Chegg

    Free resource for renting/buying cheaper books, finding tutors, and even searching internships

  • Duolingo

    Free tool to learn a language in a fun and effective way

CITATIONS/REFERENCES

  • Zoterobib

    Free service to help build a bibliography in any citation style

VOCABULARY/DEFINITIONS

  • Thesaurus.com

    Free service to improve vocabulary and strengthen word variety

  • Collins Dictionary

    Free top-rated platform for learners, translators, and teachers using various methods to improve grammar and fluency

  • Merriam-Webster

    Free top-rated tool for promoting almost all professionally accepted definitions

WORK TOOLS

PREZI

Free multimedia presentation tool that can be used as an alternative to traditional slide-making programs

GOOGLE DOCS

Free tool for multiple people to create and edit documents simultaneously (great for group projects)

DROPBOX

Free tool designed to streamline processes like sharing massive files, ensuring accessibility, saving photos, presentations, and the like, and uploading or sharing your documents for simultaneous editing

IHOMEWORK 2

Free school organizer/planner app (apple only)

HEALTH SITES

There is a complex relationship between health, learning and engagement, and wellness for students. It is essential to promote healthy lifestyles through programs, services, and resources that address an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual capacities. Providing tools for student’s overall health and wellness is important to both their academic success and personal growth.

  • Sleepyti.me

    Tool that shares the best times to go to bed to be up at a certain hour

Exploring the Link Between Social Media and Depression

Recent studies suggest a direct link between social media use and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

INSPIRATIONAL / MOTIVATIONAL (TED TALKS)

GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

- LUVVIE AJAYI JONES

Luvvie Ajayi Jones isn’t afraid to speak her mind or to be the one dissenting voice in a crowd, and neither should you. “Your silence serves no one,” says the writer, activist and self-proclaimed professional troublemaker. In this bright, uplifting talk, Ajayi Jones shares three questions to ask yourself if you’re teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down — and encourages all of us to get a little more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

3 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU DO

- STACEY ABRAMS

How you respond to setbacks is what defines your character, says Stacey Abrams, the first Black woman in the history of the United States to be nominated by a major party for governor. In an electrifying talk, she shares the lessons she learned from her campaign for governor of Georgia — and some advice on how to change the world. “Be aggressive about your ambition,” Abrams says.

HOW TO REWRITE YOUR LIFE

- JULLY BLACK

Revealed? What does it mean to reveal ourselves? Reveal yourself. Jully Black pays tribute to her mother and reminds us to live our lives because there are no do-overs.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE—AND SPARK IT IN OTHERS

- BRITTANY PACKNETT

“Confidence is the necessary spark before everything that follows,” says educator and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham. In an inspiring talk, she shares three ways to crack the code of confidence — and her dream for a world where revolutionary confidence helps turn our most ambitious dreams into reality.

BLACK MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

- PHILLIP J. ROUNDTREE

What is “Black Mental Health” and why does it “Matter”? Hear Phillip’s journey of trauma, resilience, and advocacy as he gives an impassioned talk discussing the impact of trauma on black identity, and black wellness, and why America’s current conversation on mental health is inadequate. –

HOW CREATIVE WRITING CAN HELP YOU THROUGH LIFE’S HARDEST MOMENTS

- SAKINAH HOFLER

Have you ever seen or experienced something and wished you spoke up? Writer Sakinah Hofler makes the case for writing as a tool to help you process difficult memories and reclaim the power they may hold. Pick up a pen or pull up a keyboard and follow along as she walks you through how to unburden your mind and inspire reflection.

MY YEAR OF SAYING YES TO EVERYTHING

- SHONDA RHIMES

Shonda Rhimes, the titan behind Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, is responsible for some 70 hours of television per season, and she loves to work. “When I am hard at work, when I am deep in it, there is no other feeling,” she says. She has a name for this feeling: The hum. The hum is a drug, the hum is music, the hum is God’s whisper in her ear. But what happens when it stops? Is she anything besides the hum? In this moving talk, join Rhimes on a journey through her “year of yes” and find out how she got her hum back.

STOP CHASING PURPOSE AND FOCUS ON WELLNESS

- CHLOE HAKIM-MOORE

For ages, people have been told to find our purpose, and that purpose will lead to a fulfilled life. But what if finding purpose isn’t enough to bring fulfillment? What if the focus on finding purpose, in fact, has been harming us by obscuring who we are with ideas of who we should be? This talk explores how our singular mission should be collective wellness, why now is the time to pursue it, and how the journey will offer the healing our world has desired for centuries.

COLOR BLIND OR COLOR BRAVE

- MELLODY HOBSON

The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it’s a “conversational third rail.” But, she says, that’s exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring — makes for better businesses and a better society.

THE DANGER OF SILENCE

- CLINT SMITH

“We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t,” says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AN INJUSTICE

- BRYAN STEVENSON

In an engaging and personal talk — with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks — human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America’s justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country’s black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America’s unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candor, insight and persuasiveness.

THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOM

- JOHN LEWIS AND BRYAN STEVENSON

Civil rights leader and longtime US congressman John Lewis spent his life fighting for freedom and justice for everyone. In this illuminating conversation with lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson, Lewis discusses the essential importance of voting, shares encouraging words of wisdom for the generation of young people currently organizing in the struggle for racial justice and tells moving stories from his decades of making “good trouble” — at the Freedom Rides, March on Washington and in the halls of Congress. “When you see something that’s not right or fair or just, you have to say something,” Lewis says. “You have to do something.”

HOW TO OVERCOME OUR BIASES? WALK BOLDLY TOWARD THEM

- VERNA MYERS

Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly — as we’ve seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how.