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Letter to the Reader
Foreword
Why I Wrote This Book
Back Cover

PART 1: WHERE TO START
Chapter 1: Reading Tips
Chapter 2: The Internship and Your Class Standing
Chapter 3: The Internship Cycle and When to Start the Job Hunt

PART 2: THE JOB HUNT
Chapter 4: Keeping Your Mind in the Game
A Few Words About Me
The Secret to Landing Any Job
What Do I Mean by "Be Proactive"?
Remember That It's Just a Number's Game
Whether to Use Internship Placement Programs
Chapter 5: Don't Believe Everything They Say
Grades Are Secondary!
The Grad School Debate
The Class Standing Paradox
Chapter 6: Finding the Opportunity
Visit Your Career Center Today
The Art of Mingling
Attending Career Fairs to Warm up "Cold" Resumes
Getting Your Foot in the Door with Externships
Chapter 7: The 4-Unit Process: Treat This Like a Class!
Choosing the Company
Preparing the Resume
Securing References
Preparing for Interviews
Low Budget Phone Screenings
On Persistence and Follow-up
Be Professional, Especially In Writing
If All Else Fails, Go Work for Free

PART 3: FROM OFFER TO FIRST DAY ON THE JOB: SEALING THE DEAL
Chapter 8: Offers in Hand-Now What?
Exploding Offers
Negotiation and Compensation
Multiple Offers? Lucky You!
Narrowing down My Six Entry-Level Offers
Why Burden Yourself with Landing Multiple Offers
Chapter 9: Preparing for a Smooth Transition
The First Big Decision-Your Start Date
The Internship Structure
The Pre-Conversation-Setting the Tone of Your Internship Before You Start
What to Request
Caution If You Come from a Prestigious University

PART 4: ONCE YOU ARE THERE: SHINING AT YOUR NEW JOB
Chapter 10: What to Expect
Week One
Basic Protocol
Chapter 11: Mingling at Work
Your Work Behavior: Workhorse vs. Social Butterfly
Informational Interviews
Managing Big Buddies
Chapter 12: A Few Work Tools for Tracking Your Performance
Work Journals
Project Log
5/15 Reports
Chapter 13: Surprises
Performance Is in the Eye of the Beholder
Academia vs. Real World
Dealing with Ambiguity
Feeling Bored and Asking for More Work
Making a Project Truly Yours
The Biggest Adjustment

PART 5: REFLECTING ON YOUR EXPERIENCE
Chapter 14: Making the Most out of Your Experience
You Are Your Best Teacher
Asking for a Letter of Reference
What to Do If You Left on Not So Good Terms
Did It Feel Like a Waste of Time?
How to Leverage Your Experience for Future Work

PART 6: TABLES TURNED
Chapter 15: The Case Study of Fran
Work Priorities
Confidence at Work
Are You the Right Fit?
Time Management
Eating Lunch Alone
Being Cognizant of Who Makes the Hiring Decision
Chapter 16: Final Remarks from an Entry-Level Perspective
Another Note About Start Dates
Glamour of Internships
What You Can Look Forward To

Epilogue: Don't Forget to Enjoy the Ride
Quick Takeaways
Where to Go for More Information

Appendix 1: Internship vs. Co-op
Appendix 2: Project Log
Appendix 3: Recommended Courses
Appendix 4: Recommended Extra-curricular Activities
Appendix 5: Where to Find a Mentor
Appendix 6: Tips on Presentations

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Finally, a book on internships, co-ops, and entry-level positions by a recent college student!

Students, do you feel pressed for time? Don't worry. This short read will prepare you for landing your first or second job and then excelling at it once you are there!

Employers, get inside the head of a college student with this quick read. Use this insightful information to structure your program.

Parents, Mentors, and Professors, are you ever at a loss of words when a college student approaches you about advice for finding a summer internship or other job? With this guide, you'll get up to speed with the ins and outs of the process and be ready to provide support to your student in no time.

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HELLO REAL WORLD! is four years of wisdom captured in a two-hour read!

Drawing from experiences at four Fortune 100 companies, Jengyee Liang shares her story and how she recovered from a bad boss encounter. She landed paid internships during each summer of her undergraduate career at the University of California, Berkeley. Her experiences include internships with the United Parcel Service in Los Angeles, CA in 2002; Merck & Company in West Point, PA in 2003; SBC Communications (now AT&T) in San Ramon, CA in 2004; and most recently in 2005, an entry-level position with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, OH.

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