“What kind of company do you want to work for?” This was one of the first questions the director of the office for the company I was interviewing for an internship asked me. I had never been asked a question like this or thought in that way. Knowing our economy’s state and as a college student, all I thought about when looking forward to accepting my first job was I would be taking the first one that came at me and would work my way up. This was one of the first reasons I knew this internship and company would be right for me, and this past summer with TEKsystems I had an amazing experience.
I worked in an office with only about 50 people, which I really enjoyed because I got to really know everyone. Each day I got the privilege to go out to lunch with someone new to learn all about their journey as well as ask them any questions I had. Each week, I had an internship phone call with the other interns around the Northeast and we would also have weekly speaker calls where we would hear from someone in a different department in the company so we could hear about our endless opportunities. What I liked best was that I went through the same training process as a new hire and was held to the same standards as everyone else in the company, which is really nice because it now has given me a better idea of the real world. The world of recruiting, especially in a big city, can be tough, but this company provides so much support and wants to help and see their coworkers grow and succeed. I built some really amazing relationships this summer and learned a lot about myself and the ever so scary real world I am quickly approaching. I am honored to say that I will be back next year as an official employee.
What I really want to get out of writing this is to urge college students to really reflect on what they really want out of an internship. I am not saying you need to know exactly what you want to do; I still do not. What I am telling all you wonderful, smart Collegiettes is to not settle for anything. I know that there is a lot of pressure to get an internship and in some industries you do not really have a choice. There are a lot of options out there and doing a little research, and reflecting on yourself can make a huge impact on your experience with an internship. So really think about what type of company you would be proud to intern for, or what type of experience you would be proud to talk about and the types pf people you would be excited to see every day. Most internships are a full summer or semester, so make sure you are signing up for something that does not make you miserable. Start researching, attending career fairs and thinking about what you want. The time to apply comes up fast, being prepared in advance will make the process smoother and more thoughtful on your part.
If anyone has any questions about my internship, or needs any help searching for internships, please feel free to reach out – I would love to help out!