It is always a good idea to start looking at job and internship opportunities as soon as possible. It can seem very intimidating, but getting your foot in the door right away is the best way to approach a job or internship.
I sat down with two seniors in the iSchool to hear about their internships this past summer and gain some insight into what they did and what they recommend for students going through the application and interview process.
Ross Nadel interned for KPMG this past summer in New York City, while Lacey Morris interned for Comcast this past summer in Philadelphia. Both are senior Information Management and Technology majors.
How did you find your internship?
Ross Nadel ’17
Ross: I found my internship with KPMG at the iSchool Career Fair. I also looked at the iSchool listserv for internship opportunities and saw one with KPMG as well.
Lacey: Last year when I was researching companies for a summer internship, I decided to look at companies in Philadelphia. I knew that I was spending the spring semester abroad, so I wanted to be close to home for the summer. I am from South Jersey, so Philadelphia is a quick train ride away for me.
Lacey Morris ’17
When I started researching companies, Comcast immediately seemed like a no brainer. They are headquartered right in center city Philadelphia and the company seemed perfect with what I wanted to do. After a few interview rounds (both through Skype and in person) I accepted an offer with them to be a Systems and Data Analytics intern.
What types of projects did you work on?
Ross: I worked on multiple client engagements throughout my summer internship. Most of my clients were financial clients. While on these engagements I worked on service organizational control reports, and control walk through. I was treated like a full time associate and never went on coffee runs. Also, as an intern with KPMG you will rarely work overtime.
Lacey: I worked within the Business Process Management team. I designed organizational flow diagrams to help improve overall user experience. I applied my professional writing skills to design project plans for both internal and external team projects. These project plans allowed me to demonstrate my ability to think strategically “outside the box” to deliver innovative product solutions to my team. I also worked with outside consultants from KPMG on various project plans to help transform our customer platforms.
Did you do anything exciting with your internship?
Ross: As an intern with KPMG they send you to Orlando, Florida for a week for national intern training. All the interns from across the country…1,900 interns, to be exact. The trip is all expenses paid, including airfare, hotel, and food.
Lacey: Throughout the few months of my internship, I created and executed an Office Olympics for my team along with another team that our people worked extremely close with. It took a ton of planning and organizing but it ended up being very successful for everyone who participated. It also came at a perfect time because the Rio Olympics began at the end of the summer and NBC Universal (which Comcast owns) is responsible for producing, programming, and promoting the Olympic coverage.
Explain the culture.
Lacey: The culture at Comcast was one of my favorite things about my internship. I was lucky enough to work with a team that constantly bounced ideas off one another and they were extremely innovative. There is so much opportunity to grow as both a person and a professional at Comcast. I think the best part of the company was that they have the passion of a start-up and the drive to change the future of technology and media.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Ross: I would recommend this internship to other students. My Internship with KPMG can give students a really good idea of what consulting is and what you will be doing after college.
What can they do to be a good candidate for an internship?
Ross: The best advice I can give to other students is to get involved on campus. Become a peer advisor and get to know different professors. Professors can really help network you. Also, learn about companies early on, even as a freshman. Go to company information sessions and different employer events.
Do you have any advice to add about how to find an internship? Want to add your own internship experience from undergrad? Share in the comments below! And remember: the iSchool’s Career Center is a great place to start the job and internship search!
