As my sixth and final week as a Launch intern at EY approaches, I am reflecting on how my internship this summer has impacted my future plans.
I went into my internship with an open mind. I wanted to absorb as much as I can. Without extensive knowledge of what consulting is or how I can incorporate my IT knowledge from the iSchool into my assignments, I began to do some research. I researched EY’s history, future plans, initiatives and services in order to get an overview of its company culture.
My Technology Advisory Program Experience
While most of my fellow interns were accounting or finance majors, myself and a few other interns had other majors, like Information Management and Technology. As a result, I was aligned to EY’s advisory service line and put on the TAP (Technology Advisory Program) track. I shadowed many consultants who were managers or seniors on multiple projects for our client in the financial sector.
What It Means to be a Team Player
Being on the client’s site in the middle of a project put me in the thick of all the action. I learned all about collaboration, teamwork and accountability. Not only did my team rely on the people in the cubicles next them, they also reached out to the other team members on other floors, buildings or countries around the world.
I also learned how to be available and how to say when I am not. Working on a team requires transparency. It is okay to be busy at times, but it is not okay to not tell your team that you are busy.
Since there were Launch intern events that all interns needed to attend as part of the program, we were expected to find the best way to communicate with our team when and how long we will be out of the office. This is an important skill to have.
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Becoming an Excel Expert
One of the most recurring and seemingly important things I took away from my internship and based on the experiences recounted by some of my fellow interns, is knowing how to use Excel as efficiently as possible.
Every person I came in contact with this summer at EY uses Excel on a daily basis. After discovering this, it clicked. Excel is to consultants as food is to humans; neither can survive without the other. I learned that a big part of consulting is tracking every significant detail of the project, which will have better results for the client and its goal.
A New Potential Career in Technology Advisory
In terms of advisory, I enjoy the people aspect of it. I experienced lots of work with Excel, constant interaction with the client, and many data-driven recommendations to help combat the client’s problems. Those are who specialize in IT advisory would do the same thing except, primarily, on IT related issues that the client faces.
Before my internship began, my plan was to pursue front-end web development. Thanks to the exposure from my internship, IT advisory is something I am very much interested in pursuing at EY or a place like it in the future. Now I can add IT advisory or consultant to my list.
What’s Next
Whether I come back to EY or not next summer, I plan to continue my professional growth. I hope to improve my Excel skills and become more familiar with the financial services sector as whole. I’ll reach out to people with knowledge on both Excel and financial services, research these topics, and practice what I’ve learned this summer. I look forward to seeing how what I’ve learned from my internship can be applied to my coursework in the fall.
