Finance and International Business and Economics

Whittemore School of Business and Economics, Class of 2013 

Corporate Treasury Intern, Liberty Mutual, Summer 2012

What would you tell your peers they need to do to find a great internship?

My best advice would be to check emails, Wildcat Careers, and other avenues to learn about internship opportunities often.  Sometimes internships will be posted far earlier than you may think, or you may happen across something that you would really enjoy but weren’t necessarily searching for.  It’s always good to know what’s out there for internship opportunities so you can gauge what you might want to apply to and how that internship would fit into your life.

What did you learn from your internship search that you will apply in future job searches?

Most importantly, I learned that my best interviews have been those that felt like true conversations.  I think the most memorable interviews result from both the interviewer and the interviewee having a good deal of input and some questions that can carry the conversation.  When an interview is just a conversation about each person getting to know the other, you can be more comfortable, confident, and act like yourself!

What skills are you using and/or learning at your internship that you can use in entry-level jobs?

My internship placed a lot of emphasis on how to think more analytically and problem solve.  I had to learn how to interact with clients and others in my department in order to effectively solve problems and think up more efficient solutions.  Another great skill that I learned was how to conduct a presentation that is a result of research, feedback gathered, and consensus from a team.  Going through the process of research and review in order to create a final document is extremely important. 

What is one highlight from your internship experience?

I was lucky to have found an internship that actually put me to work—I don’t copy documents and sort folders all day!  Every day I was exposed to real jobs and actual responsibilities.  One of my favorite projects was being able to conduct a test case that would test a new, more efficient procedure in the place of another tedious procedure that we use.  Ultimately, I helped to fix a problem in the business system and test a solution that could make everyone’s job more efficient in the future!

What is the most valuable part of your internship experience?

My internship has stressed to me the importance of communication and teamwork especially.  In today’s business world a lot of communication is done through email, and it really is a skill to be able to get your point across accurately and politely through email!  On top of that, I have learned that teamwork is a must – you have to know how to ask for help, how to give help, and how to work with others to collaborate.