Featured Article
Internships Lead to Jobs
February 6, 2004
Ever considered a 12 week-long interview for a full-time
job? Interning can be one of the best ways to get an offer for full-time employment according to reps from Guidant, Deloitte & Touche
and the US State Department.
Roberta Campbell (Guidant Corporation), Dolorez Dumas-Aris (Deloitte
& Touche) and Ambassador Janet Sanderson (the US State Department)
offer the inside scoop on how to nail down that prized internship.
Career Center (CC): What are the most important qualities you
look for in an intern?
Roberta Campbell (RC): At Guidant Corporation we look for
interns who are highly self-motivated, organized, and pay attention
to details. These are qualities that help them to be successful
in whatever projects we give them.
Dolorez Dumas-Aris (DDA): At Deloitte & Touche we begin
our screening using the firm's standards for academic excellence
and courses of study. The most important things we look for once
the minimum standards are met are a well-rounded personality and
excellent communication skills. About 75 % of the job is relationship
management and interns are sent out with clients after the 3rd week.
Just having good grades isn't enough.
Ambassador Janet Sanderson (AJS): Although the qualities
desired in the State Department vary from department to department,
there is always something about a student that suggests that this
internship will be a good fit for them. They may have some particular
expertise that they can contribute or a particular motivation that
coincides with the assignment they are chosen for. Their internship
should compliment their education.
CC: Do you hire your interns for full-time positions?
RC: Yes! We focus on our internship program for our hiring
of full-time employees directly after graduation. An internship
is the best interview we have and we extend full-time offers to
between 80 and 90% of our interns.
DDA: Yes! Our firm's goal is to fill 50% or more of our
1st year positions from our internship program. We extend full-time
employment offers to between 80 and 90% of our interns.
AJS: We don't keep statistics on the conversion of internships
to full-time employment, but we do consider interning to be the
best way to educate students about the opportunities available within
the State Department. People are much more likely to go through
the lengthy process of applying for a position with us if they know
what they are getting into.
CC: What advantages do interns have in the competition for your
full-time positions?
RC: Because we look at internships as a chance for an extended
interview, interns really get the opportunity to show us what they
have to offer the company. They have great opportunities to network
here. Many interns are offered full-time employment in other work-groups
than where they interned: perhaps by someone who attended their
final project presentation. They also have the opportunity to get
to know the company culture and see if it's a good fit for them.
DDA: Our interns have an advantage just by being here. They
are able to network and they learn how to work within our system.
Because they already know how to get things accomplished, it's easy
to bring them in and get them started. They also know what they
are getting into and that they really want to go into this industry.
A lot of people think they want to be a consultant, but they don't
have a realistic concept of what it's really like. We don't have
to worry about that when we hire our interns as full-time employees.
AJS: Our former interns really benefit from the increased
confidence that comes from knowing what the system is like. They
understand the culture and that gives them an advantage in the application
process, especially during the oral assessments. They stand out
in their ability to make connections between their experiences and
what we are looking for and have the stories to back up their claims.
Also, when an intern applies for full-time employment it's indicative
of someone who really wants the job.
CC: What qualities distinguish those interns who are given full-time
offers from those who aren't?
RC: Attitude is one of the most important factors; successful
interns are proactive and eager to learn. They get out and take
advantage of their opportunities to network. We also look for students
who have some degree of flexibility. Not all our opportunities are
in California and we may have more offers for someone willing to
relocate.
DDA: Our interns aren't expected to know a lot when they
start, but they need to come in with the best attitude: be hungry
for knowledge, ask questions, and be open minded. Those who are
successful make good use of their networking opportunities, are
flexible, and are comfortable dealing with ambiguity. Unsuccessful
interns are often those who don't learn the expectations of the
job and don't meet them, don't like the kind of work we do, or don't
fit in with the company culture.
AJS: Internships with us are very serious jobs; they are
given what is essentially entry-level work. Successful interns are
energetic, dynamic, can rise to a challenge, and seek to learn everything
they can. This is a window into the working world and they respond
accordingly.
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