10 INGREDIENTS FOR A PERFECT MBA INTERNSHIP Toward A Better Understanding of The Perfect 2nd Year Setup I am only three weeks into my summer internship here at Lehman, but I have already begun to consider the things that I want to have accomplished before I leave here in August.
Notwithstanding the current (psycho) market conditions in which I have found myself, it can still be difficult to find perspective on the "goal" of an MBA internship. Therefore, in the spirit of blogging (to live a more reflect live) and to make my friends feel better about my chances after I finish here and try to find a job, I have decided to filter my experiences here in the context of "a dream summer internship".
Without further ado, here are my top 10 ingredients of a perfect summer internship - and my current status towards attaining them...
1. Work somewhere you can make a difference. It should come as no surprise that if you can't contribute materially, it's very unlikely that you or your employer will enjoy your attempts to "drive value and create synergies throughout the value chain" (insert MBA-speak goals here). I took a job that I knew I could contribute to, and have been busy contributing since day 1.
2. Work somewhere that is challenging. No problem here either. I am working in a role that I do have some experience with (marketing consulting), but in a completely new industry. Without this ingredient one could get bored... not an option for an over-achieving B-school student.
3. Work for a firm that will add value to your resume. Again, check. Lehman is certainly undergoing a test of its operating model, but Lehman is still Lehman and their name is definitely a strength to my resume.
4. Clarify your role and responsibilities before accepting. This is something I could have done better one, because clearing up any miscommunications makes it a lot easier to "hit the ground running".
5. Live in the same city as your spouse/significant other. Hey, I said "perfect" MBA internship didn't I? These last few weeks would definitely have been better with my wife. But, since she surprised me last weekend by flying up here (*snaps) I've been feeling better. The above photo is from our Circle-Line tour of Manhattan island... so much fun.
6. Make sure that you like the people in the firm. Again, this seems obvious, but many students discount the strength of working with people you like to be with. In this regard I am way ahead of the pack. I knew my boss from California and (most) of the other people on my floor have a wicked sense of humor and a fun-loving attitude. I can't emphasize the importance of this point enough.
7. Intern in a city you are willing to live in. I know people that are doing internships in places that like... seriously... you have to break out the atlas to find. Unless you're ok with living in Muleshoe, TX (nothing against 'em) don't intern there. NYC is a great city that almost anyone would love to live in - no problems here, check.
8. Establish check-up points to evaluate your progress throughout the summer. I haven't really gotten very far towards this one, but I'm recognizing the importance of this more and more. These check-ups provide two-way accountability for you and your boss, and help ensure that you chart out the summer in line with the firms expectations and know where you stand.
9. Get a job offer. No matter how awesome you feel now, the job market is a strange beast and can change at any moment. Do everything you can to head back to school with a future job locked down. This is an essential ingredient of the "perfect" MBA internship.
10. Don't be a jerk. Many of your peers will work for smaller, lesser-known firms, while still others will work for bigger more prestigious firms. Who CARES! Never forget that many of the worlds richest individuals left B-School without an offer and then started their own firms. You never know who will be successful and who won't, so be cool to everyone.
If you collect all 10 of these ingredients, you will head back to school with the quiet satisfaction that comes from a job well done and enjoy a 2nd year much better than your first...
At least that's what I'm telling myself right now :-) Posted June 16, 2008 http://anandolgue.blogspot.com/ Posted by: Anand I'd like to add do/find things that you really enjoy. I think too often we live our lives gainig experience, building a brand, making career progress and forget what its all about! Posted 2008-06-17 09:41:57
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Posted 2008-06-17 18:51:39 MOM Posted by: Brenda I MISS YOU!!! Posted 2008-06-17 18:52:47
Posted by: 10 - don't be a jerk - but not because these people might be rich in the future, but just because good people aren't jerks, right. Posted 2008-06-20 22:40:41 COMMENT ON THIS POST
