As the semester comes to a close, students are looking forward to their summer plans. While some are excited to travel or catch up with friends and family, many students are also using the break as an opportunity to take on jobs and internships. This week, I had the chance to learn about a variety of internships that QUESTees are getting involved with.

To begin, I spoke with Kenneth Vasquez Chicas, a mechanical engineering major (Cohort 44). Chicas emphasized that he wanted to push himself out of his comfort zone this year and find more opportunities. Last year, Chicas felt unprepared for the internship search, so this year he chose to be more proactive. “I actually applied to almost 200 internships this year. It was a lot, but it was so worth it.”

Although Chicas still experienced some rejection, he was excited to hear back from a variety of companies and get interviews. When applying for a role, Chicas was most interested in applying his skillset to working on sustainable projects, an area he is especially passionate about. After some careful consideration and research, Chicas decided to take a role through the Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program. This program is through the Department of Energy and offers a research-based project for STEM undergraduate students. 

“I’m going to be out in West Virginia, which will be a change. But I’m excited to see what it has to offer and to build connections with other interns too.”

If Chicas has one piece of advice, he recommends taking advantage of as many resources as possible. Chicas was able to utilize QUEST alumni, the engineering career center, and even other career websites online like Handshake. “It’s so easy to feel stuck, but you just have to keep trying and put yourself out there.”

Next, I reached out to Jack Campbell, a computer science major (Cohort 43). Previously, Campbell had interned for a couple of summers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Although he enjoyed his time, he was hoping to find a new experience this summer to help him grow and discover other potential opportunities and career paths. Similarly to Chicas, Campbell made an effort to apply to as many internships as he could. Last fall, he tried to apply to about one to two positions each day. 

After many applications, Campbell landed an interview with Meta. To prepare, he actually reached out to Dr. Troilo, our QUEST professor for the Introduction to Design & Quality course. “Dr. Troilo was such an awesome resource and really helped me feel confident going into my interview.” 

Once Campbell received the news that he had been offered an internship with Meta, he was absolutely ecstatic. Working at Meta would also mean that he would get to live out in California for the summer. Campbell also recently traveled to California for QUEST’s study abroad elective, QUEST to Silicon Valley. “It was really awesome since I got to see a little sneak peek of the Meta campus, and it made me so excited to live in a new place and work with the team.” 

Looking back on his internship search, Campbell offered some advice regarding interview prep. “It really helped to write down some different stories that I could talk about for my interviews. I felt much more prepared, and I was able to target each story based on the positions I was applying for.”

Lastly, I reached out to Rachel Liderman, an information systems and operations management & business analytics double major (Cohort 41). This summer, Liderman will be working at PwC as a Data Consulting Intern. Reflecting on her past experiences, Liderman realized she had to start her internship application process early. 

By the time the QUEST career fair came around, she already had a few interviews lined up and was able to stand out amongst the crowd. When it came time for her interviews, Liderman also emphasized the work she’d completed in her QUEST courses. “A lot of the recruiters found the projects and experiences really interesting and impressive.”

When it came time to decide on a company, Liderman prioritized flexibility. PwC offered her more flexibility as the office is close to home, and she would be on a hybrid schedule. She also saw more opportunities to advance in her career at PwC rather than feeling restricted to one role. “I’m so excited to meet my team. PwC seems like a very collaborative environment which is something I really value.”

Although the internship process was stressful, Liderman found that her effort paid off. For future QUESTees, she recommends building your network with others and tailoring your resume to specific companies. “I would make multiple copies of my resume and make a few changes to emphasize different aspects of my experience based on the role I applied for; I found that was extremely effective.” 

QUEST faculty and students are always available as a resource and can offer additional advice for career opportunities. We wish everyone the best for your upcoming summer plans and internships!