You’ve seen it countless times: “Entry-level position” followed by “2-3 years of experience required.” It’s maddening, contradictory, and feels like a cruel joke played on new graduates and career’s changers. How can a job be entry-level if it requires experience you can’t get without already having the job?

This frustrating paradox has become so common that it’s sparked viral social media posts, countless Reddit threads, and genuine anxiety among job seekers. But understanding why this happens and knowing how to navigate around it can transform your job search from an exercise in frustration into a strategic advantage.

The Real Reasons Behind the Experience Paradox

Risk Aversion in Hiring

Companies aren’t trying to be cruel when they add experience requirements to entry-level roles. They’re responding to genuine business pressures. Training new employees costs time and money, and hiring managers often feel safer choosing someone who can hit the ground running, even for supposedly “entry-level” positions.

When a company posts a job as “entry-level” but asks for experience, they’re often hoping to find someone who’s technically early in their career but has already proven they can handle similar responsibilities. It’s their way of minimizing training time while still accessing talent at entry-level salary ranges.

Automated Job Posting Templates

Many job postings aren’t carefully crafted by hiring managers. HR departments often use templates or automated systems that pull standard requirements without considering whether they make sense for the specific role. A “2-3 years experience” requirement might get automatically added to every posting in a certain category, regardless of whether the actual hiring manager needs it.

Inflated Job Titles

Sometimes what companies call “entry-level” isn’t actually entry-level. A position labeled as such might require skills and responsibilities that naturally come with experience. Companies use “entry-level” to attract candidates and justify lower salaries, even when the role demands more than a true beginner could reasonably handle.

Competitive Job Markets

In highly competitive fields, employers know they can be picky. When hundreds of candidates apply for a single position, adding experience requirements helps filter the applicant pool. It’s a lazy screening method, but it works at reducing the number of applications HR needs to review.

What “Entry-Level” Actually Means to Employers

Understanding how employers really think about entry-level positions can help you position yourself more effectively:

Entry-level salary, not entry-level skills: Many companies want to pay entry-level wages while getting someone with proven abilities. They’re looking for candidates who are early in their careers but have demonstrated competence through internships, projects, or transferable experience.

Trainable foundation: Employers want someone who can learn quickly and adapt, even if they don’t have direct experience. They’re looking for evidence that you can handle responsibility and pick up new skills efficiently.

Cultural fit with growth potential: Companies often prioritize candidates who align with their culture and show potential for growth, even over those with more experience who might not be the right fit long-term.

Strategies to Get Around Experience Requirements

Reframe Your Existing Experience

You likely have more relevant experience than you realize. Consider:

Academic projects: That group project where you managed timelines and coordinated with classmates? That’s project management experience. The research paper where you analyzed data and presented findings? That’s analytical and communication experience.

Part-time jobs and internships: Customer service roles demonstrate communication skills and
problem-solving abilities. Retail experience shows you can work in fast-paced environments and handle multiple tasks.

Volunteer work: Leading a campus organization, organizing events, or managing social media for a nonprofit all translate to valuable professional skills.

Personal projects: Building a website, starting a blog, creating content, or learning new software on your own shows initiative and technical aptitude.

Focus on Skills-Based Applications

Instead of leading with your lack of experience, emphasize the skills you’ve developed and how they apply to the role:

Create a skills-focused resume: Organize your resume around competencies rather than chronological work history. Highlight technical skills, soft skills, and achievements that demonstrate your capabilities.

Use specific examples: Don’t just list skills, provide concrete examples of how you’ve used them. Instead of “strong communication skills,” write “presented research findings to 50+ audience members” or “managed customer inquiries and resolved 95% of issues on first contact.”

Quantify your impact: Numbers make your experience more credible. “Increased social media engagement by 40%” or “coordinated logistics for 200-person event” sound much more impressive than vague descriptions.

Network Strategically

Many entry-level positions are filled through networking rather than public job postings. Building relationships can help you bypass the experience requirements entirely:

Leverage alumni networks: Reach out to graduates from your school who work in your target industry. Most people are willing to offer advice or insights to fellow alumni.

Attend industry events: Professional meetups, conferences, and virtual events are excellent opportunities to meet people in your field and learn about opportunities that might not be publicly posted.

Use informational interviews: Request brief conversations with professionals in roles you’re interested in. These conversations can lead to job referrals and help you understand what employers really want.

Target Companies, Not Just Job Postings

Instead of only responding to job postings, research companies you want to work for and reach out proactively:

Research growth-stage companies: Smaller, growing companies are often more flexible about experience requirements and more willing to train promising candidates.

Follow company news: When companies announce new products, funding rounds, or expansion plans, they’re likely hiring. Reaching out during growth periods can be more effective than waiting for formal job postings.

Connect with hiring managers directly: LinkedIn makes it easy to identify and reach out to hiring managers. A thoughtful message explaining your interest and relevant skills can sometimes bypass traditional application processes.

How Modern Platforms Are Solving This Problem

The traditional job application process, where candidates submit resumes into a black hole and hope for the best, is particularly brutal for entry-level job seekers. Newer approaches are changing the game.

Platforms like WayUp are designed specifically to address the entry-level experience paradox. Instead of forcing candidates to compete against hundreds of others for posted positions, these platforms let employers discover candidates proactively based on their potential rather than just their past experience.

When you create a profile on WayUp, employers actively search for candidates who match their needs, including those seeking internships and entry-level roles. This reverses the traditional dynamic, instead of you fighting to get noticed among hundreds of applicants, employers come to you based on your interests, skills, and career goals.

The platform also offers Virtual Info Sessions where you can meet recruiters from major companies like CVS Health, L’Oréal, and HSBC. These sessions provide direct access to hiring managers and let you demonstrate your enthusiasm and potential beyond what a resume can show.

Alternative Paths to Gain Experience

If you’re still struggling to break into your desired field, consider these alternative approaches:

Freelancing and Contract Work
Taking on small projects through freelancing platforms can help you build a portfolio and gain real-world experience. Even small projects demonstrate your ability to deliver results and work with clients.

Volunteer for Nonprofits
Many nonprofits need help with marketing, data analysis, event planning, and other professional skills. Volunteering lets you gain experience while contributing to causes you care about.

Create Your Own Projects
Start a blog, build an app, launch a small business, or create content in your field. Self-directed projects show initiative and let you develop skills on your own timeline.

Consider Adjacent Roles
Look for positions that aren’t exactly what you want but could provide relevant experience. A marketing coordinator role might lead to the marketing manager position you really want, and a junior analyst role could be a stepping stone to a senior analyst position.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

The most important change you can make is shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Instead of feeling defeated by experience requirements, view them as information about what employers value and use that knowledge to position yourself more effectively.

Remember that many “requirements” in job postings are actually wish lists. Hiring managers often interview candidates who meet 60-70% of their stated requirements, especially for entry-level roles where cultural fit and potential matter more than extensive experience.

Focus on demonstrating your ability to learn, adapt, and contribute rather than dwelling on what you lack.

Employers hire people they believe can solve their problems and grow with their company. Your job is to convince them that you’re that person, regardless of how much traditional experience you have.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The entry-level experience paradox is real, frustrating, and unfair. But it’s not insurmountable. By understanding why it exists, reframing your existing experience, and using strategic approaches to connect with employers, you can break through the barriers and land the role you want.

The key is persistence combined with smart strategy. Don’t let rejection discourage you, use it as feedback to refine your approach. Every application, networking conversation, and interview is practice that makes you stronger for the next opportunity.

Ready to skip the traditional application black hole and get discovered by employers who are actively looking for emerging talent? Learn more at wayup.com and start building connections with companies that value potential over just experience.

The post Why Do Entry-Level Jobs Require Experience?(And How to Get Around It) appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Like many industries, the beauty industry has grown to be one of the fastest evolving markets with consumers who demand authenticity, representation, and innovative products that fit their unique needs. At The Estée Lauder Companies’ (ELC), our collective vision is to be the most inclusive and diverse beauty company in the world as well as the employer of choice for diverse talent and the brand of choice for our global consumers. Because of this, we understand that talent today don’t just want to know what companies WILL do as it pertains to inclusion, diversity, and equity, but have a genuine track record and a commitment to current and future leader’s career advancement.

We are consumer obsessed and because of this we focus our priorities on ensuring our employee population reflects the communities we impact by ensuring equitable access to professional development and advancement opportunities.

Driving Professional Development within HBCU Communities

As an organization dedicated to professional development and education, we pride ourselves in our ability to deliver on our ID&E commitments through external programs with our employee populations and HBCUs. To date, ELC has partnered with Howard University, Spelman College, and Florida A&M to provide virtual networking and career advancement programs for alumnae seeking ways to transition to the beauty industry.

• She’s Howard – ELC’s partnership program with Howard University was inspired by ELC’s longstanding relationship with the University that began in 2018 through an increased focus on HBCU recruiting. Since its inception in 2021, the program continues to be a resourceful networking tool for all Howard Alumnae. 

• Let’s Talk Beauty – ELC’s partnership program with the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College was designed to serve as a platform for ELC to connect with Spelman Alumnae through intentional conversations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities to provide career coaching and insights into the beauty industry. 

• FAMU 10-Week Travel Retail Program – ELC’s partnership program with Florida A&M University was designed to engage rising juniors and seniors by providing an inside look into the fast-paced world of Travel Retail. Participants join for a 10-week program during which 41 merit scholarships of US$10,000 were awarded to students in the University’s School of Business and Industry over the course of five years by the University on behalf of The Estée Lauder Companies. 

Leading From Every Chair

We believe in the power of leading from every chair and are committed to creating space for talent with unique backgrounds and perspectives to support and lead innovation. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products sold in approximately 150 countries and territories, we offer a number of opportunities for undergraduates, early career professionals and our internal community of employees to continue to challenge themselves and contribute to a number of exciting business priorities. 

• Lauder Summer Internship Program – A 10-week program that offers undergraduate students in the U.S. the opportunity to think critically in real-world corporate situations. Students have the opportunity to apply for openings in our corporate functions or at one of our brands, and they will be assigned based on their academic backgrounds and interests once they are accepted into the program. 

• Presidential Associate Program – An intensive, 18-month rotational program specially designed for undergraduates. This program integrates professional rotations with continuous leadership development, coaching, mentoring, hands-on practical experience, group networking opportunities, and strategic thinking initiatives to optimize talent and build business acumen and capability.

• From Every Chair Program – In June 2020, William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, and Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, shared ELC’s Commitment to Racial Equity. As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure Black employees have equal access to leadership trainings and mentorship programs with senior executives, the Global Talent team and the Inclusion & Diversity COE, in collaboration with the Network of Black Leaders and Executives (NOBLE) Employee Resource Group, created the From Every Chair (FEC) Leadership & Development Program. This 9-month Sponsorship and Mentorship program for current employees focuses on one-on-one mentoring sessions, curated professional development seminars and dedicated coaching from highly regarded executive coaches. Since its inception, the program was designed to develop and advance Black talent through enhanced programs focused on soft skills and career coaching for all participants.

• ELC Grow – In 2022, ELC launches its internal Talent Marketplace designed to connect employees to personalized recommendations for full-time roles, project and networking opportunities that can empower our community to grow their skills and careers. By matching employees with internal opportunities autonomously we encourage an environment of continued learning and fueling future career aspirations and interest.

Head over to The Estee Lauder Company’s company profile to learn more about the company and for information on open roles!

The post Learn How The Estée Lauder Companies Champions Diversity & Career Advancement in the Beauty Industry appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Calling all undergrads and recent grads: kickstart your career with Kohl’s! Finding the right path after college can be overwhelming, but Kohl’s offers internship and trainee programs that prioritize your growth and leadership development. 

Kohl’s has developed leadership programs that are a launchpad for a meaningful career, allowing self-motivated and inspired individuals to grow, both professionally and personally. Ideal for college students and recent graduates, the Kohl’s Store Leadership Internship and Store Leadership Trainee Program are both designed to give young professionals the tools needed to grow into great leaders. 

For current college students, the Kohl’s Store Leadership Internship is an interactive, 8-week paid structured training program created with development in mind. Interns are given a peek behind the scenes at running a $10 million to $20 million dollar Kohl’s store. More than just hands-on experience, interns are also invited to exclusive networking events and curate their own individual development plans with their mentors. The Store Leadership Trainee Program is designed for leaders ready to jump-start their careers. Over the 12-week paid program, Store Leadership Trainees (or SLTs/Leaders in Training) develop the skills and experience needed to become a Merchandising Manager at Kohl’s. With direct experience in store-merchandising, sales, and human resources, it is a program built with development in mind. 

WayUp was able to speak with some impressive individuals who have completed the Kohl’s Store Leadership Internship and are either working towards becoming a Merchandising Manager or currently succeeding in the role.

One key takeaway from our conversations is that the true strength of these programs is the people. Both professionals mentioned that their favorite part of work was the team they are a part of and how supported they feel. Whether they grew up shopping in the store or strolled by the booth at their college career fair, the connections they made with this brand go beyond what a typical internship offers.

Additionally, both individuals applauded Kohl’s for their dedication to development.While many internships provide a summer experience, Kohl’s programs are designed to not only provide a summer experience but one that provides hands-on experience and develops leadership skills. At Kohl’s, these programs are designed to enhance your leadership skills so you come out the other side as a Merchandising Manager. 

From networking events to assigned mentors who help map out career paths, it’s evident from our conversations that Kohl’s is committed to developing the next generation of leaders. These programs are ideal for any current college student or recent grad who wants to kick start their career in the right direction.

About the Leaders in Training

Shiyan Reed is someone who knows how to set goals and get after them. As an aspiring intellectual property attorney, Kohl’s was not yet part of her long-term plan. But, after speaking with some Kohl’s store managers at a Texas State University career fair, it was clear the Kohl’s Store Leadership Programs were where she wanted to grow as a leader. Shiyan completed the internship and trainee program at the Pflugerville, Texas location before stepping into her current position as Merchandising Manager at the Leander location.

As a current Store Leadership Trainee, Sandy McGlothlin has her sights set on her path ahead. Upon completion of her 12-week program, she will step into the role as Merchandising Manager in San Diego. With a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Arizona, her analytical mindset helps her find solutions to problems in an efficient and effective manner.

Q: What originally brought you to Kohl’s, and what keeps you there?

Q: How has Kohl’s fostered and supported your development?

Q: What are your career goals at Kohl’s?

Q: What’s one piece of advice that has stuck with you through your career that you would also give to someone newly joining the workforce?

When it comes to starting your career off on the right foot, making the first step can feel overwhelming. What Kohl’s offers in their leadership programs goes beyond a resumé–it’s an experience that jump-starts an impactful, meaningful career.  

Want to learn more about the Kohl’s Store Leadership Internship and Store Leadership Trainee Program? Head over to Kohl’s WayUp profile to learn more about the company and browse open roles, upcoming events, and more.

The post The Launchpad for Leaders: How the Kohl’s Store Leadership Programs are Setting Up Early Professionals for Success appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Deciding on a career path can be daunting, especially for students early in their post-secondary education. BDO USA, PC offers a unique opportunity for students to participate in a one-on-one mentoring program and explore a variety of career options through its Pathway to Success Program. This program is designed to provide mentorship and personalized career guidance, while giving students a forum to ask questions related to their educational programming and future career goals.

The Importance of Mentorship

Bernie Pieters, BDO’s Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and People & Culture Principal, reflects on the power of mentorships, “Mentorship contributes to an individual’s personal and professional development. When you willingly and joyfully mentor others, you create a legacy of leaders.”   

What sets BDO’s Pathway to Success apart is the exclusive mentor/mentee pairing. Students are matched with a dedicated BDO professional who volunteers their time to assist with career exploration. This relationship allows students to ask questions, bounce ideas, and seek advice on educational programming, major selection, and career exploration. The goal is to foster a relationship that continues long after the six-month commitment.

Sarah Turcotte, BDO’s National Campus Recruiting Leader, emphasizes that the program is open to both freshmen and sophomores, offering them insights into the profession and preparing them for future internships. She notes, “Really the primary purpose is educational and giving back, trying to help students find the best path for them as individuals and exposing them to new areas they may have an interest in.”

Open to All

The program is open to any freshman or sophomore, regardless of university affiliation, major, GPA, or extracurricular involvement. There are no barriers to entry, making it an authentic initiative to give back to the community and guide future professionals into majors and careers that best fit them.

Discover BDO and Yourself

Participants have the chance to learn about BDO, its roles, business lines, clients, and company culture. More importantly, they gain insights into themselves and what they should seek in their educational and professional careers. No prior experience is needed, and BDO provides resources and guidance on starting and maintaining successful mentorship relationships.

Sarah highlights the benefits, stating, “It’s personal growth and development. If they are looking to be engaged with BDO, there’s an added benefit to getting in our pipeline early. Even if they choose a different path, the experience they gain will serve them throughout their careers.”

A Two-Way Relationship

The program emphasizes the importance of relationships. BDO professionals dedicate their time to nurture and mentor early-career individuals, but it requires participants to engage actively as well. The more effort students put into the program, the more they will benefit.

Amritpal Gill, a former mentee, shares his experience: “I remember frantically applying for internships around my sophomore year. I wasn’t completely sure of what I was doing but when doing my research, BDO was the only firm that I knew of that had a mentorship program.”

Through BDO’s Pathway to Success Program, Gill was paired with Laura Anna Lisi.  Gill and Lisi had similar interests and through Lisi, Gill learned about the firm and developed a lasting relationship. Lisi was working on the same types of clients Gill had a curiosity in and they bonded over shared interests. “BDO paired me with a professional that I had commonalities with. Through Laura, I learned about the firm and when it came time to apply for an internship, I wasn’t just cold applying. I knew where I wanted to be…it was always interesting and exciting.”

Lisi, an Assurance Principal at BDO, reflects on her role as a mentor: “Pathway to Success is a wonderful program. Ultimately, real success is dependent upon the mentor and mentee forming a relationship. Amritpal and I formed a relationship, and I enjoyed helping him define his path. A lot of my success was due to forming relationships with a lot of people and networking.”

Bridging the Gap Between Learning and Application

The Pathway to Success Program is not just about selecting a career or major; it’s a transformative experience that teaches students how their education translates into a professional career. Gill, for example, entered the program unsure about his future. Paired with Lisi, he discovered potential career paths and gained clarity on his professional journey.

Amritpal reflects on his relationship with Lisi: “Whenever I would reach out…knowing how busy she was…she always made time. That’s what allowed me to build a relationship.”

The Pathway to Success program’s structure and objectives are designed to attract top talent and prepare individuals for internships. The interviews highlighted the program’s emphasis on diversity and inclusion, ensuring a diverse pool of candidates and creating meaningful relationships.

BDO’s Pathway to Success Program offers a gateway to success, providing students with the tools and relationships needed to thrive in their careers. These skills will be beneficial throughout the duration of their career. 

Whether you’re looking to clarify your major or explore different professional opportunities, this program is your steppingstone to a successful future. To learn more about BDO and their Pathway to Success Program, visit their WayUp profile and their website here.

The post Beyond the Books: Mentorship and Guidance with BDO’s Pathway to Success Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

BlackRock is a global asset manager and a leading provider of investment, advisory, and risk management solutions. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology with over 19,000 employees, BlackRock helps more and more people experience financial well-being.

BlackRock is best known for its expertise in asset management, but that would not have been possible without the influence of technology behind the scenes. The main operating system that powers BlackRock is called Aladdin.

Aladdin (which stands for Asset, Liability, and Debt and Derivative Investment Network) allows investment managers to connect with people and technology while managing their money in real-time. All BlackRock employees touch the products or outputs of the Aladdin platform every day.

The Power of Aladdin, BlackRock’s Tech Data Platform

Aladdin is a tech platform that unifies the investment management process to enable scale, provide insights, and support true business transformation. Built by and for market practitioners, the platform helps BlackRock and organizations keep up with the pace of the industry. Clients of the Aladdin platform include asset managers, banks, insurers, pensions, corporations, ecosystem partners, and institutions. Aladdin’s risk analytics are relied upon by over 200 institutions, such as KPMG, Microsoft, and MetLife, as well as BlackRock itself.

Aladdin has been embedded into the fabric of BlackRock since the early inception of the firm, which differentiates the firm as an investment and risk manager. The firm began to deliver Aladdin to external clients in 1999. As a multi-asset class platform, Aladdin supports risk analytics and the full investment process across equity, fixed income, FX, bank loans, derivatives, and alternatives such as real estate, commodities, and private equity.

WayUp spoke with Renee Muco, Director and founding member of the firm’s Strategic Initiatives Office (SIO) within Aladdin Product Management (APM), about her experience working with the technology at BlackRock.

Renee described how Aladdin provides an end-to-end solution for businesses. In terms of the SIO, the team works on building out internal functionality and leads some of the large transformational initiatives for Aladdin.

Another component that makes the Aladdin platform unique in the industry is how it’s used both internally by BlackRock and sold externally to clients. When looking for career development opportunities, working on a product like Aladdin provides countless benefits for gaining hands-on experience and participating in large-scale projects across the company.

Building a Career at BlackRock While Powering a New Era of Investment Management Tech

WayUp also spoke with Desu Imudia, Software Engineer, within Aladdin Product Management (APM), who works in the tech track. She started at BlackRock as an Intern in the BlackRock summer internship program.

After completing BlackRock’s summer internship program, Desu decided to apply to their Full-Time Analyst Program for software engineers. Over two years, engineers in the program rotate across four different teams and gain new skills. BlackRock is a great place for students and recent grads to start their early careers because of the opportunities and potential for relationship building, all while simultaneously working with state-of-the-art technology that impacts the world every day.

During her internship, Desu quickly discovered how meaningful it was to work on providing solutions that benefited the real world. Desu also worked with artificial intelligence (AI) in Aladdin in one of the portfolio management tools used to help clients visualize their investment portfolio. She shared how she enjoyed working on the interface with Aladdin projects and using her coding skills to contribute to meaningful projects.

Desu was excited by the idea of working on a well-known platform like Aladdin and felt empowered working at a company creating an impact in the world. Beyond that, the culture clearly fostered a space to engage with ideas, products, and solutions.

Expand Your Horizons with BlackRock’s Career Opportunities

Starting your career at BlackRock may seem most common for finance majors, but there are also countless opportunities across other disciplines within the company, including the variety of technology positions – from design and product development to AI and cloud, and more.

Prior to joining BlackRock, Renee previously worked in the investment banking and technology space but was interested in finding a new opportunity that leaned into her project management skills. She started out as an engineer, and then she did a mid-year career pivot into project management and business analysis.

Renee encourages candidates not to limit themselves right away but encourages them to explore different career opportunities across different industries. She also suggests attending recruiting and networking events where they can meet and learn from employees at the firm.

What to Expect When Applying to Early Career Opportunities at BlackRock

BlackRock’s summer internship program is a gateway to build connections and start your journey at BlackRock. So, what does the recruiting process look like? Candidates start with the application and a pre-interview assessment. Based on the type of internship, BlackRock wants to provide candidates various opportunities to explore different teams

The team at BlackRock aims to help intern candidates through this process and ensure they feel equipped for their interviews. In preparation for the application process, we review the programs, highlight business areas available, offer tips for how to strengthen applications and share insights for how to ace the virtual cover letter and/or code test.

If you are interested in applying for an internship with BlackRock, visit their website for more information. If you’re looking at other career opportunities or want to learn more in general, explore WayUp’s page here.

The post Building Your Career at BlackRock While Powering a New Era of Investment Management Tech appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Early career opportunities vary from summer internships and externships to entry-level positions. When exploring possibilities in the beginning of your career, rotational programs offer a unique opportunity to gain diverse experiences and to learn how to work with multiple teams – all within one company.

Synchrony, a Fortune 200 financial services company, inspires career growth from day one. Synchrony is at the heart of many U.S. financial transactions that are made every day and is committed to providing hands-on experiences for its early career talent. The company has a robust early career development program that aims to identify, attract and develop the company’s future leaders.

Synchrony’s driving force is to be essential to people’s everyday lives by making it easier for the tens of millions of people who rely on us to access their essential needs and everyday wants with consumer financing that works for them – from their first credit card to a lifetime of flexibility. The company is recognized in the industry as a top employer, recently named by Fortune as one of the nation’s top five best companies to work for.

The Business Leadership Program

One of the programs that makes Synchrony stand out is its Business Leadership Program (BLP). These early career development programs are designed to accelerate the careers of tomorrow’s leaders.

The summer internship program is a 10-week program for rising juniors and first-year HR graduate students. As a BLP intern, you will work on projects and participate in meaningful work in your desired field while experiencing the support of the team, mentors, and Synchrony’s award-winning culture. If you are interested in the summer internship program, learn more here.

The Full-Time BLP program is a two-year, rotational program for graduating university seniors designed to facilitate your career growth across three different disciplines. If you’re still undecided on what you want to pursue professionally, a rotational program could be a great opportunity for you to explore after graduation.

The Synchrony BLP program has more than 10 different tracks, from sales and relationship management, finance, data analytics, and other areas across the business. The program includes community service, networking and social events.

The BLP program helps transition graduates into the working world by offering experiences similar to what students had with student clubs and organizations. The participant-led committees include Development, Wellness, Recruiting, and Engagement, providing real-world opportunities for new grads to grow in their communication, planning, and leadership skills.

Beyond the leadership development gained through the committees, the BLP program also helps accelerate individuals into positions of leadership.

Creating a Fast Track for Leadership

One of the top appeals of the BLP program is how it offers early career candidates access to leaders within the organization and helps to advance opportunities for leadership for themselves personally.

Due to the nature of the program, you gain diverse work experiences across multiple teams and practice areas and are steps ahead of your peers as it relates to career growth.

Wyatt Craig, SVP Digital Finance – PayPal, who was in the first cohort of the BLP rotational program shared that the biggest differentiator is the support from leadership. Leaders and mentors help you define what you want to do in your career and suggest experiences to help you achieve your goals.

The investment from leaders continues long after the program ends. Wyatt mentioned the value of the alumni network, which provides mentorship to BLP participants. To help recent graduates transition into the corporate world, these alumni provide guidance on what a career path post-BLP could look like.

Synchrony continues to invest in its employees and offers ongoing learning opportunities, including tuition benefits, which was essential for Wyatt when he decided to pursue post-grad education.

Cultivating a Culture of Flexibility and Well-Being

Through its people-centric culture, Synchrony co-designs programs and initiatives together with employees. The company offers flexible work options, allowing employees to work from home, in the office, or both in a hybrid work environment while redesigning its workspaces to encourage meaningful connections.

Josh Mugabe, a HRBP BLP, described the company’s emphasis on flexibility and choice.

Josh also shares how purposeful engagement provides valuable ways early in your career to meet and interact with people in the office. The Synchrony “hubs” or workspaces also provide a collaborative atmosphere to build relationships.

Synchrony also prioritizes employee well-being in the workplaces, providing comprehensive wellness programs and benefits. For example, the company provides a psychologist onsite and employees can have up to 12 sessions per year at no cost to them personally. The program was built with everyone in mind, including interns.

Angela King, Sales & Relationship Management BLP, was the first BLP to lead the BLP’s Wellness committee.

Initiatives include physical activities like intramural sports, the Brooklyn marathon and ice skating in Bryant Park as well as stress reduction and wellness programs including a cooking class, financial literacy, and virtual monthly conversations.

Gaining Real-World Career Skills

Angela shared how fast the two years went by and how much she accomplished and grew during that time. She learned about Synchrony and business acumen and increased her confidence, gained insight into her own strengths and weaknesses, and developed leadership skills.

A rotational program offers tangible work experience that could help you solidify the direction for your career. The program dedicates time for you to explore your interests and learn from different roles and leaders. As you consider possibilities for your life after graduation, we encourage you to look into Synchrony’s rotational program. If you don’t have plans to graduate yet, then you can learn more about the summer 10-week internship program.

You can learn more about the company here. If you’re interested in starting your career at Synchrony, visit us here to find out more about the internship program, the rotational program, and other early-career opportunities.

The post Inspiring Career Growth at Synchrony appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

For some, going back to school after graduating college sounds like a nightmare. For others, it sounds like a necessary step for pursuing your dreams.

How do you discern whether attending graduate school is right for you? Even if you know it’s something you want to do, a major factor of the decision is timing.

While I don’t have all the answers, I have my own personal experience of deciding to go back to school and change careers. While I’ve written as a contract writer for WayUp, I am a full-time student at the University of Illinois at Chicago gaining my masters of social work to become a licensed therapist.

Additionally, I interviewed college graduates and wrote a book about navigating the changes in post-grad in order to understand more about the pivotal life transition. In Coming of Age: Our Journey into Adulthood, I share anecdotes from hundreds of survey respondents about their own experiences to bring to light a major transition that isn’t often talked about in society at large.

For this article, I wanted to share insights about going back to school, whether it’s a step immediately after college or many years down the road. Regardless of when you choose to go back to school, it’s an important life decision and one that will shape your future.

Pursuing the Path Immediately After College

In certain careers, additional training or higher education may be required in order to practice or continue in that field. If you enter graduate school immediately following your undergraduate graduation, you delay the transition from student to professional as you maintain the identity of a student. You also have a clear path ahead of you, which helps to answer the dreaded question of, “So what are you doing after graduation?”

There are many benefits for continuing in higher education. You already know the rhythms of school and what’s expected of you as a student. You may need a graduate degree in order to practice or work, so you don’t want to delay your career further without it. You may have certain goals or ambitions that are accomplished only through gaining another degree or additional certification.

Many describe this decision as one they knew they had to do immediately after undergrad because they otherwise could not imagine going back to school. Once you step away from being a student, especially after that’s all you’ve known for your life at that point, it can be difficult to go back.

Whether it’s law school, medical school, a program related to humanities, or another field, the material becomes much more specialized compared to an undergraduate education. While meaningful, the workload often becomes more difficult too. In my book, some respondents described graduate school as the hardest they have ever worked in their life. Others openly shared about imposter syndrome, especially if they went to a prestigious university or entered a program in a different or competitive field of study.

Another mentioned the academics as the most challenging part, but also highlighted the value of the decision itself as it related to their goals:

“I was thankful to meet the most amazing and supportive people in my program who have made the challenging coursework more manageable. Although it was stressful, it is rewarding to know that I am one step closer to becoming a nurse practitioner.”

Coming of Age, p. 120

With specific career goals in mind, graduate school is a vital and necessary part of a career journey. The sense of accomplishment and professional confidence that grows from stepping more fully into your desired path cannot be overstated.

That said, there is no one right way or time to go about pursuing higher education and your specific career goals. Others wait many years before going back to school.

Taking Time Off or Rerouting Plans

It can be invaluable to take time off after graduating from college before jumping headfirst into another program. Graduate school has additional costs, intensity of work, and implications for your career. It is no small decision. Taking time off from being a full-time student for a season could help you become a better and more focused student in the future.

“I wish I had known that taking off that year between undergrad and grad school was actually really, really good for me. I was apprehensive about it, but it was so restful, it allowed me to hit med school with a running start and fresh mind.”

Coming of Age, p. 120

Taking time off from academics could be the best decision before starting a program, especially if you know it will be your reality for several years. We have to remember life (and our careers) is a marathon – not a sprint. You cannot expect everything out of yourself those first few years.

While the application process for graduate school is different from trying to find entry-level jobs, applicants deal with rejection just the same. You may be open to moving for the program or you may be tied to a specific location. Depending on how many schools you apply to, you may have several options of programs. While you may not get acceptances everywhere, most don’t expect to receive a rejection from all schools.

For one respondent in my book, her plan was to go to grad school but she was waitlisted at the two schools she applied to and didn’t know what to do from there. She waited a year and applied again, so she ended up taking a year off without intending to do so. Again, timing is a major aspect of decision-making in the real world.

Another respondent dealt with rejection and it resulted in a change of plans that he had not anticipated.

“I applied in two separate years, so to be rejected twice was really difficult. That had been an end goal for me as I thought about my early career, so it took a lot to reorient my career goals and what I wanted out of life.”

Coming of Age, p. 121

Life doesn’t always unfold in the ways we want it to, and that’s a bitter reality of the real world. Rejections can help to evaluate options through a different lens, which then can help determine a new path moving forward. It is trials like these that build resilience and character as people forge their own lives.

Pursuing a Career Change by Going Back to School

For those that choose to go back to school after several years, it is often a byproduct of wanting to change careers or enhance their professional experience. Going to graduate school can be a great way to pivot, whether slightly or into a completely new career.

Many choose to wait to pursue higher education so they can gain work experience, making them a more valuable candidate for the program. It may become more difficult to leave a salaried job to become a student again, but there are benefits to going back to school later in life too. For some professions, gaining life experience only benefits you in the profession.

For me personally, I worked in marketing for eight years before going back to school to get my master’s of social work. My interest was first piqued during a counseling course I took in college, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue it as a career, so I chose to put it in the back of my mind. I also considered how life experience would benefit me as a therapist, so I knew I could always become a counselor later in my life.

After college, I began and continued my career in marketing. Working remotely during the pandemic helped kickstart the desire for me to work more directly with people in my day-to-day life. As to not feel as overwhelmed by the potential decision to change careers, I attended information sessions out of curiosity. I talked to old professors and friends who had made similar career changes to seek counsel. I eventually decided to apply to a few programs, knowing that didn’t force my decision itself.

Through my own process of discernment and data collection, I became more assured in my decision and felt ready to commit to a career change. I could not pursue the new field without attending graduate school, so I made the decision to become a student again in my early thirties.

While I had major adjustments in going back to school, I also felt such excitement to be in class again and listen to lectures about topics I cared about. While it took some time getting used to weekly reading assignments and writing papers again, I felt as though I gained a greater perspective and appreciation for my education itself.

While it was a difficult decision to change careers, I look back and see how quickly time passes. If I had let fear stop me, I would not be in a field of work that feels more aligned with my own goals and values. In a span of two years, I will have changed from a marketing professional into a social worker and it wouldn’t be possible without graduate school.

If you aren’t sure whether grad school is something for you to explore, I recommend talking to mentors, college professors, and contacts within the field itself. If you are considering it as a next step for your post-grad journey, you can review some additional resources on WayUp’s website here.

You never know how grad school may shape your career. Even if it means becoming a student again.

The post Graduate School: Post-Grad Plans or a Career Change Later in Life? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You’ve found the dream job or internship. Whether or not you know someone at the company, it’s in your best interest to invest time in connecting with folks working there; it could be a difference maker in landing a new career opportunity. 

Chiara, a recruiter for Capital One’s Students & Grads Programs, is here to help you connect and build relationships by sharing her three tips for networking. 

Take a strategic approach

It’s absolutely crucial to do your research! You want to connect with someone through a common interest or a mutual colleague or friend. Of course, LinkedIn can be a great place to start, but consider finding people through other platforms.

Capital One’s Business Resource Groups (BRG)—voluntary, associate-led groups for cultural celebration, community service and professional development—are great ways to expand your network. Many BRGs sponsor and attend career fairs and student conferences, so be on the lookout for them! 

National organizations and societies are also great for meeting people. Connect with groups that share your identity or professional interest, like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Rewriting the Code—both of which are Capital One partners. The groups are like your secret weapon for networking, finding resources and getting tailor-made support for your academic and/or professional journey.

Have a plan

First things first: Use the “S.E.E.” method when meeting someone. That stands for smile, eye contact and enthusiasm. The S.E.E. method can help set the stage for a great conversation prior to giving your elevator pitch. 

As for the elevator pitch, think of it as being three parts. Say what you do, what makes you unique and either how you can help them or how they can help you. Practice your pitch beforehand to ensure it flows smoothly and feels natural.  

As that initial conversation is wrapping up, be sure to get their contact info so you can send a personalized thank you email or LinkedIn message referencing something specific from the conversation. Lastly, follow up with them periodically, whether it’s sharing relevant articles, inviting them to events or simply checking in to see how they’re doing. 

Be authentic

Remember, being yourself is the key to building meaningful connections. 

Don’t try to impress by pretending to be someone you’re not. It can be easy to get caught up in the job or internship search and force yourself to pursue an opportunity that doesn’t feel true to you. You should be building relationships that last beyond one meeting. It’s easier for someone to mentor you or be your advocate when they truly know you and your passions.

People are more likely to remember and connect with the real you.

Head over to Capital One’s profile to learn more about the company and browse open roles, upcoming events, and more.

The post A Capital One recruiter’s 3 networking tips for students appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It’s that time of the year again: National Intern Day! Created by WayUp in 2017, this holiday focuses on celebrating and appreciating the future leaders of the world…interns! NID has gained widespread popularity thanks to media coverage from Good Morning America, multiple Forbes articles, (see here), (and most recently here), participation from companies like NASA, Google, and hundreds of smaller companies every year. This year National Intern Day falls on July 31st, 2024 and we hope everyone is ready to celebrate.

Every year, WayUp and Yello publish both The Top 100 Intern Program list and the Top 100 Intern List, selecting 100 interns, with one honored as the #1 Top Intern of 2024. You might be thinking, “there’s no chance I’m making it” but believe it or not, any intern can be named the “TOP” intern of the year or make the Top 100 Intern List. It’s true, you don’t have to be a superstar, a superhero, or a celebrity. You just have to be yourself -a hard working, dedicated individual. Don’t believe us? Just check out our previous winners here. The 2024 nomination form is CLOSED.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Have been an intern between September 2023 and August 2024
2. Submit your nomination by August 8th, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

Tips & Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Who is eligible for nomination of 2024 Top Intern?
   1. Anyone who has been an intern between September 2023 and August 2024
2. How are winners determined?
   1. The 100 interns who make the list are chosen by a panel of judges who consider the strength of nominations, voting totals, and social media promotion.
3. How do I nominate myself?
   1. Follow the steps below: 
   2. To start a nomination, select “I am an Intern” 
   3. Complete the form fields; progress can be saved and returned to later.
   4. Submit the completed form.
   5. Share your nomination with your network to increase your vote totals and make sure to use #NationalInternDay.
4. When are applications due?
   1. Friday, August 8th, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST
5. When is the list announced?
   1. Middle of August

Now that you have the info, we’ll show you how your nomination can be a winner. We’ve curated some tips, tricks, and advice to help guide you.

How to have a “knock out” nomination and be named a TOP intern

We spoke with Yello/WayUp staff, past NID winners, and campus recruiting professionals about what it takes to be a top intern. Here’s what they had to say:

Show, don’t tell. 

Similar to writing a standout resume, quantify some of your accomplishments thus far in your internship. On your National Intern Day nomination, you will be asked a series of questions that have to do with what you do in your internship, what you’ve learned, and how it has shaped your career goals. What impact have you made on your team? What processes have you improved or implemented? Brag on yourself and use quantifiable data to back it up. 

It’s okay to over-explain

Some of the NID nominations that have been the most impressive were able to give a lot of detail about the complexities of their projects. This doesn’t mean writing a one-page report when explaining the projects or day-to-day responsibilities of your internships. Instead, make sure it is crystal clear not only what you worked on, but the impact this had on you, the organization, and the team you worked with. 

Spread the word.

Tap into your network: get your connections to vote for you and get the word out there. We’ve even created a template for you to share your nomination with your network. Engage with your friends, family, and connections by marketing yourself. Make sure you’re using the hashtag #NationalInternDay in your social media posts. 

Apply Early

Lastly, the worst thing you can do if you’re trying to make it on the “Top 100 Interns” list for 2024 is wait to apply. The sooner you get your application in, the better, so fill out an application and see if you have what it takes to make the cut!

Walk the walk

Be the top intern you believe you can be and want to be recognized as. In your day to day internship, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to speak up. Be on time and act professional. Go out of your way to get to know people and make connections. Keep track of your tasks and accomplishments. Learn as much as you can and be a sponge. By actually “being” a top intern, you’re going to have people wanting to vote for your nomination and see you succeed. 

You’re now one step closer to TOP 100 and being a future leader. You’ve got the tips, tricks, and expert advice to be one of 2024’s top interns. We’re looking forward to your nomination so make sure to submit one before it’s too late.

The post National Intern Day: How You Can Be 2024’s Top Intern appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses for the past 50 years. TCS believes innovation and collective knowledge can transform the future with greater purpose.

TCS employs over 600,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants from 150+ nationalities with operations in 50+ countries. Diversity is a value of TCS as evidenced by the fact that it’s one of the world’s largest employers of women in the IT industry.

Notably, in North America, TCS was recently recognized as:

• The #1 Top Employer in the U.S. by the Top Employers Institute
• One of the 50 most community-minded companies in the U.S. by Points of Light
• One of Fortune Magazine World’s Most Admired Companies^TM list, a global barometer of corporate reputation, for the second straight year

Working for the Greater Good

TCS believes in building greater futures by making its communities its priority and by connecting people to opportunities in the digital economy. In line with the values of its parent company, The Tata Group, TCS’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts are driven toward initiatives that contribute to the creation of a fairer and more equitable world for all.

With its proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world, TCS has earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index.

Globally, efforts include helping marginalized individuals and communities with literacy, education, employment and mentoring for entrepreneurial endeavors. In North America, these CSR efforts are specifically designed to help advance education equity, close the STEM skills gap, and prepare students for the future global workforce.

Two programs that engage with youth and support potential leaders in the IT space are the career readiness program (goIT) and the professional development program (Ignite My Future).

Digital Innovation and Career Readiness (goIT)

TCS’ flagship, no-cost digital innovation and career readiness program, Go Innovate Together (goIT), equips K-12 students all over the world with the skills, confidence and mindset to pursue careers in STEM. 

goIT provides resources and training programs for teachers but primarily focuses on opportunities for students to learn about problem solving and design thinking while developing their sense of global citizenship. The program inspires participants to use their new skills to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges because all goIT challenges and program culminations are tied to the U.N.’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

WayUp spoke with Kevin Lee, a previous co-op student turned full-time software engineer. Kevin found TCS to be an exciting and innovative environment, especially in the Internet of Things (IoT) field. He heard about goIT through a mentor during his internship and was excited to volunteer to teach elementary, middle, and high school students during a goIT Summer Camp. The three-day camp was integrated with TCS’ Bringing Life to Things IoT lab for the second consecutive year, and students learned where and how IoT can be used to generate positive changes in their communities.

By volunteering with the program, Kevin most enjoyed seeing students increase their understanding of technology’s potential and explore new interests in tech through the program’s culminating projects and presentations. These programs are valuable for students to learn new skills and evaluate different aspects of technology as they explore career possibilities for their future.

The summer camp experience is special to all TCS employee volunteers, but it is especially meaningful to those, like Kevin, who work in the Milford office outside of Cincinnati where the goIT program was born. It began as an innovative idea for a one-time summer camp in 2009 and has since grown into a year-round global program, operating in 42 countries. Over the last year alone, goIT touched the lives of more than 1 million students and 20K educators. Student innovations addressed issues as diverse as water quality, hunger, education, equality, poverty and climate change.

Teacher Professional Development (Ignite My Future)

Launched in 2017, TCS’ Ignite My Future is TCS’ pioneering effort to empower educators around the world though a unique approach that integrates computational thinking into core subjects like math, science, literacy, social studies, and the arts. Computational thinking is a future-ready skill that prepares students to tackle problems by building their confidence to work with big, complex issues.

Ignite My Future’s program content is developed and managed by a team of former educators, so it is a teachers-helping-teachers initiative that adds meaning to K-12 classrooms all over the world. As a teacher professional development program that provides training and resources to teachers looking to expand their capacity for bringing computational thinking into their classrooms, the program provides teachers and their classes with formal training sessions, exciting lesson plans, virtual field trips and Family STEM Night implementations. 

Recently, the program launched “Tech Trends for Teachers” which tackles tech knowledge and awareness from a different perspective. Like many of its in-classroom initiatives, Tech Trends for Teachers is driven by TCS employee volunteers.

WayUp spoke with Software Engineer John Trimble about his experience at TCS. In addition to his role helping lead the IoT and digital engineering lab in Cincinnati, he is also a frequent volunteer for various CSR initiatives. Recently, he contributed both to the experience of students attending the goIT summer camp and to teachers who turn to TCS for their own professional development through Ignite My Future.

Tech Trends for Teachers engages TCS employees in providing K-12 teachers with the opportunity to learn about — and share — tech innovations that will change the way the next generation will live and work. John also mentioned how this type of volunteerism gives a chance to highlight their own leadership, which is fulfilling.

“It’s Part of Our Ethos:” Purpose Matters

The fact that TCS’ culture of purpose is deeply embedded across all geographies, departments and customer service units is clear in conversations with TCSers who can describe the company’s legacy of community purpose in detail. In conversations with TCS employees, they happily declare that contributing to social and environmental good is part of the company’s ethos.

In 2023 alone, TCS employees volunteered across the globe and generously gave more than 5 million hours of service or, as “TCSers” refer to it, of HOPE. In North America, employee activities included supporting programs like goIT and Ignite My Future, as well as sorting, packaging, and delivering sustenance to people facing food insecurity through food banks. Additionally, employees plant trees, mentor refugees, give blood and volunteer for disaster response and recovery activities.

In response to employees’ interest in receiving corporate support for volunteering on their own or in more coordinated efforts, TCS created an app for finding curated opportunities based on employee location. The app, called myPurpose, is one of the ways TCS supports employees looking to live their purpose both at work and after work.

When asked about the company’s culture of purpose, John emphasized the fact that giving back is important to all TCS employees.

Kevin was initially exposed to CSR initiatives during his internship, and his engagement continued after joining the company full-time. In highlighting the variety of opportunities available, he said, “I really appreciate all the creative programs that allow people to make a difference even virtually. It helps us expand our impact and removes a lot of boundaries.”

Opportunities for a Career with Impact

John and Kevin both graduated from the University of Cincinnati (UC), each earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. They were both first drawn to TCS because of UC’s co-op program, which involved several semesters of full-time work. After interning with TCS, they decided to join the company full-time after graduation.

Kevin shared how the internship experience helped make his transition into TCS as a full-time employee more seamless. Upon graduating facing a challenging job market affected by the impacts of Covid-19, he appreciated how TCS was able to hire him and give him opportunities to contribute to others in his community at the time. Even more, he valued the career opportunities he would gain by joining the company.

John was specifically drawn to the company’s IoT lab and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology, which made him excited to join one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

The internship program at TCS provides students with real-world experience and meaningful projects, equipping them with the skills to launch their careers in technology, IoT, engineering, and more. Additionally, interns can gain insight into the company culture, the team dynamics and projects, and the day-to-day work itself.

Whether through the internship or as full-time employees, TCS creates opportunities to engage with work that makes an impact. From specific CSR initiatives and programs to an overall culture of philanthropy, TCS provides an educational and purposeful environment to start or build your career.

For more information about career opportunities within TCS, check out their page on WayUp here.

The post Want a Career that Matters? Discover Tata Consultancy Services and its Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Taking a leap and joining an internship can come with many unknowns – Will I meet people and make friends? What is the company culture like? What type of projects will I work on?

At Tata Consultancy Services, a leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, the campus recruitment team understands these pre-joining nerves and have created a thoughtful engaging program to ease the transition from school into a professional work environment.

To develop emerging young leaders within the IT industry, TCS created a robust internship program that offers students meaningful work experience in a real-world setting. The ‘TCS Early Careers’ program allows interns the opportunity to contribute to real technology projects handled by industry professionals within various TCS business units and gain hands-on experience through problem solving, and critical thinking skills. Spanning across 10-12 weeks, the program is ideal for students currently enrolled in a computer science and/or other TCS relevant STEM academic program

About ‘TCS Early Careers’ Program

TCS values the student’s experience and learning. The program is structured into 5 distinct phases intended to guide the students seamlessly through the experience and gain the exposure that is intended. With the guidance of the TCS campus team at every step of the process, each student has access to a business mentor and a buddy who are integrally involved in the internship process and interact regularly with the students.

Phase 1
The initial phase, prior to joining, has connect sessions planned at regular intervals with the campus team and the mentors to ensure readiness to get started with TCS. To alleviate some of the nerves before starting the internship, the TCS team hosts virtual sessions to go through any questions upcoming interns might have on onboarding and what to expect on the internship. The week before the internship starts, interns receive a welcome kit full of TCS swag and instructions on what to expect on Day 1!

Phase 2 and 3
To help ease the transition into the corporate world, the second and third phase focuses on ‘getting a fast start’ for the interns. The interns are welcomed with an orientation on their first day where they attend workshops, featuring sessions about TCS and its business, information on how to access their equipment tools, connect with their mentors/buddies and other insightful talks from senior leadership. During the weeklong orientation, TCS interns will also hear from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) leaders and are encouraged to join these groups to start networking and seamlessly assimilate into the TCS culture.

Phase 4
The fourth phase is about delivering clarity on the role and helping the interns succeed in the project. Interns meet with their assigned teams and start working on projects and some of the interns have the opportunity to directly work with TCS customers. While working on projects, interns are mentored by subject matter experts to gain applicable leadership and technology skills to help jumpstart their careers. All of this happens organically through the collaborative company culture and meaningful project experience.

Phase 5
The last phase is all about ‘Celebrating the success’ of completing the internships. With a formal graduation ceremony, the interns have the opportunity to showcase their experience to the TCS Leadership team and share/hear about success stories from other interns.

Life as an Intern

To gain an insight into the TCS intern experience, WayUp spoke with previous interns Karan Sathiayan and Hrithik Reddy. Karan, a data scientist intern and current full-time employee, shared that as an intern he was given a lot of responsibility which made him feel valued as a part of the team. Karan shared that the highlight of the internship was when he presented a demo in front of a large group of TCS employees at an internal seminar that his manager organized.

To gain another perspective, WayUp spoke with Hrithik Reddy who interned at TCS but his role was quite different from a typical technology internship. He focused on projects supporting the Global Sports Sponsorship team and helped the team with sponsorship research and how to boost TCS marketability through sports. Hrithik supported the team’s efforts working towards TCS sponsorships for the TCS NYC Marathon (title sponsor), Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, TCS Jaguar Racing, and other events.

Hrithik spoke highly of the team environment and company culture, especially in his contributions as an intern. He described the engaging atmosphere and how his input was considered by the team, which helped him feel valuable and like he had already been working for the company for years.

Mentorship and Professional Development Opportunities

As a part of the Internship program, interns are assigned a mentor and a buddy to meet with weekly throughout the entire duration of the internship. Interns are also introduced to an internal communication tool to communicate with their peers and receive real-time feedback from their buddies, mentors, and senior leadership. This intentional approach to provide relational support at the company helps to equip interns with networking, interpersonal, and teambuilding skills – all of which are vital to their long-term success.

Karan Sathiayan, a data scientist who very recently joined TCS full-time, praised the company culture and their value of mentorship and continued education. TCS not only offers outside training through Linkedin Learning, but also has their own internal platform called iEvolve where employees can gain training on anything from technical skills to leadership and soft skills.

Karan also elaborated how these TCS trainings are vital to standing out during the interview process.

TCS Micro Internships

In collaboration with The Forage, Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Group have created three virtual Micro Internships which are open to all students and professionals who are looking to grow their skills. TCS and Tata Group have created three Micro Internships which simulates real world projects and allows you to get experience in areas such as Data Visualization, Cybersecurity, and Sustainability. These Micro Internships are self-paced typically taking 3-5 hours to complete and can be conducted fully virtually. These Micro Internships are free and are open to everyone. You can navigate to the three Tata Micro Internships by clicking on the following link here.

An internship with TCS is a valuable experience that can guide you on your career path and prepare you with hands-on experience for a full-time career after graduation. If you’re interested in IT or software engineering, be sure to check out their internship programs and other career opportunities within the company.

For more information about the company, check out TCS’s page on WayUp here. For more specific information about the internship program, view here.

About TCS

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses for the past 50 years. TCS believes innovation and collective knowledge can transform the future with greater purpose.

TCS has over 601,000 of the world’s best trained consultants from 150+ nationalities with operations in 55 countries. Diversity is a value of TCS as evidenced by how the company is one of the world’s largest employers of women – over 160,000 women employees – making up over 36% of the global workforce. Notably, TCS was recently awarded the #1 Top Employer in the U.S. award by Top Employers Institute and was also awarded Top 100 internship program by WayUp in 2022 and 2023.

The post How ‘Early Careers’ at Tata Consultancy Services Prepares You for a Career with Impact appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Capital One’s Analyst Internship Program (AIP) is the launchpad for a satisfying career in business or data analytics. 

During the 10-week program, students can expect to complete meaningful work like building data visualization tools in AWS, performing campaign analysis on marketing plans and optimizing machine learning products. They’ll level up their business, problem solving and coding skills and, along the way, build relationships they can turn to for support beyond the internship.

Three AIP alumni, now working full-time at Capital One, share how their internship helped them launch their analyst careers successfully. 

How Campbell completed real work that advanced financial inclusion

Campbell experienced a diverse mix of analyst responsibilities while completing her two Capital One internships. 

In her first summer, she worked on a marketing campaign identifying which Capital One Auto Finance tools would best help customers increase their savings. In her second internship, Campbell worked with the Digital Customer Experience Innovation Team to analyze customer feedback and address how Capital One could optimize Auto Navigator, a tool customers use to pre-qualify for auto loans, explore financing options and search for vehicles in their preferred price range. 

During her internships, Campbell analyzed the effectiveness of email marketing, used coding and worked on data within the cloud. She identified customer motivations, built customer personas and presented her insights to senior leaders. 

“I came away with firm examples of how I drove a project forward as an intern,” Campbell said. “I can point to decisions that I brought to the table. It was pretty incredible to have those contributions. I knew I wanted to come back.” 

Campbell was excited when she realized how much her internship prepared her for a full-time position through the Analyst Development Program (ADP), an 18-month experience where recent grads cycle through two positions with two teams. Currently, she’s a business analyst with the Financial Services Strategy team. 

“Yes, you’re learning how to be an analyst, but in the eyes of your coworkers, you already are because you’re doing the work,” Campbell said. “That gives you so much confidence at the start of your career.”

 How Solomon developed tech and financial skills to launch his career

Solomon was looking for an internship where he could merge a new experience working in tech with his studies in management and entrepreneurship. He found that perfect blend through the AIP.

As a business analyst intern, Solomon worked on a machine learning team where he built a dashboard for small business clients. While Solomon researched how to create the dashboard, he took the opportunity to expand some of his tech and business acumen. It was then that he learned the programming languages Python and SQL, explored how to use data visualization tools and learned to effectively pitch ideas. 

“Tech is the future for the financial industry, and Capital One knows that,” Solomon said. “So I appreciated learning these programming and product manager skills to make me a better analyst.” 

Now, Solomon uses the tech knowledge he developed as an intern for his full-time role with the ADP. As a business analyst on the Credit Card Innovation team, he assesses data, customer feedback and the latest technology to determine how to better protect Capital One’s card portfolios. 

“If you’re interested in the intersection of technology and finance, Capital One is the place to be,” Solomon said. “With the internship, you get to work on real problems and learn new skills in an exciting and supporting environment.” 

 How Fozi built a supportive network to help him grow

As a data analyst intern with Capital One’s Servicing Data Strategy team, Fozi worked on predictive modeling to determine the likelihood a customer would close their Capital One card account. 

While the work required a heavy amount of data analysis, Fozi knew he could do a better job if he incorporated machine learning. After discussing with his manager, they introduced Fozi to several data analysts and machine learning engineers who had experience and could help. Fozi’s new connections helped him infuse a machine learning model into the project so it would need less manual data entry to succeed long-term. 

“Doing the work is one thing, but knowing how to build relationships and ask your network for help and guidance was a valuable skill I learned,” Fozi said. 

In his current full-time role as a data analyst through the ADP, Fozi supports various Card teams by designing and maintaining data structures for campaigns. Rarely does a week go by where he doesn’t reach out to someone he met during his internship—whether a former manager, colleague or another intern—for everything from advice on building a strategy plan to getting other data analysts’ best practices. 

“Capital One’s culture makes it so easy to build connections,” Fozi said. “I’ve realized that community building is how I’ve found success. That network I started building as an intern still provides me guidance and support.”

Head over to Capital One’s profile to learn more about the company and browse open roles, upcoming events, and more.

The post From interns to analysts with Capital One’s Analyst Internship Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If you have not heard of Arup, you have likely seen their firm’s work firsthand without realizing it. As a global collective of designers, consultants, and experts dedicated to sustainable development, they use technology, imagination, and rigour to shape a better world. The firm has a 75-year history of commitment in producing meaningful and socially useful work.

Working for Global Impact

Sustainable development encompasses a variety of aspects, including regeneration, biodiversity, conservation of resources, stable economic growth, and social value. Arup has a collaborative approach where architects, engineers, and consultants come together to work towards the shared goal of shaping a better world.

In line with Arup’s purpose, they work to provide a greater impact on the world around them. Arup has committed to achieving net zero emissions across their entire operation by 2030, covering everything from the energy used in offices to goods and services purchased. From 2019 to 2022, Arup reduced their carbon footprint by 14% to help them get closer to their goal of net zero.

As a global organization, Arup’s members work across a myriad of departments, which they internally call “disciplines.” These disciplines range from engineering departments – such as Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Structural Engineering – to more specialized groups such as Sustainability, Acoustics, Energy, and more. Additionally, Arup has a business services team that includes roles within Marketing and Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and more.

Launching Early Careers

No matter what career path you’re pursuing, there are countless opportunities to explore at Arup. Their firm provides exposure to various disciplines throughout the internship, which helps to foster curiosity and awareness of the types of career path available to them. As an employer of choice, Arup serves as a launching pad for passionate young professionals who are looking to start their careers with meaningful work.

For those looking to start their careers or gain knowledge as they pursue their early careers, Arup’s internship program offers an impactful experience. The acclaimed summer program offers a paid, 10-week internship for full-time undergraduate and graduate students.

The internship program is divided into three categories in a 70/20/10 framework:

• 70% real work experience
• 20% internship program events
• 10% for ongoing learning opportunities

Providing Meaningful Work Experience

Much of the time, about 70%, is spent working alongside professionals and contributing to the success of real-life projects. The internship program equips interns with hands-on experience across disciplines working on active engineering, design, and consulting projects.

During the internship, interns are immersed in project site visits, team meetings, company meetings, and client meetings. Additionally, interns regularly engage with leadership and develop relationships with colleagues through project meetings and attending social events. The program offers a diverse experience and positions students for success within their desired career path.

Fostering Relationships and Networking Opportunities

During the internship, 20% of the time is spent engaging in internship program events such as regional events, local events, and a project review assignment. Regional events allow interns to engage with peers across 16 offices, attending workshops about sustainability, Employee Resource Groups, leadership, and other topical events.

The local events foster intentional networking opportunities through site visits, connecting with office leadership, and a graduate panel discussion. These events also provide opportunities for interns to meet and engage with colleagues across disciplines at Arup, helping to expand their knowledge about the firm. Additionally, some of the events offer insights from members early in their career to interns about to start their career.

The project review assignment groups interns into multidisciplinary teams where they work together across different office locations. Interns are tasked with completing a knowledge review and creating a value story on a recently completed Arup project, allowing interns to explore how a project was delivered with quality. The final outcome is a presentation that interns give to their teams, peers, and leadership, which provides them with meaningful exposure to the organization.

Offering Continued Education and Development

Finally, the last 10% of the internship is set aside for ongoing education and professional development opportunities. Interns are encouraged to spend time pursuing additional trainings to advance their skills and knowledge, which highlights how Arup invests in early career talent.

The hiring managers identify a mentor, or what Arup calls a “buddy,” that will be partnered with interns. The objective of this mentor system is to assist interns in acclimating to their new environment, learning about the organization, and integrating into the culture and work at Arup.

A Thriving Company Culture

Arup deeply cares about its culture and how it represents the mission and vision of the organization. In addition to their values, Arup strives to champion Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI), and engages with communities across the globe. The firm values how the best creative work draws from a range of human experiences, viewpoints, and ideas. Arup is committed to DEI and its efforts shape the firm’s work and culture.

Interns shared how they were able to get involved in Employee Resource Groups and support work that aligned with their own long-term goals. From exposure to the diverse leadership at Arup to networking with other offices, interns are integrated into the life and culture of the organization. They also spoke about opportunities of attending conferences or other events to support their own professional development and expand their interests outside of project work.

Wondering what a typical day-to-day looked like for Arup interns? For more insight, watch the below videos to see what it was like to intern at Arup from 3 Arup interns at the Houston, TX office, New York City office, and Boston office!

Timothy Dang’s day in the life as a Mechanical Engineering intern at the Houston, TX Office

Sarah Cole’s day in the life as a Software Development rotational intern visiting the New York City office

Kelly Perymon’s day in the life as a Sustainability intern at the Boston, MA office

Pipeline for Future Job Opportunities

It’s no secret that Arup’s internship program provides a funnel of potential candidates. At the end of the internship, interns are evaluated and considered for full-time or return internship opportunities.

Arup employs individuals from all different degrees and backgrounds. They assess candidates holistically and place a focus on their technical skills and experience that align with the position. They look for innovative thinkers with a passion and drive to join an extraordinary collective and create a future with purpose.

Internship Application Process

For those interested in applying for an internship with Arup, you must submit an application. After passing the resume review, candidates will be shortlisted and invited to complete the pre-screen step and assessment. After passing the pre-screen, candidates will be set up for a video interview with the hiring manager for the role.

Arup looks for students who are passionate about their field of study, curious about the professional world, and eager to shape a better world through sustainable development. It is important for candidates to be self-motivated, have strong communication skills, and be willing to be part of a community.

For more information about the internship program and the application process, check out Arup’s page on WayUp here.

The post Help Change the World by Interning at Arup appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When looking to start your career, you consider the type of work involved, but do you consider the greater impact of the work itself?

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, and the organization is now in its 100th year. Working with over 35 million volunteers and supporters, the non-profit Association makes a real impact with its focus on cardiovascular and overall health, saving millions of lives.

Heart disease and stroke are the two leading causes of death worldwide, and for survivors, they can diminish the quality of life. The Association’s mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives, by funding innovative research (more than $5 billion to date), advocating for the public’s health, and sharing lifesaving resources, with a focus on ensuring equitable health in all communities.

The American Heart Association has strong tailored early career programs for people to pursue their goals, such as their internship program, the Scholars program, and HeartCorps, the Association’s public health AmeriCorps program.

Employees at the Association join the organization from varied backgrounds. Some bring experience from major corporations, some recently finished their education, and some are transitioning from the military. No matter your entry point, the Association is a strong and meaningful place to start, build, or grow your career.

The Internship Program

The American Heart Association’s structured internship program offers interns opportunities within many departments. The organization is committed to provide students with real-time, meaningful experiences to learn about and assist with the work done there.

The internships span across different disciplines, such as Operations, Fundraising, Marketing, Health Strategies, and Science and Research. Dion Bart, a Communications Intern who later joined the American Heart Association full-time, talked about his experience as an intern, touching on the structure, supportive environment, opportunities for growth, inclusive company culture and the importance of voicing opinions and asking for help in order to succeed.

Dion’s work as an intern included creating and implementing a communications and social media plan for a major event (Heart Walk). He gained firsthand experience of what a communications director does, which helped position himself for a full-time job at the American Heart Association.

Another intern, Sha’Dasia Reynolds, began as an intern in Community Impact and extended her internship in Human Resources with University Relations. Through her work in two different departments, she gained even more valuable experience and understanding of what it is like to work at the Association. Now, she is taking what she learned as an intern and providing feedback to make the internship experience even better.

Darjé Bennett talked about her experience transitioning from the military and into the American Heart Association. She expressed her gratitude for how the organization –– and especially the mentors –– helped her re-enter the civilian workforce. As she began her internship, she discovered how her military experience translated into real-life work experience.

Darjé was another intern who was able to transition into a full-time position at the Association. She also shared how supportive the Association has been for her as a working mom, providing her with flexibility. For more information about The American Heart Association’s careers, look here.

WayUp also spoke with Christen Lawrence, an HBCU graduate from Miles College, who interned with the American Heart Association following her participation as an HBCU Scholar. As part of its comprehensive work toward building equitable health, the American Heart Association has partnered with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), and other accredited colleges to help students earn professional degrees in the biomedical and health sciences. These scholar programs at the organization provide an experience over an academic year that focuses on research methodologies as well as the social impact caused by health disparities and inequities.

Being a scholar gave Christen valuable research opportunities, addressed representation in the workplace, and emphasized the value of mental well-being and career development all of which helped her build confidence as a young professional. She spoke highly of that opportunity and how it provided her with valuable networking opportunities and sparked her interest in becoming an intern with the Association.

The exposure to leadership at company events helped increase networking skills, which paid off for Christen as she accepted a full-time role after completing her internship.

HeartCorps Program

Beyond the standard internship program, the Association has the HeartCorps program, launched in partnership with AmeriCorps. HeartCorps is a public health AmeriCorps service program where members gain valuable professional public health experience while advancing more equitable health outcomes for rural communities.

WayUp spoke with Janninah Miller, a current HeartCorps member, about her experience. Janninah serves with a Health Center and works on community health assessment projects and helped address food insecurity and transportation issues. She shared how the HeartCorps program gave her valuable experience toward her long-term career goals.

For students interested in public health, the HeartCorps program is a great one to explore during your early career development. For information about HeartCorps, contact them at HeartCorps@heart.org.

Career Development Opportunities

As shown above, many interns are given opportunities to extend their internship or join the organization full-time, and praised the program for how well it was structured to provide them with a meaningful experience.

Tips for the internship interview process? Former interns noted the interviews are conversational and suggest being true to yourself and asking questions, so candidates show their authentic selves. Many interns also discussed why they wanted to work in the non-profit sector.

The American Heart Association fosters career opportunities for early career professionals who are looking to start or continue their career. Whether you’re looking for a full-time, part-time, or internship role, there are various roles at the American Heart Association that you can explore.

Notably, the American Heart Association was recognized on the Forbes 2023 list of America’s Best Midsize Employers. The AHA also earned a top spot on DiversityInc’s 2023 lists of Top Hospitals and Health Systems, Top Companies for Board of Directors, and Noteworthy Companies. The organization has also been named a Leading Disability Employer for the fourth consecutive year, by the National Organization on Disability (NOD). Working for an established organization has many benefits, including professional opportunities. Employees have access to HeartU, which offers state-of-the-art online training courses to enhance career development.

WayUp is here to help you navigate your career ambitions. If you are interested in applying for an internship or exploring open positions, you can learn more on WayUp’s page here.

The post Want a Career with Impact? Work at the American Heart Association appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Welcome to the ideal destination for professional transformation and growth—KPMG Lakehouse. Are you an early career professional looking to elevate your skills, ignite your potential, and fast-track your journey to success in the world of business and accounting? Look no further. KPMG Lakehouse, nestled in the vibrant hub of Lake Nona, Orlando, stands as a beacon of opportunity, offering an immersive learning experience that propels early-career candidates towards a realm of unlimited possibilities.

To gain more insight into the intricacies of KPMG Lakehouse, we spoke with a few KPMG insiders whose careers have been profoundly influenced by their experiences there.

Through our conversations, we discovered that Lakehouse offers attendees a unique ecosystem that merges immersive networking opportunities, cutting-edge technology, and hands-on learning methodologies all under one roof. Whether you’re aspiring to pursue a career in accounting, seeking to fortify your business acumen, or aiming to harness the power of technology in the corporate world, KPMG Lakehouse invites you to unlock your potential and chart an extraordinary career path within the esteemed KPMG network.

Breaking The Ice With Future Collaborators

Lakehouse isn’t just a space for learning; it’s KPMG’s cultural home where future leaders converge, collaborate, and cultivate professional relationships.

Here, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals while fostering friendships and professional relationships that could last your entire career. Through interactive workshops, team-building exercises, and social events, early career candidates at Lakehouse have the chance to break the ice and establish meaningful connections with their future colleagues.

As depicted by Kyle and Jen’s experiences, building these connections during your time at Lakehouse not only opens doors to diverse perspectives and shared experiences but also lays the foundation for collaborative opportunities and mentorship, all things that are essential for a flourishing career at KPMG.

A Technologically Advanced Immersion

KPMG Lakehouse is more than just a haven for networking, it’s a technological marvel boasting a diverse array of cutting-edge tools and platforms designed to immerse early career candidates in the digital landscape.

Equipped with state-of-the-art tech infrastructure this facility serves as a sandbox for emerging talents to familiarize themselves with the latest innovations in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and other disruptive technologies. One of the most unique pieces of technology at Lakehouse is the app which powers each attendees’ experience.

According to Karissa Cornell, the app comes with “all sorts of features that are akin to a 5-star resort.” Whether it’s preordering coffee, scheduling a fitness activity, finding out about social outings, or building and maintaining connections, the app is one of the ways that KPMG really “individualizes the experience for all guests.”

By delving into these technologies, early career candidates acquire a competitive edge, fostering a deep-seated familiarity with the tools and platforms crucial for professional development. Whether it’s learning to harness the power of data analytics or understanding the impact of AI on business strategies, Lakehouse provides a hands-on approach that equips individuals with the expertise and confidence needed to thrive in their future roles at KPMG.

Laying Down a Foundation of Experience for Future Success

In addition to being a cutting-edge facility where technology intersects with immersive networking opportunities, Lakehouse also offers new hires the opportunity to get comfortable and more familiar with the day-to-day work they will be doing as an intern or associate.

Offering immersive simulations that mirror real-life audit, tax, and advisory projects, these experiences expose employees to the complexities and nuances of actual client work. This approach not only deepens their understanding of the intricacies within practice areas but also cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for success in their future roles at KPMG.

By engaging in these exercises, individuals gain invaluable experience learning to work collaboratively, make informed decisions, and navigate complex scenarios within a supportive learning environment. This hands-on approach not only builds confidence but also ensures that future interns and employees are well-prepared to hit the ground running and excel in the dynamic landscape of Audit, Tax, or Advisory at KPMG.

A Place to Begin Your Career

From interactive networking sessions that foster enduring connections to hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art tools, Lakehouse ensures participants are not just learning, but evolving into adaptable, skilled, and well-connected professionals prepared to excel at KPMG and beyond.

To find out more about KPMG, their innovative training ground, and open positions, check out their WayUp profile or www.kpmguscareers.com/early-career.

Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities.

The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

© 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. 

The post Discover the Future of Professional Development: KPMG Lakehouse Propels Early Career Success appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Applying for internships can be a stressful process, especially as the pressure increases for college upperclassmen to determine their plans for life after graduation. Not only are students looking for internships that provide hands-on learning opportunities, but they are also hoping to find a program that fosters their own professional development as they evaluate what to pursue in their first job. 

Many large companies have well established internship programs that act as a pipeline for their early career talent. If you are looking for a purpose-driven company that provides interns with real-world experience, look no further. 

Elevance Health is a health company dedicated to improving lives and communities – and making healthcare simpler. Previously known as Anthem, Inc., Elevance Health is utilized by 1 out of every 8 Americans. The company has over 100,000 employees, 71% of which are women and 44% are minorities. Elevance Health was recently featured on the Forbes Best Employers for New Graduates List. This year’s WayUp’s Intern List received over 400 nominations and recognized the top 100 interns. Two Elevance Health interns, Aashish Balani (Business Analyst Intern) and Katelyn Mueller (Documentation Analyst Intern), made the top 100 intern list. 

Recently, WayUp spoke with four former (and some still current) interns who shared about their internship experience. In our conversations, we learned about Elevance’s inclusive and welcoming culture, the meaningful projects and real work experience gained, and the mentorship opportunities as a part of the program. 

First, it was obvious from our conversations how much the interns genuinely loved their time working at Elevance Health. Not only were they eager to share about their experience, but they also spoke about how grateful they were for the real work opportunities, which helped them determine more of what to pursue in a career. As one of the greatest indicators of the value of an internship, many acknowledged how they would love an opportunity to join the organization full-time after graduation.

A few key takeaways were the value of mentorship as a part of the program and how that helped interns grow professionally and personally. The strong company culture and mentorship equipped them with skills and resources to become hopeful about their own career opportunities and trajectories. Beyond the program itself, interns spoke about the intrinsic value of the work and how the mission aligns with their desire to develop initiatives to help communities. 

Q: What did you like most about working at Elevance Health?

As mentioned previously, Elevance Health provides hands-on learning opportunities to interns as a part of the internship. Whether it was reaching out to providers for data collection or checking for data accuracy and inconsistencies, Allie worked to support the Provider Relations department. Additionally, the Solutions Analytics department incorporated Chris’ interests in automation technology to support larger company goals to ensure Elevance is on the front-end of AI. 

In any given summer, there are 200+ interns working at Elevance Health in offices across the country. Notably, Elevance has a regional presence in all 50 states. The projects the interns worked on throughout the summer varied based upon region needs and department initiatives, but each project was meaningful and applicable to the day-to-day functioning of the organization.

Q: What was your favorite project? What kind of work did you do?

The work itself is integral to any internship program, but the company culture has a significant impact as well, especially as it relates to the interns’ overall experience. It is one thing for a company to say it has a strong culture and it is another to live it out. The former interns at Elevance shared how obvious it was that Elevance really cares for their employees – not just as a buzzword but in how it lives out its company values.

The culture was described as inclusive, welcoming, and a team atmosphere. From sharing constructive criticism and feedback to offering certifications and learning, Elevance invests in the ongoing improvement of their employees. Interns described the warmth of relationships and how colleagues would ask about their projects and offer support for anything they were working on during the internship.

Q: How would you describe the company’s culture?

After reading their experiences, you may be thinking, “I want to work there!” We also spoke with the former interns to understand their own interview process and what helped them stand out. Networking, self-confidence, and passion were the greatest recommendations for landing the internship. 

One former intern shared about their own goals and how they could bring diverse ideas into a space. Their interests aligned with Elevance’s mission, which helped fuel a sense of mutual purpose into the internship experience. Others mentioned taking advantage of all the professional opportunities and networking engagements throughout the internship. For some, they were even offered to extend their internship past the summer and are still working there today. 

Beyond the strong company culture, a theme that emerged from the interns was how much they felt supported and valued even as interns. The internship program hosts an Intern Summit where interns from all over the country travel to meet and network with other interns and professionals. A few of the former interns highlighted that trip as a memorable experience to meet with the recruiting team, executives, and engage with others in the office. Not many companies offer an experience like that for their interns.

Elevance Health offers a rich experience for interns across a variety of practices and departments. If you’re wondering how to apply, you can learn more about Elevance Health’s internship program and work opportunities on their WayUp profile!

The post Discover Why Students Love Interning with Elevance Health appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

KPMG, one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms, has taken their investment in new hires and candidates to a whole new level. This investment is seen in the form of their sprawling KPMG Lakehouse campus in Orlando, Florida where new and tenured professionals go to build their skills, participate in training, and grow their network. 

One particular immersion that KPMG has at Lakehouse is their Talent Sync program where intern and full-time candidates gather to learn what life is like at KPMG and to get better acquainted with the firm.

While the benefits of Talent Sync are vast, we’ve identified a few main allures through conversations with participants and facilitators of the program. Whether it is simulated work experiences and first-hand narratives of personal journeys or networking and team-building exercises, KPMG Talent Sync is an excellent opportunity for early-career candidates looking to jumpstart their professional services careers and immerse themselves into a vibrant work culture.

Seeing Yourself in Their Shoes

One of the main benefits of Talent Sync is that prospective interns, new hires, and candidates get the chance to interact with professionals from all different levels of the firm. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for participants to imagine their own career trajectories at the firm.

Jacob went on to say how inspiring it was listening to leaders in the same field he was interested in talk with so much passion. This motivated him to set similar goals for himself and choose KPMG as the place where he wants to begin his career.

When we spoke with Courtney Kelly, a manager on the University Talent Acquisition team who helped facilitate Talent Sync, she explained how “interns aren’t always thinking about years down the line, so by having multiple levels of professionals on-site at Talent Sync, candidates are better able to picture themselves in different positions within the company.” Looking at Jacob’s story, it’s clear that KPMG’s efforts did just that.

A Behind The Scenes Look at What Life Is Like at KPMG

Another great allure of KPMG Talent Sync is the opportunity for prospective interns and new hires to see what life is really like at KPMG. This means learning about both the work you’re going to be doing and the benefits you get as an employee.

In the practice breakout rooms at the program, Audit, Tax, and Advisory professionals with various levels of experience lead interactive sessions on a range of topics relevant to their respective practices. These sessions offer participants a unique opportunity to engage with professionals in a small group setting and gain insights into the work performed on their teams.  

Talent Sync goes as far as having designated location-specific cohorts on-site to help candidates understand what life at KPMG is like. This past year, Audit Senior Associate, Brady Blanton had the privilege of being an on-site cohort captain. While Brady helped participants at Talent Sync understand everything involved with the actual work they will be doing, he also offered them insight into everything outside the work of a KPMG professional as well.

The fact that KPMG has someone like Brady on-site at Talent Sync to show these participants a really accurate portrayal of the firm’s culture and work-life just goes to show how much they invest in candidates before the job even starts. By the end of our conversation with Brady, it was clear that KPMG was making an effort to show these candidates that they really wanted them to work for the firm and cared about their future. 

Building Career-Long Relationships

When KPMG invites candidates to Talent Sync, they do so with the intention of compelling them to accept their offer to join a firm with incredible opportunities to grow their careers and their network. 

Talent Sync naturally becomes a place where career-long relationships begin.

KPMG knows what it takes to be successful in the accounting industry and clearly values strong networking opportunities. Whether it’s to start career-long relationships or see a real inside look at what life is like at the firm and what your career could consist of, Talent Sync is one of the most unique opportunities for early-career candidates interested in professional services.

If you want to learn what it takes to grow and develop yourself at one of the Big 4 accounting firms, take a look at some of the open roles and job opportunities at KPMG on their WayUp profile or www.kpmguscareers.com/job-search.

Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities.

The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

© 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization.

The post A Future-Ready Workforce at KPMG: Investing Ahead of the Curve appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The post 12 Paid Internship Opportunities That Will Launch Your Career appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As a professional preparing to enter the workforce, it can feel overwhelming as you consider the seemingly limitless possibilities of what to pursue after graduation. When this time arrives, it’s important to consider what kind of employer is the best fit and where you can grow your skills the most.

It goes without saying that new experiences and stepping out of your comfort zone will contribute to professional growth and development. However, is it even possible to find a life-changing experience like that at the start of your career?

KPMG, one of the Big 4 accounting firms, has grasped this experience-led development method and integrated it for their employees through their global presence and opportunities abroad.

In addition to their global offices and international clientele, KPMG offers the opportunity for select students from across the world to participate in the Global Advantage Program and the Global Internship Program. KPMG knows that some of the best opportunities to grow and learn can happen outside of one’s home country and these programs are their way of leveraging that potential.

Recently, WayUp spoke with a few current and future employees who participated in these unique global opportunities to hear about their experiences and what they gained from traveling and working abroad. In our conversations, we learned that the firm’s global opportunities help early career professionals step out of their comfort zone and gain invaluable skills that help them succeed in a new industry and workforce.

Global Advantage Program

The KPMG Global Advantage Program (GAP) is an opportunity for about 150 future interns from over 10 different countries to develop skills the summer before their internship. The four-day training course hosted in Europe seeks to grow students’ skills in the avenues of leadership, self-awareness, interpersonal impact, and cultural versatility.

Here is a little bit of what the 2023 program in Brussels, Belgium looked like!

This past summer, Jessica Commisso, a KPMG University Recruiter and former intern, attended GAP in Brussels with a group of students acting as an ambassador and manager. Her experience this past summer helped her see just how beneficial the program can be for new hires and their ability to work with different types of people.

Global Internship Program

Another incredible opportunity for KPMG interns is the Global Internship Program (GIP), which provides real-world experience through a four-week rotational program. Whether it’s working in Dubai, London, Sydney, or many other global office locations, interns gain exposure to global professional services practices and increase relationship-building skills.

Participants spend half of their internships working in a location outside of the US with international colleagues and develop a global network of professionals which enhances their skills in collaboration, networking, and communication. Additionally, interns gain meaningful work experience by learning about international accounting standards and working on tangible deliverables with global clients.

This past summer, Victoria Vanriele participated in GIP as a Tax Intern working on the island of Mauritius off the coast of Africa. During her time in Mauritius, Victoria was thrown into a new and unfamiliar environment – an experience that helped her understand different cultural norms and ways to interact with people.

As Victoria anticipates working with colleagues and clients from different backgrounds in her future full-time role, she will undoubtedly use her experience in Mauritius to help guide her.

Hensen Lam, another participant in GIP, shared that the client work he did in Dubai had the greatest impact on his development.

From leading client meetings to holding down presentations, Hensen gained confidence as a professional through hands-on experience and participation in real business deliverables.

Whether it was getting comfortable with new and unfamiliar environments or gaining inspiration to succeed, both Victoria and Hensen had critical experiences that contributed to their growth at KPMG.

Global Clientele

Beyond the Global Advantage and Global Internship Programs, full-time professionals at KPMG also have the opportunity to gain international experience working with the firm’s global clients or by participating in the KPMG Global Opportunities (GO) program. Last year, nearly 70 KPMG member firms hosted over 770 professionals on rotations around the world.

Jamie Bernstein, a Senior Associate in Tax who currently works with an international client, participated in both global programs before she joined the firm full-time. She acknowledges how helpful it was to understand the international tax perspective through global client work. While at the London office, she interacted with several international colleagues and enjoyed learning more about their backgrounds.

As she lived away from home in another country, Jamie had the relational capacity to focus more on networking through client dinners, team-building events, and other cultural activities. She emphasized how working in an unfamiliar territory was a main driver for self-improvement.

Even today, as a Senior Associate, Jamie seeks out new and unfamiliar opportunities because she knows they will help her grow professionally. From global programs to meaningful networking experiences, it is evident how these initiatives help to build a sense of connection to the firm.

Jamie’s experience goes to show how involvement with the global initiatives at KPMG, especially early in your development, will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on your career and professional journey.

Harnessing Adaptive Minds

After chatting with both entry-level and experienced employees who have participated in global initiatives with KPMG, it is clear the programs impact career development and the path that individuals take.

Whether they help you learn how to communicate with people from different backgrounds, solve unique problems, or foster ambition and a desire to succeed, the global experiences at KPMG help early-career candidates launch and grow their careers.

For more information about international opportunities at KPMG for both interns and full-time employees, head over to their WayUp profile or www.kpmguscareers.com/early-career.

Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities.

The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

© 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. 

The post How KPMG Global Opportunities Prepare Early Career Professionals for the Workforce appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you’re preparing to start your career, few decisions carry as much weight as where you go to school, what you study, and who you choose to work for after graduation. Among these choices, choosing the right employer requires some of the highest consideration.

Aside from company culture, compensation packages, and job specifics, there is an incredibly important requirement everyone should look for: an environment that fosters personal growth and professional development. 

AeroVironment (AV), a technology company specializing in the design and manufacturing of unmanned aircraft systems, is dedicated to empowering and promoting their employees and ensuring they thrive in their roles. This has led AV to attract and retain some of the top talent in aeronautics and engineering.

In our conversations with three different team members who went from interns to full-time at AeroVironment, we learned about everything the company does to nurture their staff’s professional growth and the reasons why they have been so successful in building their careers with the company.

Experiences That Go Beyond the Books

Whether it’s putting a helicopter on Mars or creating satellites that bring Wi-Fi to remote parts of the world, AeroVironment interns and employees get to work on some of the most fascinating projects in aeronautical engineering. One of the main allures of doing this kind of work, especially from an intern level, is the confidence, insight, impact, and knowledge you get from it.

After just one summer with AeroVironment, Savanna found herself far ahead of her classmates at The Georgia Institute of Technology. While that confidence and additional knowledge helped make her school year a little easier, Savanna was also able to use that insight beyond the books when she returned to AV the following year as well.

Forged by Fire

Another interesting detail about these experiences is that there is an abundance of new concepts or ideas – even for some of the most seasoned team members. This often leads to group problem-solving and a communal, forged-by-fire environment where collaboration and ingenuity thrive.

As many students have come to know, formal training programs can get old fast. Not only that, the new Gen Z workforce is demanding that employers offer more than archaic training protocols. At AeroVironment, you are thrown into real aero and mechanical engineering scenarios with tenured professionals all working towards a common goal. This kind of boots-on-the-ground environment is exactly what creates people who know how to problem-solve, get things done, and make an impact on the world.

Challenges That Lead to Growth

One thing Chase mentioned is that a lot is learned “from the experience of doing, and sometimes failing.” In other words, employees at AeroVironment acquire skills and enhance their abilities not only by getting things right but also by embracing the lessons from their mistakes.

This perspective on learning from your mistakes allows him to see it as a valuable tool for personal growth and development, which further emphasizes why AeroVironment is such an ideal place for young professionals to grow their careers. 

It is incredibly difficult to test new limits and try new things when you’re afraid of making mistakes, especially at work. AeroVironment has created an environment that doesn’t look down on employees for their mistakes but instead uses it as a building block  to learn and grow from. This is what makes AV an ideal employer for someone looking to break into the industry and grow their skills from the bottom up.

Friendly Environments That Foster Growth

One of the best parts of starting a job is all the new people you meet and the connections you make. While everyone has different preferences regarding the degrees of coworker relationships, everyone can agree that being friendly and amicable with colleagues is much more enjoyable.

AeroVironment is a place full of individuals who are really passionate about the work they do and the industry they’re in. After my conversations with a few employees, one thing I also noticed is that they were just as passionate about helping one another succeed. This being the case, it makes it really easy for everyone to get along. 

One of the main benefits of this comradery is the effect it has on the work employees do with one another and the results that come of it.

At AeroVironment, there are no outsiders. The team-oriented culture and the all-for-one mentality enable employees at every level to truly give their best effort.

If you’re looking to get your start at a company that wants to see you succeed and gives you the tools to do it, consider checking out some of the open roles at AeroVironment. The projects they work on are impactful, the positions they have are lucrative, and their culture is unbeatable.

The post Why Young Professionals Are Going to AeroVironment to Launch Their Careers appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

So you’ve nearly got your degree and you’re ready to make waves in the world of marketing, advertising, business or sales. You’re familiar with concepts like market segmentation and you can break down the pillars of supply chain management and you’ve watched movies like The Wolf of Wall Street and The Social Network more times than you can remember.

What you don’t learn in school or movies, however, is what moves to make as you attempt to breach the world of business and how to make a career for yourself. What we mean by “moves” are the decisions you make regarding the way you present yourself, how you choose to grow and learn, and the mindset you carry with you into your endeavors. 

With so much to keep in mind when making this major leap into the professional world, it can become difficult to choose what advice to follow and what to ignore. Instead of leaving it up to AI software and chatbots, we decided to host a virtual event with some real-life employees about what their marketing, advertising, business, and sales departments look for in a candidate. 

In our Job Search 101 virtual event, we spoke with Kalina Popova, a Campus Manager at Dell, Madison Ahmadi, a Talent Acquisition Partner at Expedia, Jennifer Voss, the Director of Early Careers Talent Acquisition at Visa, and Tangela Woodley, a Talent Acquisition, Marketing, & Digital Early Careers Manager at L’Oréal. In our conversations, the panelists reveal the tips and tricks needed to succeed in the world of marketing, advertising, business, and sales.

Don’t Limit Yourself

One of the great things about the marketing and business industry is the variety of roles that exist within it. You could be a copywriter making taglines, a graphic designer creating brand logos, an account manager closing deals and finding new clients, and a whole lot more. 

This being the case, it is critical to keep an open mind when you’re trying to decide what kind of role best fits you. In our conversations with experts, Tangela Woodley from L’Oréal sheds some light on just how many different opportunities exist within their marketing department.

From analytics to creative, the world of marketing has opportunities for people interested in all kinds of things, especially at L’Oréal. So when you’re preparing to make your foray into the marketing, business, advertising and sales world, it’s important that you don’t pigeonhole yourself into one subcategory or another!

Follow the 5 Dimensions of Potential

While every company and its employee expectations are bound to be different, L’Oréal has a specific set of criteria that candidates can keep in mind wherever they apply. L’Oréal calls it the five dimensions of potential and with these rules, you can better your chances of succeeding in the world of business.

Whether it’s learning agility or your judgment and decision-making skills, L’Oréal’s Five Dimensions of Potential would apply to numerous top-tier companies and what they’re looking for in employees.

Leaders > Participants

As a company that specializes in helping early-career candidates and college students find jobs, we have seen young professionals make a lot of mistakes. One of the big ones we’ve seen them make is signing up for a club or organization just to get it on your resume.

It doesn’t take much to sign up for a group and show up to a couple of meetings. What does take some effort is actively contributing to these groups and taking on leadership or executive roles. This is something to keep in mind when you mention your involvement in groups and extracurriculars in your applications.

Our suggestion is to be proactive. When you join a group, don’t just be a bystander! Make sure you’re participating and doing things that give you stuff to talk about later on when you start applying for jobs. If you have an idea, speak up! If you feel inspired to take on a position.

You Gotta Have Grit

A lot of people outside the marketing and sales industries perceive it as this glamorous world with photo shoots, hot-shot business people, and high-profile deals. What you don’t see are the challenges and obstacles that marketing professionals face on a daily basis.

Any marketing veteran you meet is likely to have just as many stories about unhappy clients and discouraging rejections as they are to have stories about massive wins and incredibly successful campaigns. And that’s just a part of the business.

This being the case, it is critical that anyone trying to enter the marketing, business, and sales worlds develops a tough chin and plenty of grit.

While Kalina’s anecdote relates to sales, the same thing goes with marketing, advertising, and business. What if you pitch a marketing campaign to a client and they don’t like it? Or propose a solution to your boss that he chops down? Having the grit to face this type of rejection and come back stronger is what will make you successful in the long run.

Take Advantage of Resources

One thing that every one of our panelists in our recent Job Search 101 virtual event agreed upon is the importance of utilizing the resources at your disposal. If you go to college, whether it’s community or Ivy League, chances are there is a career office working to connect the student body with potential employers.

In these offices, work has been done to establish relationships. All you need to do is take advantage of it.

These types of resources are oftentimes free and extremely beneficial, so there really isn’t any reason not to take advantage of them.

Looking for another free resource you can use to score the job of your dreams? Create your account with WayUp and start browsing open roles today or head over to our blog for more career tips and job-search advice! Watch the full session here. 

The post Insider Tips for Marketing, Business, Sales, and Advertising Professionals appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Those who take on athletics and extracurriculars in college are individuals with incredible drive who become intensely motivated by their passions and their desire to pursue them. Over the years, Northwestern Mutual has come to understand that these types of people thrive and find success as financial representatives. 

Whether it’s their desire to make a lasting impact or the ability to have a flexible schedule, there are several reasons why athletes and people involved in nonscholastic activities do so well as financial representatives.

Recently, we interviewed a couple of college financial representative interns who are also involved with athletics and extracurriculars to understand why the job is so perfect for people like them.

Complimentary Skills and Characteristics

While athletes tend to have incredible amounts of drive and motivation, those involved in Greek life and clubs are typically very people-oriented. These traits are particularly beneficial to have as a financial representative because of the self-starter attitude and the communication skills that are essential to the job!

Phillip Li, a varsity baseball player at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, provides his team with quick hands as an infield baseman in addition to holding down a .429 slugging average this past season. During this time, he also helped a couple plan their retirement. 

Phillip went on to discuss how the drive he has towards training for a successful season was similar to the efforts he put forward with his clients. He visualized his goal, put together a “game plan,” worked with his teammate (senior partner), and saw the objective through to completion.

Picking Out Your Own Schedule

As most students know, especially those involved in athletics, college schedules can get really busy. Academics and social life already take up a large percentage of your time but when you start committing to athletics and nonscholastic activities it often seems impossible to do anything else.

Northwestern Mutual’s college financial representative intern role is unique because it is built to accommodate the hectic lives of college students with busy schedules. Take Jack Thompson for example, a Division 3 lacrosse player at Union College. In our conversation with Jack, he spoke to us about how his mentors at Northwestern Mutual worked with him to make sure his professional life was fitting well with his college life.

Maybe you have a big test coming up, practice, or a week-long lacrosse tournament in Austin as Jack did. As a financial representative intern at Northwestern Mutual, there is no need to fret. Northwestern Mutual understands that you have other things going on in your life. This being the case, Northwestern Mutual consults with you to find a balance that works for everyone. 

Real Game Time Experience

If you are on a team, you don’t want to be sitting on the bench. The same goes professionally when you’re working at a job! But in order to get game time ready, you need to practice.

When you’re just getting started as a financial representative, a senior representative will have you shadow them on real client calls, gradually getting you more and more involved. The work you do is the same as if you were a full-time financial representative, but you have the support and mentorship from leaders along the way. 

After a few times, the training wheels come off and you will be on your own making financial recommendations for clients!

While there is a short shadow period during which you learn the ropes with a senior employee, this only lasts for a little while until you’re on the field getting real experience with real clients.

Ambitious Minds Thrive Here

One trait a lot of athletes and those involved in extracurriculars have that makes them particularly successful at Northwestern Mutual is their ambition. Whether it’s waking up early for practice or just the internal desire to grow and better yourself, these types of people are made for the college financial representative intern position.

In our conversation with Sayawni Lassiter, a Division 1 Women’s College basketball player at the University of Rhode Island and college financial representative intern, she recounted how she connected with her recruiter and how he expressed that ambition is a key ingredient in being successful as a financial representative.

If you’re a current college student and want to start experiencing real-life work as a financial professional, take a look at Northwestern Mutual’s industry-leading college financial representative intern position.

Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based solely on production.

Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles “Financial Advisor” or “Wealth Management Advisor” are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in Milwaukee, WI.

The post Flexibility, Growth, and Competitive Pay Awaits at Northwestern Mutual’s Industry-Leading Internship appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When first starting out, you’re going to want to look for an employer that enables you to perform and gives you the tools you need to grow. For Chesdin, a product manager at Capital One, these were the very same elements he noticed when he was introduced to the company.

Over a cup of coffee with a Capital One associate, Chesdin learned about our Management Rotation Program (MRP), where recent grads gain business acumen and leadership skills by working with two separate teams, each for a one-year stint. Chesdin—who wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do with his career—was intrigued by the opportunity to try two different jobs with the same company. 

He successfully applied to the MRP and started in 2020. 

“Capital One brought me in and hired what they’ve deemed is a good person with a lot of potential,” said Chesdin, now a product manager. “This place will help you grow and build a solid foundation for an incredible career.”

Finding career direction

Chesdin was nervous to start his first rotation as a project manager and analyst for a cybersecurity team. He had no tech background and was afraid of making mistakes.

His team and manager quickly squashed those fears. They explained their work to Chesdin and were always available for simple and complex questions. Chesdin grew confident enough in the position to help the team plan and mobilize an education program to help Capital One customers improve their cyber security. 

“There’s a culture here where people want to put you in a situation where you can be great,” Chesdin said. “People respond well when you show a willingness to learn.”

During Chesdin’s second year with the MRP, he worked as a product manager for a software engineering team that handles a messaging platform for texting and emailing customers. He helped manage projects that improved the quality of messages to customers’ phones.

He realized—through his time in the second program rotation—that he wanted to continue working on products that help with customer care. So when Chesdin’s time with the MRP ended in 2022, he accepted a position as a product manager for a Capital One team that manages the platform our agents use when speaking to customers.

“In two years, I figured out some things I did and didn’t like. Both of which are so helpful,” Chesdin said. “It was a big accomplishment for me to finish the MRP and have such a clear idea of what direction to take for my career.”

Investment for the future

Chesdin has continued learning well past graduating from the MRP in 2022.

He regularly sets up Meet & Greets—casual conversations with colleagues across Capital One—to learn about people’s careers and job fields. He blocked off work time to study for and earn certifications in Amazon Web Services and product management. 

Chesdin also volunteered at a Capital One diversity, inclusion and belonging summit, where he answered questions from high school students and shared how he has found a fulfilling career at the company.

“Anytime I had a class, a certification I wanted to study for, or any type of learning, my managers and team were all in on me doing it,” Chesdin said. “I haven’t found just a job, but a career. It’s exactly what I was looking for as a student.”

Head over to Capital One’s profile to learn more about the company and browse open roles, upcoming events, and more.

The post Building a Career at Capital One appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As you will begin to notice in your job-hunting adventures, no two application processes are the same. When you’re preparing to apply to more than one company it is important to adjust your strategy accordingly.

Application processes tend to vary by company, industry, and job level. It could be difficult to know how to make these adjustments as an entry level applicant. One question that’s often asked from candidates is: What are recruiters looking for and how can you impress them?

At our Job Searching event in January, we invited a panel of industry experts to answer these questions as it pertains to the world of Software Engineering. In our discussion with Tony Burdett, Global University Relations Leader at the NCR Corporation, Heidy Garcia, Early Careers Recruiter at Expedia Group, Iona AlGhafli, TRACK Hiring and Onboarding Lead at General Motors, and Lei Young, Emerging Talent Strategist at Dell Technologies, we learn what it takes to get a job offer at their companies.

Resume Storytelling

When it comes to putting together your resume, it’s best not to overthink things. In our recent virtual event, Tony Burdett spoke about how “your resume is kind of like the story of who you are.” He emphasizes prospective candidates to concentrate on the top half of their resumes and really make an effort to make that part shine. If you are someone without much experience to write about, here is what Burdett suggests.

In addition to your engineering-related experiences, you’ll also want to list all the languages, skills, and tools you’ve worked with and be able to relate that knowledge back to your experience. Are you comfortable with JavaScript and list that as a skill on your resume? Then you must be able to talk about where you learned it and where you’ve applied it as well. As Tony Burdett said, it’s all about the “storytelling” aspect of your resume and how well you can discuss your capabilities and the experiences where they’ve come into play.

Research the Company You’re Applying To

When you’re first starting your career, you are going to be very eager to find a job. This being the case, you might make the mistake of applying to multiple companies at once without looking into them.

While this might seem like you’re saving time, in the end, recruiters can tell if you want a job for a paycheck or because you’re actually passionate about the position. For Iona AlGhafli of General Motors, she believes that what interests potential employees about a company is one of the most important questions that will be asked in an interview. It’s at this time when the recruiter can really get a good understanding of whether or not the candidate is actually passionate about the opportunity.

If you’re applying for a software engineering position, it is critical that you arm yourself with knowledge regarding that department and the recent applications or projects they’ve worked on. Maybe there is a developer whose work you admire or maybe there is a software they work on that no other company is working with. Whatever the case may be, just make sure you have concrete examples to reference during the application process.

Make Use of Every Opportunity to Meet & Learn

The companies our panelists work for (Dell Technologies, General Motors, the NCR Corporation, Expedia Group) are always giving potential candidates a chance to meet and learn a little more about them. In addition to virtual events hosted right here on WayUp, these companies are oftentimes frequenting college campuses for career fairs, info sessions, and more.

Every recruiter we’ve spoken with encourages students and prospective employees to find and attend as many of these events as possible. On the one hand, it gives you an opportunity to meet with recruiters face to face and make your first impression. On the other, it also gives you an opportunity to see if the company is a good fit for you and gives you something to talk about when you’re interviewing.

Whether it’s to get a leg up on the interview and application process or to see if you like an employer, company-sponsored events are incredibly conducive to getting a job that fits you.

Communication is Everything

Before, during, and after the application process, it is important to communicate in a very professional manner. The first thing you want to make sure you’re doing is being responsive. Whether it’s to schedule your interview or to thank the recruiter for their time, communicating promptly will show them that you are engaged and highly interested in the position. 

Tony Burdett recommends that applicants think of who they’re talking to as “people that might be potential networking contacts for the future” and to always leave the door open. 

After an interview, it’s best practice to reach out and thank the hiring manager and/or person you spoke with. However, only reach out once! We know how stressful it can be waiting to find out whether you got a job or not. Don’t let this stress cause you to trouble the recruiter with repeated emails asking about the status of your application as this could make things go south.

How to Negotiate an Offer

If an offer is made, there are four things you can do. You can accept, deny, negotiate, or ask for more time to consider. While those first two options are straightforward, it’s when you negotiate or ask for more time that you need to choose your words wisely.

When you negotiate, it’s best to have another offer to use as leverage. Otherwise, you need to explain the reasons why you think you’re entitled to more money, whether that has to do with your experience or what you’re going to contribute to the company.

According to Iona AlGhafli, candidates should attach the offer they’re asking to match to their negotiation email. AlGhafli states that it’s important to “own the process” and not to beat around the bush or be indirect. 

In the case that you want some more time to make your decision on an offer, it is best to ask the recruiter how long you have rather than decide for yourself.

Don’t Stress Yourself Out

One of the last pieces of advice we got from our panelists, and this is something they unanimously agreed on, is not to let the application process stress you out. While it can be a nerve-racking endeavor, try to look at it with excitement instead of dread! It might seem like it at the time, but this is not the biggest decision in your life. Job opportunities will come and go, but the right one always finds you eventually!

One way to increase your chances of finding that perfect match is by keeping up with us on WayUp. Whether it’s our virtual events, blogs, or job boards, we’re here to help you get that offer. Stay tuned for more career tips and ways to land the job of your dreams!

The post What Are Software Engineering Recruiters Looking For on Applications? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There is nothing that compares to an energetic, engaged, and sociable office environment. A place that feels like a second home, where you know everybody, where you can put your best foot forward, and where you can grow and thrive with a group of diverse minds who aren’t just your colleagues but your friends too.

We’re happy to say that such an office exists in the heart of Minneapolis. KPMG Minneapolis has built a culture and community that goes far beyond an office space. In our conversations with employees from the Minneapolis office, both new and old, we discovered what makes their office perfect for those who want more than a run-of-the-mill office experience.

Collective Problem-Solving

A very common worry that a lot of entry-level employees or early career professionals come across is what to do when faced with obstacles. As is the case with any new job, challenges will arise, so this is very natural.

When we spoke with Reece English, a former intern and current Tax Associate at KPMG, he mentioned that having a bunch of fellow colleagues in the same position as him was incredibly helpful. For example, one day Reece was having an issue with a platform he was using at his desk. After firing off a question to a fellow colleague, instead of replying in the chat, she stopped what she was doing and went over to Reece’s desk and walked him through it.

Whether it’s asking a fellow intern for a ride to work or getting a managing partner to look over a review you did, everyone at KPMG seeks to support one another whenever possible.

Social Life

In our conversations with employees from KPMG, we discovered that they cultivate a culture that values socializing and employee interaction. Pizza days, taco Tuesdays, morning coffee and donuts, and happy hours are incredibly common at the KPMG Minneapolis office. These events help build camaraderie and meaningful bonds between employees.

The Minneapolis office even has a basketball team and kickball team. While the basketball team is company-wide, the kickball team is exclusively for interns and gives them the chance to compete in a tournament against the other Big Four accounting firms. KPMG won in 2021 but lost in 2022 so they are hoping for a big comeback next year.

Lastly, the training at the KPMG Lakehouse in Orlando also underscores the firm’s dedication to building a well-connected community. Every year, all KPMG professionals, from intern to partner, head down to the training and innovation center to upskill, socialize, and get to know one another better. Fit with a gym, social venues, and tons of other amenities, the experience at Lakehouse goes to show the firm’s dedication to creating fun and lasting bonds between employees.

Real Experience with Clients

The KPMG Minneapolis office is located in close proximity to clients, many of which are Fortune 500 companies. In fact, Minnesota is home to over fifteen Fortune 500 companies, most of which are audit, tax and/or advisory clients of the Minneapolis office. What this means is interns and associates get the chance to interact and work directly with clients on a regular basis.

Whether it’s through coffee chats, boardroom meetings, or onsite engagements, employees get the chance to work directly with these clients as they help influence business decisions in real-time! For Lilli Denison, that meant no day was the same.

This communal aspect, paired with the client engagement that even interns get to partake in, made Lilli realize that employees at the Minneapolis office would always be exposed to new, exciting, and meaningful work.

A Supportive Network

Another one of the most alluring aspects of the KPMG Minneapolis office is the bottomless support network provided by fellow colleagues and partners. In our conversation with James Powell, the office managing partner in Minneapolis, he spoke about the “pass it forward” mentality that exists throughout the organization.

James emphasized how there is a “whole network of people who, yes, have a job to do, but at the same time also find it very important to make sure that the people around them are successful.” James went on to say how much of a proud culture the KPMG Minneapolis office has and how that pride reverberates off the behavior of employees helping one another. This pride stems from their devotion to helping fellow colleagues and lifting each other up whenever possible.

At KPMG, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the company for a day or a decade, everyone is treated the same and given the same opportunities to grow and succeed.

Make the Minneapolis Leap

People choose to stay at KPMG for a variety of reasons. Some include the ones we mentioned earlier, but many of them are discovered by the employees themselves. Whether it’s the support system, the social life, or the paths to success that are paved for each and every employee, the KPMG Minneapolis office is the destination where early career professionals go to thrive.

Learn more about the internships and open roles that KPMG is looking to fill at their Minneapolis office and locations across the country here and begin your road to success!

The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

© 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization.

The post Day in the Life: Working at One of the Biggest Accounting Firms in the US appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Working with a variety of different people to unlock their financial, personal, and professional goals, the work of a Financial Representative is vast and unbounded. Given that there are so many different options and ways to build your financial health, representatives have the ability to use tools and resources to help design plans for their clients. 

But what does that actually look like? To find out, we spoke with Josh Chandler, a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual, about why he loves working as a  financial representative. 

Despite being at an intern level, Josh has already been given several opportunities to drive his career forward. In our conversation with him, we learn a little bit more about what working at Northwestern Mutual as a financial representative is like and how he became so successful early on in his career. 

Impacting Your Clients

When I first asked Josh what it was about financial consulting and planning that interested him, he shared an anecdote about a family member who he wished had help from a financial representative. 

Today, Josh is inspired to help other people reach financial wellness because of the story his family member went through. For him, working with people from all different walks of life is what really makes him feel fulfilled. 

Although blue-collar folks are Josh’s favorite clients to work with, they only represent a  portion of the clients that representatives get to work with. Maybe you want to help out single moms, maybe you want to work with athletes, or maybe you want to work with people like yourself who just got their first job!  

The beauty of being a financial representative is getting to build your own portfolio and working with the people whose lives you truly get to make a difference in. 

Celebrating Wins

Another rewarding part of being a financial representative is that you get to enjoy celebrating the success of your clients every single day. The work you’re doing with these people is very real and impacts their lives in very meaningful ways. What you’re doing might help someone buy a new car, pay off debt, or even send their child to college! These are all milestones that you get to celebrate with your client. 

I analyzed my clients’ assets, their income, and their goals, and I was able to make sure that they’re aligned and working in synergy. Today, whenever they reach a new goal or check one off the bucket list, that’s a goal checked off for me too. I get to live through my clients and whenever they achieve something it’s also an accomplishment for me.

Josh Chandler, Financial Advisor

It is clear that financial representatives have a really big impact on people’s lives and well-being. This means on any given day, you could be helping someone reach their goals that wouldn’t have been possible without you! It works like this that makes the day-to-day of a financial representative so fulfilling.  

Interns Do the Same Things as Full-Time Representatives

By the end of my conversation with Josh, I had to ask him again if he was still an intern because it hardly seemed that way. Josh had his own office, tons of clients, and was continuing to build his career in profound ways. 

However, a good portion of his success can be attributed to the fact that Northwestern  Mutual gives interns the chance to work as full-time representatives right from Day 1  and work with people who inspire them to succeed. Senior advisors help guide in the beginning and along the way as needed, but the role is still very autonomous. 

Interns do pretty much the exact same things that a full-time advisor does which I think is phenomenal. This is why the internship is second to none because you can test drive the career in the same fashion as a full-time advisor.

Josh Chandler, Financial Advisor

The financial representative internship at Northwestern Mutual is hardly an internship at all. Take Josh Chandler’s story as proof that you can have a limitless impact on the clients you serve while building a business for yourself, but not by yourself. 

Northwestern Mutual is looking for more people to join their internship program and start experiencing what life working as a financial representative is really like! Check out their WayUp profile for more information on jobs, news, and the company itself. 

Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based solely on production. 

Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles “Financial Advisor” or “Wealth  Management Advisor” are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services. 

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in  Milwaukee, WI.

The post Why You’ll Love Working as a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There are a lot of things to consider as you determine what you want out of a job. In addition to role, salary, and location, one thing that might take high priority on your list is inclusivity and belonging. In other words, being welcomed, wanted, and represented at the company you’re working for.

Depending on who you are and what background you come from, your sense of belonging will be determined by a number of different factors. At Insight Partners, a New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm, they’ve made it a priority to find out what these factors are and how to properly embed them within their company.

Recently, we spoke with Insight’s Dhanya Madhusudan, Director of DE&I Community at the firm, and Isabelle Rodriguez, Senior Manager of Campus Recruiting, to learn more about these diversity and inclusivity initiatives at the 28-year-old investment firm.

In our conversation, we discovered that Insight’s employee resource groups, recruiting efforts, CEO ScaleUp Pledge, and Vision Capital fund are just a few of the ways they promote diversity and inclusion within their firm and the software startups they invest in.

Employee Resource Groups

At Insight Partners, employee resource groups (ERGs) are an integral part of company culture and employee benefits. Currently, Insight Partners has Black@Insight and OUTsight ERGs which focus on the empowerment, continued education, and advancement of Black and LGBTQIA+ individuals, respectively.

As a member of these ERGs, or non-members who are interested in learning more, you can attend monthly meetings, educational series, and panels to discover what it takes to grow and thrive as a young professional. Additionally, a mentorship program is rolled out in which employees can learn from those who have been embedded in the industry and company for a while.

Campus Recruiting

One of the most direct ways to expand representation at a company is through recruiting efforts. Insight’s campus recruiting efforts, led by Isabelle Rodriguez, intend to not only recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds but retain them as well. One of the ways they do this is through immersive learning experiences, including the Inclusion by Insight Diversity Summit.

This diversity summit is a two-day event in which top-tier candidates from minority backgrounds are invited to learn and grow their skills. The goal of the summit is to learn about Insight Partners and venture capital and private equity spaces, but also to grow professional skills in a number of ways. An example of this is when they partnered with Great on The Job, a company that leads workshops on perfecting your pitch, owning your brand, mock interviews, and more.

But what’s most commendable about Insight’s recruiting efforts is the end goal they are striving for.

CEO ScaleUp Pledge

Among Insight’s various DEI initiatives is the firm’s bold CEO ScaleUp Pledge, which Insight’s portfolio company CEOs sign to commit to prioritize DE&I at the executive level and drive tangible change in their workforce. Working alongside the CEOs and their companies, Insight helps them build an inclusive workforce that is representative of various genders, races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, ages, socio-economic statuses, religions, physical abilities, and more.

Those companies that do sign the pledge aren’t only given the resources needed to make these strides, but they are also held accountable by the firm through progress reports. By both implementing and measuring progress on DEI initiatives, Insight Partners intends on making a difference across the many industries and sectors that the firm invests in.

Vision Capital Fund

Insight’s Vision Capital 2020 Fund is putting their money where their mouth is, so to speak. Insight believes that underrepresented fund managers have access to differentiated perspectives, networks, and deal flow capable of driving strong fund performance. The Vision Capital Funds are governed by Insight’s senior leadership and leverage Insight’s network, experience, and operational expertise to support fund managers’ investment and operating efforts.

For Insight Partners, it isn’t enough to make strides just inside their own workforce and portfolio. While the firm’s ERGs, diversity recruiting efforts and ScaleUp Pledge cultivate internal change, the Vision Capital 2020 Fund looks to make change outside of the company.

To learn more about Insight Partners, the work they do, and the sectors they’re impacting, check out their WayUp company profile. There you’ll find information on everything from job opportunities to more groundbreaking efforts that are changing the private equity and venture capital space as we know it.

The post How Insight Partners Is Championing Diversity in the VC & Private Equity Space appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It’s time to boil down your college experience into a one-page document that sells who you are to a stranger. Where do you list your major? How do you summarize your invigorating internship or great part-time job? What kind of file should my resume be?

We know it can be intimidating putting together your resume. Thankfully, Nyla Walker and Olutoyin Asubiojo, recruiters for our Students & Grads programs, are here to help. Check out their answers to five common resume questions that will help you build a career with real impact.

Q: Should I make my resume one page?

Nyla: Yes. Recruiters only look at resumes for about six seconds, so we need to find your information quickly. You’ll eventually get to a point in your career where you can have a longer resume but stick to one page while you’re a student or recent grad.

Q: How should I organize my resume?

Olutoyin: Put your school, major and graduation date at the top of your resume so we can figure out which of our programs best match your skills and start date. You can also add relevant coursework, research and academic honors.

Your jobs, internships and leadership roles should come next—in chronological order—giving us a glimpse at your relevant experience. Finally, you can have a separate section toward the bottom of your resume for extracurriculars like sports, volunteering and hobbies. 

Q: How do I describe my experiences?

Nyla: Use vivid descriptions, ranges or scales that show off your achievements, contributions and key results. Go deeper than listing a job description. Share how you improved parts of the company you worked for, and make connections between the job you want and the job you have. 

If you’re a cashier, tell us you’re a mathematician extraordinaire and share how you can solve problems quickly. Maybe you worked in retail and organized a sales event. That’s project management. You’ll find ways to tweak your resume for each opportunity you’re applying for.

Q: How should I format my resume?

Olutoyin: Save it as a PDF. This guarantees your resume format will look the same on different computers.

Q: Where can I get help preparing my resume and application?

Olutoyin: Visit our events page for information on workshops about resume building, explaining your career journey, interview preparation and more. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

The post Capital One Recruiters’ 5 Resume Tips for Students appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

While there is a lot of excitement that comes with your first job or internship, there can also be a level of uncertainty that can make you nervous about the upcoming milestone. Given that these are first-time experiences for a lot of people, it is natural not to know exactly what to do and what not to do in these new professional settings.

At WayUp, we help thousands of young professionals land their first job so we are no strangers to the missteps and errors made during these early days. To help make sure you don’t make the same mistakes some of us did, we interviewed a few WayUp and Yello employees to highlight some things to avoid doing in your first job or internship.

Cramming Doesn’t Cut It

Something many of you will learn going into your first job or internship is that the habits that worked in college don’t always work in the professional world. One particular habit that doesn’t cut it anymore, is cramming. 

While a college course often only lasts for a couple of months, a job will hopefully go on for much longer than that. This being the case, it becomes even more important to take the necessary time needed to complete your work. If not, you might end up in a nightmare situation like Jimmy did. 

One way to avoid this is by setting completion goals for yourself. Instead of having one deadline, have multiple, with each one coordinating to a certain percentage of your upcoming task.

Don’t Take on Too Much Work

Another important thing to keep in mind is not to take on too much work. Although you may be eager to show your new employer how much you’re capable of doing, keep in mind that your responsibilities may take some time to get comfortable with.

While it can sometimes be advantageous to overachieve in your work, it is wise not to aim too high when you’re just starting a new job. In the aforementioned situation, Carter tried to take on too much and his work ended up suffering for it in the form of sore arms, likely impacting future shifts, and a messy uniform which most likely made him seem unprofessional. 

Instead of biting off more than you can chew, start observing what other people are doing and maybe take the time to ask some more senior members how they manage time. This way, you can start grasping and comprehending what it takes to get more done in your position.

Stay In Your Lane

This next hazard to avoid is very specific and has to do with the interview process. Applications and interviews can be incredibly stressful with lots of anticipation. However, you never want that stress and anxiety to lead what this person did

In this situation, this individual likely came off as both uninformed and probably a little bothersome. Not only did they make themselves look bad, but unfortunately, they also brought Luis down with them! 

As Luis mentioned, the best way to find updates about your application is to go through your HR recruiter or the hiring manager for the role. Check out this blog to find more great ways to follow up after an interview!

Don’t Ignore Your Sleep

When you’re starting your first internship or job, you’re likely going to have to get used to a new schedule. This means that you’re going to have to start valuing your sleep a lot more and getting a more refined schedule. If not, you might end up falling asleep in a meeting like Jess did during her first big internship in NYC.

This incident is nothing short of a horror story and clearly has remained a lesson with Jess throughout her professional life. At times, it can be very hard to stick to a tight sleeping schedule, especially if you have other things going on in your life like school or family obligations. 

Our recommendation to you is to rid yourself of the unnecessary things that consume your time. That means no more back-to-back Netflix episodes, no post-dinner espressos, and definitely no scrolling endlessly on social media when you’re in bed!

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions

Our last piece of advice when it comes to things to avoid in your first job or internship is something that you should keep in mind throughout the entirety of your professional career and not just when you’re first starting out. While some situations vary, asking questions will always be beneficial – especially when you’re just starting to familiarize yourself with a new role.

The intern in this situation was likely feeling pressure not to come off as needy or uninformed. Instead of clarifying what she was supposed to do and the deliverable that was required, she went ahead with what she thought was expected and ended up making more work for herself in the end. 

As you make your way through your first professional experience, there very well might be mistakes you make that are specific and unique. The most important thing to keep in mind is not to let yourself get discouraged by those shortcomings and instead make it a learning experience that you improve from.

For more career insights and professional development tips, make sure you keep up with the WayUp blog!

The post 5 Things to Avoid in Your First Job or Internship appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Over the past few years, the work-from-home industry has undergone incredible growth with numerous companies shifting to partly or fully remote operations. With this change, a lot of opportunities have opened up for college students looking for part-time jobs and individuals looking for side hustles. However, the rise of all these opportunities has also led to a crowded job market that has left job seekers directionless looking for the right fit.

As a company that helps thousands of young professionals find jobs, we’ve been able to identify the makings of great remote job opportunities. During our search, we came across Appen, a machine intelligence company, and its Yukon Raters program.

As a Search Engine Evaluator within Appen’s Yukon Raters program, you are responsible for rating the quality of web pages and the relevance of search results. Undertaking any number of tasks such as rating automated voices, determining what topics are central and secondary to what a given web page is about, and more, being a Yukon Rater allows you to work at any time and from anywhere you have a computer with internet access

Recently, we spoke with a few former Yukon Raters who were recently promoted within the company to Quality Analysts. In our conversations with them, we learned that the flexibility, the engaging material, the impact of their work, and their ability to grow professionally at the company all contributed to Yukon Raters being the perfect part-time, work-from-home job.

Set Your Own Schedule

As a college student or professional looking for a part-time gig, being able to set your own schedule is a very rare, but sought-after feature. At Appen, you are able to work at any time of day on any day of the week! The work is always there so you can log in and log off when you choose.

While there is a minimum amount of hours you must work, you are still able to complete tasks on your own schedule.

There’s so much that opened up for me because the work is literally there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I was able to take a last-minute trip in 2017 to Japan because the schedule was so flexible. Another instance was when my mother had some health problems and I was able to travel in order to provide care for my family without missing work. I have worked in hospitals, restaurants, and even in a car. For me, it’s just allowed me to really do what I want while earning a living.

Laura James, Quality Analyst*

Chelsea Mitchell, another long-time Yukon Rater turned Quality Analyst, said the flexibility of her schedule allowed her to pursue another job at the same time.

The hours were very flexible. You could work as much as you want as long as you don’t go over a certain amount of hours each week. You could even work in the middle of the night from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM if you wanted. It was great because I was able to have my other job with the set schedule and then just work around that. I could work on the weekends, I could work three days a week, I could work five days a week, just as long as I met the minimum and didn’t go over the maximum.

Chelsea Mitchell, Quality Analyst

The ability to manage your own time as a Yukon Rater gives people the freedom to pursue other goals in life, both professional and personal.

Learn About Interesting Stuff

Another thing that makes the Yukon Rater position so sought after is the fact that the material you’re looking into is engaging and oftentimes never the same. Due to the nature of the job, having to examine different websites and different types of content, you are exposed to a wide expanse of information. This keeps the job fresh and new!

I think it’s a job where it’s really difficult to get bored. We’re researching different types of information and content that you get to learn about through the process of rating. You get to learn about all different kinds of topics whether it’s cultural things, current events, or cool science stuff. So I think that that helps to keep it really interesting.

Elizabeth Parker, Quality Analyst*

For Elizabeth, she was really interested in politics. So for her, getting paid to read about topics that she finds interesting has been more than ideal!

It wasn’t really a boring job at all and I was always learning something. There was a lot of diversity in the tasks that we would get in our queues every day. You never kind of knew what you’re gonna be working on so it was really cool in that regard.

Susan Garret, Quality Analyst*

While the work the Yukon Raters were doing was enjoyable and engaging, it was just as much impactful to the digital world and the billions of users who occupy it.

You’re Making the Digital World a Better Place

The main goal of the Yukon Rater is to make searching the web a better experience. While this has to do with assessing the accuracy and relativity of web pages and search results, it also has to do with making sure no offensive or harmful material is present. 

For example, this might have to do with a Yukon Rater flagging a children’s YouTube video because it has inappropriate content in it or a rater flagging a blog for containing offensive language. 

One responsibility of ours has to do with offensive-type tasks. One of the big things was trying to weed out upsetting or offensive videos on YouTube. We would also examine videos and pages to make sure there was no porn or racist material which is really important. It’s a rewarding job because I did think we were making a difference. Everyone wants to have a pleasant internet browsing experience and we are helping facilitate that.

Laura James, Quality Analyst*

The Internet is a place full of endless information and opportunity, but it also has some shady and dark places. Luckily, there are people like Laura and the rest of the Yukon Raters keeping the website clean and free of offensive material.

We’re definitely helping to make search a better experience for users and that’s something to take a lot of pride in. Everybody uses search, so it’s exciting to be a part of what’s making that better.

Susan Garret, Quality Analyst*

Ability to Grow Within the Company

During your work as a Yukon Rater, you get the opportunity to grow your skills in a number of ways. Whether it’s research skills, data and analytics muscles, communication abilities, or general knowledge, being a Yukon Rater is just as good for your resume as it is for conversation at a dinner party.

However, Appen and their Yukon Raters program also help you grow your professional career as well. All of the Appen employees we spoke with were former Yukon Raters that are now full-time with Appen working as Quality Analysts who, in addition to other job functions, oversee the raters.

While Appen wants their employees to enjoy the liberties of their incredibly flexible and lucrative Yukon Raters job, they also want to encourage and enable employees to grow within the company. While Raters are invited to become Quality Analysts, they are also encouraged to reach out to management if interested in the position. More often than not, management will give you the tools you need to make it to that level!

So if you’re looking for a part-time, work-from-home job that allows you to work when you want, learn about interesting topics, make an impact on the world, and grow yourself professionally, be sure to check out Appen and their Yukon Raters program.

Start browsing open roles at Appen today!

*Names of employees have been changed*

The post The Ideal Side Hustle You Can Do Where You Want, When You Want appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The private equity and venture capital space is one of the most exciting and dynamic industries to work in. So much so, that job descriptions often fall short of capturing the incredible opportunities and fulfilling work that professionals get to do.

This being the case, those who want to pursue a career in PE and VC don’t always have a clear picture of what it looks like. To shed some light on what a career in investing entails, we spoke with a pair of former analysts and current associates at global software investor Insight Partners about their day-to-day work. Insight Partners invests in high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries

Sourcing

Analysts are responsible for identifying new investment opportunities in the form of businesses and products, or what’s known in the industry as “sourcing.” At Insight Partners, analysts look to source promising companies in a variety of software subsectors such as FinTech, HealthTech, cybersecurity and more.

Simply put, sourcing is the active process of identifying and evaluating potential investment prospects. The actual undertaking of that can consist of anything from market research and referrals to outreach and pitching. What’s so enjoyable about this part of the job is the excitement surrounding the discovery of a new business or opportunity that no one has come across before!

Talking to Founders

A big part of sourcing is talking to founders and executives. As an analyst, you’re given the opportunity to speak directly with these founders as they share what oftentimes is their life work, and something they have built from the ground up. In addition, being able to speak with some of the smartest subject matter experts across a variety of industries and sectors presents analysts with a massive opportunity to grow and learn about different technologies and domains.

Zack went on to say how thought-provoking it is to listen to someone sharing the most interesting things that they know—things that might have taken them years to find out, test, or hypothesize. For Zack, having access to that kind of information and learning more about the world are what he really loved about being an analyst. 

Becoming a Market Expert

Although talking to founders is a crucial aspect of being an analyst, it is just one of many levers pulled on the track to becoming a market expert. Analysts also need to be well-versed and informed on particular markets in order to evaluate the potential of a business. While much of this is done by individual research, the analysts at Insight Partners have the opportunity to learn from those around them, which makes for an incredible culture of learning and development for all.

For Ana Hugener, the Onsite Diligence & Growth Strategy team and the broader Insight Onsite team were two of the biggest influences to her becoming a market expert. The Insight Onsite team is made up of 140+ operational experts who work side-by-side with Insight’s portfolio companies in the key functional areas of a software company, including talent, sales, marketing, product, engineering and strategy. Onsite’s different Centers of Excellence mirror these company functions.

These Centers of Excellence allow analysts the opportunity to grow in a variety of fields while also setting themselves up for future opportunities.

Diligence

While becoming a market expert is crucial for sourcing, it is equally as important for conducting diligence. The end-to-end diligence for new investment opportunities can consist of talking to founders about what they are building, telling them about Insight Partners, learning about markets, and more. Whether that’s looking at the model, the customer data, the competitive landscape or talking to customers, analysts at even the most junior level are given the opportunity to get involved.

In our conversations with Ana and Zack, one thing they made clear about diligence is how much Insight allows entry-level and junior-level employees to get involved. Right from the get-go, analysts are making lasting impacts and contributions to the firm and their portfolio companies.

Meaningful Work with Meaningful Companies

Whether it’s sourcing, diligence, or portfolio work, one of the most gratifying aspects of working as an analyst at Insight Partners is the opportunity to do meaningful work with companies that make a difference. 

After meeting with these successful analysts, it became clear that the software and technology industry is an incredibly fascinating and ever-expanding industry. This being the case, there is no shortage of interesting companies to work with.

For Zack, his favorite portfolio company that he’s worked with sells software to pharmaceutical companies to help with clinical trials. The software allows the companies to simulate parts of the clinical trial process so that they can get FDA approval for drugs faster. For Zack, this meant he was helping a company that might be responsible for getting life-saving medications and drugs to market faster. This was an incredibly fulfilling opportunity in his day-to-day work as an analyst.

For Ana, her favorite companies to work with were startups that were early on in their growth journey. Ana claimed that these companies are so interesting to work with because of all the questions that still need to be answered and the opportunity to have a real impact on the success of a business. For Ana, growing something from these early stages is what made the analyst role so appealing for her.

Whether it’s sourcing, talking to founders, becoming a market expert, doing diligence, or making meaningful impacts on businesses, the work of an analyst at Insight Partners is an unbounded position with infinite potential. If you’re interested in a role where you can launch your career in private equity and venture capital, check out some of Insight Partners’ open roles today.

The post Day in The Life of an Investment and Diligence Growth Strategy Analyst at Insight Partners appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you think of an ideal internship, what comes to mind? Do you think of a sprawling office space in a big city? Maybe you imagine rooms filled with massive whiteboards and colleagues sharing ideas and making moves? Or maybe, you think of an ideal internship as a place where everyone is friends as much as they are colleagues with a fantastic work-life culture?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then the Boston-based e-commerce marketing automation platform, Klaviyo, may be the place for you. Their summer engineering internship is a dynamic opportunity for aspiring engineers to find their footing in the industry and get a taste of the local tech scene in the Northeast. 

We decided to sit down with a couple of Klaviyo engineers, one of whom started as an intern, to find out what it is that makes the program so special. In our conversations with them, we discovered that the hands-on work, vibrant office space, and incredible culture at Klaviyo helped make their internship experience memorable, and their work today as engineers so satisfying.

Building Real World Applications

Everyone we spoke to at Klaviyo agreed that part of what makes Klaviyo’s engineering internship unique is that interns get to work on things that have real business applications and problem-solutions for the company. Klaviyo’s goal for their interns is that by the end of the summer, they will have a project they worked on where they can really see their contributions taking hold.

Maya Nigrin, a former intern and now senior software engineer, recounted how these very real engineering endeavors and projects made her feel like she was progressing in her career.

Maya went on to share that never felt like she was being treated like an intern or somebody that didn’t know what they were doing. The fact that she was trusted to write code, do a good job, and take on difficult projects gave her the confidence needed to grow herself both as an engineer and early career professional.

A Vibrant Office Space

One of the biggest headlines over the past few years at Klaviyo is without a doubt the arrival of their downtown Boston office. With multiple floors fitted with everything from coffee, beer, and snack bars, a large outdoor balcony/terrace, open format workspaces, and even arcade games, ping pong, and shuffleboard, there is little that the sprawling office space doesn’t offer.

In our conversation with Dmitry Mamyrin, a veteran engineer with tons of experience in the industry, he remarked on how much he enjoyed the layout and overall aesthetic of the space.

Definitely not a bad view to have while writing some code or working on a project!

Keeping a Level Head

For Dmitry Mamyrin, it was the way in which his fellow colleagues dealt with high-intensity situations that made him admire the culture so much. Referring to a problem he and his team were addressing, Dmitry remarked that “everyone was so cool-headed during the event.” It made him realize how much he wanted to be a part of a culture with people who, “think critically and seriously, but don’t freak out and continue the process when out-of-the-ordinary events occur.” From our conversations with Dmitry and Maya we could tell that they are impassioned engineers who work alongside a cohort of similarly passionate colleagues who love what they do and the customers they do it for.

As Klaviyo continues to grow, so too does its summer engineering internship and the opportunity it affords everyone who participates in it. For more information on Klaviyo and internship application details head over to their company profile today!

The post How Two Engineers Found Success with Klaviyo and Their Boston-Based Experience appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for your whole life. In addition to weddings, having kids, and graduating, your first job is one of the biggest life milestones. With so much pressure on that first job, or “first grown-up job” as some people call it, there are a lot of things to keep in mind.

You want to impress your boss and co-workers, you want to learn and grow, you want to get along with everyone, and you want to put your best foot forward. With so much to consider it can be helpful to have a list of tips to keep handy for your very first day.

To find out what early career professionals can do to crush their first job, we hosted a Job Searching 101 event with 5 experts from top-quality organizations across the globe such as Jerome Warfield, Senior Recruiter, University Relations at Lumen Technology, Oscar Cid del Prado, Senior Consulting Campus Recruiter with RSM US, Jamilla Smith, Diversity Recruiter at Bloomberg, and Annie Roden, Lead Recruiter, University Relations & Talent Acquisition at Lumen. In our conversations, they highlighted tips for crushing your first job that include everything from how to dress for your big debut to setting goals.

Dress to Impress

College is now over and unfortunately, sweatpants and hoodies will no longer fly as your daily attire. Depending on the company you work for and the industry you’re a part of, the dress code may vary. The best things you can do is one, ask your hiring manager what the dress code is, and two, observe your fellow coworkers and try to wear something that is in a similar class.

What you wear and how you present yourself will shed light on how much you value your job, position at the company, and yourself. Coming in with messy hair, a stained shirt, or otherwise unpresentable makes people think you don’t really care about putting in the effort, even if you do. A safe choice is always a pair of chinos/dress/pants and a casual collared or button-down shirt for guys, and a dress, black pants, and a nice top for girls.

Be Yourself

You’ve heard it time and time again – be yourself. This is a rule that needs to be followed right from the interview and going into the job. Yes, you want to present yourself professionally and as a serious candidate but that doesn’t mean you need to be a robot with no personality!

During the interview, if the timing is appropriate or your interviewer asks you, don’t be afraid to talk about yourself outside the scope of professional work. Who knows if you might even have something in common with the person you’re interviewing that might push your name to the top of the pile! 

When you actually start your first job, it is important to carry the same attitude and personality you had into your work life. Most people can tell when someone isn’t being authentic and just saying what they think people want to hear. Don’t be a yes person, don’t try to suck up, and don’t be someone you’re not! You’re going to be working with these people every single day, so why wouldn’t you want to bring your true authentic self while also having fun and enjoying every day at the office?

Learn how to Converse Professionally

One thing that a lot of people fail to do when transitioning from college to the professional world is learning how to converse professionally. Chances are you’ve spent enough time around friends and family that you’ve developed a relaxed and more carefree style of dialect. While there is nothing wrong with that, you need to know how to switch it on and off when speaking with someone professionally.

That means no slang, doing away with calling people “dude” or “man,” developing an advanced vocabulary but not an excessive one, and working on your body language! For example, slouching, pacing, and fidgeting are all things that will make you seem less professional in a conversation.

Confidence is Key

Right from day one, you need to exude as much confidence as you can carry. First jobs can be scary given that they are new environments with work that might be a little unfamiliar. What you need to do when things are looking a little uncertain is remind yourself that there is a reason why you got the job you did! Your employer saw your potential and now you need to also.

If you aren’t confident your work may suffer, your manager or senior leader might not consider you for other opportunities, and you won’t feel satisfied with what you’re doing. Imposter syndrome isn’t rare, especially for first jobs, so if you’re ever not feeling confident in yourself it’s important to identify the reasons why and either reach out to your peers or mentor for advice and try to grow your skills!

Additionally, it is important not to get too overconfident. While it’s important to be sure of what you’re saying, you need to stay humble and portray a mentality that is willing to learn.

Set Goals for Yourself

Last but not least, one of the most important things you need to do in your first job is set goals for yourself. This is the beginning of your career! When you set goals for yourself over a 6-month, 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year timeframe you allow yourself to be challenged and motivated to grow. 

Maybe you want to land a spot on that project you’ve been eyeing. Maybe you want to get to 6 figures by the time you turn 30. Or maybe you even want to become your boss’ boss! As you observe your goals over time, you will become better enabled to identify the necessary steps to accomplish them. With no goals, you won’t have any way to measure how well you’re doing. So if performance is important to you, objectives must be made!

A few ways to set objectives for yourself include making connections and asking people how they got to where they are. When you identify what people to do to get where they are you become better enabled to get there yourself.

Your first job is an incredibly exciting and momentous occasion. What you need to do going into that experience is take all the happiness and excitement from securing employment and using it as momentum to crush your job! Chances are other people have experienced the same hurdles and hesitations that you’re going through – like us! Another thing that might happen is you realize that a job is not right for you. And that’s ok! More often than not, your first job won’t be your last. So don’t be afraid to hold your wants and needs to a high degree!

Using the tips in this guide will ensure that you are making the best impression possible and doing all you can to grow yourself professionally and personally. So when that first job arrives, and it will, make sure you are prepared to do your very best!

Stay tuned to the WayUp community page to stay on top of all career advice and job searching tips.

The post Industry Experts Reveal 5 Keys to Success In Your First Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

From LEGO® and iPads to some of the most complex engineering products in the world, Hari Annamraju has always been interested in the way things are built. For someone like Hari, it was never enough to stand on the sidelines as a student or an impassioned fan. He wanted to live the engineering life and every aspect of it.

Luckily for Hari, fortune found its way to introduce him to T-Mobile and the company’s revolutionary aspirations in developing and emerging technology. Although he started his career with T-Mobile as an intern, he is now working as an IoT Product Manager Intern spearheading some of the bravest innovations in engineering.

Given Hari’s incredible three years with T-Mobile, we were eager to chat with him about why he chose to pursue the internship, what he’s learned since being there, and what he hopes to do with his experiences.

From chasing what he’s passionate about and getting second-to-none exposure to growing as a leader and making lifelong friends, this is Hari’s story as a T-Mobile intern.

Pursuing a Meaningful Passion

One thing Hari reiterated during our interview is that passion is one of the most important things someone can have. It was clear that he was brimming with plenty himself.

The year was 2020 and the gloom of quarantine was just beginning to break the horizon. But in these dark times, something became illuminated to Hari. He noticed that this was a time when everyone wanted to be connected and people were craving human interaction more than ever. 

When he finally came across T-Mobile, a light went off in his head. What better time to join a company connecting people across the country than now?

With his ambitions in engineering coming to a head with a new-found pursuit of preserving human connection, Hari dove headfirst into T-Mobile’s emerging technologies internship.

Second-to-none Experiences

In the three years that Hari interned at T-Mobile, he got the opportunity to work on projects that directly impacted his fellow employees as well as innovators and developers across the world.

The first project Hari worked on was a development called Employee Connect. The question for the project was posed; how can we transform the way all 75,000 employees at T-Mobile work on a day-to-day basis?

The answer was fearless: create software that helps employees align with corporate goals, mature in their careers, and align with one another to create seamless execution on projects and help employees see direct results that make them feel valued for their work.

From leading scrums to flexing programming muscles that he never knew existed, Hari’s first project as a T-Mobile intern was eye-opening. It dunked him into the deep end of the pool and gave him an experience that welcomed him to the engineering industry with a splash.

Although I was already impressed hearing about the two summers that Hari spent working on Employee Connect, it was when he started talking about a platform that would change the way developers build products that made me sit up in my chair.

Offering both a software development toolkit and a hardware development board, DevEdge empowers developers to create the next generation of IoT products while using the Power of T-Mobile’s network. Whether you’d like to control a fleet of drones or you’re creating a mobile Bike-theft defense system, DevEdge helps designers get it done. And Hari was there to make sure that happened.

But hands-on practical experience wasn’t all that Hari would gain during his time as a T-Mobile intern.

What Does It Mean to Be a Leader?

Another alluring feature of T-Mobile’s internships is that they aren’t just building future engineers, they’re building future leaders. For Hari, not a single summer went by where he didn’t find himself growing as a leader and sharpening his abilities to inspire direction.

His first taste of leadership with T-Mobile was as a scrum master and in his contributions to the Employee Connect project. Some of this work even included him advising his senior colleagues and offering suggestions on workload management.

It was clear that in the three years he spent at T-Mobile, Hari turned himself into someone people could really follow and take note of. In describing what it means to be a leader, Hari said that it’s not necessarily about directing people, but more so influencing their decisions. 

The key phrasing here, to “influence someone’s decision” rather than telling them what to do, is what separates Hari apart from other young leaders. Staying humbled enough to win his peers’ respect but intelligent and adept enough to grab the reins when needed.

While his leadership position may have been chiseled during his time in the UofMagenta program, it was when he worked as an IoT Engineering Intern in Washington state this past summer that his ability to lead really came to life. 

Sitting in a boardroom with four of his fellow interns, looking over a view of the Seattle cityscape, Hari and his team were charged with creating a new product using their DevEdge platform. Their own “startup” as Hari referred to it with a chuckle and a grin.

Who would be there to lead that team, none other than Hari Annamraju?

Friendships, Networking, and an Uplifting Community

When Hari spoke about the friendships he forged during his time at T-Mobile, it was hard not to see the company as a thriving social community as much as it was a national powerhouse in communication and tech.

He reflected upon one of the first colleagues he befriended, someone he would chat with often on topics ranging from highly complex engineering concepts like remote controlling full-sized vehicles and fighting wildfires with 5G to banter about the Oscars.

What was also touching about Hari’s first year at T-Mobile was the farewell he got at the end of the summer. After writing a goodbye/thank you message on the company’s messaging app, Hari was delighted to receive several reactions, comments, and responses from fellow colleagues letting him know that the feeling was very much mutual.

It’s clear that the culture at T-Mobile is all-for-one and one-for-all, if not through Hari’s early experiences than through his recent exploits as well.

This idea was underscored, emphasized, and by all means, punctuated by Hari’s recent interaction with a Director at the 5G Hub at T-Mobile – a division looked at as the company’s Excalibur in the world of interconnectivity.

The conversation seemed like two friends swapping ideas in their neighborhood garage. In reality, they were discussing potentially life-changing consumer IoT applications but it carried on as a very amicable and passion-flavored exchange that two casual acquaintances would have. 

It was then that I realized the kind of prosperous and collaborative environment that T-Mobile has created. An environment in which wins are better celebrated when stacked on top of each other.

It didn’t matter that Hari was an intern or that he was interacting with a Director, the culture at T-Mobile purports the idea that no matter who you are or what your position is, you can work, learn, and grow with whoever you want.

What Hari and T-Mobile also seem to purport time and time again is that anyone can do it, you just need to be passionate enough to take the chance.

So what are you waiting for? Start browsing open roles inside and outside of T-Mobiles thriving engineering space today and take yourself from entry to executive.

The post The IoT Adventures of One T-Mobile Intern from Engineering to Product Management appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As job-hunting experts, we’ve heard every kind of resume advice you can imagine. We’ve partnered with companies in various industries looking to find candidates for thousands of roles and through this work, we’ve identified the golden standard for resume writing.

In our recent Job Searching 101 event, we spoke with leaders from L’Oréal, KPMG, and VISA to hear their words about what an ideal resume looks like. In our conversations, these industry leaders emphasized 5 key factors you should always consider and pay special attention to when writing your resume.

What’s The Best Resume Layout?

First and foremost, when it comes to the layout of your resume, you need to make sure it is one page only. Unless you’re an industry veteran and there really is no way to fit 10 years of experience on one sheet, one page is all you will need.

Additionally, candidates should make sure their resume layout looks simple and clean. Yes, that means no funny fonts or images! Unless you are applying to a position that requires a headshot (like acting or modeling), an image will only distract from the content you are presenting. Always stick to Ariel or Times New Roman in either 11 or 12 sizes. Lastly, make sure you’re writing in the proper tense and starting each bullet point with a verb.

Here are the correct and incorrect ways to talk about a past experience as a marketing intern:

• Incorrect – In my job as a marketing intern, I assist in social media strategy, SEO research, and web development.
• Correct – Assisted in social media strategy, SEO research, and web development that resulted in a 10% increase in organic site traffic. 

Use the Job Description

A resume should never be a copy-and-paste situation when it comes to applying to multiple jobs. This being the case, every resume should be written with the job in mind. The easiest way to do this is to use the job description to guide your resume.

Without copying it, pull some keywords from the description to customize your resume for the job you’re applying to. If a job description requires you to do something like “categorize, organize, and file data in a neat way,” it would be beneficial to describe some of your past experiences using the same verbiage.

Not all the jobs you’re interested in require the same exact skill set, so it’s important to evaluate what each description is looking for and align your past experiences in a similar way.

Contact Information

A lot of candidates might not think this is a priority, but the contact information on resumes is a section that needs to be dialed and 100% accurate and reliable. Starting with your email, you need to make sure you have a professional name and it’s going to an inbox you regularly check. That means you’re going to have to do away with your childhood email (skaterdude1999 and soccerrulez nameplates are no-go’s) and make sure you are staying on top of incoming messages. A great email address to use professionally can be: Firstname.LastName@____, First initialLastName@____, you get the point!

Recruiters have shared stories in the past of candidates who didn’t hear about interviews or sometimes even job offers because they left emails unresponded. Don’t let this be you! Furthermore, if you are graduating soon, don’t rely on your school email to communicate about jobs because your university could shut it off any day. 

If you’re going to include a phone number on your resume, make sure it’s an active line and the voicemail is set up and professional. While it’s not as common, recruiters and employers have used phone numbers to reach candidates who are sometimes unresponsive to emails.

If they can’t reach you, how are they supposed to hire you?

Leveraging Job Experience

For early career candidates and people just starting their professional careers, you may not have a lot of legitimate experience to portray your skills. If this sounds like you, your best option is to hone in on volunteer projects, early leadership roles, or any other extracurriculars you might have been involved in (clubs, sports, and organizations).

Next, we would direct you to the tip we mentioned earlier about using the job description to guide the way you explain your past experiences. Maybe you volunteered at a homeless shelter and you’re applying for a finance role – two things that don’t really line up together. Your job is to find the connection there. For example, maybe you realized the necessity for financial regulation and resources after seeing poverty up close. Or, you learned how to foster meaningful relationships and make contributions to an organization or place.

9 times out of 10 there will be some sort of way to draw a connection from past experiences to the job you’re applying for. What you don’t want to do is write down job experiences on your resume that are flat and have nothing to do with the industry, career, or job that you’re submitting the application to.

The Review Stage

Last but not least in the resume writing process is the review stage. When it comes to getting your resume reviewed, try to get as many eyes on it as possible. Show it to your friends, show it to your mom, bring it to the career center, share it with a professor, and if you’re feeling bold enough, reach out to someone from the company you’re applying to and ask them what they think about it. This shows eagerness and can make you stand out in the crowd.

Candidates spend hours and sometimes even days or weeks trying to perfect their resumes. Getting a fresh set of eyes on it will help you spot some things you might have missed.

The most important aspect of the reviewal stage is that it never ends. After every time someone reviews, after every job application, find ways to adjust and improve your resume. 

If you follow these tips, then you are one more step closer to securing the job you’ve been waiting for. A job that loves you as much as you love it. Keep up with more job advice, resume tips, and career news at the WayUp community hub.

The post The Perfect Resume Guide From Expert Recruiters appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Whether you’re a current student, an early career professional, or just someone looking for their next job opportunity, a question you might be asking yourself is, “Where do I start the job-hunting process?”.

With so many different avenues and ways to learn about new jobs (there are more than you think), the job-hunting process can be overwhelming. A lot of time is spent looking for jobs, applying, interviewing, and waiting for job offers, so it’s important that you use your time wisely. Two ways to do that are by making sure you’re looking in the right places and doing everything possible to accelerate and amplify your job-hunting process.

But where are the right places to look and how do you amplify your job-hunting process? In our recent Job Searching 101 virtual event, we invited Manny Contomanoli the Director at the Office of Career Services at Harvard University, Norma Gaier, the Executive Director for Texas Career Engagement at the University of Texas, John Pearson the North American Early Careers Manager at Unilever, and Cindi Love, the CEO of Out For Undergrad to fill us in on these job-hunting secrets.

Respond to Uncertainty With Curiosity

One of the most important things to remember when starting the job search is not to stress out if you aren’t sure what you want to do. On the contrary, you should take this as a fun and exciting opportunity to explore different things.

Curiosity is going to be your biggest weapon at this stage that is best used in as many places as possible. The more things you expose yourself to the quicker you will find what you’re passionate about and what you want to spend your life doing!

Set Your Standards and Don’t Lower Them

Once you do know what you want to do, it’s important that you set certain standards and metrics for yourself and try not to change them. When you know what you want and exude confidence about it, you are able to express passion for an opportunity when you finally come across it. 

Organic, natural passion is something that recruiters love to see. Don’t be the person who fires off a bunch of random applications just because a company is hiring. If you don’t care enough about a position to look into it, it’s probably not something you want to spend a good chunk of your time doing.

Don’t waste your time or the recruiters! The only time when standards might be ok to be changed, and you’re going to hate us for saying this, is when it comes to the paycheck. Never choose a job just because of what you get paid. Look to the other standards you set to lead the way. 

Think more about things like the work you get to do and who you get to do it with! Having a flexible schedule or the perfect location might take precedence over a higher salary. Additionally, culture, mission, growth, products, and projects should also weigh in on your decisions!

Use The Resources at Your Disposal

One thing that frustrates employers and recruiters is people who don’t use the job-hunting resources they have at their disposal! College campuses, for example,  are full of them. Specifically, Career Centers on college campuses tend to be the most obvious resource for those looking for jobs. 

Whether it’s resume advice, cover letter tutoring, job fairs, or connections to employers who are actively hiring, career centers are a gold mine when it comes to finding jobs.

But college campuses aren’t the only place where opportunity awaits. In our completely unbiased opinion, WayUp is one of the best places for students and young professionals to find a job. Our platform is easy to use and matches you with job openings with the intention of finding you your perfect fit. Whether it’s through our virtual events where you get to meet employers, our blog content full of career tips and advice, or our job matching platform, we are the stepping stone you need. Also, don’t forget social media! The WayUp Instagram is full of great job-searching ideas and tips! 

Besides that, there are tons of other networking platforms like job fairs and LinkedIn that are handy resources to meet people. However, you just need to make sure you’re reaching out to the right people.

Reach Out to The Right People

While networking is one of the most important tools when it comes to job hunting, you have to know how to do it properly. Early career candidates and even people with industry experience repeatedly make the same networking mistakes and waste their time and opportunities establishing connections that are either unauthentic or not really valuable.

One of the most important things to consider when it comes to networking is knowing where to aim. In our Job Searching 101 event, John Pearson of Unilever explained the benefits of reaching out to someone on the team you want to apply to instead of just a recruiter for a company.

“Many companies out there have multiple recruiters so they might not necessarily be recruiting for the role you’re interested in. Instead, reach out to someone that’s actually on the team. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten emails from a director or a manager that was with a department and said, ‘Hey, I spoke to a great candidate on Linkedin. I think he or she would be a great fit for the role. Please set him up for an interview, or include them in the next Discovery center.’ I would strongly recommend that because then it’s a direct pipeline to the personal recruiter who’s recruiting for that role.”

John Pearson, North America Early Careers Manager, Unilever

As John made clear, the internet is your friend! You just have to learn how to use it right. That means doing your due diligence and research to find out who the key decision-makers are and how you can reach them in an authentic way.

At the end of the day, no matter where you are in your professional career or job-hunting cycle, the most important thing you do is take the first step. Whether that first step is touching up your resume, creating an email template, or doing any of the suggestions on this list, the most important thing you do is start!

For more career advice and tips on how to find a job, keep up with the WayUp community guide and look out for new Job Searching 101 virtual events!

The post Job Searching 101: Where Do You Start? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You might be the perfect candidate, with a perfect resume, and exactly what a company is looking for. But, if you don’t know how to interview well, or conduct yourself in a professional manner don’t expect to land a job. 

Over the years, the interview process has evolved into a digital landscape with new rules and codes of conduct. Although the platforms have changed, the importance of interviewing has only grown. As a job marketplace, our main focus is to get you hired. While you might think of us mainly as a place where you can find jobs, we are also dedicated to your success and are a resource that strives to help you every step of the way.

This being the case, we hosted a Job Searching 101 event with recruiters from companies like Expedia, Discover, and CVS Health to identify a list of interview tips and ways to prepare for an interview in 2023.

1. Research Everything About a Job & Company

First and foremost, before you even apply to a company, research must be done. While knowing all the ins and outs of the position you’re applying for is important, far more research is needed. 

Learn about the company and its standing in the industry. What are some of the recent goals and expectations that the company has set for itself? Bonus points if you’re familiar with recent events that the company was involved in and you’re able to bring it up naturally in conversation. What are the company values, what is their mission and culture? Do you know their mission statement?

However, as much as you want to be informed and well-researched going into an interview, you also want the dialogue to flow naturally. You’re not trying to prove your knowledge or solve a problem, so try not to overdo it! As Taiana Hale, a College Recruiter for CVS Health says, “research the company and understand their industry and goals as an organization. However, try not to overdo it. You’re not trying to prove your knowledge. We still want the interview to seem natural.”

2. Understanding the Process

When you get to the interview portion of a job application it is best to familiarize yourself with the process as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask your main point of contact, whether it is the recruiter or the employer, what the particular process is like. 

Is there a behavioral part and a technical part? Is there a case study portion? Ask them what is to be expected and what some good ways to prepare are. Not only will you be able to prepare yourself better for the interview but you’ll demonstrate to the recruiter or employer that you’re taking the time and energy to make sure you do a good job and potentially get the job.

Another great option is to reach out to someone who works at the company and ask them for tips! While you may not get a response 100% of the time, if you approach someone professionally and authentically they are more likely to help. At the end of the day, all processes are different, so don’t pull your hair out trying to memorize questions or certain steps of an interview.

3. Reliable Technology

The next thing you need to keep in mind when going into an interview is to have reliable technology that you have a firm grasp on. In this virtual age, a large percentage of job applications and interviews are done online through video chat or otherwise. This being the case, candidates need to make sure they have a good web connection, they’re testing the applications or platforms being used for the interview, and no technical difficulties will occur during the interview.

“I had an interview and the candidate was 12 minutes late because they hadn’t loaded the application and couldn’t get into the system. I hope that they learn from that and take more preparation going into the interview process next time”

Lane Garnett, Sr. Manager Recruiting Process and Engagement, Discover Financial Services

You could be the ideal candidate for a company but if you’re lagging on the video interviewing aspect you could get nixed. While in-person interviews have not been done away with entirely, virtual interviews are becoming more and more common. One way or another, having your technology locked in will ensure that you don’t miss out on a job because of a technicality.

4. Appearance and Aesthetic

Your appearance, whether it’s during an in-person interview or a virtual one, is critical. For virtual interviews, you want to make sure your background is neat and orderly and there are no distractions or off-putting stimuli. Adding a blurred filter to your background on a video call may be a good idea to ensure you aren’t showing an unprofessional background.

Always make sure you check how you look on camera before starting the interview. Glares from lighting, messy clothes in the background, and sound interference will all make you look unprofessional in the eyes of recruiters. So if you have roommates, make sure you let them know you’re going to be on an interview before they barge in asking about happy hour!

“This one time I was interviewing this one candidate, and they had their background was all set up fine and dandy, but they didn’t tell their roommates they were interviewing this day, and the roommates kind of barged into the room and started talking about “a crazy bender” they had last night, and it was not the best impression.”

Sean Bea, Early Careers Recruiting Expedia Group

When it comes to what you wear, the more formal you are the better. However, it’s a great idea to take note of what the aesthetic of a company is before going into an interview. Is everyone buttoned up with a jacket and tie? Or are some people rocking more casual wear with sweaters and shirts? Don’t fake your appearance, but always look professional so the employer will see you as a fit for their company.

5. The Question Part

At the end of your interview, more often than not, the person on the other end will ask if you have any questions yourself. The worst thing you can do in this situation is say no. On the other hand, a well-thought-out and intellectual question will leave a very good impression on the interviewer.

One great question is to ask the interviewers themselves about their own experience of the company. What do they like and enjoy about working there? What are some of the challenges they face and how can you support and assist them in some of those things? How do you measure success?

The list of good questions you can say at this moment goes on. Just remember to keep it relevant to the job and to ask something that seems like you’re interested in the longevity of your contributions to the company. You want to show that you have been paying attention and are engaged in the conversation. 

6. How Do You Follow Up After an Interview?

This last interview tip is one that a lot of people tend to forget. Make sure to send the recruiter or whoever interviewed you a follow-up and thank you email. The first 24 hours after an interview is the best time to go ahead with a follow-up. 

Use it as an opportunity to expand a little bit on what you discussed during the interview and points that resonated with you. If there was something that stood out to you or something you aligned with, whether it was one of the company’s core values, the direction they’re headed, or an attribute of the job, don’t be afraid to share that.

The more interviews you do, the better you will get. While it may be a time to show yourself off and what you’re capable of, don’t forget to use the interview as a time to see if the employer is a right fit for you.

The more you think about interviews as a conversation and an exchange of information the more at ease you will feel. Keep up with the WayUp community as we continue to share resume secrets, career tips, and professional information you can’t get anywhere else. 

For more career advice and tips on how to find a job, keep up with the WayUp community guide and look out for new Job Searching 101 virtual events!

The post 6 Interview Tips From Industry Experts appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Finance and business professionals are faced with the challenge of navigating increasingly large volumes of data to make the most informed decisions possible.

Bloomberg, a financial technology company, plays an important role in connecting the world’s decision-makers to accurate information about the financial markets. Through innovative tools such as the Bloomberg Terminal, the company provides access to financial data, news, and insights that help clients turn knowledge into action.

Bloomberg’s Data team is responsible for the end-to-end intake and delivery of data behind the company’s products and services. The team processes billions of pieces of financial information daily and plays an integral role in ensuring the breadth, depth, and quality of financial data for which Bloomberg is known.

In this article, we’ll learn more about the Data department and its ever-evolving role at Bloomberg and within the financial technology industry. Additionally, we interviewed James Hook, the Global Head of Data, about the latest industry trends, his career trajectory, and the traits and skills needed to succeed in Data roles today.

Bloomberg’s Data Department

At Bloomberg, data analysts combine both financial market knowledge and technical expertise to collect, analyze, and supply the most relevant content to clients operating across industries and asset classes. At its core, the team is primarily responsible for: 1) acquiring, modeling, and enriching proprietary and third-party data so that it can be used by clients, 2) providing support to client data queries, and 3) innovating workflow efficiencies that enhance the company’s systems, products, and processes.

Data management is an emerging area that comprises many academic disciplines, including data modeling, artificial intelligence, data science, and data quality management. Individuals who focus on data at Bloomberg are given training and client exposure to better understand how data fits into the financial markets. As the data industry evolves, ample opportunities to expand one’s skill set and experience emerge across various domains.

The rapid evolution of the industry also requires Bloomberg’s data team to adapt to the latest trends and practices to help clients solve their current business problems. The team proactively stewards data that addresses future client needs.

The Career Trajectory of James Hook

During his 18-year tenure at Bloomberg, James Hook has embodied what it means to be an effective team member and leader. At Bloomberg, James has demonstrated an ability to work across different disciplines, first as a software engineer and later as a Team Leader of the Structured Products team, where he developed both technical and financial market expertise to deliver valuable client solutions.

That experience led him to the Data Technologies Engineering team, where he managed the talented individuals who built the systems that onboard the data that drive Bloomberg’s applications and enterprise systems. Now, as the head of the Data division, he focuses on combining domain expertise with innovative data management techniques to increase the overall value of Bloomberg’s data products.

Through his intellectual curiosity, collaborative spirit, and diligence, James has grown his career at Bloomberg. While his path is unique, it speaks to the career possibilities available in Bloomberg’s Data Division. 

Global Opportunities in Data

During our interview, James Hook described what Bloomberg – and the data industry in general – looks for in candidates, and the qualities it takes to succeed and make an impact as an employee.

Successful Bloomberg data professionals can come from a variety of academic backgrounds and share two common traits – first, an aptitude to delve into specific data and financial domains, and second, an appetite for innovation and experimentation.

In addition to developing subject matter expertise and technical skills, data analysts collaborate with a range of stakeholders around the globe, from Engineering to Sales, on product development.

While most of Bloomberg’s employees work in major cities around the world, many data analysts work in Princeton, NJ, a suburban community about an hour from New York City. The Princeton location offers a research campus-like culture and boasts open, outdoor spaces that facilitate unique collaboration opportunities among the departments working there. This location also allows the team to build relationships with local universities and foster a continuous learning environment where new and bold ideas are developed, tested, and brought to life.

With a diverse data team based around the globe in Princeton, New York City, and more than half working in Latin America, Europe, and Asia, James is focused on nurturing a culture of collaboration and inclusivity throughout the department and the broader organization as a whole. 

The Bloomberg Way

Bloomberg runs on data. Thus, developing strong data management skills is critical for Bloomberg’s continued and sustained growth as a company. Positioned at the intersection of technology, finance, and data management, employees have a lot of range to explore their passions and pursue different projects throughout their careers with the firm.

Not only is the culture and environment of Bloomberg special, but also the company’s philanthropic mission makes a real impact on the world and is incredibly motivating.

If you’re interested in learning more about open roles at Bloomberg and taking a step further into the world of data and analytics, check out their current job listings. As the world of data grows, so do the opportunities, so don’t hesitate to make your move!

The post Data and Financial Technology: What it’s Like to Work at Bloomberg appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As your career progresses, it is natural to start growing curious about other opportunities and new positions. Whether that’s a new job outside of your current company, a different department within your company, or even a more senior title, these desires have a tendency to appear more than once during your career.

Given this inevitable circumstance, it is important to know that your company is willing to support your desire to grow. But what does that support look like? And how do you know your company is willing to provide it?

While we can’t speak for all of the companies in the telecommunications space, we can say for certain that T-Mobile is a place that supports the growth of its employees in any path that they choose to follow.

Recently, we spoke with a few employees at T-Mobile to hear what that support looks like and how it helped them advance their careers.                  

Freedom to Follow Passions

One of the first things that stood out about T-Mobile is the company’s encouragement of employees to follow their passions.

For example, Kasey Liang, a recruiting coordinator at T-Mobile, started her career with the company in a Talent Acquisition internship. Her initial responsibilities had to do with making sure the backend software used to recruit and hire talent was working and also ensuring a smooth transition to a new platform.

However, midway through, Kasey realized that she would “rather be talking to candidates instead of dealing with the software behind it.” What Kasey did next was express these desires to her manager who not only met them with positivity and support but started helping her through the steps to make that transition. 

One thing Kasey’s manager suggested was to start reaching out to those in the positions Kacey was seeking. This would consist of asking questions about how they got those positions, what they’ve done right, and what they’ve done wrong. 

An Openness to Share Knowledge

Across all of T-Mobile’s employees is an attitude of support and encouragement. This means that they will always offer help to those seeking it. As Kasey reached out to other employees at T-Mobile, she was able to learn more about the day in the life of a Recruiter.

The fact that an employee will take time out of their day to show you what they’re doing and even allow you to shadow them goes to show the kind of spirit and camaraderie that takes place at T-Mobile.

Transferable Skills

Another great feature of working at T-Mobile is that you’re going to learn skills that you can take with you throughout your entire career. For example, T-Mobile uses software called Workday that helps employees with a variety of work-related functions. Being that Workday is very popular, knowing how to use it will look that much better to your next employer who may require that knowledge.

As for the recruiting position, one thing you’re going to do a lot of is talking. You’ll be learning how to take large amounts of information like job details and responsibilities, and condense them into chunks of exciting and attention-grabbing bits. In some cases, you’ll have to negotiate pay and contracts. In other cases, you might have to learn how to have complex or difficult conversations.

One way or another, you will be advancing your communication skills every step of the way. Another way that employees would build skills and learn new things would be through T-Mobile’s their own trial and error and exploration of new concepts.

No One’s Going to Be Breathing Down Your Neck

While the environment at T-Mobile is very hands-on and good at offering direct instruction, they also help employees grow by not micromanaging them and allowing them to learn individually. 

By embracing a culture that allows individuals to think freely, T-Mobile is building employees who are able to take initiative and think on their feet. This creates a future workforce of leaders and individuals who know how to get things done.

They Want You to Lead

T-Mobile is a company that has all intentions of expanding and continuing to put its thumbprint on the telecommunications and technology industries. In order to do that, they want to see their employees succeed. Anastasia Byrd participated in a business intelligence internship this past May and today, she is a Senior Analyst. While the road to a senior title is not necessarily easy, it is made more attainable by the resources that T-Mobile provides.

A manager at T-Mobile even once stated “my job is to help you get to where you want to go next.” It didn’t matter if that meant leaving the team and going somewhere else or into a senior position like Anastasia, the manager’s main intention was to enable employees to do what they desire.

Navigating your professional desires, especially when it’s early on in your career, can be daunting. But it is made much easier when you work for a company that allows you to follow your passions and gives you the resources to help you attain them.

If you’re someone who has always been inspired to reach new heights and accomplish your dreams, T-Mobile is an employer that will help you do it. Start browsing open roles today and get one step closer to obtaining your goals. 

The post How T-Mobile Gave Me The Tools to Grow My Career appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Success is more than just an ideology here at Stifel.  It’s about taking the ideas of how to succeed and putting them into action.  These actions permeate throughout our organization, within every department, and at every Stifel branch across the nation.  And it all starts with you.  

Stifel is a place where you can build a challenging, rewarding career with one of the industry’s most diverse, creative teams.  A place where new ideas are welcome and fresh thinking is encouraged.  The kind of thinking that helps us understand and use the forces of the market to be ready for whatever is next.

To make this happen, our leadership makes the well-being of our associates a top priority.  We actively promote a new and different type of thinking, anchored by a commitment to helping you build strong relationships with your fellow associates across the organization. 

So, how do we do that?  Entrepreneurial spirit.  Innovation.  And, of course, diversity and inclusivity.  These are all great ideas on the surface – but at Stifel, we put them into action from the top down.  Our leadership sets the tone with each and every associate, and our mentorship philosophy is where our culture really starts to thrive.  We encourage people in leadership positions to step back and ask themselves, “What did I need when I was coming up in the industry?  Who put a hand out for me?  Who gave me guidance?  How can I turn that around and help others that are entering our field”

At Stifel, if you have an idea, our leadership will listen to it and truly consider it.  Your ideas can actually be put into place pretty quickly.  Our organization is structured like that.  Building on that sentiment, fostering collaboration is another key component to what makes Stifel great.  Our firm is built around supporting not only our clients, but also each other.  This is based on another simple, yet effective, guiding philosophy at Stifel – the “Golden Rule.”  Treat each other the way we would want to be treated and listen with empathy, respect, and with a heart toward understanding.     

Stifel is often described as a large firm with a startup mentality.  Its metaphorical open-door policy means that a junior staff member can easily call a senior manager and speak with them, for example.  Additionally, the family-like relationship that the associates across departments and branches share is something very special and unique.  

According to a study conducted by Coqual, organizations rated highly for diversity and inclusion have 57% better collaboration.  We’ve taken this to heart.  Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Director of Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, has been an integral force in championing diversity and inclusion initiatives across the firm.

The post Why Choose Stifel?  It’s Simple – You and Your Ideas Are Welcome Here.    appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you’re applying for a job, there are several questions that are likely to run through your head. Does my resume need to be updated? Am I portraying myself well? Have I prepared enough?

Unfortunately, a lot of these job application questions don’t get answered until the process is over. However, we’ve been put in a unique position to give you the answers you’re looking for no matter what stage of the application process you’re in. We recently had the opportunity to get those behind-the-scenes answers firsthand.

Recently, we sat down with two junior business analysts at Maximus, a consulting company tasked with protecting health, supporting families, and streamlining government services, to hear how they crushed the interview and application process. In our conversations with them, they revealed what it takes to stand out to recruiters both at Maximus and in the professional world.

Format Your Resume for the Job You Want

Odds are you’ve been hearing different kinds of resume advice over the years – keep it to one page, think beyond your job duties, highlight relevant skills, etc. While some advice is better than others, what Zain Baig, Business Analyst and former intern at Maximus, believes is most important is to format your resume for the job you want.

Zain didn’t have experience in the industry or department that he was applying for. However, by reframing the past experiences on his resume in a way that was aligned with the internship he was applying for, he seemed more like a fit in the eyes of the recruiter.

Make Use of Networking Opportunities

Recruiters and employers also want to see prospective students attend networking opportunities available to them.

While it isn’t likely to land a job on the spot at a career fair, that’s not necessarily the point. Making this first point of contact sets you up for your second, third, and fourth moves. Now you have established familiarity with the recruiter or employer, which will make you stand out in the application process. However, that’s not the only benefit.

Benefits of attending a career fair/networking event:

• Gain more knowledge about a company
• Establish familiarity with recruiters
• Practice interacting in a professional setting
• Find out what you do and don’t like

Whether it shows you something you never thought you’d like or just helps you stretch those networking muscles, there really isn’t a reason not to take advantage of these events.

Know the Basics About a Company

This next piece of advice might seem obvious but is often overlooked by so many students and young professionals looking for a job. When you’re applying for a job, a major red flag in the eyes of recruiters is a candidate who doesn’t know anything about the company.

What Edda did to prepare for the interview process was simple. She went to the Maximus website, clicked through various pages, read about the company’s offerings, and caught up on the most recent articles they published. This gave her just enough information to speak with interest and familiarity for the company, something always stands out to recruiters. 

Be Prepared for Tough Questions

One of the harder parts about applying and interviewing for jobs is answering questions on the spot. This is because there is only so much you can do to prepare for them. Chances are, you’ll be getting asked a question you didn’t expect or have a planned answer for.

What’s most important about crossing this bridge is approaching the question genuinely. If you need a second to think about an answer, politely ask for a moment to reflect. Recruiters will appreciate that much more than you rushing to a conclusion or pretending to know something you don’t.

Additionally, recruiters suggest not to over-prepare for questions with copy-and-paste answers. Recruiters can tell when you’ve put together responses in advance, especially when you’re reading them on your screen. Again, approach the question genuinely and craft your response with care, precision, and grace.

Express a Desire to Learn

While all the tips on this list will help you shine brighter in the eyes of recruiters, the most important thing young professionals should do when looking for a job is express a desire to learn. 

For those who are early in their professional careers, chances are you don’t have a whole lot of job experience. So, what you need to let the interviewer know more than anything else is that you want to learn. But you have to be direct about it! What is it you want to learn more about? What skills do you hope to learn? What position would you like to eventually see yourself in?

By expressing this desire to grow and learn with a company, recruiters will always be more willing to give you a chance to prove yourself.

While both Zain and Edda followed different paths to get to where they are now, they both relied on these core tips to secure jobs that launched their careers.

Now that you know what it takes to crush the job application process, why not try your luck? Start browsing open positions today!

The post Five Job Application Tips from Full-Time Business Analysts appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There are a lot of factors to consider when determining where you want to work. Location, salary, position, and culture are all crucial details that will impact your experience with a company and ultimately, the trajectory of your professional career.

In addition to these crucial factors, one characteristic that everyone seems to be looking for in a company is an inclusive environment. As we’ve come to understand, fostering a culture that acknowledges and supports people from different backgrounds leads to incredible growth for the company, the employees, and oftentimes the industry as a whole.

But what does an inclusive company look like? And how are you supposed to know if your particular background and individuality will thrive there?

In order to find out, we spoke with Meritage Homes Vice President of Inclusion and Culture, Regina Rivera, and Assistant Construction Manager, Madison Martin, about what diversity means at their company. In our conversations, they spoke about the company’s interpretation of diversity, why it’s important, how the company supports it, and all the benefits gained from embracing inclusion.

Diversity of Skills, Behavior, and Experience

One of the most fascinating pieces of information that arose from our conversation with Regina is how Meritage Homes interprets diversity. Regina emphasized that they don’t singularly look at someone’s particular race or background; they also focus on their skills and experiences.

Being that we think and behave based on our life experiences, this made perfect sense. While someone’s race or gender may have led them to particular experiences in life, Meritage Homes focuses on the results of those experiences. Regina described how they think about diversity “not just through the race and gender lens, but the diversity of behavior” as well.

She went on to talk about how professionals from outside the industry “can speak and share different perspectives and comment on the work from a different angle.” At Meritage Homes, this is what they believe will help drive innovation.

Why Diversity And Inclusion Is Important

At Meritage Homes, the end goal isn’t to meet some quota or percentage. While they do care about increasing representation in their company, Meritage Homes doesn’t base their success solely on numbers. They base it on how well the values of their company are being embraced and demonstrated by their employees’ values that are enhanced by collaboration and a supportive network.

Regina spoke about one of Meritage Homes’ behavior anchor statements regarding “playing to win” and “collaborating as a team.” She stated, “To live out the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion is to live our [Meritage Homes’] values.” The whole idea of collaboration is to create with people who can provide different perspectives and insight than you. What better way to do that than by creating a workforce filled with people who had different experiences and come from a variety of backgrounds?

While diversity is important in its contributions to the growth and profitability of the company, one of the most important differences it makes is to the employee experience at Meritage—their level of comfort, belonging, and connection in the workplace.

How They’re Supporting Diversity and Inclusion

So it’s clear that Meritage Homes knows what diversity and inclusivity look like and why it’s important, but how do they support and empower it? Meritage is committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion into the company fabric. They emphasize to their team members and leaders that DE&I isn’t something extra that they must do but is a part of strategy and operations every day.

Raising awareness has definitely been a starting point. The willingness to have conversations, acknowledge one’s bias (both conscious and unconscious), and actively take steps to pause and consider alternative ways of doing things is essential.

Through regular communication, training, micro-learning, modeling, linking and labeling behavior, Meritage is sharpening an inclusive leadership mindset and building DE&I skills throughout the organization. 

Today, Meritage Homes continues to lead this inclusive revolution by not only diversifying their employee base but training them to lead in a way that reflects Meritage’s core values as well.

The Benefits of Diversity

While the benefits of Meritage Homes’ actions and initiatives towards diversity are felt in the workforce, marketplace, and workplace, we’d like to concentrate on the workplace as it has the most immediate influence on what the day-to-day will be like as an employee.

Madison Martin, an Assistant Construction Manager, is a perfect example of how Meritage Homes’ inclusive ideals were beneficial. When Madison first came across the job listing, she wasn’t sure if homebuilding was right for her as she had preconceptions about the construction industry.

However, during the interview process, Madison realized that Meritage Homes doesn’t believe in one particular background for any of its roles. 

Madison said this discussion about the value of people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise ultimately helped her make the decision to join the Meritage team.

Madison shared that she immediately felt welcomed and was treated like a member of the team. She has felt both challenged and supported as she has learned her new role. 

Madison joined Meritage Homes as an intern and after a few months, she was offered a full-time position as an Assistant Construction Manager. 

By redefining what diversity means and reshaping what an inclusive environment feels like, Meritage Homes has created a revolutionary culture that is bound to send waves across the industry.

Their lens is a unique one and their mission is a brave one. Will you join Meritage Homes as they seek to enhance the home building industry one job at a time?

Start browsing open positions and internships today.

The post How Meritage Homes Is Diversifying the Home Building Space One Job at a Time appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Landing an internship at Dow Jones is an opportunity to work for a company that makes a worldwide impact. As a global company with over 5,500 employees, our mission is to provide the world’s most trusted journalism, data, and analysis to help people make decisions.

Whether it’s helping our readers make decisions through our flagship publications, The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s Group, or helping companies make decisions with our world-class data and analytics services, we educate and inform people to make choices and form opinions everywhere.

At Dow Jones, it doesn’t matter what area of business your internship is in, you can be certain it will be an immersive experience with meaningful and impactful work. During your internship, you will be working hands-on with real projects and business objectives. Additionally, you will learn how to grow and harness your skills through professional development sessions and networking events with executives and our CEO, Almar Latour.

For insight into the “real” Dow Jones internship experience, read what former interns who have since transitioned into full-time employees have to say. Here’s how they described their internship experience in three words.

The post In Three Words: Dow Jones Interns Break Down Their Summers appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There is no one set path to your dream job. As you move through life, college, and your early professional career, new avenues will appear and opportunities will begin to show themselves.

While there are several places to look for these new avenues and opportunities, one place that a lot of early career candidates are using to find jobs is WayUp. One individual who used WayUp to find his dream job is Louis Smith, an assistant vice president at multinational universal bank, Barclays.

Recently, we got the chance to chat with Louis to hear all about how he went from intern, to analyst, to assistant vice president in just three years. In our conversation, Louis mentioned some career tips and insights into the job-hunting process, what his internship was like, and why he loves working at Barclays so much.

The Job Search

In late 2018, Louis knew he wanted to explore finance, work in New York, and thought that it would be cool to work at a bank. He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t necessarily know where to find it. What he ended up doing, and now recommends to current job seekers, is find out everything he wanted out of a job – industry, location, position, etc. – and narrow down the search as much as possible.

Luckily, WayUp provided him with the perfect place to do that.

As a lot of college students, early career professionals, and job seekers will find, it can be hard to figure out what kind of job you want. What made things easier for Louis was scanning the market with WayUp, finding out what he did and didn’t like from job applications and filters, and shooting his shot from there. Eventually, he came across Barclays and their summer analyst internship.

An Internship of a Lifetime

While Louis had past job experience, his summer banking internship at Barclays in 2019 was his first major job in an office setting. Besides the fact that he was working in Manhattan, just a few blocks away from Time Square, and doing what he had always wanted to do, Louis didn’t really know what to expect during his summer at Barclays.

As it turned out, Barclays’ summer analyst internship was the perfect combination of exploration and support. Louis was able to explore new territory, learn new concepts, and make significant contributions to the business all at the same time. 

Whether it was financial analysis and modeling or valuation and client due diligence, Louis’ time during Barclays’ summer internship program exposed him to the world of corporate banking and all the opportunities that existed within it. Something that made his time at Barclays even better, however, is the culture, environment, and people at Barclays.

What Makes Barclays Different

The finance and banking industry is massive. That means that there is no shortage of places to work and grow your career. However, each of these institutions has something that sets them apart. For Barclays, it’s the culture and people that make their company stand out so much.

For Louis, going to work meant he would be surrounded by people who don’t just care about performing their jobs, but uplifting and helping one another grow as well. In turn, this helped him appreciate his own role at the company and stay motivated to contribute to the company’s goals as well as his own.

A Community Perspective

While this people-forward mindset is certainly prioritized at Barclays, it goes a step further with employee resource groups. These employee-led organizations, whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizations they serve, have proved to have enormous benefits for employees.

As is the case with the employee resource groups at Barclays, Louis has certainly gained a lot with his involvement in the Black Professionals ERG. Specifically, as it pertains to his interactions with people he didn’t normally get to interact with.

Additionally, Louis’ involvement in the Black Professionals Group has also allowed him to take on new roles and responsibilities. From leading panels and hosting discussions, Louis has been able to grow his skills in massive ways all while demonstrating his capabilities and competence in front of senior stakeholders. Once an intern but now an assistant vice president, Louis attributes part of his success to experiences like this.

What Will Your Path Be?

Although Louis Smith’s path to success was ideal, there are several different routes young professionals can take to achieve their goals. What every ambitious individual should take from his story is to make the most of the opportunities available to you.

If you’re looking for new opportunities that could very well be the jumping-off point for a lucrative career, create your WayUp profile today and check out some of Barclays’ open roles.

The post How An Assistant Vice President Launched His Career with WayUp appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you’re contemplating what kind of internship is best for you, there are a lot of questions you might ask yourself. Is this going to look good on my resume? Will I partake in meaningful work? Will it be enjoyable?

Your time is precious. Especially those summers during college when you’re setting yourself up for future success. This being the case, it’s natural to have questions like these and wonder if a company is truly able to give you what you want out of an internship.

Recently, we dove deep for answers. In our conversations with a few current interns at Oxford, one of the leading staffing and consulting companies across North America and Europe, we learned why they chose to work at Oxford and how the company has supported their careers.

What we learned is that meaningful work, mentoring, the encouragement of future growth, and Oxford’s work-hard-play-hard attitude are all factors that contribute to the appeal of Oxford and its internship program.

Doing Real Work With Substance

Lyla Krol, a current intern with Oxford and student at the University of South Carolina, originally thought “interns would do mundane tasks, like printing stuff and going to get copies.” However, this preconception was quickly flipped on its head when Lyla found herself doing work that directly contributed to Oxford’s bottom line like assessing job openings and resumes in order to find matches or assisting account managers in securing sales.

For Chloee Swartz, who is also a current intern with Oxford and an undergraduate student, working with coworkers, consultants, and cold call recipients who she had never met before helped her grow her skills as a communicator which will benefit her in any and all future opportunities she might embark on.

While there are plenty of work-related interactions between interns and employees, there were also training and advisory interactions in which interns got the chance to shadow full-time employees to learn a little more about what their jobs are like.

Shadowing & Mentorship

The opportunity to follow an experienced professional along in their daily role to find out how to perform a role right and wrong is an invaluable experience. So the fact that Oxford allowed their interns to shadow full-time employees meant a lot.

For Evan Johnson, a current sales and recruiting intern at Oxford and student at the University of Wisconsin, shadowing full-time employees gave him a better scope of what the company was all about and how all the departments worked together.

When we spoke with Chloee about what shadowing was like, she explained how they would listen in on recruiting phone calls, and afterward, the recruiter would walk her through the call and how it went, if it was good or bad, and what they could have done better.

Being able to see what these recruiters’ jobs were like firsthand gave Chloee knowledge that she uses today in her current role. In fact, the knowledge she gained may have even contributed to her receiving the role she is in now.

Setting You Up For Future Growth

You may have noticed that Chloee, Evan, and Lyla are all still current interns with Oxford. That’s because they were all given job extensions following their summer internship, an offering that is reserved for the most exceptional candidates but also given out to several of those who participate in the internship.

Currently, all three of them are working from campus, earning money, and working flexible hours while gaining real experience that they can take with them into their future careers.

What’s unique about Oxford is that they want you to succeed no matter what, whether that’s with them or somewhere else. When we were chatting with Evan, he mentioned that some employees he interacted with said they would connect him with people in other industries or write a reference letter if he needed it for another job. While it sounds unusual for someone within a company to offer help getting a different job, this just goes to show that Oxford employees truly look out for the interests of one another.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Yes, internships and jobs are meant to be something you put a lot of effort and hard work into, but they should also be enjoyable experiences. At least that’s what Oxford thinks.

In our conversation with Lyla Krol, she spoke about how the community aspect and social integration at Oxford’s Beverly, Massachusetts office made her experience that much better.

For Evan, those lunches were valuable to him because he got to interact with people he normally wouldn’t be able to interact with. Evan stated that “a lot of the time you wouldn’t really talk to anybody else on other teams because you’re focused on your task at hand. But with those lunch opportunities, we got to network with more of the office which was really beneficial for me.”

It’s clear that Oxford creates an environment where people can grow not just as professionals, but as people too. They are a company that understands if the place you work is fun and enjoyable, then employees will show up and reciprocate that positivity in their work and daily interactions.

If this is a company that you could see yourself working for, one that grows and supports your success every step of the way, then check out some of Oxford’s open roles.

The post Why Are Undergraduates So Excited About Oxford’s Summer Internship? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Whether you’re an undergraduate student seeking your first internship or a graduate adjusting to your first full-time role, we understand navigating professional opportunities can be intimidating.

Fortunately, associates from Capital One are here to help you with the early stages of your career. From making the most of available resources to stepping out of your comfort zone, find out their tips to help launch your career at Capital One.

Take Advantage of Resources 

One of Capital One’s best qualities is that they want to see you succeed and give you the resources to help. They provide resources like interview-prep programs, resume reviews, one-on-one counseling sessions with recruiters, and workshops on a variety of career-development subjects.

Jesse Gvozdas, a Senior Recruiter at Capital One, spoke about what resources a candidate used to prepare for their application. 

We also got the chance to talk to, Olutoyin Asubiojo, the HBCU/HSI Partnerships Lead, who shared that recruiters are also available to help. 

Use the Network!

Capital One’s resources extend well beyond the application phase. Once associates join the enterprise, they’ll find a network of support among their colleagues.

We spoke to Judd Babbitt, a graduate of the University of Virginia, former intern, and current Cyber Security Development Program (CSDP) Associate, about how he realized that everyone around him during his internship was there to support him.

Judd went on to tell us about “skip-level meetings” where interns and associates have a designated recurring time to connect with their boss’s manager to discuss things from goals to current project statuses. These meetings showed Judd how much senior leaders are invested in the growth of his career and within the organization.

Follow the People, Not the Process

Judd was not alone in emphasizing the benefits of Capital One’s vast network of associates. Brittany Courtney, Vice President of Product Management, echoed how colleagues helped propel her to a leadership position within the company.

What Brittany is most passionate about is the idea that prospective candidates and entry-level associates should focus on what they want to learn and finding a mentor.

Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

Another piece of advice from Capital One associates is perhaps the boldest and most unexpected: Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. As calming as it might feel to feel at ease in a role and not be challenged, it is not the kind of environment where growth prospers. In order to grow professionally, you must expose yourself to new obstacles so that you can reach new milestones.

“You have to learn how to apply your superpowers in a world that is unfamiliar. Force yourself to reflect periodically and ask, ‘Am I too comfortable here? Where am I not being stretched?”

Brittany Courtney, Vice President of Product Management

The idea behind Brittany’s advice is to test yourself whenever possible. She said that Capital One is a place that encourages you to take risks. So never be afraid to shoot your shot and make attempts at greatness!

Take the Chance

Are you ready to take the leap and join Capital One? Start exploring full-time careers jobs and internships at Capital One today.

The post From Intern to Full-Time: How to Launch Your Career in Capital One’s Early Career Programs appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

What are you supposed to do when the career you’ve been working your whole life for is no longer an option? For Hastings Reeves, this was a very real circumstance when quarantine hit.

Having received his bachelor’s degree in music performance and his master’s in vocal pedagogy, Hastings had all intentions of becoming an opera singer. However, with performance venues and theaters shuddered due to the pandemic, that was no longer a possibility. Additionally, Hastings had a three-year-old daughter to take care of which made this a situation where he needed a certain kind of job. But first, he needed the know-how.

When Hastings came across Springboard, a virtual learning platform that offers comprehensive, mentor-led boot camps in software engineering, data science, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more, he knew that it was his ticket to a thriving career.

Today, Hastings works as a Business Intelligence Analyst at a company that suits him perfectly. Recently, we got to chat with Hastings regarding his experience at Springboard and how it helped him get to where he is today.

The Circumstances

When Hastings came to terms with the career transition he needed to make, he knew what he wanted to do but not necessarily where to do it.

With a natural affinity for math, Hastings was drawn to coding and knew he wanted to do something with data and numbers. Additionally, Hastings needed something that would allow him to take care of his daughter when needed.

Naturally, the Data Science boot camp with its advanced curriculum and flexible hours was a perfect fit.

The Curriculum & Coaching

Powered by some of the leading schools of thought and professionals across the industry, the curriculum and coaching at Springboard rivals that which you might find at universities. 

During his time with Springboard, Hastings learned how to build machine-learning models, explored new and complex coding techniques, and began to gain skills that are being employed at some of the highest levels of the data science industry today. As Hastings said, “pivoting from standing in front of a panel and singing arias to a career in data science is not an easy transition.” 

Luckily, the curriculum at Springboard was backed up by incredible coaching to help make that transition possible. In our conversation, Hastings reflected back on the relationship he had with his mentor, AJ Sanchez.

The Contract

One of the biggest draws at Springboard is their job guarantee. After Hastings completed his boot camp and earned his Data Science Fellow accreditation, he was paired with a career coach who helped him locate a job.

Hastings met with his career coach bi-weekly after graduation all the way up to the point where he signed a contract. While Hastings got several offers, he chose to wait for the one he really wanted. One that paid well, allowed him to work remote, and enabled him to grow within the company.

Eventually, after 18 months of hard work doing something he had never done before, Hastings finally got an offer he liked from a company called Velocity Global. It was a day that will stay with him forever.

Quarantine wasn’t kind to anyone but when it came to Hastings’ situation, things were certainly dire. Luckily, Springboard offered the lifeboat he needed to learn a new trade and find a new career path. This January, Hastings will be celebrating the one-year anniversary for the business analyst role he found through Springboard. 

If you’ve been waiting to break into an industry, make 2023 the year you do it. Start browsing all of Springboard’s boot camps today and start building your career toward success.

The post From Opera Singer to Analyst: Find Your Dream Job with Springboard appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Early career programs are designed to empower students with the invaluable skills and resources needed to succeed in the workplace. These programs enable participants to develop the professional know-how they don’t always receive in a classroom setting, while also providing exposure to various job and networking opportunities.

Bloomberg, a financial technology company, offers a range of career-readiness programs for underrepresented college students and recent graduates who are interested in business and finance. The content is targeted to all years, with the ultimate goal of providing participants with career coaching, insight into Bloomberg’s workplace and culture, and access to company leadership.

One example is the First-Year Insights Series, a career workshop aimed at diverse first-year and/or first-generation college students. In this program, students are introduced to professional skills they can use to gain a headstart when launching their careers. By attending a session, students become eligible for tailored developmental opportunities including one-on-one coaching and resume reviews with a Bloomberg recruiter. 

The company also offers hands-on professional learning experiences for students further along in their college journeys. Sophomores can apply for business externships, short-term programs that provide firsthand exposure to the daily demands of a role with the company. In addition to gaining insight into a potential career, externs also receive early access to apply and secure an internship for the following summer.

Bloomberg internships are generally available to juniors and offer more in-depth project work, skills training, and networking opportunities. Unlike the First-Year Insights and externship programs, which occur over a few days, most internships last ten weeks, thereby giving students more time to develop their skills and knowledge, forge a professional network, and make a positive impression that could lead to a full-time job offer after graduation.

Bloomberg has further demonstrated its commitment to nurturing diverse talent through its flagship Discover Bloomberg: Accelerate and <GO> program. An all-expense-paid, three-day immersion event at the company’s New York City headquarters, Discover Bloomberg allows upper-level students and recent graduates to learn more about company culture and gain deeper insight into the day-in-the-life of their desired roles. The event concludes with participants interviewing for either a business internship or an entry-level position.

We interviewed a few Bloomberg employees who participated in these early career programs to better understand how those experiences have impacted their careers. During these conversations, we learned that the mentorship and skills training received during these programs has positively contributed to their professional development and success.

Reliable Support Networks

Finding a supportive network of mentors is a critical part of growing a successful career, especially for young professionals who often lack extensive professional experience and a network. Underrepresented talent doesn’t have as many opportunities to build those valuable connections that could be a source of encouragement, career planning, and perspective. Bloomberg’s early career programs help close that gap.
During his externship, Robert Ashamole, an Account Manager, formed an important relationship with a Bloomberg executive who encouraged him to accept a full-time role at the company.

Robert’s experience is just one example of the peer-to-peer support that exists at Bloomberg. Daniela Arias, an Account Manager, participated in both Bloomberg’s externship and internship programs, through which she also received strong professional support.

Daniela stated that, at Bloomberg, she would always have someone who she can count on for support. When it comes to advancing your career, this type of network is invaluable.

Opening Doors to Careers in Finance

Bloomberg employees work with some of the most innovative technologies used in the financial markets. Participants in these early career programs receive early exposure to these tools, like the Bloomberg Terminal, which gives them a leg up on transitioning more smoothly into full-time roles at Bloomberg or across the finance industry.

Laneika Lyons, a Data Engineer and Analyst, credits her participation in these programs as part of her seamless transition into Bloomberg.

Start Your Journey

There’s no doubt that Rob, Daniela, and Laneika all gained incredible insight and experience during their participation in Bloomberg’s early-career programs. From skills development to networking, these programs have formed the foundation of their successful tenures at Bloomberg. 

If you’re curious about what Bloomberg does and what business career opportunities are available with the company, explore its Discovery and Diversity programs for underrepresented talent.

Your road of accomplishments is right ahead of you. You just need to start walking.

Check out all of Bloomberg’s current opportunities on its profile and get your journey started.

The post How Bloomberg’s Early Career Programs Prepare You for Success in Business appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you think of insurance, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s broken windows and flooded basements. Or maybe you think of Jake from State Farm and their auto and car offerings. But what a lot of people don’t think of when it comes to insurance are all the unique businesses that require coverage and the exciting ways in which brokers and agents can offer it.

Lockton Companies, the world’s largest privately held brokerage firm, is constantly redefining the role that insurance companies play in the world of business. Simultaneously, they are also turning preconceptions regarding insurance companies on their head.

Recently, we spoke with two executives at Lockton about what makes their firm such a unicorn in the industry. What we learned was that their approach to insurance, their clientele, the impact they have on businesses, and the opportunities they provide for employees are all factors that set them apart from every other insurance company in the game.

Approach – Consulting Not Selling

One of the most unique characteristics of Lockton is its approach to selling insurance. First of all, they don’t sell insurance. Rather, Lockton is filled with brokers and agents who act as consultants that play an active role in the facilitation of a business. This differs from what people normally consider brokers and agents – salesmen who are simply selling a product.

The takeaway here is that working at Lockton as a broker isn’t a sales role and it’s nowhere near a typical insurance agent position. At Lockton, the consultant approach is what makes the job exciting and keeps it fresh.

This consultant-forward and creative-minded approach is why Lockton stands out in the insurance industry and makes it such a popular place to work.

Clients from Every Industry

From cannabis farms to deep-sea drilling operations, the clients that Lockton works with aren’t who you’d expect. The diversity and range of the companies that Lockton works with are part of the reason why working at the one-of-a-kind firm is so enjoyable.

As mentioned previously, Lockton’s consulting-led approach really allows them to be embedded within a company and understand the nuances of its particular business operations. 

During Josh Luther’s time at Lockton, he worked with a chocolate candy manufacturer and got to see how chocolate-covered almonds are made. He worked with a bakery and got to see all the different bread being made. Josh even had a client that was a packaging company that did the Capri Sun juice boxes all the way to garbage bags and medical supplies. He exclaimed how fascinating it was to watch something start from raw material and get built into a final product that people everywhere will use. 

At Lockton, you’re not just working in the insurance industry. You’re working in all the different industries that your clients are a part of.

Real-life Insurance Impacts

While it can be exciting to work with unique companies and be immersed in their operations, what really lights the fire of Lockton employees is making an actual impact on a business. Not only does it mean you’re doing your job right, but it’s incredibly gratifying and provides a massive feeling of self-worth.

When we asked Lauren Carson about what her favorite project was during her 14 years at Lockton she spoke about a time when she saved a company $1,000,000. After offering the company a full evaluation of their program, engaging in a deep conversation about their business, and understanding where they wanted to take things, Lauren and her team came back with a bunch of creative ideas that projected to save the company a massive amount of money.

On the flip side of that, not providing a company with the right support as an insurance firm can spell disaster for businesses. Josh Luther mentioned that without the services Lockton provides, “businesses could slow down, it could mean a company doesn’t earn revenue. It means a construction team couldn’t get on site do their work and they might shut the job down or slow it down,” for example.

The bottom line is that brokers at Lockton play a larger role in the success or failure of a business than you think, something that makes the job particularly rewarding.

A Wealth of Opportunities

In addition to Lockton’s approach, clientele, and impact, we felt that one of the most important features of their firm, especially as it pertains to students and young professionals looking for a job in insurance, is the opportunities they bestow on their employees.

When we were speaking with Josh Luther he celebrated the fact that the firm grows by double digits every year and how that creates opportunities for their people – both vertically and horizontally.  

Josh explained that if you can become a subject matter expert in a particular field, your opportunities to explore other areas within the firm open up. Not only that, Josh mentioned that they even provide employees with training and education to help them make that move.

Whether it’s the skills you learn or the experiences you have, Lockton has incredible opportunities that are just waiting for you to explore. So if you’re looking to join a revolutionary organization that is changing the way the world sees insurance and the manner in which businesses use it, take a look at some of Lockton’s open roles.

The post What Makes Lockton Such an Uncommon Insurance Broker? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As you make your way through college, a common question you might ask yourself is what money-earning opportunity you can find to fill your time, your mind, and your wallet while also finishing your education. Luckily, as the world embraces flexible or remote working arrangements, there are several avenues that are now available for students looking to earn money while in school. One great example is Varsity Tutors – their innovative virtual tutoring platform has been helping students for years by making it easy for them to earn money while pursuing an education. 

Recently, we chatted with a pair of current students who are tutors at Varsity Tutors about how the company is giving them everything they need to pursue an education, gain experience, and supplement their livelihood all while choosing their own hours and making extra cash throughout the week! 

1. Flexibility 

One of the very real aspects of most jobs is your lack of control over your schedule, either getting too few hours or too many while having little say in the end result. 

The desire for flexibility is part of the reason the job market has seen such a shift towards more freelance, gig, and contract opportunities like tutoring. At Varsity Tutors (VT), you have the ability to take on as many or as few students as you want, while working with them to make a schedule that suits both of you. 

2. Work-Life Balance 

Gone are the days when people lock themselves into jobs that consume their entire lives, especially while they’re enrolled in college. While it may be important to make extra money in school it is also important to enjoy and embrace everything that the university experience has to offer.

The allure of having a good work-life balance makes tutoring with Varsity Tutors an opportunity that college students across the country have sought out. Much like the flexibility of scheduling, the ability to balance making money with everything else you have going on is why VT is perfect for someone who is busy. 

Do you have drama club every Tuesday? Have a test you need to study for? No problem, talk to your student and find out a different time that works. 

3. Remote Opportunities 

As the world has come to find out over the last couple of years, remote work is here to stay. A study¹ conducted by video-conferencing provider Owl Labs surveyed 3,000 employees in 23 countries over 6 continents and found that people who have the opportunity to work remotely at least monthly are 24% more likely to feel happy and productive in their roles. 

Since Varsity Tutors offers fully-remote opportunities, these benefits are felt in their entirety. It doesn’t matter if you’re on-campus or at home for the holidays, VT allows you to tutor from where ever you are. Not only is it more comfortable, but the time and money you save on not having to commute or look for a new job for the summer will help you maintain your preferred schedule and cash flow. 

Time is a valuable currency. Use all the time that you save to concentrate on school and to continue building the life you’ve always imagined. 

4. An Opportunity That Grows with You 

Everyone wants opportunities that stay new and fresh. In order to grow and learn you need to face new challenges! Luckily, at Varsity Tutors, you have the opportunity to delve into new subjects as you grow. 

For example, say you tutor accounting while in college and eventually go on to become a CPA after you graduate. Then, you can return to VT to use your knowledge and experience to tutor students who are studying for their own CPA licenses. 

As you advance through college and your career, you will be able to offer tutoring services in more subjects and on more advanced material. This growth can ultimately lead to you making more money! 

¹ Flex Jobs – New Study Finds Remote Workers Happier and More Productive

5. Frequent Payments 

Waiting on money is never a fun experience. Especially when you’re in college where money can be scarce. Luckily, Varsity Tutors is very aware of these challenges for students. In order to accommodate tutors’ diverse needs, VT tutors get paid twice a week! 

This payment schedule allows tutors to focus on tutoring and what they need to do to get through school. No more worrying about when your paycheck is going to land, no more worrying about not having money to spend on the weekend, and no more hitting up mom and dad when you need some extra cash. 

The Perfect Combination 

It goes without saying that being a tutor is one of the most rewarding opportunities for someone trying to grow and advance their career. While the flexibility, work-life balance, remote accessibility, and payment schedule are great, tutoring is really what you make it. 

Take Columbia grad student Raul I De La Espriella for example. Raul ended up finding his love for teaching while tutoring with VT, which catapulted him into an entirely different career path. 

“Through Varsity Tutors, I found that I really enjoy teaching the craft of writing. It’s a special kind of feeling when someone can understand that they can write and gain confidence about it. When I watch a student learn to enjoy writing there’s nothing like it.”

Raul I De La Espriella, Johns Hopkins, MA in Teaching Writing 

After his experience with Varsity Tutors, Raul went on to switch his major from economics so he can pursue a career in education. This is a path he wouldn’t have taken if it weren’t for his impactful experience as a tutor for VT.

Whatever your reason for joining Varsity Tutors, know that it is a place for people who want to grow themselves in more ways than one. For more information on how to start tutoring with Varsity Tutors, check out their company profile.

The post 5 Ways Tutoring Will Amplify Your Financial & Professional Future appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You just can’t get one-on-one mentoring, highly-technical training, and a job guarantee like the way Springboard offers it.

As more employers look beyond college degrees as criteria to work at their companies, aspiring professionals have begun seeking alternative methods to learn new trades and qualify for roles. But the questions remain – what are the best ways to learn a new skill and how do you know if what you’re doing is worth the time and money?

As e-learning programs and online workshops come and go, Springboard has risen as the premier destination in online learning for the tech industry’s most in-demand careers. With comprehensive, mentor-led programs in software engineering, data science, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more, there is a lot to love about Springboard’s unique offerings. 

But Springboard’s robust curriculum isn’t the only reason why aspiring professionals are flocking to the groundbreaking e-learning platform. From the self-paced speed to their job-match guarantee, here are all the reasons why you should choose to enroll in Springboard’s online boot camps.

Go As Slow/Fast As You Want

Once you’re admitted into a boot camp, students have the freedom to set their own pace and go as fast as they feel comfortable going. Whether it’s because of time restraints or just to absorb as much information as possible, this factor of Springboard’s boot camps really stands out for students. 

Ability to Pivot into Any Industry

One of the biggest reasons why Springboard is so sought after these days is because it enables people to pivot into any industry they choose. Take Vianey Luna for example. When Vianey found Springboard, she was teaching English as a foreign language in China and South Korea. A few years into her career, Vianey felt inspired to make a career shift into cybersecurity and was able to use Springboard to help her make that leap.

Another great example of someone who made a massive career change with Springboard is Hastings Reeves. Hastings was studying to become an opera singer until the pandemic hit and he was forced to reassess his situation. With a three-year-old daughter, Hastings knew he needed to find income. After taking part in Springboard’s Data Science Career Track, Hastings found the job of his dreams.

From singing opera to working in data science, Springboard made it possible.

The Mentors

Of course, where an educational or training program is going to provide some of the most value is in the mentors and peer guidance that is offered. And when it comes to the mentors that Springboard staffs, no exceptions are made.

Using a system created in-house, Springboard makes sure to stay on top of quality control and the overall caliber of its mentors and teachers throughout the entirety of their tenures. Additionally, Springboard looks to hire people with experience in an industry and a passion to lead.

Career Coaching

One of the best parts about Springboard’s e-learning platform is that it isn’t just an e-learning platform. When you sign up for Springboard, students are matched with a career coach who works with them 1:1 to seize the job of their dreams.

Throughout your entire enrollment in the boot camp, you will have regular meetings with your career coach to discuss things about your CV, resume, and general job-hunting tips. When you complete the boot camp, your career coach ups their involvement in your search and really starts helping you get applications out and taking shots for that dream job!

Whether it’s with help with interview tips or suggestions on how to execute an elevator pitch, Springboard’s career coaches are there for you until you sign a contract. 

Job Guarantee

Perhaps one of the most alluring features of Springboard’s online learning platform is the job guarantee that they bestow on nearly every one of their students. It is one thing to trust an education system or provider to give you valuable knowledge and skills but the fact that Springboard guarantees a job offer or your money back just goes to show how much they trust their program.

Under these circumstances, it becomes much easier for Springboard’s students to fully engross themselves in their education. Without the gnawing feeling of whether or not a job awaits them at the end of their curriculum, students have nothing else to worry about besides gaining a valuable and marketable trade.

Why Is Springboard Right For You?

Whether it has to do with the wide range of tools and resources that Springboard equips you with or the degree of quality in its curriculum and mentors, there are several reasons why Springboard is such a great option to advance your career.

But the most important reason to enroll in Springboard is the desire to grow yourself in one way or another. If you have the desire, Springboard is ready to fulfill it.

At Springboard, you either get a job or your money back. Start exploring career tracks and open-enrollment boot camps today!

The post 5 Reasons Why Springboard Is Your Ticket to a Dream Job in Tech appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Growing up in the shadow of the Boeing JetPlex in Huntsville, Alabama, Travion Crutcher often found himself with his eyes on the sky, contemplating ideas about air travel, or fixed upon the latest toy that he was deconstructing and putting back together. 

Travion always knew that he loved to build things, but it wasn’t until his mother sent him to space camp that he realized his passion could be turned into a pursuit. A pursuit that would involve him finding the answers to the questions he often asked himself regarding the way things worked in the world.

This passion-turned-pursuit would eventually manifest itself into a role at Boeing, the same company he grew up a few miles away from, working on everything from fighter jets to missile defense systems at one of the most cutting-edge aerospace companies in the world. 

As WayUp’s Top Intern of 2022, Travion Crutcher exemplified everything companies look for in an ideal candidate. He applies his passions, he is brave in his decision-making, he tempers wisdom with curiosity, and he exudes confidence with everything he does. 

Recently, we got the chance to speak with Travion regarding his rocket-sized dreams and how they came to fruition during his tenure with Boeing. In our conversation, Travion reveals what it takes to be recognized by your employers and peers on a national level and sheds some insight on the exciting work he took part in the past two summers.

Setting His Sights for the Stars

In addition to the support of his mother, the factors that Travion felt amplified his potential the most are his early involvement in leadership and education-based programs, his organization and execution skills, and his unquenchable curiosity for the unknown.

Travion’s responses to my questions would increasingly shed light on the confidence he had. When I asked him if he had always been this way, he answered in the affirmative and went on to highlight the leadership positions he held from a young age.

Holding down a leadership role in his community as well as immersing himself in the world of engineering, Travion maintained a busy schedule even from a young age. I inquired about how he kept himself on track and he pointed toward his organizational skills.

Although he may not be the first person to use this method, Travion would employ the “aim and shoot” method in which every day started with a list of goals on a whiteboard that would get checked off as tasks get done.

In addition to his commitment to developing everything he learned during his immersions as a young man, Travion’s undying curiosity can also be attributed to propelling him towards success at Boeing and WayUp’s National Intern Competition.

“I was always curious how planes fly or how these big rockets get all the way to space. That’s what pushed me to pursue aerospace and aerospace-related subjects. Growing up my mom got me involved in a lot of stem-related things. I even got involved in a week-long NASA experiment camp where I met people all across the world.”

Travion Crutcher, WayUp Top Intern of 2022

Eventually, when the chance came, Travion knew he had to take his passion and everything he learned to the next level. So he set his sights on the company he grew up knowing so well for their accolades in engineering – Boeing.

Do I Need Clearance For That?

As an intern in both 2021 and 2022, Travion Crutcher’s work with Boeing spanned from fighter jets to missile technology. Although he wasn’t able to tell me much about the work he took part in this past summer, as it relates to top secret advancements in military technology, that only made what he did or didn’t do seem that much cooler. 

What Travion could share with me, however, is how working across different sectors provided him with an advanced understanding of engineering concepts and a deeper appreciation of the things he was developing.

At times, it was hard to believe that I was talking to an intern as the experiences that Travion described to me were in no way minimal. But that is the beauty of companies like Boeing – they empower employees at every level to succeed and achieve greatness in whatever realm makes them most passionate. It was clear that Travion felt this way as he would remark on his appreciation of the company that got him to where he is very often.

Earning a well-deserved vacation, Travion will be spending part of his prize money on an ATV excursion out in Houston where he will be celebrating his anniversary with his girlfriend. If you take anything from Travion Crutcher’s story, know that passion will always fuel your efforts. So if you love something enough, pursue it, and maybe you too can ride off into the Texas sunset with a bag in your hand.

Stay tuned for 2023 as our competition unfolds again and a new queen or king is crowned!

The post Space, Missiles, and Fighter Jets – The Compelling Work of Travion Crutcher, America’s Top Intern of 2022 appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Interviews can be exciting, intimidating, life-changing, and sometimes, all three. As you make your way into the professional world, chances are you will go through tons of different interviews and hiring processes, each one different from the last. 

But if you happen to be fortunate enough to land an interview with Capital One, one of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the financial services industry, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

From preparation tactics to presentation skills, here is a list of the 5 Ps that recruiters, hiring managers, and employees suggest familiarizing yourself with if you want to land a job at Capital One.

Preparation

First and foremost, you want to be prepared going into a Capital One interview. But prepared for what? According to Anna, an associate software engineer, she found success by familiarizing herself with life at Capital One and doing plenty of research prior to her interview.

By digging deep and finding some relevant information about the company, Anna prepared herself to have meaningful and in-depth conversations with her recruiter. In doing so, she portrayed herself as both informed and interested in the position, two things that recruiters love to see. 

In addition to gaining hard knowledge of the company and the role you will be undertaking, another thing you can do to stand out is familiarize yourself with the culture of the company. For example, maybe a company does monthly outings or other social events. Mentioning something like that, which may not have to do directly with your position, is a great way to show you want to work at a company and are looking at it from all aspects.

Presentation

Once you’ve dedicated enough time to prepare for the interview, then comes the time to present your knowledge, skills, and most importantly, who you are. In our conversation with Abhishek, a Senior Associate and Enterprise Services Project Manager, he shed some light on what he thinks is the best way to present yourself during an interview.

Abhishek went on to say how at the end of the day, everyone is similar to one another in the sense that we all have lives and interests, and to present yourself as such helps form a connection that will ultimately work in your favor.

At the same time, you don’t want to come off as overly familiar or unprofessional. By combining a personable and friendly attitude with a professional and corporate one, you will be able to check off even more boxes as a candidate.

Patience

Hand-in-hand with presentation skills comes the ability to be patient. Without it, you risk giving off the wrong impression or missing the chance to demonstrate the full extent of your worth. But interviews are nerve-racking! And oftentimes stressful. So what is an eager prospect like yourself to do?

According to Senior Recruiter Kelly, the best way to remain and appear patient in an interview is to listen.

Kelly spoke about how much of a turnoff it is for her as a recruiter when a candidate constantly cuts her off or interrupts her. But she agreed that a lot of the time it’s unintentional. So when you’re interviewing, remember to take a breath, take your time, and try not to worry about filling empty space or replying so quickly. 

There are several things that public speakers suggest in order to help ease this burden. For example, repeating back the question, using a filling sentence like “that’s a great question,” or “let me think about the best example of that” all are ways you can buy time and make sure you answer the question correctly.

Passion

Throughout every conversation we had with the Capital One employees, there was one common trait that they all shared: passion. Passion not only for what they do at Capital One as employees but as individuals and what they do in their personal lives as well. 

Although it may not seem like it, exuding your passions, whatever they may be, will get you very far in Capital One’s hiring process. Just ask Abhishek.

“My recruiter and I connected on a very personal level after I mentioned my love of motorcycles. It was then that I realized that the people at Capital One are real people too with interests, passions, and beliefs of their own.”

Abhishek, Senior Associate and Enterprise Services Project Manager

Whether or not you end up sharing interests with your recruiter doesn’t matter. What Capital One wants to see out of people applying is that they can get excited about something, no matter what it is. So if there is something you love and are passionate about, don’t be afraid to mention it during the interview!

Personality

One factor that bears a lot of resemblance to your passion is your personality. And although they are similar, your personality has to show so much more than what you’re passionate about.

We spoke with Student and Graduates Recruiter Addison regarding what the best steps are to show your personality during an interview and she responded with an ode to authenticity.

Recruiters are able to tell when something sounds rehearsed. And it prevents them from getting a true understanding of who you really are. So during your interview process, make sure you’re confident in portraying yourself not only as a professional but as your true authentic self as well.

Putting It All Together

While all of the tips shared by these exceptional associates at Capital One are invaluable, there is one critical piece of information that everyone should remember, and that’s to apply.
Now is the time to explore opportunities and really see how far your capabilities can get you. So what are you waiting for? Start browsing open opportunities at Capital One today and find the job of your dreams.

The post 5 Interview Secrets for Landing a Job at Capital One appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As you make your way through college, one very important question you might ask yourself is if a minor is worth undertaking. While not everyone graduates with a minor, it’s a great way to add some versatility to your resume and gain some knowledge that will help you build your career.

When you’re going about this decision, the first thing you have to consider is what your interests are.

You Gotta Love It

No matter what you do in college, whether it’s your studies, extracurriculars, social life, relationships, or otherwise, you have to love what you’re doing. Parents and societal pressures can oftentimes cloud these thoughts but at the end of the day, you should be making decisions for yourself.

So make the choice that truly feeds your soul. Maybe you’re a Finance major who has always wanted to explore theater. Do it. Don’t pursue a minor just because you think it has to align with your major or for some fabricated reason. Choose a minor because it fascinates you and satisfies your thirst for knowledge.

College is a time to explore curiosities and interests of all varieties. And although it may be hard at times, you have to follow your heart in order to fill your head.

Workload

The next thing you have to consider when deciding whether or not a minor is worth it is if you can handle the workload. While passion can fuel productivity, there is only so much you can bare during your college years.

Don’t feel rushed to choose a minor in your freshman year or even your sophomore or junior year. If you have to stick around for another year or two to finish up your courses, don’t feel like you’ve failed!

If you end up leaving school knowing you got what you wanted to out of it, who cares how long it takes you? Of course, it’s important to consider tuition costs but what’s more important is getting everything you need out of your time spent at university.

If you are able to weigh these two factors against each other, workload and passion, you should have an easier time deciding whether or not a minor is worth it.

Always feel free to use your school resources and consult your advisor. And as always, you can rely on the career tips and professional advice that we put out on our blog weekly!

The post Is Getting a Minor in College Worth It? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Once considered only for their ability to fetch coffee and take orders, interns are now becoming more and more important. Companies across the country are beginning to see these potential future employees both as valuable assets and future leaders, causing a ripple effect across industries.

While some companies are just now catching on to the trend, we at WayUp have known for years how beneficial internships can be for both the people who participate in them and the companies that sponsor them. As a job platform that helps people find internships, we have seen first-hand how talented and driven these young entrepreneurs can be. 

Our support for these so-called “rookies” goes so far that we even came up with a holiday for them – National Intern Day – that we will be celebrating the 6th iteration of on July 28th, 2022.

Featured on The Today Show, NASA, and even Forbes, National Intern Day has taken the country by storm and for that reason, has grown pretty competitive. To increase your chances of making it on our Top 100 list for National Intern Day, we put together a list of suggestions to help bolster your application.

Go Above and Beyond

The first and most important thing you have to do to make your way on the Top 100 list is to be an excellent intern. It’s not enough to be a spectator during your summer internship or just go through the motions. You have to be an active participant who not only accomplishes what you’re assigned but goes above and beyond it.

Another important factor to keep in mind as you’re excelling in your internship is the attitude you have. If you’re able to go through a really busy day, one that really tests you, and you do it with a smile on your face, your manager and the people around you will take note of it.

Take Inventory of Your Experience

On your National Intern Day application, you will be asked a series of questions that have to do with what you do in your internship, what you’ve learned, and how it has shaped your career goals. If you’re not prepared to answer these questions in an engaging and authentic way, then it might be best to take inventory of your experience before applying.

Don’t just repeat what the job description says, speak from the heart and demonstrate that the internship had as great of an impact on you as you had on it. If you’re able to show that the significance of your internship was far-reaching, your chances will undoubtedly increase.

Moderate Your Social Media Presence

If you don’t know already, companies are watching what you do on social media. And when it comes to selecting our top interns of 2022, so do we! With this being said, make sure you moderate your social media presence to portray the intelligent and talented individual that you are.

Those who are more active on social media and demonstrate someone who can engage audiences will definitely factor into the decision-making process of our internship but will in no way decide it! 

Apply Early

Lastly, the worst thing you can do if you’re trying to make it on the “Top 100 Interns” list for 2022 is wait to apply. The sooner you get your application in, the better, so fill out an application and see if you have what it takes to make the cut!

The post How to Enter and Win The National Intern Day Competition appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You’ve heard resume and interview tips from friends, you’ve heard them from teachers, and you might have even heard them from people who claim to be job acquisition experts. But there is one particular group of people who will be able to provide resume and interview tips that are more valuable than everyone else’s, and that’s the person who is responsible for hiring you.

Unfortunately, people don’t really get the chance to ask employers what they consider a good interviewer to be or for tips on their resumes, at least not until the opportunity to get a job has sailed.

That’s why we did it for you. 

In our recent virtual event with Dell Technologies, we heard from the $100 billion, multinational tech company regarding what they are looking for on resumes and how to nail their interview process. Leading the virtual event was Human Resources Rotation Program Manager, Megan Evangelista, who offered her invaluable insight regarding resume tips and interview advice.

If you didn’t make the virtual event, that’s ok! The following are a few golden nuggets from Megan’s 5-step guide to help you land a job at Dell Technologies.

1. Resume 101

The first and most important tool you’ll need to sharpen for the application process is your resume. As Megan explained it, your resume is “that teaser trailer, that coming attraction opportunity for you to talk about yourself, your experiences, and get your reader excited and more importantly curious to hear more about you.”

Megan went on to detail how it isn’t enough just to list skills on your resume. Anyone can say they are analytical, detail-oriented, and a leader, but it’s how you describe your experiences and how those skills come to life that really proves you possess them.

Additionally, the way in which you organize and prepare your resume will go a long way as well.

2. Interview Prep

Once you have your resume locked down and prepared, you can move on to the interview preparation part. During the virtual event, Megan explained that the first and most important thing to do is research your audience. Reflecting on a past experience, Meg spoke about the bad impression it left when a candidate didn’t know anything about Dell.

“When I was a recruiter, there was nothing more disheartening to me than when I’d meet a student, and they were really excited, and then they would say, ‘so, what does Dell do?’”

Megan Evangelista, HR Rotation Program Manager

In addition to researching the company, it is crucial to know your resume, understand the role’s responsibilities, and lastly, prepare some questions to ask your interviewer that show you have an active interest in the position and did your research!

Finally, make sure you try to get a grasp on some of the questions they may ask you during the interview. Some of these questions might have to do with communication, analytical skills, technical skills, teamwork, or your work ethic, so be prepared with examples from all categories.

3. Practice

One thing that a lot of candidates tend to skip over or forget to do is practice, starting with your elevator pitch. A good elevator pitch will include your name, major and class year, education and character highlights, what your ideal role is, and why you want to apply for the company (Dell). 

The next thing you want to do is prepare examples for questions you might be asked. What Megan suggests using is the EAR method – example, action, result – when creating answers to questions.  

“If you’re going through an interview you’re probably not terribly relaxed so it’s a great structure to rely on when you’re responding to those sort of questions.” 

Megan Evangelista, HR Rotation Program Manager

Lastly, you want to rehearse. Grab a friend or family member and ask them to listen to your elevator pitch or to ask you some interview questions. Record yourself or even do it in front of a mirror until it feels natural. The more you test your preparedness the more at ease you will feel when the interview comes around!

4. Execute

The day of the interview has arrived and now it’s time to put your skills and all the preparation to the test. While the main theme of the execution phase is preparation, scenarios will differ if you are doing a virtual or in-person interview.

If it is in-person, you’ll want to remember to dress professionally, arrive early (15 minutes minimum), turn off your phone, and bring extra copies of your resume. If it is virtual, you’ll also want to dress professionally, turn off your phone, and log in 15 minutes early, but you’ll also want to double-check your WiFi connection and ensure you’re in a quiet space without distractions. 

“Finding a quiet space and taking a moment to breathe before you meet with anyone and really recenter yourself can really go a long way. So think about what centering and calming looks like for you and then make sure you’re prepared in advance.” 

Megan Evangelista, HR Rotation Program Manager

5. Follow up

Although many candidates may feel that a follow-up message is optional, in some cases, it could be the difference between someone saying “yes, let’s bring them in for another conversation” or “eh, we’ve seen enough.” 

In her experience as a recruiter, Megan made the point that although “it sounds very intuitive and maybe even a little bit old-fashioned to send thank you notes,” she can guarantee that they go a really long way and aren’t as commonly sent as you might think! 

Megan even recounted an instance when she was considering five different candidates for a role and the only one that sent her a follow-up email was the one that ended up getting the job. During the virtual event, Megan also provided us with a great template to use when sending a follow-up.

Summary

This 5-step guide to help you get a job at Dell Technologies can more or less be boiled down to three main features – preparation, practice, and execution. If you’re interested in getting a job at one of the most coveted technology companies in the world you will make this guide your bible and make sure you exercise those three features religiously.

If you do, you might just find yourself in the job of your dreams.

Dell Technologies Summer Series features virtual events that walk through early development tips, tricks, and skills to build your career early.

The post Dell Technologies Reveals 5-Step Process to Land a Job (Event Review) appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Whether it’s because of COVID, a major life event, or personal choice, there are a lot of reasons why people are reentering the job market right now. Given the fact that employers tend to stray away from people reentering the job market and the difficulty of getting on your feet again, it can be a little challenging to make this leap.

But just because you’ve spent some time away from the professional world doesn’t mean you’re not fit for it. And just because you haven’t been working recently doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot to offer.

To make your reentry a little bit easier and to equip with you everything you need to know to land that “returnship,” we broke down some career tips that everyone in this position should be doing to make them more attractive to employers

Starting with your resume.

Refresh that Resume

If you’re reentering the job market, chances are it’s been a while since you had to use your resume. And if you haven’t updated it since your last job interview, you’re going to want a few resume tips to freshen things up a bit.

Depending on the job you’re applying for, you’ll want to select and describe your past experiences and skills accordingly. Applying for a creative-oriented job? Scan your job history and past experiences for times you had to do something artistic or imaginative. Or maybe it is more analytical? In that case, try to find experience that shows your organizational skills or preference for precision. 

And if you don’t have a lot of job experience to work with, you’re going to want to double down on your skills and the manner in which you present them.

Showcase Your Skills

As a job marketplace that has helped hundreds of thousands of people get jobs, we have seen people showcase their skills devastatingly bad and exceptionally well. In the case that you’re returning to work after some time away, showcasing your skills becomes increasingly important.

Because you may not have a lot of job experience to work with, you’ll want to draw extra attention to your skills and capabilities. One way you can do this is by discussing the long-term growth of your skills. 

How did you first develop said skill and how have you strengthened it over the years? Also, keep in mind how recently you used that skill. Although you may not have been working recently, you should be able to describe how you either maintained or developed that skill while taking some time off. 

Describing Your “Off-Time” Properly

One question that will most definitely be asked of people re-entering the job market is how they spent their time in between jobs. And even if you didn’t really do anything, you’re going to have to make it sound like you did.

Maybe you decided to start pursuing one of your hobbies more passionately? Break it down and talk about it like a job experience. How and why did you dedicate time to it? What did you get out of it and what did you learn from it?

Maybe you became a parent, maybe you went back to school, whatever the reason is, the more value, worth, and experience you can draw to your time off the better your chances will be in the job market.

Start Small

If you’re looking for your first job after a significant break from work, chances are you may not be able to get the highest-paying job out there. This being the case, you’re going to want to start small.

Whether or not you are at an entry-level position, we recommend still searching for jobs on this tier. Another thing to look out for are part-time, freelance, or contract jobs that might not be long-term or full-time, but will still give you a little bit of experience that you can grease the wheels with.

Although it may not be exactly what you want, any kind of work you can get at the early stages of reentering the job market will make your resume more timely and you more of an attractive candidate.

Stay Confident

The most important career tip for reentering the job market is to stay confident. Chances are you will probably hear no a few times before hearing yes. You’re going to have to be able to take those punches and still retain your confident and motivated attitude.

Because without confidence and motivation, you won’t get very far. Know your worth, show your worth, and then start hunting for jobs.

Ready to get started? Make your free profile with WayUp and start getting matched with employers looking for people like you today!

The post The Returnship: Tips for Reentering the Job Market After Time Away appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Depending on your age and where you are in life, odds are you use social media for one or two reasons– entertainment purposes, to keep up with your friends and family, or to share moments of your life. 

When it comes to social media and finding a job, most people elect to keep those two worlds separate. But what many of these people fail to see are all the ways you can use social media to help you get a job. 

As a company that specializes in helping people get jobs, we have identified various social media tips and tricks that can lead to employment. Today, we want to share them with you.

In this career tips article you’re going to learn about the following:

1. Using your profile as a digital resume
2. Networking on social media
3. Social media as a job
4. Using social media for education
5. Learning about employers using social media

As a Digital Resume

For better or worse, social media is a great way to understand what someone is like. And as many of us know, employers use this perspective to gain a better understanding of potential employees. For this reason, many people elect to keep their social media pages private. 

But those same people are missing out on the opportunity to show employers a more personal side of them. Employers want to see a candidate who is interesting and impassioned about life, someone who has hobbies and meaningful interests.

Social media is a great way to show the company you’re applying for that you’re someone who can get excited about things and someone people like to be around. So when you’re thinking about what pictures you should be posting or whether or not you’re profile should be private, keep this in mind.

Networking on Social Media

If LinkedIn showed us anything, it’s that networking on social media is very lucrative. But with so many social networking platforms in the world, why use only one? Every single day, people use the big three – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – to establish connections and help them find jobs. 

While you can use social media as a means of contacting people directly, you should also use it as a way to interact and engage with them. For example, say the CEO of a company gets interviewed and he or she reposts it on their feed. Why not comment on it with an intelligent thought? 

Or say someone from a company you want to work for posts something about an objective they met. Why not use that information to follow up with a question? The more you come to understand social media, the more ways you will be able to use it to establish meaningful connections and maybe even score a job.

Social Media as a Job

While LinkedIn showed us how to network on social media, TikTok and Instagram showed us how social media in itself can be a job. Even before the days of TikTok, people were using their knowledge of social media combined with their creativity and other skills to pursue careers in social media marketing and brand representation. 

Whether it’s as simple as being an influencer for a company and posting a picture wearing their clothes or as advanced as running an entire social media marketing operation, the market is littered with jobs in social media.

Depending on your knowledge of social media and the skills you have, you might be the perfect candidate for a job in social media. Browse tons of social media positions on our job listings page today.

Social Media for Education

With all the garbage that exists on social media, there are still several outlets and pages you can follow to stay educated on job tips, career advice, and more. For starters, if you like a company, follow them on social media. More often than not, they will make a post when they have open positions.

When searching for job tips and information on how you can get a job, social media becomes particularly useful. You can find tons of pages that provide information like resume tips, advice for interviewing, ways to dress, and plenty more.

Our totally unbiased and personal favorite page for career advice, job tips, and updates on the job market is WayUp. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook if you haven’t already!

Learning About Employers Using Social Media

After using WayUp to find current job openings and discover companies that are hiring, take to social media and find the company’s profile. Get a feel for their branding, their voice, and their message then see if it aligns with a company you see yourself working for.

Are their pictures of company culture? Do they promote similar beliefs as you? All of this and more can be better understood by examining a company’s social media profiles and presence. Just make sure the companies you’re looking at are hiring!

Using Every Tool in the Shed

While social media is a great way to help you get a job, we recommend using every tool at your disposal to help lock down that contract you’ve been looking for. At WayUp, not only are we a tool that helps students and recent graduates find jobs but we also talk about it on our blog.

So no matter where you are in the job search process, whether you’re just writing your first resume or you’ve been searching for a job for years, we’re here to help. Register with WayUp for free and start getting matched with employers today.

The post 5 Ways Using Social Media Can Help You Get a Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

No matter what industry you’re in or how far along in your career you are, networking is a skill that will always be important. Especially when you’re looking for a job.

Over the years, networking techniques have shifted to accommodate our new digital world and all the changes that come with it. That being said, it can be hard to know which networking trends to follow and which ones to leave behind. That’s where we come in.

As a job marketplace that focuses on getting early-career candidates hired, we know what it takes to land the job of your dreams. And we also know everything that comes before it, including effective networking. 

But now the question begs – what does it take to be good at networking?

Come Prepared

Before the elevator pitch, before you shake hands, before you even say hello, you need to be prepared to have a conversation that’s going to leave an impact. While you don’t always get to choose the time, place, or person you get to network with, you can still be prepared to have an insightful exchange.

For example, it is always important to stay on top of trending news and topics in your industry. Knowing what’s going on will help you fill the conversation and bring up relevant points for discussion. In the case that you do know the person you’re going to be chatting with, make sure you’re up to date on who they are, what they do, and who they do it for.

Listen

While you might be eager to make your pitch or ask your question, one of the most important tips for networking is to listen. Depending on what your end goals are, you may be motivated to network to score a job, learn more about a field, or expand your contacts. But there is no reason why you can’t do all three if you follow this one rule.

No one wants to talk to a person who won’t let them get a word in. Plus, the more you talk, the less time they have to give you tips, information, and insight that might improve the trajectory of your professional career.

Ask Questions

In addition to listening, you need to be able to ask questions as they pertain to what you are discussing. If you have a really good question that you’ve been sitting on, feel free to ask. But asking questions that guide the natural flow of the conversation will not only garner you more information, it will make things more enjoyable for both people as well. 

Some examples of questions you could ask include things like their opinion on how things are going in the industry or on certain news topics, where they would like to see the company in five or more years, and anything else that makes you seem passionate about the work you’re going to be doing. Again, use this as a time to learn information as much as you use it as a time to make an impression.

Use the Internet!

As creepy as it may sound, it’s pretty easy to find people on the internet these days. A simple search of someone’s name and the company they work for will most likely generate their work bio or LinkedIn profile where there will be a way to contact them. One thing to keep in mind is to make sure your account on whatever platform you’re messaging them on is looking good. So no party photos or compromising scenarios.

These days, almost all networking is performed online. So if you haven’t already, make sure your networking techniques and digital persona are in tip-top shape and start building that network!

Stay in Touch

This last networking tip is one that early-career professionals always forget. Just because you’ve made a connection and had one or two interactions, your job isn’t even half over. 

Keeping things authentic and genuine, reach out to your new connection at different times. Keep up with what they’re doing, engage with them online, maybe arrange to have a coffee at a later date, but whatever you’re doing, make sure you keep yourself close enough to be remembered but far enough to not be bothersome. 

In time, these are all networking techniques that you can master and use to your advantage both during and after the job hunt. For more career tips and information on getting hired in 2022, check out our blog.

The post A Step-by-Step Guide to Networking in 2022 appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When it comes to digital marketing, few things are as important as the tools digital marketers rely on to get their jobs done. These include everything from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to analytics tools like Google Analytics. Allowing marketers to create, test and measure the performance of their campaigns, digital marketing tools ensure that marketers can launch and test campaigns quickly and effectively.

Here are the five common digital marketing tools.

1. Social media platforms

A common part of any integrated marketing strategy, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are a great way for marketers to engage with their audiences and generate buzz around their brand. In addition to the standard features these platforms offer, there are also some features that are designed specifically for marketing. These include Facebook Ads Manager, which allows marketers to run ads and track ad performance. As an added bonus, social media management tools like Buffer and Hootsuite also integrate well with these platforms, making it easy to schedule social posts and measure engagement.

2. Design tools

Another key part of digital marketing is design and this is especially common when it comes to creating ads and content like social media posts and blog posts. Because digital marketing is such a design heavy field, doing it effectively wouldn’t be possible without design tools like Canva and Photoshop, programs that allow those without extensive graphic design skills to add dynamic images to their content.

3. Analytics tools

Another set of helpful tools for digital marketers are analytics tools. These include everything from Google Analytics (designed to track stats for web traffic to a particular site) to social media analytics tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics which provide metrics related to engagement and help marketers optimize their campaigns. For measuring stats on the backend of a site (particularly related to conversions, sales and user demographics), there are also tools like Periscope that track user data, site searches and conversion metrics.

4. Content marketing tools

For marketers who are more focused on content marketing, tools like CoSchedule and Hubspot are a big help when it comes to content creation and curation. They can help marketers identify content opportunities and craft engaging blog and social media posts that will resonate with their audience. And since Buffer also offers the ability to see what fans are talking about on social media, that content is almost guaranteed to be impactful and to generate attention for a specific event or news story.

5. Email marketing tools

The final set of tools in a digital marketer’s toolbox are email marketing marketing tools. These help marketers create email campaigns that amplify their content and encourage their users to become more engaged with their brand — taking additional steps like signing up for events and buying products. Common email marketing tools include email marketing platforms like MailChimp, Iterable, and Hunter which allow marketers to build email lists and automate their email campaigns. These platforms also provide analytics for every email campaign, making testing and optimization quick and easy.

Working in digital marketing involves a unique blend of passion, strategy and media savvy. In order to maximize the impact of your various campaigns, it helps to have the best tools at your disposal.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Career Opportunities for Marketing Majors and find answers to common interview questions such as What Other Companies Are You Interviewing With?

The post Top 5 Tools for Digital Marketing appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Although a fair amount of overlap exists between venture capital, private equity, and investment banking, all three sectors differ in significant and unique ways – some of which include the roles and responsibilities bestowed upon employees. If you were to pursue a career in investment banking, you might find yourself working on trades, mergers, and acquisitions; advising in the sale of new stocks and bonds; or connecting buyers and sellers of companies. In venture capital and private equity, you could be doing anything from identifying promising new startups to evaluating a company’s marketing strategy for post-investment growth.

Although private equity providers, venture capital investors, and investment bankers may all be incentivized to sell stakes at one point or another, private equity and venture capital firms concentrate more on building and growing the companies they invest in. This, coupled with the fact that private equity and venture capital analysts evaluate companies on different factors than investment bankers, leads to some exciting opportunities for people who want to work in the field.

Recently, we sat in on a virtual event with global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners to learn more about some of the open roles that the firm is currently looking to fill. The two positions we ended up identifying as the most engaging and exciting opportunities are the Investment Analyst and the Onsite Diligence and Growth Strategy (DGS) Analyst.

Scouting for the Next Big Thing: Investment Analyst

If you’ve ever heard of a company called Shopify, then you already know of one company that an Insight analyst identified and helped scale for success. One of the most exciting parts of being an Investment Analyst is knowing that the companies you’re sourcing and evaluating could be the next big brand or household name that’s going to shake the markets. And, you could be the one who discovers them.

At Insight, you don’t have to be a partner or executive to get your hands in the mix. The firm is known for its world-class analyst program, which gets junior-level analysts and associates directly involved in deals with the most senior investors on the team.

Investment Analysts Abhi Srinivas and Nisha Rangarajan attended our virtual seminar with Insight Partners and spoke about their experience on the job with passion and pride. While listening to them speak, it was evident that they love what they do and the company they work for. 

Post-Investment Prowess – Onsite Diligence & Growth Strategy Analyst

So Insight decided to invest in a company that an Investment Analyst sourced – what’s next? In come the Onsite DGS Analysts. Insight Onsite is the VC industry’s largest software-focused operations team, which works alongside Insight’s portfolio companies to help executives identify key opportunities for growth. While Investment Analysts are responsible for identifying and making initial contact with the target company, it’s the responsibility of the Onsite DGS Analysts to help the company scale and succeed post-investment.

The Onsite team is what really drew Ruth Park to Insight. In the post-investment phase, Ruth may be sinking her teeth into the marketing strategy of a company or making recommendations to company leaders on how to put their newly acquired funding to the best use.

Ruth’s point is that it doesn’t really matter where you come from – Insight is looking for minds from every walk of life and every school of thought to fill its ranks. 

If you’re interested in being an Investment Analyst or an Onsite DGS Analyst who works with some of the most fascinating growth-stage technology, software, and Internet companies in the world, Insight Partners is for you.

Check out Insight Partners’ WayUp profile page to learn more about the firm and apply for open roles.

The post Scoping Startups and Building Brands: At Insight Partners, You Can Do It All appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Interviews are hard. And depending on your skills and experience, you might love them or you might hate them. But no matter what your feelings about interviews are, as long as you’re searching for a job, you won’t be able to escape them.  

“Once they did that, I decided right then and there that they would not be moving forward in the hiring process. Of course, they had no idea that what they had just done was a red flag. And unless they ask me, they never will.”

– Jen, Recruiter

The above quote was taken from a recruiter who had just interviewed a potential prospect. During the interview, the applicant made a huge error that pretty much sealed their fate and eliminated them from the hiring process. 

As a job site and marketplace that focuses on interview tips and getting you hired, we want to help you avoid situations like this. That’s why we’ve put together a list of tips that covers everything you shouldn’t do during an interview. 

1. Poor Presentation
One very common interview tip that you most likely have heard before is “dress to impress.” And while that is easy to remember in face-to-face interviews, the virtual front brings on a new element.

When you’re being interviewed through video chat, you have to remember that you not only have to look presentable but your background does too. That means no messy clothes in a pile, your TV isn’t on, and you’re somewhere that will be free of both audio and visual distractions and interruptions.

Use the background to your advantage. Throw your degree on the wall behind you, hang up some art, or do something else that will make you stand out during the interview. Who knows, maybe the recruiter likes the same baseball team as you.

2. Forgetting to Do Your Research

Doing the necessary research on a company is one of the most overlooked interview tips in the book. There is nothing a recruiter hates more than an applicant who has no idea about the company and/or position they are applying for.

It shows that you really aren’t interested or passionate about the position and company. So how can the recruiter expect you to be motivated once you start? Especially if you don’t even know much about the role you’re applying for? More often than not, this is a dealbreaker. 

3. Reading From Your Screen

This next interview tip is one that is exclusive to the virtual environment but one that should definitely be kept in mind. And that’s to avoid reading prewritten answers and statements from your screen.

It’s one thing to have your resume up in the corner or to try and memorize a couple of things you want to say, but when you’re reading something from your laptop or monitor, interviewers can usually tell. Not only do you sound robotic, but they can see your eyes moving across the screen.

In the end, you just need to be authentic and professional. No shame in having something prepared but try to avoid doing it like this.

4. Speaking Negatively About Current-Employer

Although you may have plans to leave a company, it’s important to avoid putting them down during and at any point after your employment with them. Especially during an interview.

When you talk poorly about your employer, the recruiter might think that you would do the same to them one day. Even if you’re not going to be employed by them for much longer, they still represent a part of your professional identity. So in bringing shame to their name, you also shed some on your own. 

5. Copy & Paste Responses

Copy and paste responses are a lot like the reading from your screen in that it comes off as inauthentic. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is to make sure your answers are tailored to the company you’re applying for. 

When talking about your strengths, mention why they might help you do the position well. When talking about your aspirations, discuss a career path that could be fulfilled at the company and how you might obtain it there. Try your best to tie as much as you can back to the company,

But the time when you need to avoid a copy and paste response the most is when they ask you why you want to work for that company. If you’re not able to respond with specifics and instead give them every other spiel that you gave to your other interviewers, don’t expect to get very far in the hiring process.

6. Lying

Just like your momma told you – don’t lie. This is one interview tip, and one life tip, that everyone should always abide by. We can’t deny that the fake it till you make it routine can work every now and then, but if you get caught lying, whether it’s on your resume or during an interview, it’s going to cost you serious points.

This includes lying about everything from skills to personal anecdotes. Companies usually have tests that can validate whether you can do what it is you say you can or not. And running away with a story is always dangerous, especially if you end up working with the person you said it to.

7. Fidgeting

Whether you’re interviewing in person or through video, make sure to avoid any and all forms of fidgeting. This includes fidgeting with something in your hands, with your hair, or rocking back and forth demonstrating that you are restless and unfocused.

You could be telling an incredibly relevant and interesting story that gets ruined by a non-verbal distraction. So posture up, look directly into the screen or camera and find a position you’re comfortable with.

8. The Money & Vacation Questions

The money and vacation questions are a recruiter’s worst nightmare. One of the easiest interview tips on this entire list, and also one of the most important, is to not ask about money or vacation while you’re interviewing.

The reason why is because employers look for people who want a job because of the company, the job, and the position, not just for a paycheck. And when you ask questions about vacation, you risk coming off as lazy. 

Yes, time off and wages are very important when making a decision about a job. And you do have a right to know what those numbers are. But if you get far enough in the process, odds are they will fill you in. So be patient, and remember all the other reasons that make a job important. In the end, that’s what really matters.

Making Your Own Guide

For many of you job seekers out there, there may be things on this list you need to concentrate on more than others. You may even find things outside of this list of interview tips that help you during the hiring process. So we encourage you to make your own guide and develop your own interview offensive. With knowledge and confidence, you’ll go a long way. 

For more interview tips and information on finding your dream job, check out the WayUp blog. 

The post 8 Things You Should Never Do In An Interview appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

So you landed a summer internship – congratulations! Now that you’ve made the obligatory Facebook/LinkedIn post and changed that status to employed, you may be thinking about what you can do to make a lasting impression at one of your first big jobs. 

And no, it doesn’t have to do with what you’re going to wear on your first day of work. At least not entirely…

As a job marketplace, we at WayUp have seen internships of all shapes and sizes. And after witnessing so many talented minds crush their summer internships and secure full-time jobs, we have identified five key factors that contributed to their success.

1. Engage, But Don’t Overwhelm

One very common mindset you might have going into your summer internship, especially if it’s one of your first professional experiences, is to engage and chat with as many people as possible. And while this is true, to a certain extent, you have to do so mindfully

If you are preparing to introduce yourself to someone or speak up, make sure you’re not doing so on impulse. Think it through and ask yourself if it’s really worth saying. Upper management doesn’t want someone around who is constantly asking questions or always contributing their two cents. So make sure what you’re saying really carries weight.

Think – does what you have to say contribute to the task at hand? Are you presenting a new angle or perspective? At the end of the day, people will judge you more on the quality of your thoughts rather than the quantity.

2. Dress to Impress

This next suggestion is really obvious when it comes to summer internships yet gets overlooked in so many ways. Depending on the company you’re interning for, what you are expected to wear will vary. So when you’re starting out don’t be afraid to ask your hiring manager what they expect you to wear and take note of what fellow colleagues are wearing to guide your wardrobe choices.

Another important rule to remember is not to let your wardrobe slack just because you’re remote or virtually employed. It is easy (and really nice) to go throughout the day wearing PJs but putting that extra effort into your attire, even in less than formal video conferences, will make a lasting impression on the people you work with during your summer internship.

Alongside a proper wardrobe, you should also strive to maintain proper hygiene. And it’s just the simple things! Brush your teeth, take a shower, and wear deodorant. No one wants to work with someone who smells bad. Plus, it might make it hard to get invited to the company happy hour.

3. Observe Like a Hawk

During your summer internship, you will be learning an incredible amount of information in an incredibly short amount of time. This being the case, you have to observe and digest every single piece of information and stimuli you see. 

Is there a certain way your manager likes to receive deliverables? Make that your bible. Notice a certain employee receiving a lot of praise? Study what they’re doing and replicate it. Did you overhear the CEO’s assistant saying they only drink one type of super rare coffee from Peru? Go find some and secure your future job!

The faster you are able to pick up on things in your summer internship and adapt to your new working environment the more you will show your employer that you deserve a permanent position. 

4. Volunteer for Everything

It doesn’t matter if it’s to pick up lunch, lead a new project, or squash a bug, if you volunteer for everything you not only become someone people can rely on but someone with experience as well, bug-related or otherwise.

Every time you take up a new task you get the chance to show someone that you can do something right. Naturally, responsibilities will grow and tasks will get more important as long as you’re doing them well. Eventually, those tasks could become recurring and make your importance at the company increase.

5. Send Authentic Follow-Ups

Depending on the size of your internship class, your manager and the active employees at the company you worked with are bound to get tons of follow-ups from former interns who want a job. So you’re going to have to make sure what you say really resonates with who you’re saying it to. 

Maybe you have a certain memory of them you wanted to recount. Or something they taught you that you wanted to thank them for. Or maybe you just wanted to ask them for more advice. Whatever you’re doing, make sure it doesn’t sound like a copy and paste message.

It can be strategic to think of this while participating in your summer internship as it can lead to a more genuine and organic follow-up later on. So make sure you’re taking the time to form meaningful connections with the people around you.

Rinse & Repeat

Before you get that corner office, you need to get a full-time job, and before you get that full-time job, you’re going to need to make a lasting impression during your summer internship. So if you want to make sure you make it through try-outs, keep this list handy and read it before your first night of work.

Haven’t found a summer internship to show off how great you are just yet? Browse all our current openings here!

The post How to Turn Your Summer Internship Into a Full-Time Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Starting a new job can also mean new feelings of uncertainty. RSM strives to make sure all of our employees not only feel comfortable but also encouraged to ask questions and bring their authentic selves to work. Andrew Richards, a consulting associate in our Cincinnati office, shares what his experience was like when he first joined RSM. He also gives onboarding tips for future new hires.

While pursuing my degree in information technology, a consulting position never really crossed my mind since my coursework had a highly technical focus. This made me a bit nervous about entering this type of professional landscape, primarily stemming from a lack of education and experience about how to interact with clients and how business processes affect a technical solution.

My director was supportive during my onboarding process and kept an open line of communication with me in order to prepare my approach to future work. This included studying to become more familiar with our technical tools and meeting my new teammates.

When I started my first project, I was on a team that was very knowledgeable about the technical components we needed to complete the project and they were able to provide me with guidance along the way. During the project, I gained exposure to clients and began to understand that any technical solution we deliver is derived from discussions with business leaders.

I also felt supported to ask questions when I did not understand my requirements. I can attribute most of my initial success to the constant support provided to me during this project and getting outside of my comfort zone to learn new skills and tools. As a new hire, it’s important to remember that you’re not expected to know everything and there are people within your circle who will be more than happy to help out.

From having questions answered to getting feedback on project work, I always received the support I needed during my onboarding experience. My advice to any new hire is don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help from your peers. In my first year at RSM, I have learned that everyone wants to see you succeed. If you’re struggling with something, speak up! RSM hires amazing people, but none of them are mind readers (at least not yet).

The post RSM onboarding experience: Support along the way appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As a current student or recent graduate, one question you might be asking yourself is how can you prepare yourself for an interview and secure a job. But given the fact that interviews and application processes differ from company to company, you may have found yourself lost and unsure about where to start. 

In order to help guide early-career professionals through interviews and applications, we took an in-depth look at the process at one of the world’s largest asset managers – BlackRock. To better understand how candidates can nail their application and interview process, we spoke with three analysts who successfully secured internships with this $22 billion company and continue to work and thrive there today as analysts.

This list includes everything from interview tips to general advice that these employees used to help them navigate the interview process and secure a job at BlackRock. While some of the tips are specific to BlackRock and its unique hiring process, many of them are universal and can be used throughout your entire professional career. We hope this helps make landing your first job or internship a little easier and encourages you to seek employment with BlackRock – a company that has been shaking up the industry and providing lifelong careers for years.

1. Reach out to current employees

Reaching out to current employees at a company is beneficial for a number of reasons. Julia Colliton, an analyst at BlackRock, claims that her interactions with a BlackRock employee prior to applying made her more attracted to the role, and motivated her to apply. Most people think of establishing relationships with active employees in order to help usher them through the finish line, which is true, but it can also help give you perspective into the actual role as well. Look for LinkedIn connections, ask questions, and do whatever you can to improve the perspectives of those you engage with, including your own.

2. Get activity/leadership experience

BlackRock is a company that values leadership experience in its employees. In fact, there is an entire section of their internship interview process that is dedicated to it. Not only will getting leadership experience better enable you to do your job better and thrive as an employee, but it will make your application stand out from the rest. You will most likely be applying with people who all have great GPAs and honors designations, so this is an area where you can really stand out.

3. Resume building

Establishing a strong resume is something that most prospects can assume they need to spend time on. But the ways in which you build that resume are vast. One thing that all of the analysts we interviewed agreed on was to gather as much feedback on your resume as possible. Have a friend who has been in the professional world for a while? Share your resume with them. Have a good relationship with your professor? Let them take a look at it. If you feel bold enough, go and find a recruiter on LinkedIn and see if they will check it out. The more eyes you can get on it, the better.

4. Prepare for the virtual cover letter

The virtual cover letter is something unique to BlackRock’s interview and application process and something applicants might not be familiar with. Acknowledging that the environment is unique and preparing for it accordingly is the best piece of advice we redacted from the current employees we spoke with. Things like checking your lighting and background or practicing your delivery in a “practice interview” by yourself are all things that will help you be better prepared. Also, researching as much as you can will help you face the questions that will be asked.

5. Overprepare for the interview

After speaking with current analysts at BlackRock, the general consensus about the interview was that you can never be too prepared. But what exactly does being prepared for an interview mean? Julia asserts that reading blog posts, watching podcasts, and taking a close look at the principles that the company stands for are all ways you can make sure to stay prepared for the list of questions you will be asked. Additionally, the more information you have the better equipped you will be to carry on an intelligent conversation and really leave an impression on your interviewer. 

6. Stay relaxed and be yourself

As important as it is to retain a professional and focused demeanor during an interview, it is also important to stay relaxed and be yourself. BlackRock is looking for employees who are informed as much as they are personable and want someone who coworkers will enjoy working with and being around. Sara Feraca, an analyst at BlackRock, encourages applicants to “show your personality and composure while speaking” to establish a meaningful connection with your interviewer. BlackRock isn’t a company looking for robots to join their company!

7. “Be a student of the markets”

One of the more notable quotes we got during our interviews with three BlackRock employees was to “be a student of the markets.” Suggested by Julia Colliton, what she meant by this was to know your industry inside and out. It isn’t enough to just be overly familiar with what’s on your resume. You have to be able to speak intelligently and in-depth regarding anything and everything in the finance world. The more real-world scenarios and citings you can come up with, the more you will impress your interviewer, convincing them that you’re passionate about what you do and the person they should hire.

8. Follow up with your interviewer

The last piece of information that all of the employees we interviewed suggested to us was to follow up with your interviewer after your conversation. Make sure you ask them for their contact information if you don’t already have it so you can reach out when the time comes. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you might be pondering and to thank them for their time. Usually, the decision will be made whether or not you follow up with them, but in some scenarios, this will be the final push needed to get you past the finish line or to the next round of interviews. 

At the end of the day, try not to be nervous and know that if you follow all these steps, you did the best you can to try and launch your career. BlackRock is a company that believes in diversity and inclusion and is proud to hire people from a variety of backgrounds, so they encourage people from all walks of life to apply. 

Be yourself, be confident, and most importantly be prepared, and you just might see be able to find a job at the largest asset management company in the world.

The post 8 Career Tips From People Who Landed an Internship at BlackRock appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you’re young, it’s hard not to think about money. Money you want to spend, money you want to invest, money you want to share with your family, and money that you want to earn. Depending on who you are and what field you’re pursuing, expectations about your starting salary are bound to vary. But that doesn’t change the fact that everyone still wants to know how much money they could possibly make in a particular career.

This being the case, we decided to create a list of some of the highest-paying\ jobs for early-career candidates using data sourced from Salary.com. Although there may be jobs that exist in between these rankings and salaries that vary from company to company, this will give you an idea of what you can expect to make in each of the corresponding positions.

10. Accounting Analyst – $56,076

At the top of our list, we have a position that everyone reading this should be familiar with – accountants. Accountants can range from public, to personal, to private, serving a myriad of clients with ranging budgets. For example, you could be handling daily operations as an accountant at Northrop Grumman. Or maybe you’d prefer to support worldwide business leaders as a global finance accountant for Capital Group? It’s entirely up to you and what you love!

As you can imagine, an accountant handling the taxes of a typical citizen as opposed to an accountant handling the profile of a Fortune 500 company will vary. So keep that in mind when choosing your route!

9. Risk Analyst – $59,921

Next up on our list of highest-paying jobs, we have risk analysts who are responsible for reviewing and examining financial firms’ investment portfolios. This includes overseeing international investments and assessing the risk involved with certain financial decisions. One very typical industry you might find risk analysts working is in banking with names like Citi or JPMorgan. Although this is near the bottom of our top 10, don’t doubt the ability to make serious money in a career like this.

8. Financial Analyst – $61,769

Although a risk analyst may sometimes be classified as a financial analyst, the jobs vary in depth. A financial analyst works in banks, pension funds, insurance companies, and a wide range of other businesses that exist outside the financial realm. Their official titles may be specified as securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, investment analyst, or ratings analyst.

Looking to pursue a career in this direction? Check out Citi’s Summer Analyst position that they’re hiring for right now!

7. Inside Sales – $65,729

An inside sales rep is an extremely broad category just because of how many different sectors they operate in. The reason this may be weighed down is because of the sheer amount of sales companies that exist in our markets.

Although there may be bigshot inside sales reps who are making up to 6 digits including commission there are also reps selling cheaper products somewhere else. A few roles in particular that land within the inside sales category include the inside sales specialist role at Ingram Micro and the sales operations internship with GE Appliances. Keep in mind that the role with BNSF is far more of an entry role, but that being said it could definitely prop you up and give you the experience needed to secure the account manager role with Dell in the future!

6. Investment Banking Analyst – $75,934

One of the more popular careers on our list of highest paying jobs falls in the investment banking category – an incredibly lucrative field for some of the most ambitious minds in the business world. Placed in a variety of different industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, or any of the other emerging markets, investment banking analysts serve a critical role in securing and/or saving money for a wide variety of clients.

One company that is currently hiring for a range of investment banking roles across several cities in the US is Citi. Check out their WayUp profile page to browse open positions.

5. Business and Information Technology – $81,100

Business and information technology have always been a major presence across industries. But more so in recent times due to the advancement of technology within the space. As a business and information technology representative or analyst, you are responsible for the integration and oftentimes management of a business’ particular technology which, depending on the complexity of said technology, will range in compensation.

Looking to get your start in the field? Check out Dell Technologies’ finance and business operations internship!

4. Cyber Security Architect – $105,078

Given the rise of cyber terrorism and the severity of the damage inflicted on victims, cyber security specialists have become a very high-paying job. Businesses across various different industries have enlisted the services of cyber security engineers and architects to make sure their defense systems are ironclad.

Given the fact that finance companies with large quantities of money to keep safe are oftentimes the ones seeking out architects, you can expect to make a large chunk of change in a profession like this. That being said, it does take some time to get to a wage like this. You have to start at the beginning, like at Northrop Grumman’s Internship/Co-Op for software and cyber engineers.

3. Supply Chain Manager – $116,738

A supply chain manager is responsible for coordinating, organizing, and overseeing multiple activities that revolve around the facilitation of a product. This includes the identification, acquisition, production, and distribution of said product all while making sure nothing goes wrong and saving money wherever possible.

In a position like this, you might be managing a supply chain that supports the manufacturing efforts of new products at L’Oreal or ensuring the procurement of jet engine components at somewhere like Howmet Aerospace! Given how fast product markets are growing, there is no wonder why this is on our list of highest paying jobs.

2. Software Engineer – $118,780

Sitting comfortably at second on our list are software engineers. The degree of difficulty involved with becoming a software engineer, and a good one at that, is part of the reason why it is such a high-paying job. Depending on what kind of software you are designing and for who, expect this profession to keep you fed, well clothed, and living great. Sound like something you might like? Check out these positions for a Staff Engineer at Abercrombie & Fitch and a Solutions Engineer at Capital Group.

1. Data Scientist – $135,537

There’s no denying the facts – data runs the world. In this information age of our’s where data and statistics have become currency, more and more companies, app developers, and entrepreneurs of every variety are seeking out knowledgeable and capable data scientists to help them turn numbers into profit. Profits that data scientists are given a large portion of. Take Acxiom for example – they are a company that is run on data and is constantly looking for data scientists to fill their ranks. But IBM is just one of the many employers looking to hire savvy analytical minds for massive paychecks which is why it is one of the highest paying jobs for early-career candidates.

Although salary is an incredibly important factor when it comes to deciding where you want to work, it shouldn’t be the only factor. There are several reasons that make a job the right one for you and it’s critical that you weigh all of them with the intention of doing what’s best for you. 

To find out more information on how to go about choosing a career path or determining what job is perfect for you, make a profile with WayUp and get matched with tons of employers all looking to fill positions today.

The post 10 of The Highest Paying Jobs for Early Career Candidates appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Your experience working in private equity, venture capital, or other investment sectors is bound to vary depending on where you work. While some firms are grounded in certain protocols, codes of conduct, and modes of operation, other new-age firms have adopted more innovative and revolutionary approaches – both with their business practices and the involvement of new hires and employees.

Regardless of which private equity firm you eventually work for, the most important factor is that you like the company and are able to give your best effort day in and day out. But what makes an ideal employer when it comes to working in private equity? And how do you know what to look for in a firm when deciding where to apply and potentially secure employment? 

There are certain characteristics and features that a majority of current students, recent graduates, and active professionals in the field look for when deciding what firm would be the best fit for them. These are characteristics and features that private equity firm Insight Partners has proven to retain, provide, and promote to the fullest extent.

Recently, we hosted a virtual event with Insight Partners where students and graduates looking for jobs got to hear more about life at the firm. One of the reasons we host these events is to offer prospective hires direct insight into a company from the people who work there. 

Here are a few of the key takeaways about Insight Partners that we pulled from the event and what the firm believes working in the private equity industry is all about.

1. Getting in the Action Early

The first characteristic we identified that makes Insight Partners such an attractive place to work is the opportunities it offers to new hires. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re working in – it is extremely rare to get direct, hands-on experience with crucial business matters, practices, and functions early on in your career. 

It usually takes time to reach a position where you’re able to take part in high-profile decisions and influential transactions, especially when it comes to private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC). However, this is not the case at Insight Partners. At Insight Partners, new hires and fresh analysts are thrown into the mix right away, creating a breeding ground for some of the most lucrative investors in the business to grow and thrive.

Gaining hands-on experience early on in your career is not only exciting, but it contributes to how quickly you grow and gain skills as a professional. If this is important to you, then Insight Partners is a firm you want to look into.

2. Work-life Balance

There is no doubt that the private equity industry can at times be tough. Almost everyone who pursues a career in the industry knows there will be early mornings and long nights, sometimes on the same day and on consecutive days. While these trends may still exist across the industry, Insight Partners has strived to offer its employees the right work-life balance. 

Employees at Insight Partners aren’t treated as employees; they’re treated as human beings who all share common goals. These goals include the proliferation and advancement of their mutual business ventures and the betterment of their personal lives, to name a few. By treating employees with respect and always coming from a place of understanding, Insight Partners believes it can create a workforce that is both productive and satisfied. 

3. Learning While You’re Earning

No matter what title or position you hold, you will always be learning on the job. With that in mind, one important factor to consider is the rate at which you learn new skills and how your coworkers and leaders are helping you refine them.

At Insight Partners, there are no walls between C-suite executives and junior employees. The culture at Insight Partners is collaborative through and through, with every team member driven to help one another succeed and accomplish objectives whether or not they are directly involved.

4. An Initiative of Inclusivity

At Insight Partners, your background is not only welcomed but celebrated as well. While the firm prides itself on having a diverse workforce, Insight Partners also looks to continue growing its presence as a symbol of inclusivity both inside and outside of the private equity realm.

For example, in 2019 Insight Partners hosted a summit in NYC that brought together over 300 female leaders across different interests and passions in tech, during which the firm underscored the need to elevate underrepresented demographics within the industry. Other examples of Insight Partners contributing to the proliferation of minority communities include matching employees’ donations to Black social justice charities, establishing Juneteenth as an annual firm holiday, and putting in place a DE&I Council to measure progress and ensure accountability.

What’s Right for You?

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to determine which factors matter when it comes to selecting a firm to apply to and work for. Whatever you do, make sure you weigh your options carefully and identify the values that truly matter to you.

For more insights into private equity, and for more information about the firm and its job offerings, keep an eye on Insight Partners’ profile page. If you’d like to rewatch the virtual event, follow the link here!

The post What Makes Insight Partners a Top-Tier Firm to Launch Your Career in Private Equity? appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As a top Fortune 500 company and the #1 beauty company in the world, L’Oréal has established itself as an industry giant. In their 100+ years of existence, L’Oréal has pioneered sustainability initiatives, shifted boundaries, and paved the way for some of the most groundbreaking innovations in their respective realm.

There are several factors that contributed to L’Oréal building the legacy that they have today, but one of the most influential is their dedication to hiring only the most unique, driven, and passionate minds in the job marketplace. How do they do that you might ask? By creating an application and interview process that strives to reach individuals from all walks of life and every kind of demographic.

While most potential candidates rarely get the opportunity to find out what is to be expected during an application and interview process, WayUp got the chance to speak with a couple of current recruiters at L’Oréal to offer a behind-the-scenes perspective on how you can secure a job at one of the most innovative companies in the world.

Exemplify your passion

At L’Oréal, they want to know that you’re passionate about something. It doesn’t even have to be related to beauty or cosmetics necessarily!

Take Tangela Woodley for example, a Talent Acquisition Manager who studied at the University of Michigan and was an active member of the student improv group on campus. The recruiter interviewing Tangela saw that her passion for improv was something that got her excited and something she committed herself to. 

Not only that, but the recruiter also saw some transferable skills that Tangela could take from her talents from improv to the workspace, such as her ability to think on the spot. It served as a perfect example of how much of herself she pours into something she cares about.

Stay away from copy and paste responses

As far as interviews go, nothing is worse than a prospective employee reading from notes they have written on their screen. Michael Wehbè, Manager of Talent Acquisition at L’Oréal, said he can tell “when a person is reading something they’ve prepared as you can see their eyes moving.” Michael also went on to explain how much of a disconnect that creates when interviewees aren’t being their authentic selves. After all, L’Oréal wants every employee to feel empowered to express themselves freely.

The recruiter already knows what’s on your resume and cover letter. Use the interview as a time to show them who you really are and take the opportunity to have a real human connection with the person you’re talking to. That brings us to our next piece of advice for the interview process: Be personable.

Show your personality

When you allow yourself to be your true authentic self and let your personality shine, you put your mind in a position to think clearer. In other words, a good attitude can have a positive impact on your productivity!

But productivity aside, no one wants to work with a robot. During your interview, the recruiter is going to look for characteristics that go beyond hard and soft skills. They want to know that you’re someone who the current employees are going to enjoy working with. 

Research the company

One of the biggest red flags that recruiters have seen in interviews and application processes is someone who doesn’t research the company prior to applying. Some current students and recent graduates have a tendency to fill out mass applications all at once without really looking into each company. What this shows to the recruiter is that you’re not passionate about the role or the company and that you’re just looking for a job.

In a L’Oréal interview, expect to be asked what about the company or industry interests you. Recruiters will be able to recognize if you are giving an informed and educated response or if you’re throwing something together on the spot. Interested in learning more about L’Oréal? Check out their WayUp profile page. 

Don’t be afraid to talk about hardships

Life will never go 100% perfectly. And neither will work or your job. L’Oréal is a company that is well aware of that so they want to know that you can handle difficult situations and that you’re able to overcome them while making the correct changes to avoid them in the future.

Keep an open mind

Although you may be applying for a particular position, try to keep an open mind towards other opportunities that might be available. More often than not, the person interviewing you may also be looking to fill other positions besides the one you might have applied for. 

Talent can be expressed in many different ways. If you don’t happen to fit the match for the position you are applying for, you may meet the criteria for another role and secure a job.

Demonstrate a willingness to learn

L’Oréal operates in a landscape that is constantly changing and shifting in unpredictable ways. And because of this trend employees need to be able to adjust and shift in the same ways to be able to keep up with the industry and do their job correctly. This means you need to demonstrate an ability to pick up new skills, or what L’Oréal calls “learning agility,” one of their five dimensions of potential. 

They want someone with learning agility because you need to be flexible across various departments or to stay adaptive in a changing environment, this hard skill will put a crown on your application.

The most important tip – APPLY

At the end of the day, L’Oréal is looking for individuals who have a unique value that they can add to and grow within the company. What that value might take the form of will vary from person to person – It is the recruiter’s job to be able to recognize that, but it’s your job to take a chance on yourself and go for the opportunity. Whatever might be holding you back from applying doesn’t compare with the chance to work at a company that can propel the rest of your professional career to places you’ve never imagined.

The post How To Ace The Interview At One of The World’s Largest Global Brands appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The year was 1971 when the late Dr. Paul B. MacCready, Jr., an innovator in technology with a strong affinity for design, looked to the skies and dreamt of pushing the boundaries of aircraft systems. What he conceived out of this passion of his is a company called AeroVironment, an entity best known for its development of lightweight human-powered and solar-powered vehicles. 50 years later, AeroVironment has become the Pentagon’s top supplier of drones and established itself as a leader in its respective realm of technology. 

AeroVironment didn’t accomplish accolades such as helping to design the Mars Ingenuity helicopter by luck or chance. They did it by recruiting some of the most talented, curious, and innovative minds in the world of technology and engineering. How did they attract some of the top minds in the industry you might ask? By giving employees the chance to work on some of the world’s most groundbreaking projects with the potential to shift the foundation of science and technology as we know it today. Specifically, in their internship programs for students and recent graduates.

In order to offer you a better understanding of the incredible internship opportunities that AeroVironment is currently looking to fill, WayUp spoke with three former interns about the fascinating projects they worked on and what you can expect if you were to do the same.

Writing Code for Cutting-Edge Military Tech

Brij Shah first laid eyes upon AeroVironment’s stunning building when he was on his way to Senior Prom. With little knowledge about the company besides the fact that they created tech solutions in the aviation and defense sectors, his curiosity was ignited. Shortly after, Brij went off to college at UC Riverside where his interest in computer science and engineering began to quickly flourish alongside his desire to work for AeroVironment.

A few years later, Brij found himself totally enraptured by computer science and engineering, even landing a job at AeroVironment in the summers of 2020 and 2021 as a software engineering intern. During his most recent internship in 2021, Brij got the chance to work on two variations of a tactical missile system – the Switchblade® 300 and 600 – that allow precision strike capabilities at the battlefield edge.

For Brij, one of the most gratifying aspects of the project was being able to write code and test case applications that would have a significant influence and added value to the final end-product – a product with incredible benefits for the military and our defense system.

In addition to further developing his coding skills and intensifying his already fervent passion for computer science, Brij is also happy to have gained some soft skills such as learning how to better communicate via text – a trait that is becoming more and more important in this virtual world – making his time as an AeroVironment intern a 10/10 experience.

Developing the Architecture of Top-Secret & Highly-Classified Solutions

While Brij Shah focused on developing test case applications, Cameron Strafford, a systems architecture and requirements management intern, devoted his time to building concepts of operation and writing requirements that Brij and his team would later run their test cases on.

As a systems architecture and requirements management intern, Cameron got the rare opportunity to work across various sectors of the design and development process as his position required him to assure compliance and fluidity between different team members.  

Cameron went on to say that the experience he got working with other departments offered him incredibly valuable insight and knowledge that would help him if he were to move into a different position. Additionally, he can use that information he gained as a systems engineer when working with someone in the same position in future projects!

Besides being able to dive even deeper into the world of aerial technology, something Cameron has been passionate about as a kid since his fixation with RC planes, he thought it was really exciting to be working on highly-classified, top-secret projects that he wasn’t even allowed to talk about with us, not to mention his friends or even his family. 

Designing & Exploring Aerospace Technology from Conception to Completion

Ever since she was young, Savanna Scott had a strong interest in robotics and flight technology. With a father as a pilot and a curious nature about the skies above us and how we might navigate them, you could say Savanna found the perfect home when she started working as an aerospace engineer at AeroVironment. 

Recently, Savanna completed her fourth consecutive summer as an aerospace engineering intern, giving her plenty to talk about regarding the incredible experiences that await as an AeroVironment employee. What’s unique about Savanna’s experience at AeroVironment is that she has actually been working on the same project for the past four years, helping build a high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) named Sunglider. 

Some of the use cases of the Sunglider include providing wireless communications and connectivity to places that don’t have it and a variety of military applications, depending on who is sponsoring the vessel. Essentially acting as a satellite, the Sunglider is designed to fly in the stratosphere for months at a time.

For Savanna, it really resonated with her that the aircraft she was working on was solar-powered. As someone with a passion for the conservation of our environment, it was rewarding to know her work was going towards something she cared about.

As an active member on the project for four years, from the conception up to now, Savanna also spoke with great enthusiasm about the joy it brought her to contribute and see a project being built from start to finish. In the summer of 2020, she even got the chance to go to New Mexico where she lived on-site with a group of her colleagues to test the actual solution they were working on. Besides the actual hands-on aspect of the experience, Savanna underscored how much closer she grew to her colleagues and the impact they had on her.

One thing that Savanna really appreciated about her time spent at AeroVironment was the team-oriented environment that fostered her ability to be far less hesitant about reaching out for help when she needed it. She knew that her team members had her back and that she had theirs, which only better enabled them to pursue these ventures in technology that continue to shape the industry of aerospace flight as we know it.

What Will You Do?

Whether you want to be like Brij – coding software for some of the most cutting-edge unmanned aircraft systems, or Cameron – orchestrating the composition of highly-classified military solutions, or Savanna – putting together from start to finish solar-powered aircraft solutions with the potential to reshape civilizations, AeroVironment has a place for you. 

The only thing that is left to do is identify what drives you and how you can use your skills and creative ingenuity to make technological innovations come to life, all of which can be made possible in an internship at AeroVironment. 

The post Propel Your Education at One of America’s Most Innovative and Creative Tech Companies appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It’s a widely known truth that when you place women in positions of power, businesses thrive. While gender equality at work is certainly moving in the right direction, there’s still so much work to do when it comes to creating a gender-inclusive workplace from entry-level to C-suite. Take sales. For many, the thought of sales conjures up images of suits, briefcases, stressful conversations, and well… men. Lots and lots of men.

Right now, only 19% of women in sales are in leadership positions and the industry itself has the second biggest gender equity gap. But the tide is changing here, and Just a few of the programs TEKsystems provides for females are Mama Bear for mothers, a Caretakers Network, a Women Employee Resource Group, and Onyx, their Black Females Network.

It seems pretty clear, whether you’re about to graduate college or are considering a career change, the future is bright when it comes to women in sales. Want to hear more? Join us on Tuesday, October 12^th, 2021 at 6pm EST for a virtual event.  Click here to RSVP 

FIND RELATED TOPICS

Networking, Career Inspiration, Female Leaders, Leadership, Women In Business, Women In Leadership, Women Leaders

The post 15 Female Leaders Share Their Favorite Career Advice and Keys to Success appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

What does it mean to be a company existing on the cutting edge of advanced and emerging technologies? Does it mean working on projects that have the potential to change the lives of everyday humans? Does it mean hiring some of the top engineering talent in the game? Or, could it mean developing solutions that shift the bounds of business? For T-Mobile, it means all of the above.

Although best known for its role in mobile communications, T-Mobile is a company that is making tremendous strides to cement its place in the world of advanced and emerging technologies (A&ET). Using the incredible powers of their 5G network, T-Mobile is beginning to enable new services and ecosystems that go far beyond the smartphone. Some extend into the areas of virtual reality, drone technology, and artificial intelligence.

To get a better understanding of some of the specific projects that are being conducted in these areas, and to offer prospective employees an inside look at what they could be working on in T-Mobile’s A&ET sector, we sat down with four individuals who participated in the U of Magenta Internship Program.

Virtual Reality

Two of the interns we spoke with, Laura Soto Onate and Justin Tang, worked together on a couple of projects – one of which was to build a “5G alternative reality experience” prototype. However, this is no ordinary virtual reality experience they are working on. 

What this duo and their team are attempting to create is a VR experience that captures livestreams in real-time by pairing a VR device with a motion simulator. Currently, all the market-facing VR products only use recorded audio/video, whether it’s in a video game or other watchable content. This new technology would capture a live feed.

Laura Soto Onate, who got the internship through WayUp, explains that they “paired virtual reality with a livestream using an algorithm to synch the IMU with streaming content displayed in VR in near real-time.” All of this was done by “using the low latency features made possible on T-Mobile 5G.” By attaching cameras to a drone or onto a person/player, the concept could bring virtual reality to platforms such as live sports, concerts, or even extreme environments like the top of an erupting volcano.

Whether it’s for research, entertainment, or business initiatives, there is no doubt that bringing this “5G alternative reality experience” to life would create incredible opportunities across multiple industries.

Drone Simulation

At WayUp, we’ve seen internships of every variety and pretty much none of them grant you the opportunity to work with drones. But the T-Mobile U of Magenta program isn’t your typical internship. No one knows that better than Udita Bhattacherjee, a recent graduate from North Carolina State and a participant in the Magenta program this past summer.

Udita’s project had her working on “5G standalone protocol verification with Open Air Interface,” which is essentially a small, highly adaptable, software-based implementation used to test new features of a technology. Some of this testing that Udita had to conduct, to ensure her protocols were correct, occurred at the Aerial Experimentation and Research Platform for Advanced Wireless (AERPAW) testbed located in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

One of the protocols Udita recalls testing was a radio-frequency sensor that can target the location of a drone. Udita spoke with excitement about getting the chance to drive a rover when testing whether the sensor could track the drone, and how thrilling it was to be on-site with her team actually seeing their work come to life. 

Artificial Intelligence

In addition to drone simulations and immersive virtual reality experiences, the T-Mobile U of Magenta program is also involved in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) experiments. Shubh Mukherjee, a Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri, interned at T-Mobile and worked with AI use cases for something called Radio Access Network Automation. The objective of Shubh’s work was to fully automate the overall fault management process of a network to reduce human intervention and enhance customer experience, among other things.

Shubh described the application he was working on as having three main parts. The first is to identify the issue or stimuli that caused the fault, the second is to reason or identify why that issue occurred, and finally, the application is meant to solve the issue and ensure it never happens again – all through machine learning. 

By automating these fault detection processes, T-Mobile hopes to reduce the manpower used on solving issues while simultaneously preventing any loss in service that might influence a customer’s experience. For Shubh, working on such an innovative technology meant exploring areas yet to be charted by modern science. But it also meant gaining experience that he could use to help him complete his Ph.D.

What Will You Do?

Virtual reality, drone technology, and artificial intelligence are just three of the realms in which T-Mobile’s Advanced & Emerging Technologies teams operate. Given full autonomy to research and choose their own project, U of Magenta interns at T-Mobile have free reign to pursue any subject they are passionate about. The only question that is left to answer is what will you do if given the opportunity? Check out the open roles at T-Mobile today. 

The post Virtual Reality, Drones, and AI – The Exciting Tech Internships Occurring at T-Mobile appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As a current student or recent graduate, one question you might be asking yourself is how can you prepare yourself for an interview and secure a job. But given the fact that interviews and application processes differ from company to company, you may have found yourself lost and unsure about where to start. 

In order to help guide early-career professionals through interviews and applications, we took an in-depth look at the process at one of the world’s largest asset managers – BlackRock. To better understand how candidates can nail their application and interview process, we spoke with three analysts who successfully secured internships with this $22 billion company and continue to work and thrive there today as analysts.

This list includes everything from interview tips to general advice that these employees used to help them navigate the interview process and secure a job at BlackRock. While some of the tips are specific to BlackRock and its unique hiring process, many of them are universal and can be used throughout your entire professional career. We hope this helps make landing your first job or internship a little easier and encourages you to seek employment with BlackRock – a company that has been shaking up the industry and providing lifelong careers for years.

1. Reach out to current employees

Reaching out to current employees at a company is beneficial for a number of reasons. Julia Colliton, an analyst at BlackRock, claims that her interactions with a BlackRock employee prior to applying made her more attracted to the role, and motivated her to apply. Most people think of establishing relationships with active employees in order to help usher them through the finish line, which is true, but it can also help give you perspective into the actual role as well. Look for LinkedIn connections, ask questions, and do whatever you can to improve the perspectives of those you engage with, including your own.

2. Get activity/leadership experience

BlackRock is a company that values leadership experience in its employees. In fact, there is an entire section of their internship interview process that is dedicated to it. Not only will getting leadership experience better enable you to do your job better and thrive as an employee, but it will make your application stand out from the rest. You will most likely be applying with people who all have great GPAs and honors designations, so this is an area where you can really stand out.

3. Resume building

Establishing a strong resume is something that most prospects can assume they need to spend time on. But the ways in which you build that resume are vast. One thing that all of the analysts we interviewed agreed on was to gather as much feedback on your resume as possible. Have a friend who has been in the professional world for a while? Share your resume with them. Have a good relationship with your professor? Let them take a look at it. If you feel bold enough, go and find a recruiter on LinkedIn and see if they will check it out. The more eyes you can get on it, the better.

4. Prepare for the virtual cover letter

The virtual cover letter is something unique to BlackRock’s interview and application process and something applicants might not be familiar with. Acknowledging that the environment is unique and preparing for it accordingly is the best piece of advice we redacted from the current employees we spoke with. Things like checking your lighting and background or practicing your delivery in a “practice interview” by yourself are all things that will help you be better prepared. Also, researching as much as you can will help you face the questions that will be asked.

5. Overprepare for the interview

After speaking with current analysts at BlackRock, the general consensus about the interview was that you can never be too prepared. But what exactly does being prepared for an interview mean? Julia asserts that reading blog posts, watching podcasts, and taking a close look at the principles that the company stands for are all ways you can make sure to stay prepared for the list of questions you will be asked. Additionally, the more information you have the better equipped you will be to carry on an intelligent conversation and really leave an impression on your interviewer. 

6. Stay relaxed and be yourself

As important as it is to retain a professional and focused demeanor during an interview, it is also important to stay relaxed and be yourself. BlackRock is looking for employees who are informed as much as they are personable and want someone who coworkers will enjoy working with and being around. Sara Feraca, an analyst at BlackRock, encourages applicants to “show your personality and composure while speaking” to establish a meaningful connection with your interviewer. BlackRock isn’t a company looking for robots to join their company!

7. “Be a student of the markets”

One of the more notable quotes we got during our interviews with three BlackRock employees was to “be a student of the markets.” Suggested by Julia Colliton, what she meant by this was to know your industry inside and out. It isn’t enough to just be overly familiar with what’s on your resume. You have to be able to speak intelligently and in-depth regarding anything and everything in the finance world. The more real-world scenarios and citings you can come up with, the more you will impress your interviewer, convincing them that you’re passionate about what you do and the person they should hire.

8. Follow up with your interviewer

The last piece of information that all of the employees we interviewed suggested to us was to follow up with your interviewer after your conversation. Make sure you ask them for their contact information if you don’t already have it so you can reach out when the time comes. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you might be pondering and to thank them for their time. Usually, the decision will be made whether or not you follow up with them, but in some scenarios, this will be the final push needed to get you past the finish line or to the next round of interviews. 

At the end of the day, try not to be nervous and know that if you follow all these steps, you did the best you can to try and launch your career. BlackRock is a company that believes in diversity and inclusion and is proud to hire people from a variety of backgrounds, so they encourage people from all walks of life to apply. 

Be yourself, be confident, and most importantly be prepared, and you just might see be able to find a job at the largest asset management company in the world.

The post 8 Career Tips From People Who Landed an Internship at BlackRock appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There is no one set path on the road to employment. Depending on the industry and company you’re applying to, the application processes are bound to differ. So what should you do? How are you supposed to prepare for the wide-ranging types of interviews, tests, and assessments that you might have in order to lock down your dream job? Well, here are the stories, tricks, and tips of people who successfully navigated similar processes.

We had the chance to speak with three analysts that secured full-time summer internships at Capital Group. During our conversations, we learned about their experience with Capital Group’s unique hiring process. By coupling behind-the-scenes insights from Capital Group associates with thoroughly researched tips and tricks, we have created a step-by-step guide to help current students and recent grads navigate the recruiting and internship process for an industry leader like Capital Group.

1. Arm yourself with knowledge

To jumpstart your job hunt, we recommend gathering as much relevant information and knowledge as possible. More often than not, job seekers skip this step and rush to lock down an interview. But what happens when you get to the interview? What happens if the recruiter asks you about your favorite stocks or if you’ve been contemplating any market projections? While there is no way to anticipate the specific questions that will be asked, the best thing you can do to prepare is actively consume relevant information.

Here is what Aleks Ivanova, an investment analyst with Capital Group who successfully secured and completed the internship, suggests.

Keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry will help you maintain an intelligent and informed conversation with your interviewer. Most of all, it will demonstrate that you’re passionate about your field, something Capital Group values in their applicants.

2. Get exposure

Once you feel confident that you’ve prepared enough, cast your reel and start putting out some feelers for opportunities. Look to job fairs, clubs, organizations, and of course, WayUp, to make that first point of contact with employers. For example, Capital Group partners with Women in Investing (WIN) to recruit top talent, such as Aleks Ivanova, mentioned above. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your professors or your career services department for their advice on what organizations to participate in to make the most valuable connections with employers. 

3. Nail the interview

The interview is perhaps the most important part of the application process. One golden nugget shared by multiple Capital Group associates during this part of the process is staying authentic. Capital Group is a company that values personality as much as they value industry knowledge. Be yourself, and don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know the answer to a question. The recruiter will respect your honesty and move on, which is far better than saying you do know something and then fumbling through the answer. 

4. Throw yourself headfirst into the internship

One of the many unique qualities of the Capital Group summer internship program is the experience of living the life of an actual analyst. You will participate in the daily activities of a real investment company and at the end of three months, you will be expected to give a presentation on the work you’ve done. 

Nishith Kaushik, an investment analyst with Capital Group, stressed how much you learn in three short months.

5. Establish connections with full-time associates

While it’s important to fully commit to your project, reaching out to as many current associates as possible during your summer internship is critical as well. Not only will this help you build lasting relationships, but it will also help you begin to understand one of Capital Group’s core values – collaboration. 

Luckily, Capital Group makes it easy to engage with current associates by pairing every intern with a mentor and offering opportunities for coffee chats and sit-downs with other staff associates. Take Nishith for example, who met over 75 people during his internship. Chances are more than a few of those conversations helped Nishith gain the insight and knowledge needed to successfully collaborate with his coworkers today.

6. Send a follow up after the presentation

After you’ve presented your project and your internship has ended, be proactive and reach out to the associates you were engaging with all summer. Establishing authentic relationships will be beneficial, whether you secure the job or not. Talk about what you enjoyed about the internship, let them know if you have a genuine interest in joining the company, and most importantly, communicate your appreciation for the opportunity. 

Not only will following these steps help you navigate your first interviewing and interning experiences, but they will also help you build the skills that you will use for the rest of your life. 

At the end of the day, when you know how to prepare for new opportunities, you’re able to put yourself out there and apply with confidence. Joining Capital Group means joining a company that is passionate about helping everyone be successful. If that’s something that you want to be a part of, don’t hesitate to check out all of their available opportunities. 

The post A Step By Step Guide to Starting (And Growing) Your Career At Capital Group appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The Big Question 

When I first began mentoring college students, I thought it was simply a coincidence that the students I was meeting happened to be consumed by the same nagging question. As more and more students shared the same concerns with me, I noticed that individuals with very different personalities and backgrounds were all grappling with the same question. It could not be a coincidence. Rather, the mind of the young thinking, feeling, growing person naturally gravitates towards the fundamental question: What is my life’s direction?

This question is expressed in various ways:

• What major in college should I choose?
• What profession should I enter?
• What will I do after college?
• What am I going to look like ten years from now?

The sense of freedom and independence that accompanies our arrival at college is not the only feeling that comes along with us. In the back seat sits another feeling — the feeling of worry about figuring out what I am going to do with my life. 

I want to share with you the most effective approach to answering this question. Having the answer will make the college experience (and life!) far more valuable and enjoyable.

Looking for personal career advice? Click here to get in contact with me.

The Overwhelming Choice

When I visit New York City, I like to pick up my favorite collectible: those silly, small ceramic New York Yankees dolls with the bobbing head attached to the body with a spring (the ones that cab drivers like to place on their dashboards), known as “bobbleheads”. As the car moves, the head bounces around in reaction to the turns and bumps of the car. For many, this doll encompasses the college experience, where we bounce around randomly between classes, majors, and career possibilities, our heads constantly bobbing in reaction to the many thoughts, options, and opinions that sway us.

I remember the moment I received the course catalog during orientation for my freshman year in college. I looked through the catalog feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of options. I was enrolled in a liberal arts program that was supposed to “empower” me in life, but instead I felt disheartened, not knowing what to choose.

Barry Schwartz, the author of The Paradox of Choice, describes one of the ultimate dilemmas in life: an overwhelming amount of options. The primary indicator of freedom may be quantified in terms of a person’s ability to choose. That is, freedom is measured by the degree to which a person is free to choose. In today’s world, people in free countries have more options than ever before in human history. From the variety of products that one finds in the local grocery store to the vast opportunities for career choice, the world has never been a place of such abundant options.

However, today’s world surpasses the rest of history in another area: our overall sense of well-being has never been lower. Depression today is ten times as prevalent as it was in 1960, and it strikes at a much younger age. Almost seventy years ago in America, the average age of initial onset of depression was 29.5. Today the average age of initial onset is 14.5. Issues of low self-esteem have never been as rampant. In America, the leading prescription drug type is the anti-depressant. Divorce rates are higher than they have ever been. Domestic violence, acts of aggression, and unwanted pregnancies are at all-time highs. The list goes on and on.

What is the reason for this phenomenon? Why is it that while a majority of the population of the world experiences an unprecedented level of freedom, universal measures of well-being have never been so low?

Having the freedom to choose is essential to a life of happiness, but having too many options from which to choose tends to lead to poor decision-making, anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction.¹ The time and energy expended in considering and pursuing multiple options detracts from our overall freedom and well-being.

Although the notion may seem counter-intuitive, limitation of choice can be the very thing that produces the ultimate freedom and well-being in life.²

College Students

One significant factor contributing to this phenomenon applies to the vast majority of college students, and it is one that every college student must confront: lack of direction. The wealth of options out there makes it difficult to find my direction in here, inside of me. 

Whenever I speak with college students, I find that most feel paralyzed, overwhelmed, and consumed by the myriad of options facing them. They tell me that if somehow they could eliminate a lot of the options, it would become much easier for them to choose.

Solution

How, though, do we limit our options and thereby increase our happiness and well-being?

The answer is that inside each one of us is a compass that points us in the right direction. Let’s call it our inner compass. This inner compass can filter out the options that are not relevant to our lives and to give us clarity in every decision we need to make. How exactly does this inner compass accomplish this? Just like the magnetic force of the earth causes the needle of a compass to point to the north, my strengths direct me towards those options that are most fitting for me, helping me navigate all major life choices, especially my career choice.

A life of true greatness and happiness is achieved only when I can figure out how to make the choices that are consistent with my essential self.

College is, for many, the first real taste of freedom and individual expression. The experience would be much more powerful and effective in establishing the foundation for future success and well-being if the student would form a clear and confident vision of how to spend his college years.

Natural Strengths

All living things share the tendency to grow, to develop, and to realize their potential, humans included. Within each of us is a kind of internal compass that directs us along the paths that lead us toward becoming the best that we can be. That internal compass provides us with a sense of what is right for ourselves. To the extent that we follow its guidance, we are able to live authentically, in harmony with our unique and individual selves. Our strengths represent our alignment with that internal compass. Our personal combinations of interests, natural capabilities, and preferences signal them. It is when we put them to use in our lives that we feel most authentic, energized, and fulfilled, confident that we are being who we were meant to be. Each person’s greatest potential for growth is in the area of his or her greatest strength. 

What happens when people operate from their strengths? They are more effective and more fulfilled. In the workplace, where we spend so much of our lives and where our strengths can be so clearly expressed, employees are six times more likely to be engaged in their role when their job requires them to use their strengths.³

Gallup’s research indicates that people who are not operating from their strengths at work tend to:

• Dread going to work
• Have more negative than positive interactions with co-workers
• Treat customers poorly
• Tell friends they work for a miserable organization
• Achieve less on a daily basis
• Have fewer positive and creative moments.⁴

When we live our lives according to our strengths, we thrive. We are happy, energized, relaxed, and we celebrate our many successes. There are various reasons given for why so many people do not live according to their strengths. One of the main reasons, and the one I hear most often from students, is that they simply do not know their strengths. They lack the awareness, sensitivity, and self-knowledge required to identify their unique abilities and character traits.

How To Discover Your Natural Strengths

Some people are endowed with profound clarity about who they are, and their strengths are obvious to them. Most people, however, need a little (or a lot) of help in uncovering their true areas of strength. A good mentor, friend, or coach (and a parent can be any of those!) can help. There are also valuable resources available that can help us find our strengths:

• The VIA Institute on Character (www.viacharacter.org) offers the free VIA Survey, a scientifically validated strength assessment for adults. Detailed reports provide strategies on how to use your strengths at work, at school, and in relationships.
• The Clifton StrengthsFinder (www.strengthsfinder.com), the culmination of more than 50 years of Dr. Donald O. Clifton’s lifelong work, has led millions of people around the world to discover their strengths. 
• The Reflected Best Self Exercise (www.reflectedbestselfexercise.com) enables people to identify their unique strengths and talents. Each participant requests positive feedback from significant people in his or her life and then synthesizes it into a cumulative portrait of his or her “best self.” 

Conclusion

The decisions we have to make upon entry to college can be daunting. The course catalog is hundreds of pages long, overwhelming us with confusion, uncertainty, anxiety. How am I to choose my major and my career path, with so many paths in front of me? If I pick one path, I’m automatically rejecting hundreds of others, and maybe one of those hundreds is the correct path for me! How can I feel confident that I am making the right choice?

With a little detective work on the self, I can discover the innate strengths that empower me, and make wise decisions based on them. Personal discussions, online resources, and seeking the guidance of a college or career counselor are effective avenues not only for choosing a career but for discovering the strengths within me that will be the guiding light for all of life’s major decisions.

Dr. Yosef Lynn is Dean of Students at The Dr. David Robinson Institute of Jewish Heritage. He is also an author, Career Discovery Coach, adjunct professor of Positive Psychology, and the founder and director of “Greatness Within Seminars”. He holds a Doctorate in Human and Organizational Psychology (PsyD) from Touro and earned a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied under the founder of the field of Positive Psychology, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman.

Interest in connecting with Dr. Yosef Lynn and receiving personal career advice? Click here to find out more.

Or click here to send Dr. Yosef Lynn an email.

Endnotes

1. Schwartz, B. (2004). The paradox of choice: Why more is less. New York: Ecco.
2. Schwartz, B. (2000). Self-determination: The tyranny of freedom. American Psychologist, 55(1), 79-88.
3. Rath, T. (2007). StrengthsFinder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press, p. 12.
4. Ibid., p. 12. 

The post The Paradox Of Career Choice appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

AeroVironment is a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems that hires talented engineers to create innovative solutions. While its talented technology speaks for itself, AeroVironment also prides itself on being an inclusive workplace where women can thrive in this male-dominated field. 

To learn what it’s like to work for this global robotics company, we spoke to three female engineers about their experience at AeroVironment. 

In the nine months Taylor Ward has been with AeroVironment she’s had the opportunity to work on several projects.

After graduating from Dartmouth College in 2019 with a B.S. in Engineering Taylor started working at AeroVironment as a Mechanical Engineer. On day one Taylor was assigned a mentor who was there to help guide her through training and provide her with any resources she needed along the way. 

In addition to the support she’s received from her mentor, Taylor shared that her team has been helping her get up to speed so she can be an active participant. “It’s been nice to have people to rely on, and also to have the freedom to learn, and make mistakes,” said Taylor. 

Since Taylor was hired during the pandemic she’s had to face unique challenges in her first year at AeroVironment. The first few months of onboarding, she was remote, which means she had to get to know her coworkers virtually. Fortunately, Taylor says that AeroVironment has great collaboration systems that allow her team to efficiently work remotely and in recent months she’s been able to meet some of her co-workers in the lab. 

Despite being new to the team, Taylor feels that her opinions and ideas are valued. Taylor shared that, “AeroVironment is a place where across the board collaboration is encouraged and all people within the ranks of the company are invited.” 

Her advice to female engineering students is not to fear failure, because failure is inevitable and to be open to constructive criticism. “Come in with confidence and know that you shouldn’t back down.” 

Gurleen Sidhu thinks that AeroVironment is a great place to begin and grow your career. 

Gurleen’s M.S. in Computer Engineering from Purdue University provided her with a solid foundation to build on in her role. In her 1.5 years working at AeroVironment, she’s had a lot of support from her mentor and managers. 

“I feel that AeroVironment is a great place to begin and grow your career. They nurture talent and help you master different technical skills,” said Gurleen.  

When asked what her favorite moment has been at the company, Gurleen couldn’t just pick one. She shared that any project where she’s had the opportunity to be a part of from planning stages   to flight testing and design review has been rewarding. 

Gurleen explained that at AeroVironment you have the opportunity to be a part of several different projects and in turn hone in a variety of skills. At AeroVironment, “You don’t have to be an expert to try a new project. All you need is to have the drive and want to grow.”

While working at AeroVironment, Gurleen has had the chance to work with several talented female engineers. She mentioned that her functional manager, who is also a female engineer, is an amazing technical expert, which she finds both inspiring and motivating. 

Kristina Zunino described AeroVironment’s New England office as a start-up feel, and she has had plenty of opportunities to test her designs in the lab.

Shortly after graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a dual degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Kristina joined AeroVironment as an Electrical Engineer. Although she chose to go the electrical engineering route, she has found plenty of opportunities to use her mechanical engineering background in her designs. 

Since she started at AeroVironment in May 2020, Kristina has been mentored by a senior engineer. She says he’s been there to help her whenever she has questions and has even collaborated with her on a long-term night vision camera project. 

When asked to describe the company culture, Kristina explained that the New England office has a start-up feel. She said, “We’re about 45-50 people in Wilmington, and in our office, we operate like a small start-up, with the resources of the parent company.” Kristina explained this dichotomy allows employees to experiment in a comfortable environment with ample resources to find the best solutions. 

One of Kristina’s most memorable experiences was when the whole company watched the Mars rover landing on a video conference, because some of their team members had worked on the Mars helicopter that was being transported by the rover. It was a moment that demonstrated the supportive culture at AeroVironment. 

Kristina’s advice to students and recent grads is to, “Get out there and try as many things as you can.” She also encourages students to reach out to engineers in different fields and ask them what type of work they’re doing to see if it might be a good fit for them. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the early-career opportunities at AeroVironment, I encourage you to click here. 

The post What It’s Like To Be A Female Engineer At This Global Robotics Company appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Preparing for a technical interview can sometimes feel daunting, and you don’t quite know where to begin. To demystify the technical interview process at Expedia Group, we spoke to Daniela Veloz, a Senior Software Engineer at Expedia Group who has several years of experience conducting interviews. She gave us an inside look at what interviewers are looking for in candidates. 

At Expedia Group, there are three different types of interviews, and they all assess different aspects of the interviewee ranging from technical skills to soft skills. Here’s what Daniela had to say about being successful in every interview. 

For the first interview, you’ll want to study algorithms in advance.

Daniela emphasized the importance of preparing for the coding/problem interview in advance. Expedia Group is one of many companies that has a technical exam. Learning how to navigate these specific types of questions before  the interview is very important, this way in a timed assessment, you’ll have the tools to navigate complex algorithms with confidence. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to have all the right answers, it’s just as important for you to ask questions along the way. “We expect you to ask questions. Never make assumptions during the interview, it’s the type of interaction we’re looking for that gives you points,” shared Daniela. She explained that this step in the interview examines how you manage data structures, algorithms, and your overall thinking process throughout the assessment. 

Your interviewers need to understand your thought process so they can help you along the way. “If your interviewer sees that you are thinking a certain way and not understanding the problem, they can help you. This is essentially a communication test,” said Daniela. The interviewers recognize that there is no one solution. Hence it’s important to be able to explain your thought process and why you ultimately went with your final solution. 

The second interview is related to software design, not as a system but in the way you approach the problem. Daniela explained that the interviewers don’t expect students and recent grads to necessarily have experience working in software design systems, what’s more, important is that interviewees are able to notice similarities between different types of objects and reach a solution. 

Don’t be afraid to highlight unique leadership experiences and projects you were involved in while in college. 

The third round of interviews is all about soft skills and seeing how well you’d work with Expedia Group’s engineering team. This is where you want to highlight your past experiences, no matter if it’s traditional or non-traditional. As a mentor to many interns and young professionals, Daniella has noticed that oftentimes people will omit leadership experience if they think it’s outside of the field. But don’t sell yourself short, confidently share all relevant experience for the role. 

“It’s important to highlight experience even if you don’t think you have it. For example your projects in school – sometimes we think we don’t have certain skills, but we do have them because they’re transferable.”

If you’ve led a team at a part-time retail job, that’s leadership, if you’ve worked on a team to complete a project, speak to how you worked in that dynamic. Utilize every experience you have whether that be in the classroom, at a part-time job, or volunteering.  

There are a few things you should avoid throughout your interviews. 

Daniela says that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions while solving problems. When you need help, ask for it. When you receive feedback, she advises to, “never defend your solutions, you need to initiate a dialogue. You’re being assessed on how you handle feedback.”

As for maintaining professionalism in the virtual interview, Daniela says to turn off your phone, test your WiFi connection, and make sure your audio and camera work at least 10 minutes before the interview. Not only will those tips make you seem professional, but you’ll also feel more comfortable and prepared for the interview. 

If you’re worried you didn’t gain enough internship experience to qualify for the role, here’s something that may just ease your mind that Daniela shared with us. “We don’t expect you to have a lot of experience. You don’t need an internship. I think it’s so much better students are here to learn.” 

BONUS TIP: Before signing off, we asked Daniela what final tips she had for students interested in a technical role at Expedia Group. This is what she had to say. 

“Try to prepare for the soft skills interview, sometimes as an engineer, you overfocus on the technical stuff. It’s good to have a clear idea in your mind of your relevant achievements, your strengths, and what you’ll bring to the team. Own your experiences and your success.”

To learn more about Expedia and explore early-career opportunities, click here.

The post What It Takes To Nail A Tech Interview—An Interviewer’s Perspective appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Expedia Group is a global travel platform that is a go-to for everyone’s travel needs. Their brands (Expedia, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Vrbo, and more!) help us book flights, hotels, and save money with their amazing deals. They also have a substantial b2b business catered to providing travel providers with technology solutions. When travel changed globally in 2020 Expedia Group rose to the occasion and innovated new ways to do travel – adding tools for customers and partners from booking flexibility to touchless technology in car rentals that help keep customers safe.

While travel has changed in the past year, much has stayed the same at Expedia Group such as its inclusive work culture, technology innovation, and an emphasis on employee well-being. To learn what it’s like to work at the company powering travel for everyone, everywhere, I spoke to two employees about their experience working at Expedia Group. 

Technology and personal development go hand in hand at Expedia Group.

Tuskegee University Alumna, Andrea Brown has been a Software Development Engineer at Expedia Group for a year and a half. She explained that her B.S. degree in Computer Science was a great foundation for her to thrive in the workforce. 

Andrea’s team focuses on the lodging Applied Programming Interface (API) with Expedia Group partners. This means her team makes navigating the complex processes of booking all aspects of the traveling process user-friendly! This saves customers time and money so they can book their travel needs through Expedia Group’s innovative design. 

After graduating from the University of Washington Bothell in 2019 with a B.S. in Computer Science, Jesus Moreno joined Expedia Group as a Software Development Engineer. When he first started his role he was paired with a senior developer to learn from him.

Learning and growth are a constant in his role, Jesus shared, “I’ve been supported to learn new things and take online courses about new technologies that we might use in the future.” In his day-to-day, Jesus balances team meetings, coding, testing, and developing new features for Expedia Group’s Financial Services team. 

At Expedia Group representation matters.

In her time at Expedia Group Andrea has participated in BEAM, Expedia Group’s black employee resource group. As a member of the BEAM, Andrea has had the opportunity to volunteer with Code2College an organization that helps develop a pipeline of diverse, technical talent for the workforce. 

When asked to give advice to students who experience imposter syndrome, Andrea emphasized that, “The majority of people do not want to see your downfall.” Andrea’s experience as an engineer has been a positive one.

Jesus is a member of LEAD, which connects Latinos at Expedia Group to join mentorship programs and other community efforts. As a member of LEAD Jesus has participated in several community events and volunteer opportunities. Jesus attributes his involvement in LEAD to opening him up to opportunities to contribute to the Seattle community.

Most recently Jesus has been participating in a mentorship program for a scholarship that he received while in university. “Last week I was reading essays for people who applied for the scholarship and grading those essays,” he said. 

Expedia Group’s supportive network helps employees thrive. 

At Expedia Group, there’s an emphasis on employee well-being, especially during the pandemic. Andrea shared, “Expedia Group allows you to balance your work life and your home life. There are hard-working people here, who understand that you need time to take care of yourself.”

Overall Andrea describes the company culture as friendly, personable, and finds that people are approachable and willing to answer any questions you might have. When working in the office, Andrea explained that there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your coworkers through company-wide events and team outings. 

What Jesus likes the most about working at Expedia Group is how much he’s been able to learn and grow. “I think it’s very important to learn new skills for Software Development because things are constantly changing and growing. I’m able to get these skills and hopefully apply them in the future,” said Jesus.  

He described the work culture at Expedia Group as a collaborative and hands-on environment with open dialogue. “The people are hardworking and passionate about what they do,” said Jesus. What he likes most about working at Expedia Group, is the company’s ability to connect people through travel and to expand people’s horizons.

BONUS: Before signing off with Andrea and Jesus I asked them to provide advice for students interested in working at Expedia Group, here’s what they had to say. 

Jesus encourages students to spend more time working on projects outside of the classroom. Have fun creating websites or applying your skills to a passion project, because you can bring those skills with you to the workforce. 

Andrea says, “You don’t have to know everything in the interview, they want people who they can groom. They’re not looking for perfect people.”

If you’re interested in learning more about Expedia and explore current openings, click here.

The post What It’s Like To Work In Tech At A World Renowned Travel Company appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her about how veterans should react if a hiring manager asks them a question about their time in the military that they’re uncomfortable answering. Here’s what we learned:

First, many veterans do not have the experience of being asked an uncomfortable question about their service during an interview. Hiring managers and recruiters are being trained more and more on how to approach interviews with veterans, and what are and are not acceptable questions to ask.

Second, be prepared. In the instance that you do get asked a question about your service, be prepared with what you are and are not comfortable answering. There are a lot of civilians that are curious about what it’s like to serve in the military and it’s natural to want to educate them, but understand and stand by your boundaries.

Finally, focus on your skills and what you bring to the role for which you’re applying. You are in an interview for a job position, and the question that you are being asked may not be applicable to the role that you are interviewing for. It’s ok to tell someone that you are uncomfortable answering a question.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post How To Handle Uncomfortable Interview Questions About Your Service appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her how veterans should figure out what industry or job they should be applying for when entering the corporate workforce for the first time. Here’s what we learned:

First, finding the right career path for you will take time and effort. Veteran or not, it’s a tough decision with so many options to choose from, which may feel overwhelming. It’s important to do research on these fields and roles in order to gain a better understanding of where you think that you would best fit in and be an asset.

Second, it’s important to network with people. Talk to people who have left the military, as well as friends who are already in the roles that you are thinking about. Talk about their day-to-day experience and what they do, as well as what skills they think are important for you to have for these roles. Don’t have connections already at the company or someone in a relevant role? Try LinkedIn, a great social networking tool to meet other professionals. You can reach out to various people via the messaging feature, where you can explain why you’re reaching out and what you’re looking for from them. Providing context for reaching out makes it more likely for them to set up a time to chat with you.

Third, think about what industry correlates to your skills. There are tools that you can use to transition into careers in the civilian sector, such as veteran service organizations and FourBlock, a veteran career readiness organization. Think about what roles excite you the most and where you can see yourself thriving.

Finally, it’s okay to be open-minded. There are so many options out there for you to choose from when you come out of service that it can be hard to narrow down what excites you and what you would like your next step to be. While it’s okay to be open-minded about your next step, during your interview and job application process, it’s important that you show recruiters and hiring managers that you are committed to the role that you’re applying for, and that this is what you want to do.

You don’t want them thinking you’re applying to tons of different jobs in different industries, as they may be concerned about you not being committed.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post Veterans: How To Determine Which Jobs To Apply To appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her how a veteran should look through the qualifications in a job description and assess whether they are qualified. Here’s what we learned:

First, look at the job description and assess the qualifications. See if you have a background in the field and/or the skill sets required for the role. This requires some research, as you may not be familiar with exactly what skills are needed for which role.

Second, see if the roles/skill sets are required or just preferred. Usually, companies separate their “must have” requirements from their “nice to have” requirements in a job description. Don’t be scared off by the “preferred” list of qualifications, as those are often less stringent and can be learned on the job.

Third, network with people within the company — especially someone who has been on the team you’re applying for, or who has been in the role before. By doing that, you can learn the difference between what was really necessary for the job and what you can learn on the job. Plus, that person may end up advocating for you to the hiring manager or recruiter — they can make the case for you (on the inside) as to what you can bring to the table and how you can be an asset to the team. Networking also shows your interest in the role and allows you to show enough of the qualified skills that the company may be willing to take a chance on you.

Finally, rarely does a candidate have all of the skills required or preferred for the job. So if you don’t meet all of the criteria, you should consider applying for the job anyway. Companies are looking for candidates who meet most of the criteria but don’t expect that each candidate will meet them all. Don’t feel like you have to tick every box!

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post Tips For Veterans When Reading Civilian Job Descriptions appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her about what advice she has for veterans trying to translate their experience serving into the corporate/civilian world when they go to write their resume or interview. Here’s what we learned:

First, there are numerous resources out there for you to use when it comes to writing a resume or preparing for an interview. Some of these resources include a military.com application, the American Council on Registry Transcript Systems, and Joint Services Transcripts. Some veterans even opt to use a professional resume writer to aid them in creating their resume in a way that civilians can best understand.

Second, speak with people who have already transitioned from the military to the corporate world. Ask them to share their resumes with you. Pay close attention to what they put on their resume, how they phrased it, and how they highlighted military accomplishments in civilian terms. Take from multiple people’s experiences and compare them to your own; then use this information to craft your own resume.

Third, use your network to provide advice on your resume. Ask military members, past military members, mentors and civilian friends to take a look at your resume and tell you what they think. Ask them about the strengths and weaknesses of your resume. Ask them what they do and do not understand. Perhaps your greatest asset is civilian readers, as they can tell you best where you use military terms that they don’t quite understand. Maybe you thought you were highlighting a great military accomplishment, but it’s actually phrased in a way that a civilian won’t understand.

Fourth, be your own advocate. It’s normal for veterans to want to be humble when it comes to their accomplishments, but if you don’t advocate for yourself and highlight your strengths and accomplishments – who will? Don’t downplay your successes in the military; rather, use them to provide examples as to why you are the best person for the job to which you are applying.

Finally, be concise in your resume writing. One of the best tools for writing a concise resume that highlights your achievements while providing context is P.A.R. This stands for Problem-Action-Result. First, use a strong verb, such as “spearheaded,” explain the problem at hand, your action to solve that problem, and the end result. You can speak more to this experience in your interview, but now you have a concise explanation of an achievement on your resume.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post How To Translate Veteran Experience To Land A Civilian Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her about the biggest mistake that veterans make in their resumes that could hurt them from getting the corporate/civilian job they’re applying for. Here’s what we learned:

First, tailor your resume to the specific job that you are applying for. Many veterans just have one all-encompassing resume that they use to apply to every job, rather than having a different one for each. It’s important to have a resume specific to the job to which you are applying, because hiring managers will look for keywords and experiences in your resume or cover letter to see if you are a right fit. To tailor your resume, read through the job description and pick out key terms pertaining to it. Incorporate those terms throughout your resume and cover letter so that your skills stand out to the hiring manager or computer algorithm that is reading your application.

Second, make sure that you interpret military terms into civilian terms. If the hiring manager doesn’t understand your resume or cover letter, you won’t get hired. It’s important that you are using words and phrases that are not only relevant to the position to which you are applying, but are fully understandable by the common civilian. Have someone who is not / was not in the military read over your resume and cover letter and make sure that they can understand it. They can point out to you the terms that you used that are not civilian, which you can use in creating all of your resumes.

Finally, highlight any increase in responsibility over time that you may have had in the military. This can relate to an increase in the people that you managed, budgets that you managed, or even come in the form of a percentage of efficiencies that you created. This measurement of responsibility showcases your success in any previous role that you have had.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post The Biggest Resume Mistakes For Veterans appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her about the biggest mistakes that veterans make during interviews, which could keep them from getting a civilian / corporate job they are interviewing for. Here’s what we learned:

First, don’t focus too much on salary and how the job will benefit you – instead, focus more on the value and skill set that you will bring to the job. Companies want to hear how employing you will benefit them. While understanding how the job will benefit you is important – obviously, salary is one of the first things that you look at when applying for a job – it should not be the most important. It’s vital to understand that you need to market yourself to the company. Why should they hire you? What do you bring to the table that they don’t already have? What kinds of skills do you possess that would be an asset to their company?

Second, come prepared. Tara recommends researching the company and fully understanding the role that you are interviewing for prior to the interview, as well as making sure that you are being yourself. After all: in order to understand how to market your value, you must have a solid understanding of the company. By this, we mean that you should know what field of work the company / role is in, what the company’s mission is and what they stand for, what goals they are trying to achieve, and (if applicable) what products they are selling.

Finally, it is important to be yourself in your interview – as Tara points out, sometimes veterans can come off as stiff, which doesn’t always fit into the feel of the company. It’s essential to be relaxed and let your personality show, while maintaining professionalism.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.

The post Interview Tips For Veterans On The Job Hunt appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Sharpening skills, nurturing talent, inspiring passion, cultivating curiosity—these are what Freddie Mac’s University Program is all about. By offering several programs in different fields for students and recent graduates, including traditional internships, full-time analyst roles and rotational experiences, the program ensures there’s a way for every person to kick off and grow their career. 

To learn more about the unique early-career experience at Freddie Mac, we spoke with Ayodele Maxwell who has been with the company for two years. After completing the Technology Analyst Program, Ayo started a full-time position at Freddie Mac on the System Analyst team. Now, she’s taking her next step with a new opportunity to work in Freddie Mac’s Modern Delivery program as a Product Analyst.

Freddie Mac’s Technology Analyst Program has provided immeasurable opportunities for Ayo’s professional growth. 

Although there are several analyst programs dedicated to different fields, the technology program is a 12-month full-time cohort program designed for recent computer science, computer engineering, information security and general technology grads. 

The program immerses you into specialized aspects of IT, giving you the opportunity to evaluate and create technologies that power the housing finance industry. For Ayo, the professional development component was the most impactful part.  

“The Analyst Program set me up with the tools to succeed by providing mentors, allowing me to mentor incoming analysts and supplying the support system needed to transition from college to corporate.” 

Hands-on learning and targeted training are integral aspects of each experience. Not only are you deepening your technical knowledge, but you’re also learning transferable skills that apply to every career path: leading people, analyzing business scenarios, building your personal brand and growing your network. 

“My favorite thing about the Analyst Program was the cohort aspect. Every person in the program was going through the same or a similar transition, so it was great to have that support network. All of the projects I worked on helped me grow professionally in some way,” said Ayo.

After completing the program, Ayo was offered a full-time position as a Systems Analyst on the Central Data Store team supporting loan, contract and mortgage backed security applications. Now, she’s focused on increasing collaboration between the business and IT, analyzing applications and completing implementation, as well as identifying and documenting scope, requirements and processes.

“I’m now working as the sole analyst on my current project, which is a first, and I’ll be transitioning into a new role as a product analyst on one of our Modern Delivery teams in a few months,” said Ayo.

Modern Delivery is a long-term shift in thinking and acting between IT and the business that is improving collaboration, speed and productivity at Freddie Mac. Employees are empowered because they are part of teams that work independently, have end-to-end product ownership and, most importantly, are accountable for their progress and results.

At Freddie Mac, opportunities for growth and education are ongoing. 

Beyond the Analyst Program, Ayo has taken advantage of several other development opportunities that Freddie Mac offers, including education benefits.

“Freddie Mac grants access to unlimited learning opportunities through programs like Udemy and LinkedIn Learning, as well as an assistance program for continuing education, which I will be using to pursue graduate school in Spring 2021,” said Ayo.

In addition to continuing education assistance, the company helps pay down eligible employees’ student loans by making contributions totaling up to $9,000 over five years, making it the perfect place for recent graduates to jump-start their careers.  

Freddie Mac’s commitment to growth extends beyond the office and into the communities the company serves.

A major motivator for Ayo is the sense of social responsibility she has working at Freddie Mac, both in the mission of the business and in the company’s community service efforts. Anchored by Freddie Mac’s service program SERVE, Community Crew takes part in a range of volunteer activities across the country that support the company’s broader housing mission and their longstanding focus on improving financial literacy.

“Freddie Mac allowed me to pursue my passion and commitment to giving back to the community through my daily work and through community service events. Freddie Mac’s partnerships with Rebuilding Together, Habitat For Humanity, NAMI, Feeding Children Everywhere and others have given me the ability to participate in many Community Crew events,” said Ayo.

“I’ve cleaned and helped redesign a veteran’s yard and home, built a playhouse for children in D.C., packaged food for children during the fourth annual “I On Hunger” campaign, walked to raise awareness of mental health disorders and built an Adirondack chair for our Building Hope From Home day.”

The last of which was an event born from limitations brought on by the pandemic. Despite the need to remain socially distanced, Freddie Mac employee volunteers were committed to continuing their tradition of service. Rather than physically building homes with Habitat for Humanity this year, employees came together virtually to assemble small furniture pieces that are being delivered to families at their new homes or being donated to a Habitat ReStore. 

“These opportunities provided me with the chance to work together with people from my company for the greater good, as well as meet new people,” said Ayo.

The pandemic didn’t stop Freddie Mac. 

When initially preparing for summer internships at the beginning of 2020, program leads didn’t expect to have to shift their plans to support a fully remote workforce. But there was nothing stopping the University Program from forging ahead despite the new conditions. Icebreakers and introductions were transformed into engaging online events, and teams held onboarding socials to help the new hires connect with their colleagues. 

Ayo participated in the Analyst Program prior to 2020, but her perspective on Freddie Mac’s transition to an all-virtual workforce proves the efforts were effective firmwide: “My experience has been very positive. One thing that stood out to me was that at the start of the pandemic, our senior leadership ran bi-weekly company-wide meetings to discuss changes and possible impacts. They were always open and honest. To me, having support from leadership provided a lot of comfort during such an uncertain time.” 

 “There were also several benefits released to help us acclimate to working from home, including financial assistance with purchasing work equipment, such as additional screens, keyboards, etc. That helped me create a space I felt comfortable in and could be efficient in.”

If you’re interested in a company that will help you grow professionally and give back while doing so, Freddie Mac is a great fit for you. 

Ayo’s advice for prospective Freddie Mac employees would be to remain curious and to always ask questions: “It’s normal to be nervous during an interview but be sure to let your personality shine. Remember, every single person has been new before. Prepare ahead of time, especially if you’re interviewing virtually, so you don’t run into any technical snags. Understand exactly what you want to achieve from the position and how you will be an asset to the company. Also, make sure you showcase your ability to perform effectively in the job and your willingness to work hard in the areas that you are unfamiliar with. Skills can be taught, but attitude can’t!”   

Whether you’re a rising senior applying for your first internship or a recent graduate ready to take your first step in the corporate world, you can find what you’re looking for at Freddie Mac. With many opportunities available tailored to your interests and goals, Freddie Mac’s University Program provides a transition experience, unlike others. Ayo found her career home at Freddie Mac. Find yours.

Click here to explore Freddie Mac’s current openings.

The post How Freddie Mac’s Analyst Program Led To A Rewarding Career For This IT Graduate appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

No matter what you study or what your ambitions are, you don’t have to wait to start making a little extra money. That’s what having a side hustle is all about. Whether it’s tutoring, cleaning, dog-walking, or even elder care, there are a ton of ways to make money on the side (and pad your resume while you’re at it).

And no one has more options for these kinds flexible work than Care.com. That’s why we partnered with them to make this quiz to help you determine what your best path to part-time pocket change really is.

Check it out below.

Ready to put your results to the test? Check out even more amazing part-time jobs and opportunities at Care.com on WayUp right now!

The post Quiz: What’s Your Perfect Side Hustle? 6 Ways To Work Flexibly appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

SAP is one of the world’s most innovative and successful business technology companies—which, unsurprisingly, makes it an excellent place to start your career in business or technology. Another thing about SAP that should surprise no one: Their SAP iXP (internship experience program) is consistently recognized as one of the top in the US.

We spoke to three SAP interns about their experience in the award-winning SAP iXp and what they got out of it.

Emery’s Storytelling Skills Carried Her To Success On A Key Global Team

The first thing Emery, a 2020 SAP Corporate Communications intern, noticed about the company was that they had no problem pivoting during a pandemic.

“I was supposed to be in Bellevue, but I couldn’t be more impressed with the way SAP kept the internship program for everyone but made it indistinguishable from the in-person program,” Emery says.

Emery studies communications and in her first corporate role she had tons of exposure to high-level leaders: She had the opportunity to write a leadership profile for an exec, start a joint podcast featuring Deloitte and SAP leaders, and run a remote event featuring the president of an SAP division.

“Just thinking about it makes me smile. It was so cool to be a part of that,” she says.

But it wasn’t just high-level people that made her internship special; it was the respect she was treated with and the combination of mentorship and challenges that helped her grow.

“It’s made me much more confident in my writing and public speaking skills from hosting that internship-wide coffee corner. It went really well and I’m so confident about my communications skills now. I learned so much corporate culture and speech, and I’d love to come back next year,” she says.

Joe Got To See His Work Turn Into Real Dollar-Value For The Company

Joe interned on SAP’s procurement team and immediately found a place for the principles he learned in his marketing classes. It was their job to get the right data and tell the right stories to get SAP clients and customers to continue and expand their relationships with the company. One of his favorite projects: working on FAQs for clients.

“Being able to actually write important questions for clients meant that I was able to actually win big clients for the team,” Joe says. “That’s a really good feeling.”

Of course, SAP’s iXp didn’t become a WayUp #1 internship program just by providing interesting work opportunities. Joe also had the opportunity to join a committee whose sole purpose was to provide a superb experience to all of the interns.

“I’m on this internship committee for the internship program and we help facilitate events,” he explains. “We worked with interns across North America to plan local and large-scale events.”

This was particularly cool for Joe, because he was simultaneously gaining a new type of experience and planning events that would benefit both him and his fellow interns. So whether it was hosting a cooking class or bringing in a guest speaker executive so that people could get a sense of the long-term career prospects at the company, Joe had an entirely new type of challenge that added to his list of skills and boosted his network.

Lindsay Had 3 Internships Before Getting Her Dream Role At The Company: Developing New Talent

Lindsay’s first two internships at SAP were on the Ariba team—SAP’s supply chain technology platform. She worked closely with a team of fellow interns on projects in the areas of customer and employee experience. And that latter function caught her attention. She loved making a difference for the team at SAP, which definitely helped in her last internship.

“In my last role, I worked as a Marketing intern on our Talent Development team. I had the opportunity to work with different leaders and executives to create informative videos, assist with the development of courses and facilitations, as well as create a brand for the team,” she says.

From there, she was able to move, full time, onto a team responsible for professional development programs for early talent: courses, events, mentorship. The very same stuff that helped her grow during her internships.

“SAP continues to encourage and help their employees be the best versions of themselves,” she says.

And that was as true for Lindsay as it was for all of the people she’s helped in the internship program: each engagement and every employee helped shape her career into something that utilized her talents and made her proud.

Now It’s Your Turn: Search For SAP Internships On WayUp And Apply!

In addition to offering all of these incredible opportunities—SAP is also one of the largest internship programs in the world. In 2019 alone, they hired 3,795 interns. So, find your place in life-changing program: search for internships at SAP on WayUp

The post What It’s Like To Work In SAP’s Award-Winning Internship Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If there’s one thing about Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) that stands out, it’s the type of work they do. They work on spacecraft, satellites, and technology that saves lives. And that goes for their interns, too. In fact, you might even work alongside an astronaut or one of their immigrant-turned-billionaire owners.

No matter what, you won’t forget interning at SNC. Just take it from these three interns.

1. Gracie Didn’t Get Coffee—She Worked Thermal Systems for a NASA Spacecraft

As an intern in SNC’s Space Systems Group, Gracie was able to work on one of the most exciting projects at SNC: the Dream Chaser^® spaceplane. Originally designed for manned flight, the Dream Chaser has since become an official NASA-backed cargo ship that will transport critical supplies to the International Space Station.

Incredible? Yes. Intimidating? How could it not be? Well, Gracie says SNC didn’t hesitate to ground big-picture goals and thinking with training and support.

“SNC expects results from its interns, but gives us all the tools to ensure we are supported along the way, such that the results are effective and we learn as much as possible,” she explains.

Whether it’s roundtables with former astronauts, one-on-one sessions with company vice presidents, or daily work with assigned mentors, SNC made sure Gracie and her fellow interns had what they needed, not just to boost their resume, but to contribute to high-stakes projects like the Dream Chaser from day one.

2. Ayotunde Spent Two Summers Working On a Mission to Save Our Species (And Getting Invaluable Engineering Experience)

For Ayotunde, a two-time SNC intern, working at SNC wasn’t just an opportunity to learn first-hand about aerospace engineering. It was an opportunity to contribute to saving the human race.

“SNC is one of a few companies working hard to progress humans into a more space-faring society,” he explains. “I truly believe that society will need to make a shift towards space in order to ensure a brighter, safer future and so I see all the work I do here as vital to our species.”

Beyond that mission, Ayotunde found a community of people who care not only about bringing humans to space, but also progressing his development. As a rule, SNC wants people who are willing to learn, and you don’t need to be a full-fledged rocket scientist when you start to work there. That’s why Ayotunde’s manager gave him so many opportunities to work on projects that would teach valuable skills.

“I’ve gained experience that most interns don’t get the chance to do. I’ve run my own tests, designed flight parts and test articles, and gained a lot of experience in what I’m actually interested in,” he says. “I had a very supportive team at each internship that was more than happy to help guide me while I adjusted to the group.”

Of course, it helped that he was doing exactly the type of work he dreamed of doing when he decided to major in Aerospace Engineering.

“When I first started working at SNC, it was my first internship within the space field, and work didn’t feel like work,” he says. “My overall happiness and excitement to come into work and continue my projects was extremely high.”

3. Abigail Helped Protect Her Country While Her Mentor Guided Her Growth

Abigail spent her summer 2020 internship in the Integrated Mission Systems group working on technology that helps protect national security in the United States. Some examples of this SNC tech include tech that helps counter improvised explosive devices.

“During my summer internship at SNC, I was working on a project that will be used for the protection of the United States. I loved the fact that I was able to make a useful contribution to the industry and that what I worked on was important,” she says.

In addition to the gravity of the work, her assigned mentor and the willingness of every employee to help her out made Abigail feel as though SNC’s program was a path to make even more of a difference in the future.

“They made sure I had everything I needed and were more than willing to connect me with people within SNC to help me achieve a better understanding of where I could possibly end up in my future career,” she says.

Of course, the internship was also an opportunity to connect with other people and have some fun, even in the midst of a pandemic. Whether it was through virtual intern events or a program-wide photo contest with prizes, SNC made sure interns still got the chance to build a network with their peers.

Where Could Your Career Go With An SNC Internship?

From engineering to software to finance (and beyond) SNC offers students of all backgrounds the opportunity to change their careers for the better—and do the same for their country and species.

Want to make your mark at an aerospace and defense leader? Check out open positions at Sierra Nevada Corporation on WayUp!

The post 3 SNC Interns Share What It’s Like To Start Your Career Working On Spacecraft And Satellites appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Let’s say you’ve read about the amazing benefits and inspiring mission of Lumen—to digitally connect people, data, and apps – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. But you’re still silently wondering, am I the only one who doesn’t know what this means? Read on to discover what the rebranded company and the platform are all about, how they’ll help their customers realize their potential and how laser tag and pepperoni can help explain it.

Why Lumen? Why Now?

Lumen’s goal is to further human progress through technology (their stated purpose) by powering the global economy, and creating a higher quality of life for the communities we serve. That’s the explosion of data and applications that has changed the way we live and work. To access the cutting-edge technology required to compete, Lumen customers need better application performance and security. Because things change quickly and constantly, they need it now. And so – The Platform for Amazing Things.

A simple, and admittedly loose, analogy: Your car is unreliable. You stay close to home in case it breaks down. That limits you to a small local market with boring fruit, four mediocre restaurants and a movie theater with one screen. Your friends, who have new cars, can access faster, newer, better, tastier, more amazing stuff, like laser tag and farmer’s markets. You hate being left out, so you buy a new car (the Lumen platform) right away.

This new vehicle, with its upgraded sound system, doesn’t just serve as your mode of transportation; it’s your primary means for getting you everywhere you want to go – and with a new car scent as a bonus. It’s so amazing, it becomes your new identity (like our updated name).

The Platform for Amazing Things

The platform will enable each of Lumen’s four product lines: Adaptive Networking, Edge Cloud and IT Agility, Connected Security and Communication and Collaboration.

Adaptive Networking provides high bandwidth that the platform automatically adjusts up or down, in real time, depending on their customers’ data and application needs. The platform is intelligent and flexible to help change network services on demand. It is also a high-performing machine. This is what people require to tap into the newest technology.

Another car analogy: You land an amazing job in the city, but it’s 20 miles away with heavy traffic. Congested roadways translate to inefficient travel and slow speeds. Imagine Lumen – unlike the rude Department of Transportation who makes you share the road with everyone else – opens an express lane you can travel alone, with streamlined pathways through the interstate (network) to improve performance and reduce congestion.

Edge Cloud & IT Agility moves computing power closer to the devices that use it—at the “edge” of the network. The Edge Computing features of the Lumen platform help customers move workloads (digital stuff) even closer to digital interactions around the world. Being closer to the network edge means faster processing and better performance, because that digital stuff doesn’t have to travel as far. With that speed and goodness, the platform helps customers open the door to more amazing technology. More on this here.

Now we’re going to put Lumen in the driver’s seat. Your usual pizza joint (cloud) is far from your business and you’re not in their delivery area. By the time you drive to the restaurant and back, your pie (data) is cold, and you’ve also wasted your time.

Now what if the restaurant opens some franchise stores (edge cloud) closer to you? With a shorter distance to travel, a reliable car and his thermal-enhancing rich Corinthian leather seats, your pizzeria driver delivers an amazing customer experience in the form of a piping hot, hand-tossed pepperoni pizza in 30 minutes or less. Mangia!

Connected Security has embedded superpowers to protect customers’ precious data and apps. With Lumen’s huge network, they can see and proactively thwart malicious attacks with automated threat detection and response, which is pretty cool. It’s also invaluable for Lumen’s customers, whose assets are beyond important.

Back to the car: With that ugly commute, you are dependent on your AM-radio “eye-in-the-sky” segment every 10 minutes on the 10s. Because the reporter/pilot can see so much more of the landscape (network) from her bird’s-eye view, she can protect you against accidents, slowdowns and an errant mattress in the far left lane. And with its integrated security protections that come standard with the platform, it’s like you’re driving a car with the world’s most powerful OnStar system that is fully integrated to your airbag, your lane-departure detection, your pre-collision throttle management and your blind-spot indicator on the side mirror.

Communication and Collaboration tools, like Lumen’s Engage, Cisco Webex and Hosted Collaboration are built into the platform. These tools help businesses adapt to changing work environments and keep dispersed teams connected and engaged. That’s corporate speak for: “Fantastic. I don’t have to drive all the way to your house to work on a presentation.”

Just one more: You love your ’88 Pontiac Fiero, but it’s a two-seater. You can only drive one friend at a time to a party, concert or hoe-down, and you end up missing the conversation and tomfoolery in your other friend’s bigger Toyota Camry. What you need is a Lumen luxury passenger van that allows everyone to ride together (collaboration tools) in a private express lane (adaptive networking), to a closer destination (Edge Computing), protected by Chopper 9’s commuter reports (security). Pile in!

Want to learn more? Check out stories and open opportunities at Lumen on WayUp!

The post Learn About Lumen With Car And Pizza Analogies appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Sustainable investing is a term that refers to the growing trend of tying investment strategies to their impact on society, specifically in terms of their environmental, social, and business outcomes. At BlackRock—a financial technology (FinTech) and asset management leader—innovation is a critical part of the company culture, so when it comes to the growing prominence of sustainable investing, they aren’t just capitalizing on a trend, they’re changing the way certain seemingly “intangible” factors are accounted for in investment strategies.

That’s where their focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) comes into play. Through technological and methodological advancements, BlackRock gathers data and creates unique models that power sustainable investment initiatives across the company.

To get an inside look at careers in this cutting-edge field, we connected with a few members of the various teams at BlackRock focused on ESG to learn about their experiences.

What Is ESG? How Does It Power Sustainable Investing Initiatives?

The ESG teams at BlackRock are dedicated to gathering data on environmental, social, and corporate governance factors that affect both present and future investments. While that might sound like a standard practice for an investment company, the way BlackRock approaches it is far from ordinary.

For example, one of the biggest environmental factors is climate change. With far-reaching impacts from unpredictable weather to the availability of resources, climate change will shift everything in our world. But while some investment firms’ response to this is to allocate specific funds to “environmental investing,” BlackRock’s teams are creating new ways of tracking the potential impact of climate change and integrating that data into every investment decision.

The ESG teams at BlackRock are dedicated to gathering data on environmental, social, and corporate governance factors that affect both present and future investments. While that might sound like a standard practice for an investment company, the way BlackRock approaches it is far from ordinary. For example, one of the biggest environmental factors is climate change. With far-reaching impacts from unpredictable weather to the availability of resources, climate change will shift everything in our world. But while some investment firms’ response to this is to allocate specific funds to “environmental investing,” BlackRock’s teams are creating new ways of tracking the potential impact of climate change and integrating that data into every investment decision.

Larry Fink, Chief Executive Officer

That’s one of the primary differences between BlackRock’s approach to sustainable investing and the traditional approach: It’s not a one-off venture or a side project, it’s about changing the way companies gather data about these factors in order to make investment decisions for the good of their clients and the world.

And, as Manling, an Analyst on the Sustainable Investing team tells us, those things are often far more aligned than someone with a traditional understanding of investing might think.

“Our research reveals that focusing on financially relevant ESG factors can lead to better risk-adjusted returns for our clients (i.e. good for business versus good for society),” Manling explains. “Instead, as market prices shift with consumer preference, regulatory changes, and technological innovations related to sustainability, we expect companies with better ESG performance to be better positioned in the long run.”

Creating A Better World Requires More Than Just An Investment Strategy

As a firm that manages over $7.4 trillion in investments on behalf of its clients and has more than 16,000 employees around the world, BlackRock recognizes that there are more ways for them to make a difference than through investing alone.

From an environmental standpoint, BlackRock has taken aggressive action to reduce their carbon footprint. They’ve pledged to power all offices and data centers with 100 percent renewable energy and to offset the carbon output of 100 percent of their business travel by the end of 2020.

On the human capital side, the company is continually working to enhance diversity and inclusion at the firm. One way BlackRock demonstrates this commitment is by truly listening to their employees who take part in an annual survey designed to anonymously crowdsource input on how the company’s culture can improve and evolve. This is part of the reason BlackRock invests so heavily in employee networks that are designed to cultivate inclusion and  support diverse talent.

“Last year, I participated in Fast-track to FinTech, a program to introduce and hire women in STEM to opportunities in the financial services industry. I’ve also participated in BlackRock’s Hackathon, which is a firm-wide effort that connects people across teams and business functions to solve problems or create new solutions using a variety of different perspectives.”

Richa, Analyst, Portfolio Analytics Group

Getting involved isn’t just something that’s determined by the highest levels of the company either.

“Throughout the year, BlackRock amplifies employees’ efforts to positively contribute to their local communities,” Rhoda says. “Our 23 BlackRock Gives committees award nonprofits nominated by our colleagues with funding each year. BlackRock Gives supports local non-profits in the communities that our employees live and work in through volunteering, donation matches, and grants.”

And that means whether it’s supporting a local food bank or raising funds around the world for some of the most pressing crises like wildfires in Australia or earthquakes in Puerto Rico, BlackRock employees can count on their fellow colleagues—and the company—to help out. And while these efforts might seem far away from the firm’s FinTech and investment focus, supporting the communities that need it most is pivotal to BlackRock’s ability to achieve its purpose of helping more and more people experience financial well-being.  

“As someone who works in sustainable investing, [efforts like these] reaffirm to me that I am at the right place to make a lasting impact,” Ashwin, a Vice President on the Global Fixed Income team, says.

Cutting-Edge FinTech And Investment Strategies Mean Constant Growth Opportunities For New Grads

Given the diverse backgrounds of the firm’s team—BlackRock actively recruits new grads of all majors—it’s no wonder that the firm is so dedicated to changing the way FinTech and investment companies operate, both for the common good and the bottom line. Working on cutting-edge initiatives (like ESG-powered investments) can also have benefits for your career trajectory at the firm.

“Simply put BlackRock is a leader in everything it does,” Robert, an Analyst with the Global Public Policy Group who joined BlackRock in 2018, says. Robert’s team engages with policymakers and advocates for public policies that enhance financial market transparency, protect investors, and facilitate the responsible growth of capital markets.

“It is a tremendous privilege to work at a firm that has the reputation of being a leader in the industry. Ultimately what keeps me at BlackRock is the challenge to live up to the firm’s reputation as a leader,” he says.

Of course, you don’t have to work on a team focused on ESG to experience this at BlackRock. The firm’s constant growth leads to an abundance of opportunities for all types of individuals. When you work on exciting, successful projects at BlackRock, it’s only natural that your career advances alongside them.

Alexis, who went from being an intern in 2010 to becoming the Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer last year, explained it through her own experience:

The firm’s commitment to professional development is something that drew me to BlackRock and has definitely held true in practice. I stay for everything from the smart and talented people I get to work with every day, to the great mentors and sponsors who have guided me through different roles, as well as the entrepreneurial spirit of the firm, which means every day is something new and challenging.

Alexis, Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer, started as an intern in 2010

Interested in a different kind of FinTech or investment career? Check out open opportunities at BlackRock on WayUp!

The post BlackRock’s Sustainable Investing Initiatives Are Changing The World (And You Could, Too) appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When you think of working at T-Mobile, technology is probably the first thing on your mind. You might picture rows of bespectacled programmers and engineers with sketches and pencils behind their ears. And that makes sense, too: They’re a wireless company leading the charge on 5G technology with one of the coolest summer tech internship programs around.

But there’s way more than just technology at a company like T-Mobile—and that goes for internships, too.

To learn more about some of the coolest non-technology roles at T-Mobile, we spoke to two recruiters for their internship program: Sean and Corey. Here are five great internships they told us about that could be your next summer gig.

1. Strategy Internship

“The Strategy Group are our internal consultants,” Sean says.

This means, like people at major consulting firms, they work on innovative, high-level solutions to different business issues at T-Mobile. While that’s a broad description, so is the stuff they come up with. They could propose a new product offering, an investment in a bleeding-edge technology, or even a new methodology for an existing process that benefits the company and the customers.

But that’s not the reason they’re one of Sean’s favorite roles to recruit for.

“They work on cool, top-secret projects,” Sean says. “One example that’s now public: T-Mobile Money. It’s essentially a banking solution for T-Mobile customers.”

Perfect For You If: You have experience in consulting, either at a big firm or a brand like T-Mobile.

2. Events Internship

“The events team does a little bit of everything,” Corey, who recruits events interns, explains. “Everything from our sponsorships and partnerships, like with major league baseball or our Pride events. We have a huge sponsorship partnership with Lollapalooza.”

Events interns might put together a reception for T-Mobile investors at a baseball game in Seattle. They might also attend Lollapalooza and run a T-Mobile tent with swag, music, raffles, and more. It’s a hands-on role that deals with behind-the-scenes marketing aspects as well as logistics and execution for live, in-person events.

“It’s more than a typical marketing role,” Corey says. “Although we have tons of marketing opportunities, this one is perfect for people with a specific interest in event planning as well.”

Perfect For You If: You want to gain or have experience in event planning, brand repping, or other forms of in-person marketing.

3. Corporate Social Responsibility Internship

“Corporate Social Responsibility is a department dedicated to giving back and making a positive change in the world,” Corey says.

The CSR intern takes on responsibilities that range from human resources—like creating a place in the employee benefits portal to make donations—to partnership management—like setting up volunteer days with charitable organizations. It’s a wide-ranging corporate office role that ultimately contributes to one incredible mission: Giving back to the communities that make T-Mobile what it is.

Perfect For You If: You have experience in non-profit work, fundraising, or want to start a business career with a high social impact.

4. Emerging Products Internship

“The Emerging Products group also works on hush-hush projects,” Sean says. “But their main goal is to pave the way for T-Mobile products that will help shape the future.”

This role is a combination of business development, technology, and partnership management. But what’s really exciting about it is that they’re building the future, not just for T-Mobile but for the millions of people who will use these products and services. Despite the clandestine nature of the work, Sean was able to tell us one category of product they’re working on: T-Mobile Home, the company’s answer to home internet and entertainment services.

“They just launched a pilot out in Grand Rapids, Michigan,” he says. ”I’m proud because I know some of our interns worked on this project. And now people are using it for their home internet service.”

Perfect For You If: You want to work on a cross-functional tech/business team on cutting-edge technology projects (aka building the future).

5. Corporate Real Estate

“You’d probably never look at T-Mobile and think you could get into real estate there,” Corey says. “But you really can.”

As a massive company with thousands of employees, T-Mobile obviously has a growing need for office space. But even more important is the real estate required to build the 5G infrastructure of the future. (Read more about the field engineers working on this here.) This team works on the acquisition, planning, and development of these essential real estate projects for T-Mobile.

“They’ll do everything from plotting our cell towers to picking and designing the next office,” she says. “And there are huge opportunities because of our merger with Sprint.”

Perfect For You If: You’re studying real estate, development, or want to focus on a more operational business area.

These Roles Are Just The Tip Of The Iceberg—Your Dream Internship Awaits You At T-Mobile

No matter what your educational background or professional ambitions are, there’s a place for you at T-Mobile. That goes for your personality, too. The company’s #BleedMagenta culture  means they’re looking for people who—above all else—are passionate about changing wireless to make it better for the people using it.

Think you’d look majestic in magenta? Check out open roles at T-Mobile on WayUp!

The post 5 (Non-Technical) Roles You Thought You Wouldn’t Find In T-Mobile’s Internship Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You’ve probably known T-Mobile for as long as you can remember. You know they’re a wireless company that works differently. You know they’re one of the biggest networks in the nation. And, of course, you’d recognize their signature magenta color anywhere. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial cell tower at T-Mobile.

Something you might not know is that working at T-Mobile can accelerate your career by steeping you in a culture of innovation, diversity, and learning. They’ve got one of the hottest tech internships in the US and their employees work on high-impact work from day one.

To get an idea of how T-Mobile’s #BeMagenta culture can kickstart your career— we spoke to Becky, a Program Manager who works on career growth projects. Here’s what we learned.

Don’t Just Be Magenta, Stay Magenta

If you were to pick one word to describe T-Mobile people, you’d probably go with “enthusiastic.” (If you were an English major, you might pick “zealous.”) The whole company is filled with people who aren’t just excited about their work—which ranges from building a world-class 5G network to creating innovative wireless plans that genuinely benefit consumers—but excited about the place where they’re doing it.

This enthusiasm is valuable, and recognizing that value is what fuels the culture of career development at the company, Becky tells us.

“It’s not about keeping people engaged, it’s about keeping engaged people,” Becky explains. “At T-Mobile, we’re focused on finding ways to continue to grow our employees careers within the company.”

Given T-Mobile’s unusually enthusiastic (and talented) team, it’s no surprise that there is a big demand for career growth opportunities within the company. If you love where you work and the work you do, the only question is: What’s next?

Thanks to people like Becky, T-Mobile always has an answer for that question.

From Your First Day, T-Mobile Helps You Figure Out Your Next Step

Besides a culture that encourages mentorship and gives its full-throated support to inclusive, cross-functional events, T-Mobile takes a lot of concrete steps to help advance their employees’ careers. One such example is Careerfest, which isn’t actually one career fair–style event like you’d find on a college campus, but a series of networking events and learning opportunities specifically built for people looking to move into a particular business area.

“Careerfest is an event platform that all of our internal employees have access to,” Becky says. “The events are geared toward raising awareness for our employees about what other opportunities there are within T-Mobile around the company.”

But it’s not all learning. T-Mobile also gives their employees the chance to try out new skills through their internal internship program.

“Our employees looked at our internship program and loved what we were doing for these students’ careers,” Becky tells us. “So, we created an opportunity for them to do the same.”

So, whether you’re a mobile expert working in a T-Mobile store or a programmer working in their technology division, you can apply to complete a 12-week internship program on an entirely different team. This is an opportunity to get real experience in a different field and boost your resume, without necessarily having to leave the building.

This isn’t just valuable for the employee either. T-Mobile benefits from the fresh perspective, too. For example, there have been internal interns who work in the T-Mobile stores that bring a direct customer experience to a corporate role.

“We love to leverage people who work so closely with our customers. That’s how we know what works,” Becky says.

Build The Future, Build Your Future

No matter what your work is—from finance to marketing to technology—you’ll be building the future when you work at T-Mobile. And that’s because 5G is going to rapidly change the way we’re able to interact with technology. That’s an exciting prospect for T-Mobile employees, Becky included.

“We are living in a world unknown, in a lot of ways,” she says. “It’s so refreshing to work for a company that is forward-thinking, values their employees, values their customers, and continues to find ways to raise the bar and challenge their competitors.”

This combination of “family-first” values and 5G tech possibilities creates a perfect storm of opportunity to work AND opportunity to learn.

Want to start your own #BeMagenta journey? Check out open opportunities at T-Mobile on WayUp!

The post From 5G To Family First: How T-Mobile Is Innovating With More Than Just Technology appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The transition from intern to full-timer isn’t easy. In fact, even getting a full-time offer takes hard work. But if you’re lucky enough to secure a full-time role at The Clorox Company—home to dozens of iconic brands—one thing’s for sure: You’re going to learn a lot, and fast.

We caught up with five full-timers at the Fortune 500 company about what they learned in their first years at Clorox. Here’s what they told us.

Ashley Found Out You Don’t Have To Pick Between Being Supported And Being Challenged

No matter how hard you study or how great your resume is, your first full-time job is a huge adjustment. You want to be challenged so that you can become a full-fledged professional ASAP, but you also need to be supported as you take on this entirely new chapter of your life. Luckily for Ashley, a Staff Analyst on the finance team, she didn’t have to choose between those when she joined Clorox after graduation.

“Everyone has been super nice and helpful,” she says. “My manager takes time away from her busy day to ensure that I fully understand my role and deliverables. Whenever I have any questions, someone is always there to offer an answer or recommend who to talk to next.”

But it wasn’t like she was on training wheels either. In addition to her work, the Clorox team challenged her to build new skills through courses and contribute to innovation discussions with other teams. No matter how much work she had, though, her managers and coworkers were there to assist her and look out for her wellbeing.

Having this support didn’t just allow her to succeed at work, but to feel at home in an entirely new place.

“I moved out by myself to California without having any family here,” she explains. “Once I got to Clorox, I had a new family.”

Matthew Made It To A Manager Role From His Internship—Thanks To The Values He Picked Up

For many members of the Clorox team, what they learned in their internships stuck with them beyond just that first role. Matthew is one of those people.

“My biggest takeaway from the six-month co-op/internship was that our ‘do the right thing’ culture and mentality were more than just words on paper,” he says.

In his operations role, he makes a lot of decisions that impact on how people work and the integrity with which Clorox products are made. Knowing how seriously the company takes their values really did pay off, too, because prioritizing those values in his own work and leading with integrity got him to where he is today: an Operations Manager role.

And learning to work the right way wasn’t the only benefit for Matthew, either.

“Some of my best friends to this day are CLXers I met during my internship,” he says.

Tara Saw That Inclusion And Diversity Follow Naturally From An Emphasis On Doing The Right Thing

“Clorox really lives our values,” Tara, an R&D scientist, explains. “I think the biggest one is the emphasis on ‘do the right thing.’ We think all the time about what is the right thing to do and how to put people first, and we prioritize that over any other options.”

That goes beyond efforts to include sustainability in manufacturing processes and give back to communities in need, too. It also means looking out for the people and culture at Clorox.

“I’m very proud of the work that Clorox does for Inclusion & Diversity. Our motto is ‘bring your whole self to work’ and I personally feel empowered to do so,” she says. “I’ve received career mentorship through the women’s employee resource group and have a supportive network with the Pride group.”

But I&D isn’t just something Tara enjoys. She actively contributes to it.

“I’ve had the opportunity to partner with the University of Illinois and the Out for Undergrad Engineering Conference to recruit top diverse talent for the R&D internship program,” she says. “We also prioritize I&D on our teams through unconscious bias training and team building exercises.”

Knowing this isn’t just a bonus to Tara. It’s a sign to her that her ideas, identity, and career are taken seriously at the company.

Working In A Culture Like Clorox’s Leads To More Growth (And Maybe Even Faster Promotions)

Asante is a Senior Analyst on the sales team, but he didn’t start that way. After his internship, he got the return offer for an entry-level role and started at Clorox after graduation. That’s when things really started to pick up for him.

“Everyone wanted to help me get the resources I needed to be successful,” he says. “The manager who hired me was also big on being your true self. He’d ask me things about my culture and lifestyle and even more importantly, he’d reciprocate the interaction and share things about himself. I never felt ‘different’ as a member of Scott’s team. I could be me. That fostered a drive and hunger to want to grow with the company.”

Working at one of the largest consumer packaged goods companies in the world, Asante knew there’d be no shortage of career opportunities. And his drive was met with equal enthusiasm from his managers, who let him know just what he had to do to grow his career.

“If there is a role you’re interested in, you can let your manager know,” he says. “But you’re also challenged to do the backend work to gain visibility for the value you’ve added to show you can thrive in that new position.”

Now, in his role as a Senior Sales Analyst, he’s continuing to learn from the people around him and aim for the next goal.

You Don’t Have To Wait To Contribute To Major Initiatives (And That’s Really Good For Your Career)

Being home to so many major brands, Clorox is overflowing with opportunities to take part in high-impact work. And that goes for first-years, too. That’s one of the things Ariana, a Brand Manager at Clorox, likes best about her job so far.

“I’ve met some of the smartest people, learned about real-world marketing, and experienced what it’s like to run a business,” Ariana says. “During my first year alone, I launched a product, presented to Clorox’s CMO, and participated in a brand video shoot. These experiences allowed me to learn through hands-on work that my peers at other companies weren’t getting so early on.”

These experiences aren’t just for show either. They’re a part of a concrete growth plan she’s put together with her managers.

“Career planning starts early on at Clorox. I’ve had the opportunity to chart out different career options, and to cater my experiences and projects to areas that I would like to develop my skills in,” Ariana says. “My three managers to date have all been very supportive of ensuring that my work not only progresses business objectives but also contributes to my career aspirations.”

Apply These Lessons (By Learning Some Of Your Own)

Think you’re ready to put this knowledge to the test. Start by checking out the open roles at The Clorox Company on WayUp!

The post 5 Career Lessons From People Who Made It From Intern To Full-Time At The Clorox Company appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, helps their customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and therapies and increase productivity in laboratories. Today, they are also playing a critical role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 continues its global spread, certain populations, including people of African heritage, are being impacted more than others, both through increased risk of COVID-19-related illness, hospitalization and death and as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic. 

In the U.S., historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are experiencing major disruptions in their enrollment, fundraising and other revenue streams (i.e., tuition, housing, food services and bookstores) and many HBCU students, who may rely on student loans and other financial assistance, may have difficulty accessing online classes on laptops and through Wi-Fi at home. It’s therefore critical that these colleges and universities have a way to get students, faculty and staff back to campus safely as soon as possible.* 

Thermo Fisher Scientific is uniquely positioned to help, not only because of the breadth and depth of their capabilities, but because of their commitment to advancing STEM education and giving back to the communities in which they live, work and serve. 

Here’s a look inside this ambitious new effort by a company committed to enabling their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.

Honoring The Legacy Of Dr. Ernest Everett Just—By Providing Cutting-Edge Science Equipment And Testing To HBCU Students

The Just Project honors biology pioneer and educator Dr. Ernest Everett Just, who uncovered the role of the cell surface in the development of organisms (and a former professor at Howard University, one of the oldest HBCUs in the nation). This initiative will bring no-cost Covid-19 testing to member schools, through a $25 million donation of cutting-edge lab equipment and reagents in an effort to bring students, faculty and staff safely back to campus during the 2020-21 school year

Here’s a look at how that works: First, Thermo Fisher will provide the instruments, reagents, kits and technical support  to bring COVID-19 testing to up to 10 HBCUs that will serve as testing centers on their campus and for other HBCUs in their region.

To date, Thermo Fisher has signed up several universities that will serve as testing centers, including Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Xavier University of Louisiana, Hampton University, Tuskegee University and others. These will serve as hubs for processing the tests conducted at all of the HBCUs around the country.

Not only will these efforts support the continued access of educational programs for HBCU students this semester, but they’ll leave a lasting legacy in the health care of scholars, faculty and staff on these campuses for many years to come.

Building An Even More Diverse Team At Thermo Fisher: Hiring 500 Additional Interns And Full-Time Employees From HBCUs

Thermo Fisher is already a leader in diversity and inclusion, especially in the science industry, with their unique approach to diversity and leadership development programs designed to advance the careers of all professionals. The Just Project is taking those efforts to the next level.

As part of The Just Project, Thermo Fisher plans to hire an additional 500 students from HBCUs into internship, entry-level and professional roles over the next three years. And it’s not just candidates with a science background who can benefit from this, either. Thermo Fisher has development programs and internships in finance, marketing, sales, technology, and more.

Plus, with innovation at the heart of Thermo Fisher’s culture it requires an ever-more-inclusive and welcoming environment in order to thrive and continue to lead in science and technology. Professionals of all backgrounds contributing and collaborating to solve the world’s biggest challenges make it a great place for anyone to succeed personally and professionally.

Ready to start your career at a company that goes above and beyond for its communities? Check out open opportunities at Thermo Fisher Scientific on WayUp!

*Source: USA Today, The Conversation

The post Learn How This Company is Helping Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities Return Safely to Campus appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

AeroVironment is an aerospace company. It’s also a technology company. But neither of those things define who they are or how they work. Yes, they collaborate with government agencies like NASA and the US military like an aerospace firm. But they also innovate quickly; rapidly develop prototypes; and use small, diverse teams to create new technologies faster than the competition—just like many Silicon Valley tech companies do.

So, what’s it like working at a company like AeroVironment? We spoke to some of their employees to find out.

Benjamin Became The Aeromechanical Engineer Of His Childhood Dreams—And Now His Work Is Heading To Mars

“I’ve always been very interested in airplanes and helicopters from a very young age. I started out working on model airplanes when I was about ten years old. I got hooked from that,” Benjamin, now a Senior Aeromechanical Engineer at AeroVironment, tells us.

So, when he was able to work on the Mars Helicopter project—a collaboration between AeroVironment and NASA/JPL—it was really the culmination of a life-long dream. But for Benjamin, the dream doesn’t stop there. He sees even more opportunities for AeroVironment to contribute to the future of space exploration.

“If it’s successful, we’ll be looking into larger helicopters that could also collect interesting science on other planets,” he explains. Plus, Benjamin says, his team’s work on high-altitude solar planes opens even more possibilities—for both their impact as a team and their careers.

“There’s a pretty wide range of applicability there. There are a lot of defense solutions and commercial projects with agriculture. And then there’s the planetary exploration aspect,” he says.

Sara Gets To Innovate Quickly—And Have Fun Doing It

Sara is an Aeromechanical Engineer on a team that—among other things—created a helicopter that’s currently on its way to Mars on the back of NASA’s latest rover. But even though the Mars Helicopter was a collaboration with some of the most important names in aerospace, it didn’t cramp the company’s spirit of innovation, which Sara first learned about as an intern.

“Even when I was an intern, I loved the culture of being hands on, getting to try things and test things and see what works,” she says.

When she went full-time, she was given the same freedom to test out ideas, build prototypes, and see if they could accomplish the seemingly impossible.

“Honestly, I have fun at work,” Sara says. “We get to play in the shop. We get to be really innovative and creative with the things we’re building. We’re given a lot of freedom to try things and prototype.”

Of course, seeing her work land on Mars will be a new type of thrill, too.

AeroVironment Gave Stephanie The Freedom To Discover Her Passions—And The Range To Become An Excellent Engineer

Coming out of college, Stephanie already had a wide skill set—from bioengineering to wing design—but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to focus on in her career. When she read the job description for AeroVironment’s Mechanical Engineer role, she thought the wide range of responsibilities was just a recruiting trick. What it actually was: the perfect way for her to start her career on her own terms.

“I thought that the company had decided to list such a wide range of job responsibilities in order to keep the requisition vague and applicable to any role,” Stephanie explains. “When I had my interview, I asked: ‘So, which of those responsibilities would my role mainly consist of?’ And the answer was: ‘All of them.’”

This proved to be true. Over the next three years, Stephanie got involved in engineering drawings, tooling, test plans, fabrication processes, and much more, working on products like AeroViroment’s handheld Switchblade loitering missle. Now, even in a more senior mechanical engineering role, Stephanie is still discovering new passions and skills at AeroVironment.

“I pride myself on my ability to be a ‘firefighter,’ capable of fixing all types of problems as they arise, and that has come solely from working at AeroVironment,” she says.

Natalie’s Career—And Her Expertise—Is Growing Faster Than Ever

“Before joining AeroVironment, I worked as an engineer at one of the world’s largest automotive companies,” Natalie, a Systems Flight Test Engineer at AeroVironment, explains. “So, the overall size of the team was quite different.”

Now that she works at AeroVironment, not only are her projects more engaging—what’s cooler than satellites and spacecraft?—but her work is more involved and requires greater levels of expertise, which she’s building by working with small, collaborative teams.

“Since joining AeroVironment, I’ve had the opportunity to work with various groups and program teams and the responsibility to manage many tasks on multiple programs. This has enabled me to grow my technical and managerial skills through problem-solving, time management, and organizational awareness to effectively and efficiently balance the challenging demands of many projects.”

And this was exactly what Natalie was looking for in her next step. Before joining, she was actually deciding between AeroVironment and another aerospace company but wanted to speed up her career growth. Going with AeroVironment was a bet that immediately started paying off.

Kyle’s Work Changes From Project To Project—And That Keeps Him Engaged

“I’m not pigeonholed into one specific discipline as is common at larger aerospace companies,” Kyle says. “My work and my role changes from project to project, and I am encouraged to get involved in what I’m most interested in.”

That probably explains why, in just over two years, Kyle has worked on projects ranging from data analysis to product design. This variety isn’t just good for his skill set; it also adds a sense of adventure to his day-to-day life.

“My role allows ample opportunities for me to attend live flight tests of our products, most of which are local to beautiful Ventura County,” he explains. “A day out in the rolling hills of Simi Valley can be a nice break from the computer screen.”

Besides his technology work, he’s also a member of AeroVironment’s Culture Club, which organizes social events like the company’s annual New Year’s party and team lunches. Making the culture more welcoming and easygoing is a part of what powers his ability to deliver  high-stakes aerospace projects.

“The company knows how important the work we do at AeroVironment is, and in turn they truly take care of us,” he says. “I will not forget the first time I heard from a customer that our product saved their life and the lives of their platoon. At AeroVironment, you can feel the difference we are making.”

Multifaceted Teams Gave Hector New Opportunities (Which Led To A Well-Earned Promotion)

Hector started out in a temporary role on AeroVironment’s Service Desk team, responding to customer inquiries and user issues. However, his team’s lean structure and AeroVironment’s naturally entrepreneurial culture led to him taking on a new, critical project.

“My biggest accomplishment is our ticket system as I built that from the ground up and it was my first enterprise-level project, and not just at AeroVironment, but in my career,” Hector explains. “After a few months I was rewarded with a promotion to a full-time role on the Server team.”

This was good news, and not only because of the promotion. Hector was happy to join a team with such a tight-knit, motivated community.

“We have so much pride here! AeroVironment truly cares about its employees and our welfare and opinions. From the CEO down you can have a conversation with anyone just by passing them in the hallway. It’s a cultural thing you cannot find at all companies,” Hector says. “Time and time again you’ll even see folks leave but then come back for the people and the culture.”

Make A Difference, Make A Career—And Do It Your Own Way

AeroVironment’s opportunities are a chance to make more than a career. You can make a difference in the world around you. Saving lives, exploring planets, and bringing about the future of flight—these things happen because of AeroVironment technology.

Want to start your career building the future? Check out AeroVironment on WayUp!

The post Want To Build Future-Defining Tech In An Expectations-Defying Culture? Work For This Aerospace Tech Company appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If you’re interested in aerospace engineering, getting one of your creations to outer space is probably a lifelong dream of yours. The good news is that you could accomplish that way sooner than you probably think.

While getting something to Mars might seem like a stretch goal during your undergrad years, at AeroVironment—a specialized technology firm that collaborates with organizations like NASA and the US military—this is exactly the kind of project you could work on, even as an intern.

We spoke to two AeroVironment engineers, Sara and Benjamin, who gave us an inside look at this exciting project and the company’s unique culture.

The AeroVironment-NASA Collaboration And The Mars Helicopter

AeroVironment was started by world renowned inventor and engineer, Dr. Paul B. MacCready, Jr. in 1971 as a small engineering firm focused on applying aerodynamic principles to solve important challenges facing the world. He became the first to design and build an aircraft that successfully achieved controlled human-powered flight, giving birth to the company’s reputation of achieving the impossible in aerospace engineering.  In fact, one of AeroVironment’s first projects was the Gossamer Condor, which was operated with pedals—like a bike—and now rests in the National Air and Space Museum.

That spirit of innovation and unorthodox thinking led AeroVironment to become experts on unique technologies, and the leader in tactical unmanned aircraft systems (aka drones) and tactical missile systems. One of these experts is Benjamin, a Senior Aeromechanical Engineer, who works on the Mars Helicopter.

So, what can he tell us about this ambitious project?

“AeroVironment first worked with JPL [Jet Propulsion Lab, a federally funded wing of NASA] on this in the late 1990s, but the technology wasn’t quite there yet,” Benjamin tells us. “Around a decade later in 2013, JPL came back to us and asked us to start working with them on it again. Our goal was to develop a helicopter that could tag along with the next Mars Rover mission to demonstrate that helicopters can be useful in that type of environment.”

Unlike a normal helicopter, which relies on the specific conditions of Earth’s gravity and atmosphere to achieve lift, the Mars Helicopter needs to have huge wings and an extremely light body in order to fly. Plus, it has to be capable of carrying a camera so they can use it to collect images and scientific data.

“The Mars Rover, called Perseverance, launched on July 30, 2020. The helicopter onboard is called Ingenuity,” Benjamin says. “If its mission is successful, we’ll be looking into larger helicopters that could also collect interesting scientific data on other planets.”

That means everyone at AeroVironment—and one day, possibly, you—will have a lot more exciting projects to grapple with. And as another engineer on the team, Sara, tells us, when you’re on the AeroVironment team, your work really is a part of the final product.

Working At AeroVironment Means Taking On A Real Role, Right Away

“Even when I was an intern, I loved the culture of being hands on, getting to try things and test things and see what works,” Sara, an Aeromechanical Engineer, says. “Now that I’m a full-time Aeromechanical Engineer, I still do. I do a little bit of everything: some design work and some building.”

AeroVironment’s project teams, which work on products ranging from commercial and military-grade unmanned aircraft to moonshot technologies like the Mars Helicopter, are comprised of small groups of multifaceted engineers and technologists at all levels of seniority.

“We have the resources of a larger company, but the culture of a smaller one,” Sara explains.

Thanks to this structure, which is fairly unique in the world of aerospace, everyone on the team is able to come up with ideas, test them out, and contribute to the final product that makes it into the field.

“Honestly, I have fun at work. We get to play in the shop. We get to be really innovative and creative with the things we’re building. We’re given a lot of freedom to try things and prototype and I really enjoy that aspect of our programs. I really like that rapid prototyping and rapid R&D. If we have an idea, we can just try it.”

Sara, Aeromechanical Engineer at AeroVironment

Whether you’re working on planetary exploration or innovating in the shop, at AeroVironment, opportunities to make history—and an amazing career—are always close at hand.

Want to start your career in aerospace and technology? Check out open opportunities at AeroVironment on WayUp!

The post This Company Is Helping To Put A Helicopter On Mars—And You Could Help appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Ingredion is one of the biggest companies you’ve never heard of. They’re the global leader in ingredient solutions—which means they turn grains, fruit, vegetables, and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. Basically, they make crackers crunchy, yogurt creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger, and baked goods more nutritious.

So even if you haven’t heard of Ingredion, you might’ve snacked on something they’ve created.

From food science to quality control and supply chain to engineering and analytics, there are tons of ways to start your career at Ingredion. We spoke to some of their recent interns to learn more.

1. Rahul Started His Business Analytics Career Running

As someone who studies business and analytics in school, Rahul was looking for a role that would let him use analysis to make an immediate impact on a business. However, given how complex a field business intelligence is, he also needed mentorship from experts active in the field. When he heard about the Ingredion role, he found the perfect combination.

What He Did: “I was a sales and operations intern on the supply chain and analytics team. We used analytics to enhance efficiency in the supply chain, saving the business money and increasing productivity. I’ve learned so much throughout these two months, gotten a lot of good advice, and worked on projects that I’m proud of.”

How Ingredion Helped Him Grow: “I learned a lot here this summer, and it wasn’t restricted to one means of learning. With the remote situation, I thought it would be harder to grow and make connections, but that wasn’t the case. I learned how to use new business and data analytics programs, such as PowerBI, through Ingredion’s online Learning & Development course catalog. You also have a really helpful mentor. Plus, you can always schedule calls with anybody on your team or at the company. Everyone is so helpful and willing to share ideas.”

Favorite Project: “It’s this model called Sentiment Analysis or emotional artificial intelligence. I worked on a system that allows you to automatically input customer responses and get an understanding of how the customer is feeling. You input customer feedback, and it actually returns a score that reflects the sentiment.”

2. Zion Became A Top Contributor At His First Internship

Zion is an industrial engineering student about to go into his senior year. For his first internship, he wanted to find a company that wouldn’t just let him practice and learn his craft, but teach him how to best navigate the working world. Ingredion’s culture—which combines learning opportunities with real work experience—was the perfect place for him.

What He Did: “As a Continuous Improvement Intern, I worked on projects that helped us identify problems and improve our production process. I worked with various parts of the production process to enhance key performance indicator (KPI) reporting and improve efficiency. This is the first internship I’ve ever had, so I really came in with a clean slate, no expectations, just ready to deliver however possible.”

How Ingredion Helped Him Grow: “It’s a combination of mentorship and instruction. Ingredion gave me a lot of guidance on how to maneuver and navigate the company. My managers gave me a lot of tools to understand continuous improvement and industrial engineering in general. I even became a Six Sigma White Belt, which is really useful in my industry.”

Favorite Project: “One of my projects was creating a system to identify ‘bad actors,’ which are basically pieces of machinery that cause production problems. By the end of my internship, I hope to have a system set up so my coworker can just input data and find out whether a piece of equipment is a bad actor. I was also nominated for the WayUp Top 100 Interns list, and my coworkers at Ingredion have been so supportive, voting for me over 1,600 times already.”

3. Kiana Had Her Best Internship Yet—Even Amid A Pandemic

Kiana was worried about the remote internship experience. She knew first-hand how hard it could be to make connections as an intern and get valuable work experience. When she arrived at Ingredion, the team gave her exactly what she was looking for: safe, in-person experiences, mentoring and the ability to make connections across the company.

What She Did: “As a Quality Intern, I worked on various impactful projects. I was tasked with finding a new piece of equipment for the lab and a new software system to replace an outdated one. I also worked closely with the Quality Vendor Analyst to monitor and update testing requirements on products we import. I never felt that I was missing out on the full internship experience, even on the days I was working from home.”

How Ingredion Helped Her Grow: “I was provided a mentor on the first day of my internship. The members of the Quality team I worked with were also all extremely helpful and very willing to teach me. They always answered my questions and showed me the workflow of the lab. We also had a final capstone presentation which allowed us to sum up the projects we worked on in front of coworkers, supervisors, and leadership. This presentation allowed us to shine in front of leadership and show them the contributions we made to the company.”

Favorite Part Of The Program: “Despite the challenges that this pandemic has created for everyone across the globe, Ingredion has not let it stop them. Ingredion provided me with the best internship experience I’ve ever had. The HR team has consistently kept me in contact with all the other interns, planning fun virtual activities such as music trivia events, or providing opportunities for us to connect with leadership, such as with our ‘Lessons with Leaders’ meetings.”

4. Taylor: Safely Working In The Lab—And Seeing Teamwork In Action

2020 was Taylor’s third summer interning with Ingredion. With many internships being canceled, Taylor wanted nothing more than this experience to continue, but she was worried about how it would be handled during a pandemic. She didn’t want to take a backseat in the research and innovation OR miss out on the learning experience of teamwork—and Ingredion’s internship program helped her safely stay in the action.

What She Did: “I was always able to safely complete my lab work. Before walking into the main office, you get your temperature checked and receive a new mask daily. When I arrived, I began training, and the importance of my projects was explained to me. Because my projects were heavily lab-based, I was in the office four to five times a week. After training, I began my project independently, but there was never a time where I found myself not able to ask for help. Multiple team members checked in on my progress and made sure I was doing well throughout the summer.”

How Ingredion Helped Her Grow: “At Ingredion, there is a Business Resource Group called the Network of Early Talent (NExT) , which supports the early talent community and helps us learn and grow professionally. This summer, the group piloted an Intern Buddy Program, where each intern at the site was paired with an Ingredion employee, so we’d have a friendly connection to learn from. I learned some key skills from my buddy. My boss also set up training with other experts. They showed me how to utilize the necessary equipment and gave me great advice.”

Favorite Project: “Members on different teams, other than my own, gave me training on different equipment and shared old data and useful tips. Gathering all the information given to me from the many teams I interacted with, is what ultimately allowed me to complete my projects and be successful.”

5. Liam Started His Process Engineering Career With Great Advice—And Hands-On Experience

As a future Process Engineer, Liam needed to apply what he’d been learning in school AND learn from experts in the field. Getting floor experience during a pandemic was going to be a challenge, but—you might be picking up on a theme here—Ingredion was committed to getting him what he needed.

What He Did: “I work in process engineering, so my team must work closely with operations and maintenance. For my projects specifically, that included coordinating with operations management to find when events would occur. Also, I would spend a lot of time on the plant floor working alongside operators to gain insight into what the process looks like from their perspective.”

How Ingredion Helped Him Grow: “I learned through a combination of my own curiosity and being surrounded by good people. My manager, Jenny, filled that mentor role for me. She was indispensable in providing specific insights on projects and strong advice in general. Meghan, our internship program manager, also provided fantastic support to the intern class by providing us with connections throughout the company. Every week, she put together a program she called ‘Lessons from Leaders,’ where we heard great advice from the company’s leadership.”

Favorite Project: “I’m proud of the improvements I made to the changeover process of one our machines at one of our manufacturing centers. These changes can save the company well over 100 hours of downtime per year. They make the operators’ job a little easier because I provided the necessary tools to complete parts of the process. I’m also proud of the connections I made through this internship. I’ve met many great people who have followed very different career paths. And I’m lucky that they can help me make the right decisions when I am paving my own career path.”

To Start Your Career Right, Start At Ingredion

No matter what the circumstances are, Ingredion gives their interns the experience and knowledge they’ll need to compete in a tough job market.

Check out open opportunities for Summer 2021 and beyond at Ingredion on WayUp!

The post 5 Ways To Start Your Career At This Multibillion-Dollar Food Ingredients Company appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

There’s a reason so many people want to be consultants—especially right out of college. You get to become a trusted advisor and subject matter expert to clients of all different sizes. Not only is it exciting, challenging work that usually involves lots of training and diverse customers, but you’ll almost never get bored.

Veeva is a software company that helps some of the world’s brightest minds and most cutting-edge companies develop critical medicine, products, and services in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Their Consultant Development Program (CDP) takes recent graduates of all backgrounds—from engineering to economics—and trains them to be valuable business partners to Veeva’s customers. It’s an opportunity to make a positive impact both in business and on the world around you.

Here’s how these four people turned this opportunity into their dream jobs.

1. Erica Never Stops Evolving (She Even Got Her MBA On The Side)

For Erica, CDP at Veeva, was an opportunity not only to get the type of role she wanted, but to work in the type of culture she wanted. Erica was looking to work somewhere that would not only train her, but also give her the opportunity to learn by doing.

That’s exactly what Veeva gave her.

“There was never a shortage of exciting challenges in CDP,” Erica says. “You’re thrown into the fire—with support—but that’s my favorite part. I was constantly asking, ‘Hey, I haven’t done this before. Can I do it?’ And they let me do that every time. Veeva found opportunities for me.” 

That means Erica was never just sitting around and watching. Every new engagement was an opportunity to get the kind of experience she wanted. Now, all of that experience is serving her very well, as she’s a full-fledged consultant.

“CDP prepares you so well for what you’re going to be doing as a consultant,” Erica says. “You only notice the difference because they’re celebrating you and congratulating you for moving up.”

A promotion wasn’t the only thing Erica was able to achieve during the program, either. 

“l like to learn. I like to constantly be challenged. When I started this job, on the side, I was going to get my MBA. And I did,” she says.

Now, as a Veeva consultant with an MBA, she’s ready to take on even more challenges. And Veeva’s clients are ready to provide them.

2. Abby Figured Out Her Career Goals—And Veeva Is Helping Her Get There

Abby studied engineering in college but wasn’t sure if she wanted to be stuck in a lab all day. She also wasn’t sure what her long-term career goals were. That’s why Veeva’s CDP—which combines Veeva’s science-supporting products with the problem-solving challenges of a consulting role—was the perfect place for her to figure it out.

“The main goal of the role is learning,” Abby explains. “You’re learning about the products that we make and the needs of our customers.”

As a member of the Clinical team, Abby learned a lot about the specific tools that scientists and researchers use in the testing and development of new medicines—and how to best pair professionals with the right Veeva offerings to maximize their success. This business-meets-tech learning helped her realize the possibilities of combining her two primary skill sets.  

“I have social skills and I love interacting with people. But I also loved the problem-solving aspect of engineering,” Abby says.

So, what does that mean for her professional goals?

“I know I want to lead a team of people and I know that I love solving problems. Helping people grow and helping people learn are Veeva values, and now they’re my values, too,” she says.

3. Mike Broke Into Consulting (And Found A Great Use For His Solar/Pharma/Business Background)

In just a short time, Mike had gotten a wide variety of professional experiences under his belt. During college, he worked in business operations in the solar power industry. He later had a sales job in the pharmaceutical world working with vaccines. Add some brand ambassador work on the side, and Mike’s resume was very interesting, but what he really wanted to do was consulting.

Being a life science company with a need for business-savvy grads, Veeva saw Mike as a great candidate for CDP. When he found Veeva’s CDP, he almost couldn’t believe the opportunity.

“There really is no misdirection about the program itself,” Mike says. “What we say it is, that’s how it’s going to be. There’s no fluff.”

And it wasn’t just any old consulting gig, Mike tells us, the program was designed to make him into the consultant he always wanted to be.

“Your managers drive your development to where you want to go. And the flexibility is there. If I’m not enjoying what I’m working on, my managers will help transition me to where I am interested so that I can grow. Everyone wants to help you through your journey,” he says.

This journey doesn’t end with CDP, either, Mike notes. He’s building the kind of skills that will help him achieve even beyond his time in the program.

“I’d love to build a strong foundational skill set in CDP and maybe even start my own company one day. In CDP, you can get a sense of how to interact with customers, develop a product, and understand so much of what it takes to run a business,” he says.

Mike’s story is a great example of how Veeva takes people of all educational and professional backgrounds—from sales to solar energy—and nurtures their common passions for solving business problems in CDP so they can get what they really want: a rewarding career.

4. Betul Got The Job She Wanted (And Found A Company For Life)

Betul has a strong personality—and an equally strong background in business. She knew she wanted a role that would challenge her to be the best. But she also wanted the opportunity to be herself at work and that meant making a positive difference in the world. Veeva—a people-focused company with values that actually mean something—gave her just what she was looking for.

“I look at Veeva as this huge support system,” Betul tells us. “Our culture is one that ensures you learn enough and develop skills so that you can handle each new phase of your job. When it comes time for you to take on leading a project, you’re comfortable doing that. And the goal is to become a mentor just like the people who mentored you.”

Teaching and communicating are essential parts of the consultant’s skill set, after all. At Veeva, these are core values that every member of the team incorporates into their working style. These values—plus the focus on outward-looking beneficence—were what really sealed the deal for Betul.

“When I was looking for a job, I had very specific criteria. I needed to be a position that my work fed back into society. One of our values is literally ‘do the right thing.’ It’s not something that is just put on the website and nobody thinks about. It’s front and center for everything we do,” Betul.

This combination of positive impact, personal growth, and support mean a lot to Betul. In fact, she tells us, she can see a long future at the company.

“I’m probably going to retire here. That’s something I learned during my interview. The Chief People Officer told me there might come a time when you don’t want to travel anymore, and that’s when we start looking at other areas of the business. She wasn’t just thinking about what I could do for them in the next one or two years,” Betul says. “She was thinking what they could do for me in the next five to ten or twenty years.”

Now, Betul is thinking the same way.

Ready For Your Dream Job? You Could Be Next

Whether you’re looking for the long term (like Betul) or just looking for your first job, Veeva is a place that takes your career journey seriously—from CDP to the C-suite.

To learn more about joining Veeva’s team of enthusiastic, entrepreneurial CDPers, check out Veeva on WayUp!

The post 4 People Who Found Their Dream Job In Veeva’s Consultant Development Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

To a college freshman, “finance” might seem like a pretty concrete career path. However, the more classes you take and internships you complete, you begin to learn that finance is actually a wide world of possibilities, ranging from credit risk and compliance all the way to cybersecurity and fraud investigation.

Choosing finance is easy. Figuring out which specialty you want to take is much harder. Or, at least, it was. Popular—a commercial bank with community values—offers a development program that helps new grads explore their affinities in finance to find the right role for them.

To learn more about it, we spoke to Min, a soon-to-be alumna of the development program who just found her permanent place at Popular.

A Training Program That Isn’t Just Top Down—You Get To Guide Your Experience

Popular’s development program starts with standardized training for all new employees of the bank. Min and her class of fellow associates learned about the history of the bank—which started in Puerto Rico—and how the culture of putting people first hasn’t changed in the bank’s hundred-year history. As interesting as the history and culture are, the really exciting part came after.

“My favorite part of the program is that I’ve been able to guide the way that I rotate,” Min says. “In this program, I’ve able to express my preference and be heard. I decided which departments I was interested in and my managers helped me get placed there, so I could come to fully understand how they operate.”

Like many development programs, Popular’s is centered around rotations through various business areas, but the rotations aren’t half-year sentences, and you have far more flexibility in selecting your assignments. Plus, guidance from your assigned mentors and business leaders will help you make the right move for you.

“Your professional mentor is higher up in the bank and your personal mentor comes from the associate class before you. Both of them help you navigate the program,” Min explains. “After that you speak to your manager about which projects you liked best, which business areas interested you, and from there the company matches you to your placement.”

The Culture Of Compassion Isn’t Just For Customers—It’s For Everyone At Popular

Just like the word, Popular is about people. Their motto “our bottom line is you” isn’t just a slogan either. This was something Min found out as soon as she started.

“Our mission is to provide the best customer experience, and that’s something that I felt right away,” she says. “That’s why your first rotation is in the retail bank. You learn how we interact with the customers and what they need. This helped me in every role. I know about our clients and I know how our company serves them.”

Of course, this didn’t surprise Min too much, considering how caring her mentors and managers had been about her own experience and professional development.

“It’s a helpful and caring environment. We’re still a big bank, but it’s small enough of a company that we can make connections with managers and Vice Presidents,” she says. “Everyone in this office will open the door for you and they’re willing to help you out.”

Find The Right Role, And Make An Impact Right Away

As she nears the end of the eight-month program, Min has found her permanent placement in Commercial Credit, which was her initial area of interest. And thanks to her rotations and the support she got from her colleagues, she can be confident in her decision.

“This program helped me to build a foundation,” she says. “I didn’t have that before I came here, but now I’m ready to really start my career.”

And at Popular, starting a career means making a difference—both in your department and in the world around you—right away.

Want to pick your path in finance? Check out open opportunities at Popular on WayUp!

The post Find Your Perfect Finance Career Path—And Way More—In Popular’s Development Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The COVID-19 crisis forced companies around the world to immediately adopt fully virtual interviewing processes. Whether you’re a fan or afraid of the on-screen interview, one thing’s for sure: virtual interviewing is here to stay.

So, we’ve put together a guide to help you master interviewing in a virtual world. And we spoke with Adrienne Sullivan, a recruiting and global employer brand leader at Thermo Fisher Scientific—a Fortune 500 biotechnology company dedicated to making the world healthier, cleaner and safer—to get an insider’s view on how to put your best foot forward, digitally.

Here’s what we learned.

No Matter What Your Specialty Is, They’re Looking For These Three Traits

Thermo Fisher’s mission is to enable their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Their products consist of everything from genetic forensics machines to climate change research tools all the way to classroom lab equipment.

Even with all of the company’s different products, services and business functions, their 75,000+ employees are committed to fulfilling the company mission and pushing science a step beyond, regardless of their role. Adrienne says when interviewing candidates, “Thermo Fisher is really looking for three main competencies: putting the customer first, owning your results, and finding a better way every day.”

1. Putting the customer first.

This goes for everyone, from software engineers to sales to R&D researchers. You’ll need to demonstrate that you understand and value that there is an end-customer (and at times, patients) relying on us. “No matter our role, our customers depend on us. You may not have experience working directly with customers, but all our work contributes to supporting our customers” Adrienne explains.

Understanding how your role contributes to the success of the company’s mission is key.  This is tied closely to the second principle:

2. Owning your results.

Results—good or bad—are the direct consequence of your work—and taking ownership of them is an essential part of being successful at Thermo Fisher. So, how can you show this trait in an interview?

“This is about personal accountability,” Adrienne says. “We want to hear you take personal responsibility for something in your examples. It’s okay to highlight mistakes, as long as you’re able to show how you pivoted to fix it.”

Taking stock of your work, adaptability and agility are the core of Thermo Fisher’s third principle, too.

3. Finding a better way every day.

“We want relentless curiosity and innovation,” Adrienne explains.

That means when you take stock of your results, you’re looking at what worked and what didn’t to improve the way you do it next time around. It shouldn’t be too hard to think of an example of how you improved your work practices. And if you really want to go deep on your interview prep, you can study the specific improvement strategy leveraged at Thermo Fisher.

“We follow lean practices for process improvement,” she says. “That’s how we work. We’re looking for people who strive to make themselves better every day.”

Virtual Interviewing Has Its Disadvantages—Here’s How To Combat Them

The good news: Virtual interviewing isn’t too different from its in-person counterpart. The tough thing is that the few challenges it does pose can be hard to overcome without practice.

“Not everyone is used to seeing themselves on camera or working with video conferencing technology,” Adrienne says. “Don’t let it distract you. Set up some time to practice with a friend to make sure you’re comfortable with communicating virtually.”

If you’re focusing too much on fixing your camera, figuring out how to unmute yourself, or changing your background, then you won’t have time to listen actively, which is another important part of any interview.

When an interview is virtual, Adrienne warns, it can easily feel like a video that you’re just watching, but really, it’s a two-way conversation. Try to imagine how you would be seen in an office setting and give that same impression virtually.

How To Take Advantage Of The Virtual Setting And Its Benefits

There are also distinct benefits to interviewing virtually. Here’s how to take advantage of them.

“It gives you an opportunity to be comfortable in your own environment,” Adrienne says. “You can feel secure and use that to your advantage. Speak confidently and focus on active listening.”

Plus, with new technology comes new capabilities. A good way of showcasing your strengths and your savvy with technology is to use screen-sharing features to show off some work or skills. If you’re going to do this, though, make sure you’re well practiced.

“Technology allows you to be more agile. You can quickly pull up a work sample or a document you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of. You’ll have everything at your fingertips,” she explains. “But if you’re going to do something like that, have it all prepared and ready. Don’t make your interviewer sit and wait.”

No Matter What, Follow The Timeless Interview Rules: Do Your Homework And Be Yourself

“Definitely do your research. Research the company, have a clear understanding of the role, and have questions prepared to clarify what you can’t find out on your own,” Adrienne says. “Read through the company’s career site to learn as much as you can in advance about what the company does and their culture. Learn about your interviewer by taking a look at their LinkedIn profile. You will feel more comfortable the more prepared you are!”

But you must balance research and preparedness with authenticity, too. Be yourself and show them that you’re comfortable bringing your personality to a professional space.

“It’s a conversation, so be your authentic self and don’t just read from notes,” Adrienne advises. “It’s hard. It takes practice. Interviewing really is a skill like any other—and our early-career recruiters understand that.”

Turn this insider knowledge into a real job offer—check out open opportunities at Thermo Fisher Scientific at WayUp!

The post How To Nail The Virtual Interview At This Fortune 500 Company—According To A Recruiting Leader appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Despite being nearly 200 years old, Citizens isn’t much for sticking to the old ways. Driven by customer demands for great experiences, simple solutions, and innovative ideas, they’ve become a digital transformation leader, building a huge in-house technology firm. So, it should be no surprise that this financial services company is constantly producing new technologies to help change finance—and all for one reason.

“Our goal with technology is always to build a product that delights and simplifies the process of banking for our customers,” Rajesh, a senior leader on a Citizens’ tech team, tells us.

In addition to speaking with Rajesh, we also talked to Anthony, an intern on the same technology team, to learn about just a few of the hundreds of ways Citizens is changing fintech to achieve that simple-but-demanding goal.

1. Using Modern Technology And Automation To Drive Speed And Efficiency For Customers

Two of the projects Anthony worked on this summer as a Software Engineering Intern involved using machine learning and automation to make banking easier. The first was called Smart Reading

“Taking out a loan requires lots of documentation,” Anthony explains. “Submitting this information yourself can be very taxing and you won’t always get it right.”

That means this process, which can already take dozens of hours to complete manually, sometimes needs to be done a few times over to make sure it’s accurate. That’s why Anthony and the technology team at Citizens are developing a solution to fix that.

“We’re using in-house technology and different AWS [Amazon Web Services] features to extract information from items like driver’s licenses, and that allows us to automate the process,” Anthony says.

The other automation project Anthony worked on is called Textminer. Its goal was to automate the process of sorting customer emails, which became especially important as customers came up with a myriad of questions related to banking during a pandemic.

“Textmining looks at thousands of emails in real time to understand the context in which a customer is contacting us,” Rajesh explains. “We use machine learning technologies on these emails to correctly and precisely categorize which customers are asking about, for example, ATM locations, then we can give those people an automated response with the right info.”

Using technologies like machine learning and a few other in-house programs, Rajesh, Anthony, and the team were able to not only categorize the questions that people have, but also pair them to the right department to solve them. That means faster, better customer service, every time.

2. Citizens Access: The Online-Only Banking Platform

There’s never been a better time for an online-only banking platform. And when you’re able to trust the company behind it because of, say, decades of reliable service and customer-first experiences, that’s when you’ve got something really special.

“Customers want a unified experience, and that’s what we’re providing here,” Rajesh says. “We are always looking to delight our customers.”

And that’s just what Citizens did with Citizens Access, their new, online-only bank. Thanks to their technology, they’re providing customers with the same great banking experience of an in-person bank—except it’s entirely digital. Features like a 5-minute signup process and seamless integration with other in-person banks are made possible by the tech team’s breakthroughs in automation and efficiency.

3. Launching A High-Quality Virtual Internship Program

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Citizens wasted no time transitioning their summer internship program to a virtual format. Leveraging their focus on innovation and continuous improvement, Citizens was able to successfully pivot to video-based interactions and digital projects—without sacrificing the quality of the experience.

“It’s a lot more interactive than I thought it would be,” Anthony says of the virtual internship program. “I thought it could be cold and corporate, especially since we’re all remote, but it’s not like that at Citizens. We have our values in the right place.”

Citizens’ interns utilize web and video tools, like WebEx and Slack, to interact with their teams and collaborate. Networking opportunities are a key component of the internship program, so Citizens facilitated virtual coffee chats, happy hours and volunteer events for interns to connect with one another. Additionally, interns attended virtual development sessions on important topics, such “Creating Your Personal Brand” and “Communicating With Impact,” to help further hone their soft skills.

“We provide tremendous coaching and support for our interns, new grads, and all colleagues,” Rajesh says. “These are critical elements of their journey to becoming world-class technologists.”

Building Bleeding-Edge Technology With Bleeding-Edge Science

No matter what the end-product is, Rajesh says, it’s going to be built with innovation and science in mind, which isn’t just good news for customers—it’s good news for your career.

“We use some of the most advanced and bleeding-edge tools in our technology stack,” he explains. “We are a multi-cloud team. We use a lot of big data and machine learning. And we always pair the technology with the right science and engineering.”

This means working for Citizens is an opportunity to build something with a legacy—for the customers, for the company, and for the rest of your career.

Want to build technology with a legacy? Check out open opportunities at Citizens Bank on WayUp!

The post 3 Ways Citizens Is Using New Technologies To Change Finance appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Securing a job is daunting enough, and in a global pandemic, it can be downright painful.  Unemployment is at one of the highest levels many of us have ever experienced, the stock market is a rollercoaster, and every day, the never-ending stream of bad news has the power to distract us, creating a sense of uncertainty and confusion.  

WayUp team members heard loud and clear that many early-career candidates who are new to the market or new to economic uncertainty want a better understanding of some of the fundamentals surrounding getting a job during uncertain times.  

We put together a basic guide that outlines some of the fundamentals we thought you should know.

• What is an offer letter?
• What is a verbal commitment vs. a signed commitment?
• What does “at-will” employment mean?
• What is a relocation package and when can I expect one?
• What does it mean if my offer has contingencies?
• What does it mean for an offer to be rescinded? When can that happen?
• What does it mean to be fired?
• What is a PIP?
• What does it mean to resign?
• What does it mean to be laid off?
• What does it mean to be furloughed?
• What is a severance package and when should you ask for one?
• What is a severance agreement?
• Why would an employer push back a start date? Can they do that? What does that mean for me, and what should I do?
• How should I react if I’ve been laid off, fired, furloughed, or had a start-date pushed back?
• Can I put the job that I had accepted on my resume if I didn’t actually start in it? What about on my LinkedIn or WayUp profile?
• If I left a job because of COVID (I was laid off or furloughed), should I mention that on my resume or online profile?
• As a job seeker, what should I be thinking about at a time when there is an unstable economy?

What is an offer letter?

An offer letter for employment is intended to lay out the terms of your employment offer.  It’s an employer’s way of letting you know exactly what the job entails and what you can expect from accepting the role.  Check out our article on the difference between offer letters and contracts to learn more about what you can expect from this agreement.¹

What is a verbal commitment vs. a signed commitment?

When extending a job offer to a candidate, some companies require the candidate to give a verbal commitment before the company sends a written offer letter.  A verbal job offer, which is made and accepted formally, is legally binding on both the parties. However, it’s a bit more complicated than a written agreement since you must establish the terms of employment at the time of the offer.  

Usually, in the case of a verbal offer, there is no witness or any other proof of offer or associated conditions. That’s the reason it’s usually followed by a written confirmation. The employer offers you a job, you accept it, the employer sends across an offer letter, and finally, you accept the offer in writing.

Legally speaking, a job offer, whether verbal or in writing, is of no significance unless you have a contract of employment, since either of the parties can rescind such an offer.²

What does “at-will” employment mean?

At-will employment means the employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason and incur no legal liability for doing so. As an employee, you have the freedom to leave an at-will job at any time for any reason without legal consequence. You should also note that working in an at-will job means the employer can change the terms of your agreement with no notice or consequences.³ Think it’s unfair? Put it this way: if you can give your notice anytime, the employer is just saying they can do their version of the same thing — end the relationship with you. They don’t technically need to give you any reasoning (though companies with strong HR teams will usually give you a reason, and/or put you on a performance plan ahead of time), as long as they’re acting within the law (i.e. you can’t fire someone for their race, gender, etc.)

What is a relocation package and when can I expect one?

Some employers offer relocation assistance to help with moving-related expenses such as hiring movers, purchasing storage, or buying a plane ticket. Not all employers offer relocation assistance though, and there are often limits to what is covered in these agreements, so be sure to ask what your new employer will cover if this is important to you. 

What does it mean if my offer has contingencies?

When an offer has contingencies, this essentially means that the employer has included certain caveats to protect themselves in case new information surfaces concerning your ability to satisfy all of the requirements of the job. 

Common contingencies include: criminal record checks, drug tests, relocation (i.e. that you relocate to the location in the offer letter first), or background checks to ensure that all information you submitted in your resume or application was accurate. If you are hired by a Staffing Agency, another common contingency is that the client you’ll actually be spending time with must also approve of your application. In most circumstances, this is not an issue.

If you see that your offer letter has contingencies, make sure you understand what each of them are before signing. If one or more are unclear, you can absolutely ask the recruiter you’re working with for more information.⁴

What does it mean for an offer to be rescinded? When can that happen?

When a job offer is rescinded, that means the company is no longer offering you the job. In general, there are two reasons why an offer is rescinded. The first reason is that after the offer was made, the company found new information about you and decided you were not the right fit for their company. You’ll likely never find out what that information is, and it could be anything from seeing something they didn’t like on your social media to talking to your former coworker who already works at the company.

The second reason a job offer is rescinded is when the company’s financial circumstances change suddenly and drastically. For example, the company had to conduct a massive recall of their new product, there’s a sudden investigation into the company, or external forces deplete demand for the company’s offerings (i.e., the coronavirus pandemic).

Sudden financial changes can also result in your offer being put on hold. When your job offer is on hold, it means the company would still like to hire you but can’t right now. And the company likely can’t tell you exactly if and when they will hire you in the future. 

What does it mean to be fired? 

You may have heard someone say, “I was fired”.  This means they are terminated at a company and are no longer employed with the organization.  There are a few types of terminations, voluntary and involuntary or a lay-off.  Involuntary terminations or “firing someone” is when a company informs an employee that they are no longer employed with the company.  Typically, being fired is a result of poor performance, a violation of a company policy, or some other act that isn’t in line with how the business wants to operate. But if you’re an at-will employee, you can also be fired for any reason (with a few exceptions including illegal discrimination) or no reason at all.

What is a PIP?

A PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) is a plan that an employer will often put their employee on if the employee is not performing. Most PIP’s last 4 weeks and outline very clear rationale for why a manager feels as though an employee is not performing, along with a plan for how to get them to improve their performance. Most PIP’s last 4-8 weeks, and the manager or HR usually do check-in’s along the way to see if the employee is on track. Sometimes a company will fire an employee midway if they are not on track to achieve their PIP, but other times, if the employee is on track, the employee can save their job by performing to meet expectations.

What does it mean to resign?

Voluntary terminations or resignations are when the employee informs the company they are no longer continuing their employment with the company. This is also known as “quitting” a job. Most companies expect someone to give two-weeks notice, which means you (the employee) will work for the company for two more weeks and then will end your employment. Some employers will not take you up on your 2 weeks notice offer, and others will. It is absolutely best practice to give at least two weeks notice so that your colleagues and your manager can plan for your transition. Don’t forget: most people remember an employee most by their final weeks / months at a company, so be sure to leave on a positive note, and work just as hard in your final days as you would have in your first few.

What does it mean to be laid off? 

When a company lays off an employee, it means there is no longer a need for the position within the company as it currently exists.  The loss of employment is through no fault of the employee. 

What does it mean to be furloughed?

A furlough is “a temporary layoff from work.” People who get furloughed usually get to return to their job after a furlough.  In general, people are not paid during furloughs but they do keep employment benefits, such as health insurance. When an employee gets furloughed, they are not guaranteed to be able to return (a furlough could be extended or could turn into a lay-off) so employers typically expect to see some turnover from furloughed employees who choose to not take the risk of waiting to be brought back.

What is a severance package and when should you ask for one?

Some companies choose to offer a severance package when terminating an employee after they have started in their role. A severance package is a flat payment to a terminated employee, and can sometimes include benefits. Employees who are fired or laid off can inquire about their final pay and the possibility of a severance package included in their termination. If you did not start in a role (i.e. you got an offer letter but did not sign it, or you signed it but didn’t start yet), and if your offer is rescinded for whatever reason, you likely will not be given a severance package, given that you didn’t actually work for thee employer. 

Severance packages can sometimes be negotiated if an employee is leaving on good terms, though larger companies often have specific frameworks they’re looking to stick to, so don’t be surprised if the company isn’t willing to budge. Finally, senior employees (usually at the Vice President level or above) often negotiate severance terms into their offer letter (i.e. saying if they are fired for performance or due to lay-offs, that they will get a severance package of a certain amount). We do not recommend requesting this to be included in your offer letter if you are joining a company at the entry-level.

What is a severance agreement?

A severance agreement is an agreement between an employer and an employee that contains guidelines for when an employee is terminated. A severance agreement template includes details like how much pay the employee will be entitled to after termination, when benefits will be discontinued, etc. 

As you look over your severance agreement, most employers will spell out their methodology and provide an overview of how your individual severance pay was calculated.  Typical Agreements include:

1. Your severance pay terms
2. Your vacation pay terms
3. Cobra (Benefits) Information
4. Return of Property
5. Non-compete Clause
6. Confidentiality Agreement
7. Unemployment Information
8. A General Release of Claims and Covenant Not To Sue⁶

You should not expect to get a severance package if you are not willing to sign the terms the employer is requesting. Furthermore, if you do sign a severance agreement, receive the money, and then break one of the terms in the agreement (such as your NDA), you could be held liable for paying back the severance.

Why would an employer push back a start date? Can they do that? What does that mean for me, and what should I do?

An employer may push back your start date for a variety of reasons. For example, if you are hired to support a client, and then the employer loses that client’s contract, they may no longer need your services and may ask to push your start date back unless they can find a new contract for you to work on. Typically, offer letters and employment contracts will include a Force Majeure clause that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as war, epidemic, or Natural Disaster, prevent one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract.  Right now, the economic uncertainty we’re facing coupled with our changing lifestyles in response to COVID-19 means many companies have to constantly reevaluate and restructure their organization.⁷ 

How should I react if I’ve been laid off, fired, furloughed, had a start-date pushed back, or had my offer rescinded?

Losing your job or having your start date delayed affects everyone differently, but it’s important to find healthy ways to cope if you do receive this news. It’s a very small world, and you never want to burn bridges in the workplace. Maintain a positive rapport with the employer, and demonstrate that you can handle this adversity without losing your professionalism — after all, you never know if you may want to apply for a position with that employer in the future, or if the HR person you’re dealing with may move to another company at a later date where you want to work.

Can I put the job that I had accepted on my resume if I didn’t actually start in it (i.e. my offer was rescinded before I started)? What about on my LinkedIn or WayUp profile?

You should always put your best foot forward when networking or applying for a new job. Providing an accurate summary of your work history is essential to establishing trust and being matched with the right job for you, so we recommend that you only update your online profiles with positions that you’ve actually worked in. However, on your resume, if you have had an offer rescinded due to an external factor (such as Coronavirus or a company going bankrupt, etc), we typically recommend having one line under your “Work Experience” that shows the company’s name and says “Position eliminated due to ___” so that employers know you were not procrastinating with your job search.

If I left a job because of COVID-19 (I was laid off or furloughed), should I mention that on my resume or online profile?

Context is key when employers are evaluating your reasons for leaving a position. Letting them know that you’re searching for a new opportunity because of COVID helps them understand that you were not let go for reasons related to your performance. If you’d prefer to not include this information in your resume or online profile, you can alternatively incorporate this in your cover letter. However, we typically recommend having this information on both your resume and your online profile in order to give future employers / recruiters more context. There is nothing to be ashamed of — millions of people were laid off due to COVID-19, and it was not any of their fault. 

As a job seeker, what should I be thinking about at a time when there is an unstable economy?

• Review your resume.  You should spend time editing your resume to ensure you’re sharing the most compelling information.  Check out this article to help you understand how to write a winning resume.  
  • Pro Tip:  Submit your resume to TopResume to get a free, confidential review from a resume expert.
• Research every company you’re applying to.  How big or small is the team?  Public or Private?  Venture Backed?  Are they profitable?
• Perform high-touch outreach.  Once you’ve submitted an application to the company’s you are interested in, find the hiring manager on LinkedIn and send them a thoughtful note encouraging them to consider you for their role.
• First impressions are important.  Check out this article to help you prepare for your first phone interview.

We’re all in this together.  More, now than ever, job seekers have an unique opportunity to stand out during the economic uncertainty.  When we say knowledge is power, job seekers have helpful information available to them so they can take control to understand and demystify the hiring process.  That way, job seekers can spend more time on the things that matter like crafting a thoughtful resume, researching the right role, and interview practice.

Sources

1. WayUp.  What’s the Difference Between An Offer Letter And A Contract?
2. UpCounsel.  Is a Verbal Offer Binding: Everything You Need To Know?
3. National Conference of State Legislators.  At-Will Employment Overview.
4. Career Trend.  What Is a Contingent Job Offer?
5. FlexJobs.  Rescinded Offers and Hiring Freezes: What They Mean for Jobseekers.
6. Salary.com.  9 Things to Know About Your Severance Package.
7. SHRM.  You Are Excused: Force Majeure and the Workplace in the COVID-19 Era.

About the Authors:

Jim Leahy is the Director of Human Resources at WayUp. His decade of experience in building teams has made him passionate about helping others build their brands.

Matt Sheffield has worked with thousands of WayUp users to help them get their dream job. He now works in WayUp’s Business Operations department where he manages internal job requisitions.

The post Demystifying Employment Basics: Offer Letters, Relocation, ‘At-Will’ Employment appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You’ll sometimes hear successful people talk about an “aha” moment: a realization that they weren’t just doing a job, they were building a career.

At Enterprise, these kinds of aha moments happen all the time—and that’s because of the company’s long-term growth culture. It’s a true equal-opportunity meritocracy where someone’s success is determined exclusively by their performance.

Here’s a look at five different Enterprise employees—who have excelled in their careers—and how they would describe their aha moments. We held these interviews earlier this year, and clearly much has changed with the advent of COVID-19. We followed up with each employee and shared some of their post-COVID reflections and experiences below.

Ethan: Applying For His First Promotion—And Getting It

Enterprise is a company built from the ground up. And for our employees, that ground floor is the Management Training (MT) program. When Ethan graduated from college and entered the MT program, he started learning how to run an Enterprise branch on day one.

“Everyone was really eager to help me grow quickly,” he said.

As a Management Trainee, Ethan heard a lot about the culture of quick promotions and steady advancement at Enterprise. And while he was excited for the opportunity, he wasn’t sure if he could believe the hype.

However, after he’d put in the work as a Management Trainee, it was time to take the qualifying test and apply for his first Assistant Manager position. He aced the test and got the job—and that’s when he had his aha moment.

“I started to realize the promote-from-within hype is real, and I’m moving up because of it,” Ethan says.

Since COVID-19, Ethan’s perceptions of the company have only grown stronger.

“Our CEO Chrissy Taylor and senior leadership stepped up and have really made it clear that we are all in this together,” says Ethan. “Enterprise has stood behind their employees and are giving us the tools we need to get back to normal and ensure our customers feel safe coming back and renting from us again.”

Kendra: Quitting Enterprise (And Then Coming Back)

Kendra excelled early in her Enterprise career, getting promoted to branch manager in only a year and a half. But when she received an offer to join a sales team at another company, she took it.

Shortly after she arrived at her new job, she saw some stark differences in the culture.

“I remember I asked my supervisor, ‘How does this fit into our bottom line?’ And she told me that I didn’t need to worry about that right now,” Kendra recalls. “If I asked someone at Enterprise about a part of our business, they would’ve taken the time out of their day to teach me, not just to give me the answer but to show me the big picture, too.”

That culture of mentorship and learning at Enterprise is an essential part of the company’s performance-based promotion plan. And why Kendra, ultimately, decided to return to Enterprise.

“You get promoted by performance from day one,” she explains. “And that’s why we take development so seriously. When your manager moves up, so do you, and vice versa. Everyone wants you to take their job in the best way.”

Now, as an Area Rental Manager, Kendra is the kind of boss she always had at Enterprise: ready to lend a hand, teach a skill, and guide her teammates to success.

And lately, Kendra has had to adjust to one more change. She’s adding a new member to her family.

“My husband and I are expecting our first child this summer, which means I was in my second trimester when COVID-19 struck,” says Kendra. “Due to the severity of the disease and the unanswered questions surrounding its long-term effects, the leadership in my area allowed me to work from home. I have learned a lot during all of this and am grateful that my team showed me such flexibility.”

Phillip: Doing More, Earning More, Becoming A Leader

Phillip had a goal to double his annual salary within two years—and he knew sales was the way to get there.

“I started as a Management Trainee,” Phillip tells us. “I liked the idea that my career would be based on my individual performance and how I could contribute to the overall atmosphere and experience at a branch.”

And his individual performance really did shape his career. A strong work ethic and success with key management attributes allowed him to rise through the ranks, eventually getting him into a role with Enterprise Car Sales. Within the two-year mark, Phillip was hitting his original goal, but that wasn’t when his aha moment came.

“One day my Area Manager asked me what I thought about being in management,” says Phillip.

Phillip was an all-star individual contributor, and that brought him a lot of success, but with the encouragement of his Area Manager and a few other leaders at Enterprise, he took on a management role while still staying in sales. Now, he’s got a new goal: senior leadership.

Phillip’s aha moment came when he realized he would never run out of ways to grow—and people to support him—at Enterprise.

Glo: Managing Hundreds Of People—And Her Own Life

Glo started in the Management Training program at the St. Louis Contact Center—where employees provide support to Enterprise’s field operations—and quickly found her place on the roadside assistance team. Her dedication to customer service over the years led to her current role: Reservation Manager.

“Collectively I’m responsible for about 120 to 140 employees,” Glo tells us. “It’s pretty exciting. I get to learn and grow with them.”

Her aha moment came around 5 years ago at a pivotal time in her career. “Right around the time I earned a promotion, I found out I was pregnant,” she recalls.

She was nervous that her career growth wouldn’t be compatible with her personal growth. But when she told her leadership team the news, they were excited for her.

“The thing that was so great was that there was room for my whole self at Enterprise,” Glo says. Not only was she able to take advantage of flexible work-from-home arrangements, but her managers were still just as committed to her growth.

“I can’t think of another organization that is so intentional about you being your best self,” she explains. “This is a place where you know that your performance will be your passport to a long and healthy career.”

And with COVID-19, Glo can attest to its impacts personally and professionally.

“During the last part of the school year, my husband was homeschooling our son and I was working from home,” says Glo. “My day-to-day responsibilities at work changed a bit, too. We got to a point where we needed to bring employees who were furloughed back and get them onboarded. That was a special time for us, and it was a signal that our business is moving in the right direction.”

Ali: The Freedom To Work Creatively—And Succeed On Her Own Terms

Ali has always been independent. Born in an immigrant household where hard work, creativity and purpose is a way of life, she always knew she wanted to make a career for herself outside of the family business, yet still centered around those same philosophies.

“I thrive on customer relationships,” Ali says. “One of my mantras is to treat every conversation as an interaction instead of a transaction.”

At the beginning of her career, this worked great in the branch with rental customers, but Ali had a feeling her philosophy could carry her to even more success in a formal sales setting.

“I knew I’d be more apt to succeed in a business-to-business sales environment,” she says.

And, of course, her dedication and support from her managers helped her achieve that goal. But her aha moment came when she realized a measure of her success came from being able to do it in her own way.

“Being creative and getting involved in the community have always been important to me,” Ali explains. “Both as a professional and as a person.”

And that’s been the key to Ali’s success in her current role as a business rental sales executive in Nashville—connectivity. She’s a member of local organizations for business owners and community members. The connections she makes in those groups have led to new relationships for her and new business for Enterprise.

Of working for Enterprise in a world affected by COVID-19, Ali says, “It’s refreshing to see the sense of increased compassion amongst everyone. People who I used to meet with in person that were always so meticulous and poised, now have their dogs barking in the background, babies crying or even t-shirts on. We have a lot of work to do, but it’s been amazing to be part of the Enterprise response to COVID-19 and see how we can turn on a dime to help reset our business. It’s all hands on deck, and you feel it every time we talk to one another.”

Experience Your Own Aha Moment At Enterprise

Looking for a career, not just a line on your resume?

Whether you’re seeking a summer internship or an entry-level position, you’ll find room to grow and the training and development you need to thrive at Enterprise.

Ready for your aha moment? Check out open opportunities at Enterprise on WayUp!

The post How 5 People Had Their ‘Aha!’ Moments At Enterprise appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

“Whenever I get a stack of resumes, I throw half of them in the trash. I sure don’t want unlucky people on my team,” said no hiring manager ever…but sometimes it can feel that way when you’re hunting for jobs. 

Since the advent of online job applications, candidates have experienced the resume black hole: You spend hours submitting your resume to hundreds of positions only to maybe hear back from a couple. WayUp was actually created to stop this cycle. Whether you’re a student applying to internships, a recent grad looking for entry-level jobs, or have been forced to find a new position due to the pandemic, this guide is here to help! 

A well-written resume is the most important tool job seekers have in standing out to recruiters and building a network. With the job market flooded by candidates recently laid off due to the pandemic, catching a recruiter’s eye with an effective resume is now more important than ever. 

How To Format Your Resume

The first item anyone should see on your resume is your name, and the font size should reflect that. Your name should not take up a quarter of the page but a moderately larger bolded font will serve nicely in helping recruiters remember you. After your name a contact section including an email, phone number, and LinkedIn link are necessities. 

Sometimes a different version of Word will show a resume formatted differently. If your resume is in the wrong format, your chances of hearing back are low. Avoid this by only sending in your resume as a PDF file. This ensures that the recruiter will receive the resume formatted as you like it and will help any HR software they’re using to scan your resume easily.

Your resume should be no longer than one page. A recent graduate with two to five years of experience should not require more than a one-page resume. A great strategy used by candidates today is to have your fully fleshed out LinkedIn profile link included, which can show off a greater depth of experiences and info. Most recruiters will receive your resume electronically and if they are interested in you, they can easily click the LinkedIn profile for more information. 

How To Describe Your Experience 

The name of the game when describing your experience is to summarize not list. 

For each role, present the concrete contributions you made to your past teams, using measurable metrics if possible.  For example:

“Drove $5000 in new business while remaining under budget”

Anything else that you feel is important for recruiters to know—but doesn’t fit into fewer than five bullets—should be relegated to your trusty LinkedIn profile. 

The XYZ formula is a great way to display your experiences. Phrasing bullet points as such: Accomplished X as measured by Y, by doing Z. This helps keep your bullets concise and full of valuable information.

Another important step in any applicant’s process should be to review the job description and do whatever possible to highlight the most relevant experience or skills you have. Having a running document of your recent experiences can be helpful in choosing which fit most with the position. Remember not to list your experience, but to summarize your accomplishments. 

In A Rush? Don’t Make Sloppy Mistakes

If you are a recent graduate looking for your first entry-level role or one of the many individuals who lost their job due to the pandemic, then you’re probably quickly applying to a lot of companies. The most important advice for ensuring a good resume, and the advice most often forgotten is to check for spelling and grammar mistakes. 

Recent graduates and candidates eager for a new opportunity can allow their excitement for a new role to cloud their attention to detail. Before you share your resume with recruiters, have a friend or family member read it over. It might be the only thing separating you from being the perfect candidate! 

Was your internship opportunity canceled because of the pandemic? Looking for valuable ways to gain experience outside of an internship? Check out our Go-To Guide To Growing Your Career This Summer Without An Internship

The post 3 Easy Resume Tips And Tricks From An Entry-Level Recruiting Expert appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

As the quality and reliability of affordable video conferencing software and hardware increases by the day, video interviews have become commonplace for candidates and recruiting companies alike.

The Coronavirus pandemic has taken something that was viewed as more niche and forced it into the mainstream. Industries of all scopes and sizes have had to adjust their interview and new hire onboarding methodology. We’re also now working from home on a full-time basis far more often. 

But even pre-pandemic, the number of companies recruiting via video interviews was on the rise. Why?

• Cheaper

Simply put, it’s faster and more cost-efficient to schedule video interviews vs. in-person. 

• Fairer

Financially and geographically speaking, video interviews are fairer. A candidate who only needs a PC and internet connection allows companies to expand their search and gives candidates a fair shot despite their circumstances.

• Rewatchable

Pre-recorded interviews can be viewed and shared multiple times.

• A good pre-cursor

If a candidate can set up and complete a video interview without any issues or disruptions, it immediately shows their base-line technological skills.

There are downsides to video interviews, in that they can be time-consuming to analyze for the hiring company and may be off-putting to more introverted candidates. That said, if you as the hiring organization is not willing to put in the hours, or you as a candidate are uncomfortable talking to strangers online, you may need a fundamental revaluation of your efforts.

However, if you’re actively applying for work and are expecting a virtual assessment any day now, here are a few ways you can put your best foot forward and not bomb your video interview!

Get your equipment right 

Primarily, your audio and visual inputs.

Most modern laptops come with an integrated webcam, so your choice here is pretty simple. However, if you’re using an older laptop with a lower quality webcam lens, perhaps your best bet is investing in an external one.

If you can avoid it, try not to attend the interview using a tablet or smartphone camera. Sure, the quality is there, but holding the phone to your face comes across as unprofessional.

The camera should be looking down slightly to add some dynamism in the shot. Try to avoid having the camera facing upwards, as the result is rarely flattering. You should be lit from the front, as sitting with your back to the window will cast you as a silhouette. Do the interview inside, where you can control the lighting.

As for your audio, headphones with in-built microphones work best for focusing your voice and drowning out external noise. Most smartphone earphones work fine. If you don’t have access to headphones and must use your internal mic and speakers, ensure you’re sitting somewhere quiet and check both work properly beforehand. 

Now, do a tech-run through:

1. Is your webcam clear?
2. Is your audio coming in and out?
3. Closeout open programs that may interfere with your webcam or slow your PC down
4. Make sure nothing is downloading in the background
5. Is my network secure?
6. Do a video call test with a friend or colleague. 

Manage your environment 

Pre-record yourself to test your equipment. Once you’re happy it’s all working, take a look at what appears in your frame. Is the wall behind you reflecting light? Are there embarrassing photos or posters? Are you lit enough? Does it show your dirty sink? Is there a mirror reflecting something?

This is your big chance to make an impression, and even if you’re saying all the right things, a dirty mug or unkept room may be all the interviewee focuses on. Try to make things interesting with plants or books, but don’t go too over the top. Your efforts to display your knowledge of a firm’s auto dialler software will be for nought if your interviewer’s attention is elsewhere.

Examine your internet speed

A slow internet connection can ruin a video interview, here are a few things you can do to improve it:

• Check your internet speed

There are a variety of speed test websites for you to make use of. You’ll receive three bits of information: ping, download, and upload. The lower the ping, the better. The higher the other two, the better as well. Your download speed will affect the interview’s image and audio. You’ll want at least 8Mbs, anything more is ideal. The same goes for upload speed, which determines how you look and sound on their end. 

If the interviewer uses computer telephony integration software to connect more people to the call, you will need good upload speed. Additionally, if the interview is synced with applicant tracking system software, it may interfere with your upload connection.

• Go wired

Plug your laptop or PC directly into your modem with an ethernet connector instead of interviewing over wifi. This ensures it doesn’t cut off and will improve your speed. If you can’t do this, then sit as close to the modem as possible. 

During the interview 

Make sure you look the part! Avoid white shirts or blouses as they may not show naturally on camera; same for overly black garments. Stay clear of pinstripes or any other busy patterns as those don’t show well on camera either.

Make sure your hair is neat, and your facial hair is trimmed (if applicable). When it comes to make up, often less is more, as your forehead may be too shiny.

So your equipment works and you look good, it’s time to begin!

• It’s good to have prepared notes and speaking points printed out and hidden to the side. This is a great benefit to video interviews. Just ensure you referring to them isn’t visible.

• Speak authoritatively, clearly, and try not to rush. Ensure you leave enough space between asking or answering a question in the event of a lagged connection. 

• Maintain eye contact, which is easier said than done over a video call. Resize your chat window to what feels comfortable. 

• Make sure to smile and try to maintain a friendly environment. But also, don’t be overtly goof or laugh out loud at every joke! Don’t get overly fidgety or distracted by your environment. 

• Engage and ask questions. Have some pre thought out ones close to hand, so you’re able to refer to them when needed. If you’re interviewing with VoIP companies, for instance, have some queries about their particular tech. 

• Lastly, be confident. It’s not an accident you have this interview; they wanted to speak to you for a reason. Know your worth, be proud of your experiences, and show them why you’re the perfect fit.

About the author:

The post How To Put Your Best Foot Forward During A Video Interview appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If you’re interested in a top business role at a prestigious company, then you’ve probably seen the title “Analyst” while doing your research. And while there’s a wide range of roles that fall under that title, they all involve the parsing, arrangement, and presentation of data. Top businesses need data analysis to function and thrive.

As former Morgan Stanley CTO Tsvi Gal told the UPenn Wharton Business Journal, “We [may be] in banking, but we live and die on information…Data analytics is the oxygen of Wall Street.”

If you want to have a real advantage when applying to roles at banks, tech companies, and everything in between, then you should be learning data science. Here’s a quick look at how—through the help of Emeritus, an education technology company—you can get certified in data science or one of its applications (like machine learning) and finally get the internship or entry-level job you really want.

Get Certified—And Actually Trained—With Courses Run By Columbia, Dartmouth, And Other Top Schools

Emeritus’ mission is to help people learn—safely and remotely—the skills they need to succeed in STEM and business careers. But they’re not in this alone. Emeritus works with a network of experienced professors, business leaders, and elite institutions to ensure that the certificate programs they offer aren’t just theoretical.

In their data science programs, you’ll learn the skills necessary to extract, analyze, and synthesize the data that powers major business decisions. Depending on the specific course or track you select, you’ll learn the concepts and applications of business analytics, data visualization, gamification, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. 

These are the skills that recruiters at Big Four firms, Silicon Valley giants, and major banks are scanning your resume for. And with a certification from a name-brand institution on there, recruiters will be able to tell you really do possess them.

The best part is that most of these courses can be completed in two to three months—essentially, the length of a summer. Whether you’re tackling an internship this summer—or if you had one unfortunately cancel on you—this is the perfect time to get started on the skill set you really need.

How Data Science Skills Can Change Your Career

But like any good data scientist, you’ll probably need to see the numbers on this. Career site Glassdoor regularly marks Data Scientist as one of their Top 5 Jobs in America, noting a median annual base salary of over six figures ($113,309, to be specific). 

But whether you start in data science, data analysis, or even a more tech-heavy lane like machine learning, you’ll be building a career that can often lead to a C-level executive position or acceptance to a top MBA or master’s program.

Want to learn more about how to supercharge your resume—and your career—with a certificate in data science? Check out the courses from Emeritus below:

Applied Data Science with Columbia Engineering 

Professional Certificate in Applied Data Science with Dartmouth 

Applied Machine Learning with Columbia Engineering

Learn Python For Data Analytics

The post The Skill That’s In High Demand By Wall Street Giants And Tech Titans—And How You Can Get Certified In It appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The Culture Club at WayUp strives to foster an inclusive, productive workplace where every team member feels welcomed. The club has three values which are core to its identity: learning and development; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and social responsibility. At least one person from each team at WayUp attends a weekly meeting where they attend a discussion on how the group can organize new, engaging initiatives that make team members feel proud to work at WayUp. 

Here’s a closer look at how the WayUp Culture Club achieves those goals—and why they’re so important in the first place.

Analysts at Gallup continue to report that a staggeringly low percentage of employees in the United States feel engaged with their work (only 31 percent in their most recent publication). This comes as no surprise, especially when you read Deloitte’s report on global human capital trends which cited only 28 percent of executives as saying they understood their organization’s culture.

The Culture Club at WayUp addresses this challenging trend by working to ensure that WayUp’s mission, vision, and values are integrated into everything we do. The club is always looking for new ideas and actively invites other team members to join the club or attend a meeting to help think of new initiatives.

Team members at WayUp can expect the club to host lively events like an after-work happy hour or lunch-time trivia, but the Culture Club also has a sincere commitment to social responsibility. The club has organized events like a back-to-school drive where team members donated critical supplies to students in need and a coat drive that supplied those in need with some warm clothes during the New York winter.

Not only do these programs enrich the communities that WayUp serves, they also enrich the WayUp community.

Given recent events concerning racial injustice, the Culture Club has prioritized bringing awareness to some of the critical issues plaguing our country. The team created a  comprehensive guide on how to better educate yourself on the topic, and how to then take action in response.

Recently, the club hosted a film club and discussed the Netflix documentary 13th. In a virtual, round-table setting, team members had an open and honest discussion on some of the critical themes in this movie which have enveloped our culture over the past few months. These issues affect both WayUp’s team members and the platform’s users, and to shy away from examining them in a deliberate way would be a great disservice to our community.

Transitioning to a fully-remote workspace spawned new challenges for the club to address. But with these challenges came new ideas on how to cultivate a community in a virtual space, like using online platforms to host company-wide trivia and bringing in instructors to lead fitness classes over Zoom.

The environment may change, but the Culture Club’s mission remains the same, and now, more than ever, their work helps to bring a sense of belonging to WayUp’s team members.

To learn more about career opportunities at WayUp, click here.

The post How WayUp’s Culture Club Creates A Fun, Inclusive Workplace appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If you’re like most people coming out of school right now—aka 77 percent of Gen Z students and recent grads—then you’re looking for a company that values diversity and inclusion (D&I). But what does that really mean? Is it as simple as joining a diverse team? What else should you be looking for in a company?

These are big questions for anyone to be asking, but the team at Thermo Fisher Scientific—a Fortune 200 science company dedicated to making the world healthier, cleaner, and safer—have come up with a few answers. One of the most important is their multiple diverse, global Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

So, What Are Employee Resource Groups? How Are They Different At Thermo Fisher?

If you’ve done a corporate internship or been on the job hunt lately, then maybe you’ve heard about ERGs. They exist to provide additional community and support to specific groups and identities at large companies. For example, a company might have a group based around African Heritage identity or one for employees who served in the military.

Almost all of these groups put together events like volunteering in the local community and networking sessions, but at Thermo Fisher they take it a step beyond to fully support and foster inclusion amongst all of their colleagues. Their ERGs draw colleagues together around common characteristics and provide a voice of diverse thinking. ERGs positively impact the company’s growth and development, and assist in providing thought leadership for:

• Recruitment and retention
• Education and training
• Professional development
• Community involvement
• Support and recognition
• Business development
• Activities that support a diverse and inclusive work culture

One way they are supported is through active involvement at the C-level. “At Thermo Fisher we have senior-level leaders at our organization who sponsor and help promote the ERGs,” says Cheryl, a Talent Acquisition D&I leader at Thermo Fisher. “They’re a direct line to executives on how to build more diverse teams and more welcoming communities for everyone.”

This means when someone has an idea that can help Thermo Fisher be a more inclusive community or build a more diverse team, they can assist and offer their support to make it happen.

Perhaps someone in the Women’s ERG knows about Women in STEM groups at colleges that could help bring in more female tech talent. Or maybe someone noticed that a cultural event or holiday was going unrecognized by the company. These ERGs give people a platform to not only share their perspectives, but also to have them be heard and acted on.

Finding Your Community, Bringing Your Whole Self To Work

The truth about inclusion is that it’s not just a set of policies or practices. It’s about making sure everyone can find community at work so that they feel comfortable enough to be themselves. Besides the obvious benefits for morale and mental health, when people with diverse perspectives feel comfortable bringing their unique ideas to their work, it has a proven, positive impact on the quality of business decision-making.

“If someone doesn’t feel a sense of inclusion or belonging they may not bring as much of themselves to work,” Cheryl explains. “And we work hard to build a diverse team because we want their unique perspectives.”

These groups, by creating a community for everyone at Thermo Fisher, can bring out all of those positive benefits, both for the employees and the business. That’s also why the groups aren’t limited to just the traditional understanding of diversity, like ethnicity and gender.

“Our groups cover a broad spectrum of interests and identities from ethnicity and gender to early talent, sustainability, working parents, and community action,” Cheryl explains. “Our colleagues have formed 10 different ERG groups, with more opportunities to come.”

All That, Plus They Can Help Accelerate Your Career

At Thermo Fisher, D&I is a team effort. And that effort can mean opportunities for people at all stages of their career to take on new types of challenges. Plus, thanks to the buy-in from leaders at the company, you’ll be supported in balancing the work of your primary role and your assistance in groups like this.

That’s why getting involved with ERGs at Thermo Fisher is a win-win. The company benefits from your perspective and action, and you benefit from a more developed network and unique career opportunities.

One member of the university recruiting team, Emily, noted that, “interns who have been heavily involved in ERGs during their internship are much more likely to receive full-time offers because of all the connections they made during the summer”

One such success story is Sophia, an emerging leader in the company’s IT Development Program. Her involvement with the Asian and Women’s ERGs as an intern led to leadership opportunities in those groups when she joined back with the company full time.

“I joined these ERGs as a way to be more engaged and involved in the community,” Sophia says. But when she took on leadership roles in the ERGs, she got way more than just that.

“This is different from my day job and it exposes me to other functions, too,” Sophia says. ‘It has also been a great way to get my voice heard and network with executive leaders.”

This type of company-wide idea sharing and collaboration isn’t just what makes D&I initiatives work at Thermo Fisher—it’s what drives the whole business.

Want to learn more about this uniquely diverse team? Check out open opportunities at Thermo Fisher on WayUp!

You can also learn about Thermo Fisher Scientific’s ERGs on their website.

The post Change, Community, And Career Acceleration: Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Approach To Fostering Diversity appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Why joining a virtual info session can change your career

In the midst of a pandemic, typical ways of meeting recruiters and expanding connections through means such as career fairs have been put on hold. Information sessions that students and recent graduates are used to are not happening and finding an internship or a job has been more difficult than ever in recent months. This does not mean that companies aren’t sharing knowledge and opportunities with young talent. Virtual information sessions hosted by company recruiters, universities, or career sites like WayUp’s Lunch and Learn Series, are still connecting young professionals with mentors and career opportunities as well as providing information and knowledge that can change your future.

Why Attend An Information Session?

Attending an info session first and foremost shows that you are both interested in the company or subject, and are proactive in advancing your career.  They also provide valuable insight into the career that you are pursuing. For example, past guests at WayUp’s Lunch and Learn series included: Michael Seibel co-founder of Twitch and current CEO at Y Combinator, Cathy Polinsky, CTO at Stitch Fix, and Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Chegg.  At the top of their fields, these presenters and those to come next can share advice to help advance your current career path and expose you to a different opportunity you were not aware of before. 

Information sessions with specific companies reveal what recruiters in a certain field are looking for in qualified candidates, and what roles are currently available. Most of the time, the company hosting the session will offer interviews to the attendees of the session! Even if an interview is not guaranteed after a session, you now have the knowledge and insight to bring to your future job application, use it as an interview talking point, or create networking opportunities through digital connections. This is especially important for recent graduates who are looking for that perfect entry-level position. 

How Can I Prepare?

Simply researching the company, and the individual speaking is the best way to get the most out of a virtual info session. You may not be able to speak one on one with the presenter since it is a large video conference, but being able to make connections between your research and the presentation is a great strategy. Come with a list of questions for a potential Q&A or just to even keep track of personally for potential future interactions or job applications.

What About After?

If a Q&A session does happen, be sure to ask well-thought-out questions.  A good question shows that you were engaged throughout the presentation and can help you to stand out for any future opportunities at the company. 

Share your findings from the session on social media! Posting about the session and tagging the company or speaker, can help you stand out and improve your professional network. Lastly, remember to follow-up! Chances are the leaders volunteering to put on info sessions are open to connecting with young talent.  Use the notes that you took during the session to find what really grabbed your attention and start a conversation! Sending a follow-up email with questions about what interested you in the presentation or their career path can be a great way to build a new connection and grow your network.  

Where Can I Find Them?

Tons of companies are hosting information sessions over the next few months! We’ll be keeping the list below updated with all the different sessions hosted by WayUp—so be sure to check back here to see them all and apply!

• T-Mobile Magenta Chats: Connecting with Leaders of Color
• East Coast Mega Magenta Event: Internships with T-Mobile
• Virtual Event: Leadership Acceleration Program Internship
• How to succeed in CX with CarMax (plus a prize giveaway!)
• Meet Blackrock: Exclusive Opportunities for CUNY Students
• Virtual Intern Panel: Fortune 30 Healthcare Company
• Virtual Event: An Inside Look at Interning with BNSF Logistics
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Recruitment operations expert at WayUp. Gabriel Cohn used to write music and live entertainment – now he helps college students and recent graduates get their dream jobs. 

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Everyone has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The physical and financial health of millions of people has been threatened by this unprecedented disruption. Seeing this, L’Oréal immediately leveraged its status as a global beauty tech giant to help the communities it serves—and beyond—through a response effort focused around three pillars:

• Ensuring the health and wellbeing of L’Oréal employees
• Galvanizing the company to contribute to the greater good
• Taking this time to transform the way L’Oréal works

While the company was quick to enact protective measures for its employees, like work-from-home policies and stringent cleanliness procedures for manufacturing environments, some of the most important work was done to protect communities outside the company.

1. Looking Beyond The Beauty Community—And Galvanizing Employees To Do The Same

When you’re a global manufacturing and supply chain leader, you have the power to mobilize quickly to make impact when faced with a pressing need. Immediately after the pandemic began, L’Oréal facilities around the world began creating and packaging hand sanitizer for essential workers, healthcare facilities, and care homes.

As a part of their global COVID-19 relief efforts, L’Oréal donated $250,000 to Feeding America, which helps combat food insecurity caused by poverty, a problem which has grown since the start of the pandemic. In Europe, the L’Oréal foundation donated one million euros to its partner non-profit organizations fighting similar forms of insecurity across the Atlantic.

As the company outlined in its official COVID-19 response, “These establishments are our first line of defense against coronavirus and are committed to protecting us and curbing the epidemic every day.” But it’s not just the corporation that’s helping out—employees are mobilizing as well. One of the pillars of the company’s pandemic response is to “galvanize the company to contribute to the greater good.” In that spirit, the company is matching the donations of their employees to Feeding America, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000.

2. Supporting Their Partners & Small Businesses

Beauty for all—one of the company’s core philosophies—means looking beyond the bounds of their business to support those in need. In addition to the public health impacts of the pandemic, many in the beauty community were also suffering from economic disruption. Stylists, salons, suppliers, and small businesses of many kinds are essential parts of the industry—and L’Oréal made sure to provide relief to them.

Through donations, fundraising, and billing relief efforts, L’Oréal is jumping into action to help these small, vibrant businesses make it through. Partnering with organizations like the Professional Beauty Association, L’Oréal is helping to raise money for industry professionals who need assistance during the lockdown. Plus, for small businesses unable to get customers in the door, L’Oréal is delaying or freezing payments for their products.

3. Leading A Tech Transformation to Connect with Consumers – And Employees

COVID-19 forced many companies to quickly undergo technological transformations to adapt to an entirely remote working world, but L’Oréal took this as an opportunity to make industry-leading innovations.

In a time when many of us can’t be physically with our friends, families, and communities, L’Oréal’s teams also stepped up to the plate to use technology to spread happiness. Lisa Price, the founder of one of L’Oréal’s beloved brands, Carol’s Daughter, gave a virtual commencement speech to honor the class of 2020. Using the power of TikTok, multiple brands under the L’Oreal umbrella launched social gifting programs to build a sense of support during these unprecedented times. A partnership with Snap Camera was launched with eight of L’Oreal’s Brand to create AR lenses for platforms like Skype, Youtube, and Twitch. Conference calls have never been more glamorous!

The teams behind all these innovations went through a tech transformation of their own as many employees transitioned to working fully at home. Even while not being able to be physically together, employees quickly mobilized to create ways to stay more connected than ever. The USA Head of Talent Acquisition, Sumita Banerjee, started teaching virtual Zumba classes for both employees and their families to participate, milestones like birthdays were celebrated with virtual fêtes, and beloved pets filled in for missed office mates.

For members of the L’Oréal team, it’ll never be easier (or safer) to connect with their peers —pandemic or not.

Innovating For Good Is Just Part Of The L’Oréal Culture

“We at L’Oréal USA feel a deep responsibility to do our part to help address this crisis in the many communities in which we live and work,” L’Oréal USA CEO Stéphane Rinderknech said.

And while the COVID-19 crisis is new, this type of innovative response for the betterment of society is standard practice for L’Oréal. Whether it’s technological innovations for sustainability or crafting diverse communities at work, the beauty technology giant has long considered its business an avenue for positive change.

Want to see how your career could help with efforts like these? Check out open opportunities at L’Oréal on WayUp!

The post 3 Ways L’Oréal Is Helping Their Communities In The Wake Of COVID-19 appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

What is accounting? What is advisory? What does a career in tax look like? You’ve got questions and we teamed up with the awesome team at CohnReznick to get you answers. Watch:

CohnReznick is a national leader in accounting, tax, and consulting. They’re in the top 20 of Vault’s Accounting 50 list and in the top 10 of Vault’s Most Prestigious Accounting Firms list. So, finding an internship—and a first full-time job—at the company is a competitive process.

You can apply through CohnReznick on WayUp. Either way, don’t forget to update your resume and brush up on your accounting basics. Good luck!

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