Did the internship really help?

By Susan Bowles for Gannett News Service

Saif Siddiqui, 26, is a second-year MBA student at Yale University. He parlayed an internship at United Technologies Corp. (UTC) last summer into a full-time job offer once he graduates in May. Here is how he got the internship he truly wanted.

Q: When did you begin interviewing for a UTC internship?

I had my first-round interview in January 2001. Within a few weeks, I was told I had made it to the second round and that managers from UTC's divisions would get in touch with me. I had conversations with two managers in March who offered me internships.

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Q: How stiff was the competition for a UTC slot?

Nine Yale students were selected for the first round of interviews. I was one of two students from my class to join UTC for a summer internship.

To give you an idea of the competition this coming summer, among Yale's MBA Class of 2003, 69 students applied for one of UTC's nine interview slots.

Q: What did you do to make yourself stand out during the selection process?

Research and thorough preparation are essential. I leveraged Yale's Career

Development Office and worked hard on my resume and cover letter because they serve as a candidate's surrogate during the first stage. I also sought advice from Yale students who had interned at UTC the previous summer and from alumni at the company I'd met during UTC's campus presentation.

Before the interviews, I went through the UTC Web site and understood the company's history, business units, products and geographical spread. I also went through the financial statements and press releases for the last three years in order to understand UTC's financial performance and business-related developments.

I probably used only 10% of the information I garnered from these sources. But this preparation gave me tremendous confidence. It also added a lot of credibility to my assertion that I was committed to a career with UTC, not just a summer internship.

Q: What was the original offer and how did it compare to your hopes?

The original internship offers came in March for marketing projects. Having been exposed to marketing in my prior work life (Siddiqui is a mechanical engineer and worked in India's automotive industry before entering Yale), I wanted to move out of my comfort zone. I was looking for opportunities in which I would be able to impact the strategic direction of the projects I was working on.

Q: How did you go about getting the internship you truly desired?

Once I decided that I couldn't accept the two offers extended to me, I decided to look for a UTC internship on my own. I had met an alumnus during an on-campus event in fall 2000 and had been in touch with him since. I spoke with him, explained my situation and discussed the kind of an internship I was looking for. He was working in UTC's Corporate Strategy and Development Group and indicated the group could use a summer intern. Within a few days, interviews were set up for me with that group's senior members.

I had all my interviews in a single day. By that evening, they offered me a summer internship.

Q: Were you the first intern to work in UTC's Corporate Strategy and Development Group?

Yes.

Q: What were your responsibilities?

I worked on strategic and financial analyses for prospective acquisition targets across the company's business units, participated in the due diligence of acquisition targets, interacted regularly with senior management on various business issues, participated in high-level meetings and developed frameworks for growth strategies for business units.

Q: Going back to how you got this internship: You had a pretty longstanding relationship with that UTC alumnus before calling him about the position you wanted. How did you develop it?

After meeting him in fall 2000, I kept in touch with him by phone and e-mail. By spring 2001, I had developed a strong relationship him and was able to seek his help when I needed.

Alumni are willing to help, but students shouldn't expect "push button" responses. In other words, looking up alumni through the school's database days or weeks before one actually needs help may not give the students and alumni adequate time to understand each other's interests and may not yield the best results. Relationships have to be cultivated on a common platform of strong affinity for the alma mater and a strong and genuine interest in the company the alumni are part of.

Q: How did you ensure you'd make an impression during your internship?

Although I started my internship with a list of learning objectives, I was flexible enough to accommodate new assignments. I shared my learning objectives with my manager and sought his advice about the kinds of responsibilities I needed to address my learning needs and contribute to the team goals. I used his input to draw a more specific work plan.

In addition to the main project assigned to me, I arranged meetings with all members of the team to request additional assignments. This independent solicitation of work proved very successful. Soon enough, I had various assignments that challenged me in more ways than one.

I sought feedback from everyone I worked with. I tried to take assignments that were outside my comfort zone and those that presented academic, professional and personal challenges. I read books during the weekends to familiarize myself with concepts I'd be required to use for my new assignments.

Q: How long was your internship?

Summer internships are typically 10 to 12 weeks, but one week into mine, I requested an extension for 15 weeks. I realized the diverse and intense learning avenues that the Corporate Strategy and Development Group offered. Therefore, I wanted to ensure I had time to make the most of this learning experience and to contribute tangibly as part of the team.

Q: What has the outcome been?

UTC offered me a full-time job after my summer internship.

Q: If you could offer just one piece of advice to a college student seeking an internship, what would it be?

Networking and building relationships with alumni are essential elements of the job search. This networking takes time, patience and planning and is a vital asset that builds a seminal support structure throughout the initial stages of one's career. It's often the key to matching great skills with great opportunities.