Shloka Ramshankar

On August 23, 2019, I attended the JSOM CMC Boot Camp: 10 Strategies for Finding an
Internship. This event lasted from 1 to 2 pm and was lead by the Associate Director of the Career
Management Center Neil Johnson. The speaker was Naneth Allen, a Senior Talent Acquisition
Partner from Thomson Reuters. This particular event was the first event of the year I attended
that was hosted by the Career Management Center, and it was a very informative experience.
Upon starting my freshman year as a student of the Jindal School of Management, I knew I
wanted an internship as soon as I could. Thus, I had been planning to attend the Undergraduate
Intern Expo on September 5th. However, I was quite uncertain as to how exactly I should
approach the internship seeking process. Fortunately, the very first tip that the speaker shared
was perhaps the most influential to me, as it reframed my entire way of thinking about pursuing
internships. This first tip was “Identify Employer Target List”. Although it seems quite obvious,
it never crossed my mind that I should create a list of specific companies I need to seek. After
hearing that tip, I realized that creating a target employer list would shape the way I present
myself to different recruiters. I might have to tailor my “story” depending on the company in
order to match the specific values or attributes that they are looking for. In fact, the speaker
shared one might need to actually create multiple versions of their resume to address the various
target employers on their list. This really struck a chord within me, because I had been under the
impression that one resume must fit all situations and there is no room for flexibility.
Another realization I had is that I must diligently practice the various tips that the speaker
shared in order to blossom as a young professional. Whether it is networking, attending business
related events, developing my elevator pitch, improving my resume, or telling my story, I need to
practice these tasks on a consistent basis to experience true growth. Thus, I am planning to attend
another networking workshop as well as a final internship boot camp next week to make the
most of my time before the undergraduate expo.
A key theme I took away from the entire event is that differentiation is critical to succeed
during the internship seeking process. There will be a multitude of candidates competing for the
same positions as each other, so standing in out in various categories is essential to catch the eye
of an employer. I realized that fine tuning a resume to highlight unique achievements or
experiences can contribute towards differentiation. Additionally, truly understanding yourself
and your story is significant to convincing a recruiter why you may be the best fit for their
company. I also came to understand that connecting with a person of interest via LinkedIn or
networking with them frequently at events is a method for standing out. Even following up after
an initial interview could be a means to making a long-lasting impression. Overall, I realized that
consistency and utilization of multiple platforms are the methods to truly differentiating oneself.
While my long term goal is to go to law school, I do want to gain internship and work
experience before I pursue that. Before attending this Career Management Center sponsored
event, I was uncertain on how to approach the internship seeking process. After attending, I have
a much better understanding on the action I need to take. Firstly, I need to conduct further self
analysis on what routes and angles I would like to take on as a global business major during my
undergraduate career. Next, I need to research and develop a list of target companies, along with
strategizing how to leverage my major in approaching those companies. Once I have developed
my target list, I will start applying the other tips that the speaker shared such as developing my
resume, networking, attending events, and practicing storytelling during my preparation for the
undergraduate expo.
Without a doubt, the JSOM CMC Boot Camp: 10 Strategies for Finding an Internship
was a truly informative and motivating event to kick off my freshman year.
Shloka Ramshankar