Since attending the Risk Management and Insurance Department’s career fair in late September, landing an MBA internship has been my number one priority. And I have found that other people hold the keys to my interviewing success.
I am thankful for RMI MBA Director Jim Swanke, who challenges his students to improve their elevator pitches weekly. After completing the “tell me about yourself” story in an interview, more often than not, the employer or recruiter will know if the candidate fits the job description; regular practice is critical. Another integral member of my career development team is Assistant Director of Career Management Laura Berkan. Since the summer, Laura and I have worked on enhancing my resume, developing my stories, and refining my value proposition. Lastly, I thank my mentor, RMI MBA Advisory Board Member Ben Wright. Ben serves as the Enterprise Chief Underwriting Officer at American Family Insurance. It has been fascinating to learn about how Ben has advanced his career over his twenty-five years at AmFam, hear about his experiences at UW-Madison, and receive his advice about prospective interview scenarios.
Early in my career, I applied for various roles through LinkedIn, Indeed, Handshake, and company websites. Over time, I determined this was not the best practice for landing potential first-round interviews. When searching for prospective internship opportunities, the most important step of the process is developing a connection with a key decision-maker at the firm. This person could be an individual known from a previous role, a LinkedIn connection, a UW-Madison contact or alumnus, or a family friend.
This school year, I have been fortunate to have many in-person coffee chats, phone conversations, and Zoom networking calls with insurance professionals. Many contacts are kind enough to pass my resume along to hiring managers at their company or provide referrals at other firms.
I learned the protocol for interview success is to first research the company and the professional interviewing us. It is fundamental to understand what differentiates the company and how the interviewer has progressed through their career. It is also important to prepare at least three thought-provoking questions to conclude the interview. A few potential questions include: how is your company expecting to grow both short-term and long-term, what defines a good intern versus a great intern, and what are some reasons why your team would move me forward in the interview process? After each interview, it is critical to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Finally, I send an email thanking the interviewer and the company within twenty-four hours of the initial conversation.
Over the past few months, I am proud of the progress I have made in my internship search. I have had conversations with many well-regarded companies in the insurance industry regarding internship opportunities in underwriting, employee benefits, and risk management. I am determined to continue utilizing the UW’s resources and my connections to land a successful internship this summer.
Categories: