Barnard Alumnae Helped Me Get My Dream Internship
I sighed nervously as I clicked “Submit Application” for what felt like (and very possibly could have been) the 20th time that day, but was simultaneously filled with hope and excitement for what the summer of 2019 could bring. Little did I know, I would be connecting with and spending my summer with members of the Barnard community in a very different setting.
The spring semester of my junior year had just started, and I was determined to find a summer internship in New York City. The folks at Beyond Barnard (our career and higher education center) had given me sample resumés and cover letters specifically for consulting, the industry I was recruiting in, and I had carefully tailored the templates to showcase the leadership positions and work opportunities I had at Barnard so far. After sifting through numerous Google searches and job postings on Handshake, the platform that we use at Barnard to find internships and jobs, I had finally stumbled upon what seemed like my dream internship - an analyst role in Human Resources Consulting, located right in the heart of midtown New York.
After submitting my application, I quickly hopped onto LinkedIn to see if I knew anyone who had connections at that company, and could maybe provide me with some insights on the recruiting process. Although I didn’t have anyone in my immediate network who had worked there, someone else popped up in my search - a Barnard alumna wearing the signature Columbia cap and gown in her profile picture - who also happened to work in the department I applied to join! Although I had never messaged anyone on LinkedIn who I hadn’t previously met in person, I took a deep breath and sent her an introductory message, explaining that I had applied to the summer internship position and was hoping to get some guidance or tips for securing the job. Within a day, she wrote back, saying that she would be more than happy to connect over coffee that very week! We met at a casual coffee shop right across from the office building, and got to know each other over cups of green tea. I learned about her journey since graduating from Barnard and about her role in the company for the past few years. She told me about how the liberal arts curriculum at Barnard, with its emphasis on developing solid writing skills, served her extremely well in her professional journey. Having shared the Barnard experience, she understood the importance of my question of whether the company values and celebrates diversity in the workplace, and shared that many of the leaders in our office were women. She walked me through the recruiting process, explaining what I would have to do if I were to advance to the next stage, which included an online video interview, followed by a “Superday” where I would have the opportunity to speak with many more team members. It was so reassuring to hear all about potential next steps from someone who had been through it all just a few years prior, and to have someone on my side as well.
It was only about a week after I completed the video interview that I received an invitation to the Superday. Out of curiosity, I took a quick peek on LinkedIn to find that the Senior Associate who had emailed me, and would be interviewing me, was also a Barnard alumna! When the big day had finally arrived, being greeted in the elevator bank by a smiling Barnard alumna was so comforting that I was immediately put at ease, and most of my nervous energy had been replaced by confidence and composure. When it came to our interview, we spent so much time talking about Barnard and our shared experience, that it didn’t even feel like an interview at all! I was truly exhausted by the end of the six hours (four interviews, plus a quantitative and writing test), but having her friendly presence and constant support made the interview process all the more enjoyable.
I was so excited when I got the call from my recruiter saying that I got the internship - but all the more so because I knew I would be joining a growing Barnard community at the company. The Barnard alumna who interviewed me ended up being my supervisor, and she was an incredible mentor throughout the entire summer. At the end of the internship, I received an offer to return full-time, and I could not be more thrilled to rejoin my colleagues and reminisce about our Barnard days together in January.
Although I am proud of myself for working hard and preparing rigorously for the interviews, I truly believe that having Barnard alumnae supporting me through the process was a huge factor in helping me secure the internship. I feel so lucky that I am part of a community that continues to support you even outside of campus gates, and that I will soon be able to give back to Barnard students as an alumna myself.
-Chantel Woo