Training Ground
McCombs Students Get Real-World Experience in Summer Internships
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Jorge Ortiz de la Peña, Finance Senior
Citigroup Intern
New York, New York
Four years have passed and the idea of
being in college is finally fading away. It was my
father’s phrase “real life starts after college” that
suddenly started to make more and more sense.
Responsibilities doubled, pressures doubled. But the
simple thought of finding myself in my favorite city and
working in my dream job kept me wondering how amazing
life could and would be after college.
After a whole year of constantly working with the great staff in BBA Career Services, I was able to enhance my interviewing skills and attend many of their informational and recruiting events. These resources gave me the opportunity to enter an elite program called Sponsors for Educational Opportunities (SEO).
SEO is an organization committed to the education, support and proliferation of minorities into competitive workplaces. This group opened the doors for me to intern with Citigroup as an analyst for the Leveraged Finance Department in New York City.
Like most students at McCombs, I was familiar with the many stereotypes associated with investment banking: the obsession for work, the drive for glamour, the infatuation for money and the competitiveness of the workplace. It wasn’t until I experienced the “life of an analyst” that I recognized how far away from reality some of these stereotypes were.
Even though most people agree with the fact that investment banking is not for everyone, they all tend to disagree about the attributes needed to be successful in the investment banking world. After working for two months and more than 100 hours a week, I discovered that passion is the essential characteristic needed in this working environment.
Passion is, for most analysts, the distinct characteristic that separates the well-known stereotypes from reality. This quality enables the individual to overcome the unwanted drive for glamour and the infatuation for material goods, therefore motivating the person to work for a greater cause: the love for the job.
It was not until this summer, when pushed to my limits, that I discovered my passion for the financial world. When talking to fellow interns and students back home, I am always asked what experience led me to the latter conclusion.
During my first week at work I had the good fortune of being given tickets to watch the Yankees face the Red Sox on a Tuesday night. I’ve been a Yankee fan my entire life and had never been able to see them play, so I knew that this was an experience I would never forget. After leaving Yankee Stadium around 11 p.m., I received a phone call from the office asking me to go back to work.
This was my first “all nighter” of the summer. Looking back, I simply cannot remember who pitched for the Yankees or the ending score of the game. The only thing I clearly remember is every detail of the project and the excitement of working on it. This was the moment when I made the decision that investment banking was the life I wanted to pursue.
When starting a position in investment banking, it is almost impossible to realize what you are really getting into. The long working hours, the lack of sleep and the constant pressure makes it almost impossible for most people to tolerate this type of environment. Taking these conditions into consideration, it is clear now that the only way to survive this lifestyle is by being passionate about it.
Diana Velázquez, Finance Senior
General Motors Intern
Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico
After spending summer 2005 interning at General Motors’ Powertrain headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan, I had the incredible opportunity to experience an international internship with GM this past summer. The internship at its Silao Complex—located in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico—was awesome. Every minute of the day was a new experience—an opportunity to learn.
When I arrived in Mexico, it took me about two weeks to adjust to the cultural differences, and it was during this transition when I grew the most. I was learning about my co-workers’ culture and they were learning about mine.
From something as basic as figuring out the keyboard at my desk to negotiating in Spanish with someone from Argentina, I found myself taking on a new challenge each day.
During my internship I was also able to play an integral part in the migration of a Web-based system from the United States to Mexico. In the process, I learned how to do business with executives across the world.
This project allowed me to work with people from Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Latin America. It helped me realize that the world is a small place, and this is especially important to note considering how rapidly the business environment is changing to a more global arena.
Some of the most memorable parts of my internship included experiencing the excitement of the World Cup while in Mexico, visiting some of the most beautiful colonial cities and ruins in the state of Guanajuato, interacting with Mexican colleagues in a Mexican business setting and immersing and enriching myself in a culture different than my own.
During the World Cup, it was astonishing to see how much soccer is a part of the Mexican culture. Everyone wore soccer jerseys to work the days Mexico played. Someone at GM was actually sent to a nearby store to purchase soccer jerseys for those who weren’t wearing one. It was so amazing to hear the building roar when Mexico made a goal. During the second half of the games, the Silao assembly line would come to a stop and all of the employees would congregate in the cafeteria to watch the end together.
Even as I began to notice the many differences in the business settings, I also saw a similarity—a similarity in sentiment towards a common business goal. I observed this similarity when I was fortunate enough to attend the J.D. Power Award Presentations at both the Pontiac Assembly Center in Michigan and the Silao Assembly Plant in Mexico. The excitement and enthusiasm of all those present was contagious and overwhelming. It is interesting how each culture reacts uniquely to the words of presenters and how both crowds synonymously become energized at the challenge to maintain high standards and add value the following year. I couldn’t help but shout, “Sí Se Puede!” (Yes we can!) alongside my comrades in both the U.S. and Mexico plants.
At GM, I was never just an intern. My thoughts and input were always taken seriously, and I was given truly challenging assignments during both summers I spent with the company. Most importantly, the corporate culture is very welcoming. In addition to my vast personal and professional growth, I always felt like an important part of the GM family while there.
Citigroup Intern
New York, New York
Four years have passed and the idea of
being in college is finally fading away. It was my
father’s phrase “real life starts after college” that
suddenly started to make more and more sense.
Responsibilities doubled, pressures doubled. But the
simple thought of finding myself in my favorite city and
working in my dream job kept me wondering how amazing
life could and would be after college. After a whole year of constantly working with the great staff in BBA Career Services, I was able to enhance my interviewing skills and attend many of their informational and recruiting events. These resources gave me the opportunity to enter an elite program called Sponsors for Educational Opportunities (SEO).
SEO is an organization committed to the education, support and proliferation of minorities into competitive workplaces. This group opened the doors for me to intern with Citigroup as an analyst for the Leveraged Finance Department in New York City.
Like most students at McCombs, I was familiar with the many stereotypes associated with investment banking: the obsession for work, the drive for glamour, the infatuation for money and the competitiveness of the workplace. It wasn’t until I experienced the “life of an analyst” that I recognized how far away from reality some of these stereotypes were.
Even though most people agree with the fact that investment banking is not for everyone, they all tend to disagree about the attributes needed to be successful in the investment banking world. After working for two months and more than 100 hours a week, I discovered that passion is the essential characteristic needed in this working environment.
Passion is, for most analysts, the distinct characteristic that separates the well-known stereotypes from reality. This quality enables the individual to overcome the unwanted drive for glamour and the infatuation for material goods, therefore motivating the person to work for a greater cause: the love for the job.
It was not until this summer, when pushed to my limits, that I discovered my passion for the financial world. When talking to fellow interns and students back home, I am always asked what experience led me to the latter conclusion.
During my first week at work I had the good fortune of being given tickets to watch the Yankees face the Red Sox on a Tuesday night. I’ve been a Yankee fan my entire life and had never been able to see them play, so I knew that this was an experience I would never forget. After leaving Yankee Stadium around 11 p.m., I received a phone call from the office asking me to go back to work.
This was my first “all nighter” of the summer. Looking back, I simply cannot remember who pitched for the Yankees or the ending score of the game. The only thing I clearly remember is every detail of the project and the excitement of working on it. This was the moment when I made the decision that investment banking was the life I wanted to pursue.
When starting a position in investment banking, it is almost impossible to realize what you are really getting into. The long working hours, the lack of sleep and the constant pressure makes it almost impossible for most people to tolerate this type of environment. Taking these conditions into consideration, it is clear now that the only way to survive this lifestyle is by being passionate about it.
Diana Velázquez, Finance Senior
General Motors Intern
Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico
After spending summer 2005 interning at General Motors’ Powertrain headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan, I had the incredible opportunity to experience an international internship with GM this past summer. The internship at its Silao Complex—located in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico—was awesome. Every minute of the day was a new experience—an opportunity to learn.
When I arrived in Mexico, it took me about two weeks to adjust to the cultural differences, and it was during this transition when I grew the most. I was learning about my co-workers’ culture and they were learning about mine.
From something as basic as figuring out the keyboard at my desk to negotiating in Spanish with someone from Argentina, I found myself taking on a new challenge each day.
During my internship I was also able to play an integral part in the migration of a Web-based system from the United States to Mexico. In the process, I learned how to do business with executives across the world.
This project allowed me to work with people from Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Latin America. It helped me realize that the world is a small place, and this is especially important to note considering how rapidly the business environment is changing to a more global arena.
Some of the most memorable parts of my internship included experiencing the excitement of the World Cup while in Mexico, visiting some of the most beautiful colonial cities and ruins in the state of Guanajuato, interacting with Mexican colleagues in a Mexican business setting and immersing and enriching myself in a culture different than my own.
During the World Cup, it was astonishing to see how much soccer is a part of the Mexican culture. Everyone wore soccer jerseys to work the days Mexico played. Someone at GM was actually sent to a nearby store to purchase soccer jerseys for those who weren’t wearing one. It was so amazing to hear the building roar when Mexico made a goal. During the second half of the games, the Silao assembly line would come to a stop and all of the employees would congregate in the cafeteria to watch the end together.
Even as I began to notice the many differences in the business settings, I also saw a similarity—a similarity in sentiment towards a common business goal. I observed this similarity when I was fortunate enough to attend the J.D. Power Award Presentations at both the Pontiac Assembly Center in Michigan and the Silao Assembly Plant in Mexico. The excitement and enthusiasm of all those present was contagious and overwhelming. It is interesting how each culture reacts uniquely to the words of presenters and how both crowds synonymously become energized at the challenge to maintain high standards and add value the following year. I couldn’t help but shout, “Sí Se Puede!” (Yes we can!) alongside my comrades in both the U.S. and Mexico plants.
At GM, I was never just an intern. My thoughts and input were always taken seriously, and I was given truly challenging assignments during both summers I spent with the company. Most importantly, the corporate culture is very welcoming. In addition to my vast personal and professional growth, I always felt like an important part of the GM family while there.
<< previous |
1 | 2
