This week, we sat down with Saloni Patel (MST ’23) to learn more about her internship search this semester. Saloni is a
first-semester student who secured multiple offers, accepting offers
with CBIZ, KPMG, and Withum for internships in the coming semesters.
Hi
Saloni! Thanks so much for chatting with us. Why don’t you tell us a little bit
about yourself?
Of course! Currently, I am a first-semester
grad student in the Masters in Taxation program here at Baruch and I did my
undergrad in Accounting from Queens College. At the moment, I am interning at a
non-profit as a Finance & Accounting Intern. In addition, I am also the AVP
for ZTAX and Assistant Treasurer for Graduate Ascend.
It
sounds like you’ve had a busy first semester! How has the transition to Baruch
been overall, be it classes and keeping up with recruiting?
Getting adjusted with a hybrid situation
was a bit tough as I travel a long distance both ways and especially since most
of the classes are at night, it has been a challenge for sure. Also, managing
between classes and interviews definitely tested my prioritizing skills but I
think persistence and a bit of motivation is what really got me through.
Congratulations
on securing multiple offers this fall recruiting season! What do you think
helped you stand out in the application processes?
Attending various events on campus that
the firms hosted and speaking with the staff and recruiters. This helped me
prepare for the “why us” question for the interviews as I was able to learn
more about the firms from the inside, helping me personalize my responses. I
attempted my best to customize the resume according to the job description and
having it reviewed by multiple experienced professionals.
That’s
a great point on learning about the firms to be able to answer the “why us”
question. We see that question come up often. Speaking of interviews, how did
they go overall? How did you manage? Anything you wish you’d known going into
them all?
All of the interviews were
conversational. One of the firms I interviewed with for two rounds made me ask
them questions instead of them asking me which helped me get to know the firm
from the people who make the decisions. I utilized GCMC resources and scheduled
mock interviews with career coaches that provided feedback on the spot
alongside helping modify my answers. Something I wish I knew was how fast the
30 minutes go so keep in mind to ask the questions you want to while making
sure you leave your best impression on the interviewers.
That
is very true. The 30 minutes does fly by, especially if the interview feels
conversational. Before we wrap up, do you have any last bits of advice for
students and/or recent grads who might be starting out their own job search?
Advice I would like to give is to
research the companies and personalize the responses with traits that you find
interesting about the company. And, I would say don’t stress it even though it
is inevitable, you are one interview closer to landing your dream job!
++++
For assistance with your own
job/internship search, we welcome you to:
- Schedule a 1:1
appointment with a career coach
- Attend drop-in
hours (Mondays through Thursdays, 4-5pm ET)
- View self-paced
resources, including webinars, articles, and templates
- Contact
the GCMC with any questions
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