Internships

During my short but impactful time working as a marketing intern at a company based in Shanghai, I gained so much valuable experience in only 5 weeks. I instantly felt as though I was a valued team member and was able to take ownership of several hands-on projects within the first week. The team not only made me feel extremely welcomed but held me to high standards which cultivated an open and growth-oriented environment. As a result, I have gained so many new skills, as well as refined the skills I came in with, resulting in a newfound confidence as I approach future opportunities.

Although I worked from my home about 30 hours a week, the internship was extremely interactive and rewarding. I communicated with my supervisor and Chinese marketing intern daily and was able to navigate the 11 hour time difference, while simultaneously improving my time management skills.

Other than daily meetings, I mainly worked from my own schedule and self managed my daily tasks in order to meet deadlines. My supervisor guided me in discussing what tasks he would like me to work on for the day, but was very flexible and open to how I completed my work. At our daily meetings, we would go over what I had completed that day as well as set goals for the next day and near future, which supported the various projects I took part in. The internship was definitely a fast paced environment and challenged me to prioritize tasks and time manage.

The greatest benefit I took away from the internship was the advantage I now have over other candidates when searching for internships or job opportunities. With this unique line of experience on my résumé, I was able to attract employers which undoubtedly helped me land my upcoming summer internship.

During my interviews, I had countless talking points from the internship that highlighted my skills and portrayed me as a strong potential employee. One of my interviewers actually pointed out that the virtual internship was what stood out to him about my résumé and led him to give me an interview, which ultimately led to an offer. This experience is truly one that can help you set yourself apart when applying for future positions and has so many long term benefits. I can confidently testify that if you have the opportunity to complete an international internship, it will be well worth it in many aspects.

I noticed an internship opportunity at White & Case LLP in the Pre-Law monthly newsletter I received while a Miami student. I had never been to Asia nor had a legal internship before, so I jumped at the chance to apply, especially because I wanted to go to law school after Miami.

I began my internship in New York City and then spent six weeks in Manila, Philippines at the Global Operations Center. I worked in a different department each week in Manila (Finance, Marketing, Compliance & New Business, etc.) and worked odd hours because the Global Operations Center had to work to meet deadlines all over the world. One day I worked until 2 AM because we had to be on London time, then started work at 10 AM the next day because we were on New York City time!

Everyone in Manila was very nice, and they made me feel welcome and comfortable immediately. The culture, history, food, and music were all extremely interesting!

I am currently in law school, and this internship was an amazing experience that solidified my desire to become an attorney. I believe Miami students should look for international internships to get experience in the field they hope to enter, while getting to travel and experience a culture completely different from the United States!

Q: Where did you intern at?

A:“I interned at Kelsey Hopper Music and Yoga.”

Q:What made you decide to pick up an internship while abroad?

A:“I actually decided before I left for abroad! I applied for the position in October and started working for her right away. It was an amazing decision because I was able to mitigate some of my spending as well as gain professional experience. It also allowed me to explore the country of Luxembourg a bit more than my one-semester counter parts, which is something that I was interested in doing from the beginning.”

Q:What was your day-to-day experience like as an intern?

A:“One thing that I loved about my internship is that it was online, so I usually met with my boss once a week to update her on what I had been doing. She would tell me what needed to be done in the future and made a plan to execute that. This allowed me to work and travel at the same time so I got to visit even more countries in the summer! It was one of my favorite experiences I have ever had.”

Q:What was the work environment like in comparison to jobs/ internships you have had in the U.S.?

A:“For me, it was really laid back. People work hard in Europe, but also know when to take time off and enjoy themselves. I think they have a lot better idea of what “work-life balance” means.”