In this “Internship Experience” blog post series, we will be featuring the profile and thoughts of our students from Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management as they return from summer internships.
Name: Allie Moore
Graduation Year: May 2020
Major(s)/Minor(s): Finance / Management
Hometown: Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Intern Company/Title: WeWork – Process Optimization Finance Intern
Describe your position and some of your daily tasks?
At WeWork, I was a process optimization intern. I created finance onboarding materials for 10,000+ finance employees globally. The work consisted of creating slides and dashboards to track internal website usage and the effectiveness of current materials. Also, I was a problem solver on the Jira Finance Support desk, which is an online help system. I would resolve issue tickets from WeWork employees all over the world.
How did you land your internship?
This was my second summer at WeWork. My first summer was a rotational program and I inquired about a non-rotation position for my second summer and was offered a position to return.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
In addition to the software, excel and tech skills I learned on the job, I learned how vital it is to be detail-oriented. Understanding what your manager wants on a very specific level can optimize the production capabilities of the entire team. I learned the value of transparency and communication while working on the tech desk. Things improved when employees all over the world were on the same page. WeWork allowed me to work closely with high-level managers and shadow their interactions. Both my qualitative and quantitative skills improved because of my WeWork experience.
Has your experience changed your plans or career choice when you leave college?
WeWork taught me the value of diverse experiences. I was exposed to many projects and teams in my rotational program during the summer of 2018. This experience solidified the fact that I want to work in a fast-paced environment that invests in the success of future professionals through rigorous training and professional development.
How will your internship experience help you after graduation?
WeWork’s product is often hard to comprehend. The deep understanding I have of the space-as-a-service offering will allow me to spread the wealth of knowledge about alternative start-up business models. It is so helpful to understand the realities of starting a new industry, through this product. There are many lessons to learn from the technicalities of a fast-growing, emerging product that can drastically change an industry.
How has the Whitman School prepared you for your internship?
The best requirement Whitman has is the Microsoft Excel Certification during the fall semester of your first year. Understanding how excel can elevate your productivity in any role is incredibly important. I am so grateful that Whitman provided me with this knowledge through the certification and business class at such an early stage of my college career.
What did you enjoy most about your experience?
I loved meeting with business students from other business schools and liberal arts programs and comparing our experiences. We all landed at a WeWork internship, but the way we landed there all differed. Students in artsy majors were trying out the interior design program, and Ivy League computer programmers were changing the way the managers do their work. It was an incredible opportunity to work closely with such a high achieving group, from a diverse background.
Do you have any advice to students who are looking for an internship?
Try to align your resume with what you want to do. If you are an accountant, work in audit or tax – it will make the job search easier and will support your candidacy to a recruiter. Be passionate about your experiences, even the small ones. For me, being a swim coach is never going to lead to my professional career, but it has come up as a skill of mine in nearly every interview. Coaching is an experience that comes with many different skills – time management, public speaking, and much more.
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