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: Xinyu Wang
Graduation Year: Fall 2020
Major: M.S. in Supply Chain Management
Hometown: China
Intern Company/Title: Hill & Markes – Purchasing Assistant
Describe your position and some of your daily tasks?
I am a purchasing assistant in the purchasing department at Hill & Markes. My daily task is looking for vendors who supply the products we need, as well as contacting vendors to product brief, quote, lead time and inventory level.
How did you land your internship?
I found my internship by working with the Whitman Career Center.
What did you learn from your internship experience?
The three things I learned through my internship experience are:
- The details that purchasing departments should consider before placing orders;
- How the network can decide whether the company will survive or lose the competition;
- And it is never too early to decide what going to purchase.
Has your experience changed your plans or career choice when you leave college?
No, I still want to work in the retail industry or wholesale distributor after graduation.
How will your internship experience help you after graduation?
This internship has helped me to become more familiar with the whole purchasing process. For example: what to ask when dealing with potential vendors, how to place an order, how to follow up orders, as well as other things. Also, it definitely adds more value to my resume with the experience in the field.
How has the Whitman School prepared you for your internship?
The Whitman Career Center provided me very useful information, as well as followed closely with my interview process. They were with me every step of the way until I got the offer.
What did you enjoy most about your experience?
The work environment is very nice and friendly. My coworkers were also very interested in China. We shared a lot about the differences and commonalities between the U.S. retail industry and distributor markets in China.
Do you have any advice to students who are looking for an internship?
Many uncontrollable factors will impact the outcome while applying for a job/internship, so don’t be upset with yourself if lose one opportunity.
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It was great to have you as an asset to our team Xi! Best of luck with the rest of your studies!!