Career Advice

Picture this: You’re nearing the end of your college career and you’re not sure which job would be the best fit for you. You’re smart and driven, and based on your previous experiences, you think you could do well in a variety of positions. Instead of boxing yourself into one role for a few years, why not apply for a rotational program?

Amber, 21, is a computer science major at Wellesley College and a summer 2018 intern at Qualtrics. She’s had an interest in technology since she was young, largely driven by her interest in gaming. Here, she explains how gaming drove her to start her career in tech, and what she’s learned along the way.

Whether you dream of becoming a politician, principal or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, there’s no singular path to becoming a leader.

When I first started working at Roivant as a Development intern at the beginning of my last semester of college, I had no idea what to expect. I was told I’d be helping “cross-functionally” wherever people needed me. Between taking full-time classes, handling all my extracurricular activities, and trying to make the most out of my last semester at Duke University, I was worried I’d be overwhelmed by work or that I’d be given only small projects that would be of little value to the company. Fortunately, neither of these things happened, and I’ve learned so much from my few months here. My project leaders were flexible enough to accommodate my schedule as well as thoughtful enough to carefully pick my projects so that I’d get the most out of the 10-20 hours I could come into the office every week.

Congrats – your application and cover letter stood out enough to get you the interview. On top of preparing the answers to these common interview questions and figuring out an outfit, it’s important to do your due diligence on the company you’re hoping gives you an offer. While you can’t predict every question that will come your way, there are some key things you should know about a company before interviewing with them. Not only will this inform your answers and help you ask more intelligent questions, it can reduce the chance that you’ll be blindsided if the interviewer asks you about their mission statement.

The offer letter is signed, the tassel is turned, and the first day of a new internship or entry-level job is right around the corner. After years of hard work, all-nighters, and yes, a lot of fun, college is over and your career is starting. Along with excitement, you’re probably feeling a bit nervous and maybe even wondering if they picked the right person for the job. Before your first day, read through these quotes and remember you wouldn’t have gotten this far in the first place without a very specific person – you!

Having outstanding references is a key component of securing a full-time job offer. If a company takes the time to contact your references, there’s a good chance they’re pretty interested in hiring you. But if they’re deciding between you and another candidate, or they aren’t 100 percent sold on you yet, your references can make or break your chances.

If you got a job offer from Google or Goldman, chances are that your career path and bank account are on a great trajectory. But maybe you're willing to bypass that six figure offer sitting in your inbox for a role where you realize your impact through tangible business results. Maybe you want to dive in headfirst at a smaller company in a role with bigger responsibilities. Or maybe you didn't end up getting the dream job from the large company you were hoping for in the first place. Either way, don't worry -- there are plenty of other ways to jumpstart your career.

1) Everybody sells