Sep. 30, 2022 | InBrief
My West Monroe Journey: From intern to first-time consultant
Campus recruiting season is live, and you’re likely weighing your options. We’ve had a number of former West Monroe interns who became full-time consultants. Here’s what they had to say.
My West Monroe Journey: From intern to first-time consultant
The first step to a successful summer internship? Tackling the recruitment process. In a market where candidates hold the cards and company information is easily accessible, the job search can feel daunting—making it that much more important to start your job search by identifying what you are hoping to gain from your internship experience. Once you’ve narrowed in your needs as an intern, you can focus on finding a company that fulfills those needs.
A common theme among the former interns we surveyed was the value they put on doing challenging work and gaining real-world experience when determining their internship and evaluating a potential full-time employer.
The foundation of a career for many begins with a summer internship—and it’s the employers’ responsibility to help provide the framework for mentorship, training, and professional development throughout the duration of the program.
Interns also want to feel connected to the culture and values of a company—especially if the opportunity to exists to one day become a full-time employee.
The experience gained during a summer internship can provide helpful insight into what returning for a full-time role at the company might look like. While the internship is an opportunity for your employer to evaluate you for a full-time offer, it also provides a trial period for the intern to determine if this is the career path they are interested in pursuing.
Whether your internship is an experience that solidifies your interest in your industry or has you rethinking your career path, the lessons learned will stick with you as your career grows with time—and can also be used to mentor future interns.
A key to a lasting impact on your career trajectory? Begin by researching a company’s internship program to better understand their employer value proposition and the skills and experience you’ll gain.
Whether or not you convert to a full-time employee—or decide the company is not a long-term fit—the experience you gain can lay the groundwork for a successful career.
If you are interested in joining a high growth digital services firm and kickstarting your career with West Monroe, check out our career page. We’d be lucky to have you!
