Interned at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Chicago
What types of skills did you need to obtain the internship?
Leadership, problem solving, and interpersonal skills are incredibly important.
What tasks did the job entail?
I worked with a small team to solve clients’ problems. We reported to the CFO of the client’s organization and assisted them integrating business functions since they’d just had an acquisition. We developed process flows to standardize procedures and help reduce redundancy and increase efficiency in their organization.
What skills/knowledge did you learn on the job?
I learned to improvise and tackle problems one step at a time. In school, we are taught and then we are tested. In industries/life, we are tested and then we learn. You also have to be able to not only solve technical problems but also organizational challenges. You have to be able to communicate with others to really understand what problems they are facing and how you can help them, especially in a client facing environment. Sometimes, the problems that a client has may not be the real issue and there may be another underlying problem that requires much deeper analysis. Being able to ask questions and diagnose problems is key.