Describe the steps you took to obtain your internship/research opportunity/fellowship. 

I got a message from a Shell recruiter on Handshake to apply online. The application procedure was simple. The interview process was entirely online. I was sent a link to complete aptitude tests and there were two other rounds before being offered the internship opportunity.  

How far in advance did you prepare and begin applying for your experiential learning opportunity? 
 
I started applying to companies from September of last year. I got my interviews scheduled by the end of February and March. 

If you used any Career Center services, resources, or events to obtain your job offer, what were they? How did they support your application process? 

I did use Handshake for applying to lot of the opportunities. I got help on my resume from Career Liaisons at the College of Engineering. The support I received from them were really useful in applying to the jobs.  

Describe some of your responsibilities or duties during your experiential learning opportunity. 

I worked as a Graduate Intern in a R&D team. My work includes doing background research, coming up with new procedures to add value to the company projects. 

What was a typical day like "on the job?" 

I worked with an excellent team who are really supportive. I spoke with my supervisor frequently  at least for few minutes to update on the progress and how I am proceeding to the assigned goals. I do my research, and also got the opportunity to talk to people from other teams and research projects and gathered information that was valuable to my project.. 

What are some major takeaways from your experience? How will these help prepare you for the next step after graduation?

I learnt a lot about the company and the team. Team meetings and regular discussions helps a lot in progressing faster. I also got an opportunity to learn new areas. The knowledge and experience I gained from the internship gave me confidence to pursue career in R&D. 

Did this experience help clarify your career path? If yes, how so? 

Yes, this experience gave me an opportunity to learn a lot about research work in a company. This experience exposed me to various fields of work where I was able to apply my knowledge and also learn various ideas to solve the problems. This gave me confidence that, I am on the right career path.