Pooja Patel

Junior Pooja Patel is currently interning at Siemens while pursuing her degree in business administration at UCF. Over the course of her undergraduate career thus far, Pooja has gained significant knowledge regarding networking, collaboration, and developing professional skills.

Pooja Patel, a junior in the Burnett Honors College, echoes Emily’s sentiment—networking is essential to securing an internship. An incoming intern with Siemens Financial Leadership Development Program, Pooja was able to connect with this company through BHC’s own Dean Sheila. Once the initial introduction was made, though, Pooja still had to rely on the network she’d built to help her through the interview process. Building a network, though important, does not have to be difficult. Pooja notes that there are several ways for students to network, including utilizing LinkedIn and attending UCF and BHC events to connect with staff and fellow students. Furthermore, finding a mentor who knows the ins and outs of the professional world can be a significant asset, especially for a student who’s just starting out as an intern.

Pooja also reminds students that it’s never too early to start seeking out internships. Making yourself known early on as an undergraduate can reap many benefits in the long run. She advises, “Companies recognize talent as young as freshman…it is important to get a foot in the door to various companies starting freshman year, so they remember who you are in future years.”

Like many interns, Pooja was surprised to realize there’s always more to learn, no matter how qualified and confident one is. Two unexpected things Pooja learned as an intern were, “Interpersonal skills, as I thought I had already gotten pretty good at them, and project management skills…I assumed project management has nothing to do with finance, but that’s not the case.” This serves as a great reminder that there’s always new skills to be learned and new expertise to be developed, even for the most seasoned professionals.

For Pooja, collaboration was perhaps as essential as networking when it came to success in her internship. “The best teams are the ones that are full of diverse people who all want to reach a common goal for the betterment of the team as a whole,” she says. Through her internships and other professional experiences, Pooja has learned to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to her, and this will benefit her for years to come.