Previous internship placements helped an Elon University junior use the Office of Career Services to land a summer position with Google.
When Brenna Humphries interned for AT&T in Atlanta in the summer of 2010, she discovered a passion for working at the intersection of technology and advertising. Humphries soon asked herself: What’s the next logical step for exploring this career path? The international business major from Marietta, Ga., didn’t have to look very long once she returned to campus, turning to the Office of Career Services for résumé and interview assistance in landing a recent internship with the world’s largest Internet search engine, Google.
Humphries is the second person to be featured this year in a series of E-net profiles on the recent experiences of students and alumni who use the Career Center to not only find job and internship openings, but to prepare for interviews and improve applications with guidance from Career Services staff.
She answered questions recently from the Office of University Relations.
Tell me about the company and your role as an intern.
This summer I had an awesome experience interning at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. I was right in the heart of Silicon Valley, attending weekly meetings with the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. As a member of the Online Sales team, I assisted medium-sized companies with their online advertising needs. I also helped perform various research projects in order to forecast where the business is headed. Of course, I enjoyed all of Google’s luxurious benefits such as free massages, 5-star dining and complimentary transportation.
How did your interest in the internship, or the profession, first develop?
During my internship at the corporate AT&T office in Atlanta in the summer of 2010, I was exposed to many aspects of the company but I found the mobility and advertising departments especially interesting. My excitement for technology and advertising was the impetus for me to apply to Google the following summer.
What did you learn from the experience?
Google gave me a chance to get a broad view of the technology industry as well as the advertising, sales and engineering industries. After interning there I have realized that I have a passion to work in the online advertising industry. It is so thrilling to be a part of something that is always evolving.
Who did you work with in Career Services to prepare for your internship, and what help did you receive?
I have used Career Services since my freshman year. Their guidance helped me to secure my internships at AT&T and Google, as well as a leadership conference at JP Morgan Chase. I have gone to Career Services for résumé questions, cover letters, interview advice and overall professional consulting.
Debby Wall has been especially helpful to me for the past two years. Her professional expertise is just what I need to perfect my résumé and feel confident in my interviews. I owe a lot of my success to her and the rest of the Career Services office.
How do you plan on using Career Services in the future? And what recommendations would you share with other students about the office?
In the future, I will continue to use Career Services for anything pertaining to my professional development. They always know about excellent internship opportunities and conferences for which students can apply. I try to have Career Services to review and edit my résumé every year and I will continue to do that. Any Elon student who is not using Career Services is missing out on a great opportunity.
Have a career or internship story you’d like to share? Contact Eric Townsend in the Office of University Relations at etownsend4@elon.edu.