Alyssa with Jim Cramer, the host of popular CNBC show “Mad Money.”
When do you plan to graduate and what is your major?
I’m graduating this upcoming May and I am a marketing major.
Can you tell me a little about the internship?
I am currently a Talent Development Intern at CNBC’s Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Although I am a marketing major, this internship has allowed me to be included in many diverse projects that expand my learning. It incorporates some event planning, as I help set up for special events and prepare speakers for conferences. I am also responsible for a heavy amount of research – this is where the “Talent Development” portion of my title comes into play. One of my most important tasks is to research reporters from other business news providers, such as Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and more. Once I find these reporters, I scan the internet for any videos of them on-air. We use this to see if they would be a good candidate for on-air reporting at CNBC.
How did you hear about this position?
Over the summer, I received an email from Dr. Mihal explaining the opportunity at CNBC. She told me that Mary Duffy, my supervisor, was seeking out STAC students for the position. Dr. Mihal sought me out, as other professors recommended me for the position.
Can you explain the interview process?
Once I got the email from Dr. Mihal, I immediately sent my resume out in hopes of a response. I was then put into contact with Mary Duffy, and she asked if I was available to interview with her a day or two later. When I got to the office, Mary greeted me and walked me through the building before we sat down to talk. When we started talking, I made sure to sound confident and conversational. We spoke about my past internship at United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, and what my tasks were there. We even got off topic for a while and spoke about the sports that we’ve played, which made me feel much more comfortable. She had me also interview quickly with two other women in the Talent Development department. After all was said and done, I thanked her for her time and asked when I would hear back from her. She assured me that I would hear back very soon, and sure enough, I did.
Did Career Development/STAC help you in anyway?
Yes, Career Development helped me through this process. I recall sending my resume to Maureen Mulhern so that she could check it and send it to Mary. I was also referred for the position by Mary Vota. She and I emailed back and forth, as I was explaining how nervous I was for the interview. She then sent me a document of tips for the interview process, and she assured me that I would do fine. I even spoke on the phone with Dr. Mihal before the interview, so I had a whole team of people rooting for me.
Can you tell us about some of your current responsibilities / roles?
I put some of my responsibilities into the second answer. In a nutshell, there is no “typical day” as an intern at CNBC. I love the pace there, I am never bored. I will go into the office with an idea of what my task is that day, but I am very often presented with something totally new that I need to be flexible for and adapt to. You need to be prepared for anything – no one day is the same at CNBC.
What is your favorite aspect of the position and can you give an example of what has been your favorite experience so far?
My favorite thing about my internship is getting to see my work actually be used. For instance, I did a lot of work at the beginning of my internship to prepare one of our speakers for an event, which was a leadership conference hosted by the organization “Women In Cable Telecommunications.” I researched and prepared information that our speaker was able to use at the event. My supervisor surprised me with a pass to the event, so I was able to go to the Marriott Marquis in NYC for the conference. I got to see our speaker use some of the information I provided her with. Seeing her use my information made me feel like I really did a good job with my work. It’s an amazing feeling to be utilized as an intern.
What do you plan to do after the internship?
The internship is available again in the spring, pending an invite back from my supervisor. I would love to return to CNBC and continue my work, however, my softball season takes place in the spring and I have not figured out yet if I will have the time to balance both. The ultimate goal for me is to work as hard as I can until my last day and hope that they keep me in mind if a spot opens up in the future.
What advice do you have for other STAC students looking for an internship?
There are so many steps students should be taking in order to secure an internship. To start, creating a LinkedIn account was one of the smartest things I did at STAC. I set it so that I would get alerts on my phone any time a new job or internship was posted in my given field. This is how I found my internship at United Way. Another piece of advice would be to take advantage of the size of STAC. I was recommended for the internship at CNBC because I maintain good relationships with my professors. I make sure to work hard in the classroom, and even find time to talk to my professors outside of class. Doing this allows them to have your name in their head when opportunities like this come about. One last piece of advice would be to attend events sponsored by the business school and the career development center. I went on the Bloomberg trip, I go to panels and discussions, and I make sure to read my emails so I know what’s going on around school. This lets me network, collect business cards, and get my name out there.
STAC Career Development 