Frequently Asked questions 

Experience is a requirement when it comes to applying to competitive jobs at companies like Apple, Facebook etc. It is not just any experience, it needs to be relevant. If you apply for Finance internships, you need to have finance experience. GPA is still important, but the relevant experience is what typically will get you interviews. That was the "aha" moment when I contacted hiring managers to see if I could help my children get internships. "Does he have Finance experience?". "Does she have test diagnostics experience?". "We only consider candidates with relevant experience regardless of their GPA or school". It doesn't mean that it is not doable, it just means that you will probably need more time to find that opportunity.

A note about MBA degrees: It is commonly accepted that you are getting an MBA degree because you want to pursue opportunity in another field such as Consulting or Operations.

Overseas experience (particularly at international companies) do matter and count. The type of experience and relevancy are more important than the location. When you prep for interviews, make sure you know how to respond to questions related to culture, as hiring managers might want to make sure you can transition to your new role in the US.

Let's make it simple. No company will contact you if you do not qualify. I get this question a lot from international students. There is no such thing as a "perfect candidate" who has all the relevant experience. Hiring managers will only contact candidates who they believe can do the job. If they contact you, you qualify. 

I have interviewed many candidates who proudly articulated what they accomplished to improve their family business. What you need is to be able to explain how you plan to transition to work in a company setting where you are going to be an Individual Contributor. Another option is to not voluntarily mention that your experience was in a family business.

They are important to build up your resume especially in your first and second year. Job experience is more valuable because you have to go through the job application and interview process.

Foreign students typically just consider summer internships because they want to focus on school in the Fall and Spring semesters. I always advise my students to also look for part-time internships in the regular semesters. One obvious advantage is that the part-time internship in the regular semester can often be extended to summer. Another advantage is that it can give you the opportunity to work in different fields if you are not yet sure what you would like to do. 

A contractor job is typically a temporary job for 6 to 12 months. DON'T COUNT THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONVERT TO AN EXEMPT EMPLOYEE IF YOU DO WELL. Some jobs will continue to be contractor jobs no matter how well you perform. The company might simply not have the budget. You need to start looking immediately both inside and outside the company to get a permanent job. Take advantage of the fact that you have access to the hiring managers inside the company even though you are a contractor.

Per Wikipedia, an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason, except an illegal one, or for no reason, without incurring legal liability. Likewise, an employee is free to leave a job at any time for any or no reason with no adverse legal consequences. This article illustrates the unfortunate situation where Lending Club cancelled their internship program right before the beginning of summer. You can technically accept an offer and then change your mind to accept another offer. But do you really want to do that?