Facing the Future with Confidence: Reflections from an Intern

From a young age, I have always asked myself what do I want to do when I grow up? and this would normally follow with where am I going to end up at? With an extended family of predominantly UNSW alumni, I am accustomed to discussions about career development, workplace success and the many opportunities available out there. Even before I entered university, I held an informal checklist comprising of good grades, extra-curricular activities, exchange and work experience in my mindset typical of an ambitious graduate. As my degree progressed, deciding what I wanted to pursue as a career became a process of elimination until I decided, perhaps I’d give consulting a try. So after countless written applications, numerous interviews, ACs and, of course, the rejection letters I finally became a survivor of what I like to call 'the season'- a period of uncertainty and excitement for penultimate-year students waiting to land that internship. An internship is undoubtedly one of the most valuable opportunities students like myself endeavour to attain, both broadening our horizons and deepening our professional networks but also bridging that transition between university and the workforce. 

As a way of an introduction, I'm Matthew- a penultimate-year student at the University of NSW studying dual Bachelor of Commerce and Arts. I major in Finance (surprise, surprise) and International Relations with a minor in Politics. And as of last week, I am a Winter Intern at Protiviti- an internal audit, risk and business consulting firm.

My week began with an early 3:30 wake-up to witness the sunrise during my short flight to Melbourne where our Intern induction would take place. Despite our somewhat tired and under-caffeinated faces, all 16 of us (from across the 4 Australian offices) immediately felt welcomed into the supportive and valuing-people environment that is distinctively of Protiviti. Among many things, working in consulting means maintaining relationships with clients and also foster effective communication and collaboration. Starting the Internship experience in one room provided the chance for us to share past experiences, expectations and goals for the coming weeks ahead. Throughout the two days in Melbourne, we gained exposure to the day-to-day operations at Protiviti including report writing, client interviewing, and process mapping presented by all levels of consultants eager to share some advice. By Tuesday afternoon, I felt one step closer to being prepared for my first day at the office.

Whilst only a week has passed, I feel reflective on some key takeaways I gained from the Protiviti team and my colleagues: 

• Don't be Afraid- Ask Questions

At Protiviti, we are allocated a buddy (or in our case 3) and a reviewer/ mentor (in our case 4, lucky us!) who will guide us, mentor and provide feedback for professional development throughout the program. On Wednesday morning, conforming to the expectations of a typical intern, I arrived early double-checking the provided address and floor- first impressions right? I still remember the slight anxiety I felt as I exited the lifts into foreign territory, thinking what if I this screw up? Fortunately, we were expected by the office and having a buddy (coincidently a UNSW graduate) to greet us eased the office orientation process. From this, I can still recall the first piece of advice offered during my earlier interactions with Protiviti- a simple and straightforward one to simply ask questions!

Whether asking about office etiquette such as break times, printing or locating the bathrooms to more technical questions about client engagements or acronyms, someone in the office not only knows the answer but is willing to help you out. As an intern, the expectation is not for us to know everything (and we certainly don't), the expectation is that you continue to learn- and one way we learn is from clarifying tasks rather than staying silent and making mistakes, and also by gaining a deeper understanding of different subject matters from asking questions. Furthermore, at Protiviti we hot-desk- from Consultants to the Managing Directors. With accessibility available to everyone in the team, there's no need to be afraid and even the introvert in me knows only by reaching out and 'leaning in' will you gain the most out the internship experience. 

• Listen & Take Notes

The number of interactions with others at work will vary every day but advice, tips and feedback will always be available. Working alongside so many experienced individuals, part of the learning process is to listen and be attentive to what is being shared. Listening is important when interviewing clients as this forms the basis of research in consulting to understand and break down the problems. Naturally from listening comes taking notes, notes that can be for personal review or notes essential to record a meeting and the topics discussed. Writing minutes when having discussions with the client allows the consultant to clarify and confirm expectations for a successful delivery to the client. Whilst I have yet to participate in interviewing a client, the practice of note-taking itself is incredibly useful as a point of reference for assigned tasks. 

• Show Enthusiasm

Protiviti offers multiple services for its large selection of clients from multiple industries. As part of my internship, I will gain experience working on several types of engagements for different clients. Last week I had the opportunity to work on a short engagement for the past 2.5 days where I had no former experience in the industry or risk management. Consulting is not always glamorous featuring whiteboards or creating fancy slide decks as one would normally do for a case competition- rather tasks include note-taking, reading lengthy documents, report writing and editing slides which will form the groundwork to an engagement. Whilst this may seem and sound tedious and dull at times, as an intern you should always ask yourself if you are adding value to the team? Ask yourself, are you being a team-player? Even the smallest contributions completed to reflect quality and professionalism adds to the big picture in the long run. At times, starting in the corporate world is like starting university all over again where you don’t always know what you’re doing or if what you have completed is what your manager even expects! But that’s the definition of learning on the job- to utilise the learning resources available and referring to previous work for ideas, templates and reports to assist you. As an intern, know that those who hired you did so for a reason and staying positive and showing enthusiasm will help you get the most out of your time there. 

• The 9 to 5 (or 5:30) Myth = A Working Reality

I often hear the stories and unspoken office rules circulating about how interns should be the first and last people to leave the office, where their lunch breaks and restroom breaks are strictly timed and one should expect to file, photocopy and do the coffee runs- essentially keep your head low and don’t be bothersome. Naturally, I was quite confronted on Friday afternoon to find most of the Robert Half staff gone by 4:30 and many vacant chairs and tables left by the Protiviti team by 5:30. Was this some kind of test? Could I really leave at 5:30? Shouldn't I be the last one to leave? From my observations, maintaining a good work/life balance is not only possible but instilled within the Protiviti staff. That’s not to say staying late or starting earlier does not occur. Rather, it reflects the ability for consultants to be flexible- to mobilise quickly and effectively. With clients scattered across Sydney, I recognise how well my colleagues manage their time as they travel to different locations and assist on a number of engagements. I believe this work/life balance at Protiviti is built upon both the encouragement of Wellness: the importance of taking care of yourself regardless of how busy you may be, and also the great confidence and mutual trust of its people to produce deliverables in a nurturing environment. The reality is this line of work is diverse and constantly changing, where hard work and working late is to be expected- as an intern finishing at 5:30 is not some punishable offence and staying late won't necessarily add value. Rather be proactive and productive with your assigned tasks and always show professionalism.

Whilst I have so much to learn still and more tasks to complete, together with Protiviti I feel ready to face the future with confidence. There is nothing more satisfying after contributing towards a deadline for your first client than being able to bill those hours towards the project engagement and see that product delivered to the client. As I move out of the now ‘comfortable’ surroundings of the office into my next client’s site on Monday, I feel ready to demonstrate the values of professionalism and qualiti that embody the Protiviti brand and its people. And slowly, I realise that bridge I currently stand on between university to the business world is supported by some strong foundations.

Protiviti is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and our independently owned Member Firms provide consulting solutions through a network of more than 70 offices in over 20 countries. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.