If MISSO, then Success -Minahil Mehdi, ConocoPhillips

Hello everyone! My name is Minahil Mehdi and I’m majoring in Management Information Systems. I joined MISSO my second semester because I heard it provided many opportunities and a real sense of community, which was something I lacked in my first semester.?

Coming into UH Fall 2021, I had about a year and a half worth of credits completed during high-school and my main goal was graduating early. However, since I had been so focused on academics, I felt I was already behind on internships. Before I joined MISSO, I had been using my high school resume, with no idea how to interview or where to even begin my search. I spent most of my winter break applying, applying and applying. It actually became my New Year's Resolution to land an internship for the summer.?

In January, I joined MISSO and could feel the drastic change it was to be in a professional community where everyone was so welcoming and eager to help. I learned how to edit my resume and interview through the Professional Development Committee, but I also have to credit my multiple failed interviews for building my skills. I went to the MISSO career fair in February and experienced the strong alumni support this organization holds. Through this event, I got the opportunity to interview and land my current internship.?

My advice to students just starting out is to join a student organization and talk to people, whether they’re a recruiter, a mentor, or alumni, you will learn something by listening to what they have to say. Also, being more active on LinkedIn has been so useful for me in connecting to people and finding out how they got to where they are in their careers. Lastly, take advantage of those professional meetings MISSO offers, the speakers are truly the best and give some phenomenal advice. I know it may seem daunting, impossible even, when starting out on your internship search (It definitely was for me), but being proactive and involved in clubs such as MISSO will help you get to where you want to be.

You never know when the right opportunity will present itself, so there’s no need to feel pressured. If you made it to the end of this, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need any advice! :)