Conversation with Jack Klinck ’85, Managing Partner at Hyperplane Venture Capital
Jack Klinck ’85, Managing Partner at Hyperplane Venture Capital
Major: Political Science
What was your most memorable experience at Middlebury? I still remember my constitutional law class with Professor Murray Dry. It was also very memorable being a freshman on the third floor in the Battell Hall, where I formed many friendships that I still cherish up to this day. These friendships probably originated from the shared memory of being on the third floor in Battell (laugh).
How did your Middlebury education impact your career path? My experience at Middlebury was pivotal for my career. It helped me build the foundation of being a critical thinker, good writer and good communicator. Those are the things people usually take for granted, but they are priceless in the long term. I think the real power of liberal arts education comes from the cultivation of critical thinking, critical reading and the ability to identify and ask the right questions. These soft skills are key to my success and I still use them in my job every day.
If you were to hire a college graduate to your team, what essential qualities would you look for? How can Middlebury students demonstrate these qualities in an interview? Rather than focus on a candidate’s major, I would pay attention to how they communicate with me, how they follow up, and their thoughtfulness on different questions.
If I see a candidate come from a liberal arts background, I would assume that they have a decent level of intellectual capacity. One way to demonstrate one’s intellectual capacity is by asking the right questions. I don’t think candidates should ask questions that have definitive answers or questions to which they can easily find answers. Examples of this type of questions include: how many employees work for you company? How many offices do you have? Asking these obvious questions only shows that the candidate did not do any homework before coming to the interview. Listening to what type of the questions a candidate is one of the quickest ways for me to determine their intellectual capacity.
What advice would you give to students to keep looking for jobs and exploring networking opportunities while having to stay at home? I talked to some people last week and the general theme was that they would put their career search on hold. I think the most important thing to do is not to stop your job search and be more persistent in reaching out to alumni through emails. Before having a conversation with an alum, students can send a list of questions in advance, so the alum would know how to best help the student. Students should also be direct about what they want to achieve through a conversation and not be shy to ask for help. Under most circumstances, the clearer students express their intention, the more help they can get from networking calls.
Although not a lot of companies are hiring right now, you want to be well-positioned to apply as soon as the world starts to snap back to normal. Staying at home can be a great time to do research on different organizations. On the other hand, a lot of industries are booming right now, e.g. food delivery, pharmaceuticals, teleconferencing. There is still a lot of work could be done.
This series is coordinated by Xiaoli Jin ’19. Look for more alumni profiles each week. You can connect with Xiaoli on LinkedIn.
In this time of social distancing, we are all looking for new ways to stay connected, and Midd2Midd is one of them! Midd2Midd connects Middlebury students, alumni, and parents, supporting mentoring, networking, and engagement within the Middlebury community around the world. Midd2Midd is your place to make things happen. Simply complete your profile, create a customized search, and begin to network!
SENIORS: Still Figuring Out What’s Next?
Entering the job market during times of economic uncertainty can be very daunting. Whether you are not quite sure where to start or are in the middle of your search, we can help arm you with the tools to succeed.
To sign up for the spring Senior Career Action Group click here: https://forms.gle/EepR24w6mtNiJ6GE7
Deadline is Wednesday, April 15
CCI Internship Update (with more information coming next week)
Dear Students,
Out of sight does not mean out of mind — we think of you all constantly and hope you are staying healthy, safe, and positive.
I promised you another update on internships after my communication of March 28. While we had hoped to have decisions this week about College-wide policies on summer programs which will have an impact on CCI internship funding, we do not have that information yet. We now anticipate hearing about these new guidelines around April 15. This message will give you CCI’s current “best guess” of what we will be able to offer for internship funding, with more information coming next week.
We know that many of your internships are being cancelled by the employers or that you are on a “wait and see” status. Given the current COVID-19 situation and projections of when we will return to any sense of normalcy, we anticipate that the College may determine that only remote experiences — with some exceptions — be sponsored by the College this summer. Please see below for how this impacts internship funding:
- If CCI can only offer funding for remote unpaid internships this summer, then all applications for funding must include a plan approved by your supervisor for working remotely. (In most cases, expenses would be for lost summer wages.) Contact your supervisor and discuss this provision. Include a description in your funding essay. If remote work is not possible, explain the situation and any alternative plans.
- We anticipate that there may be a few exceptions granted if the internship starts later in the summer, in a geography that has been relatively unaffected, and is not with a vulnerable population. These reviews would follow guidelines put forth by the US State Department and the CDC and final decisions on these opportunities would likely be made in June.
- While funding remains competitive, CCI’s goal is to fund as many students as possible and help create a summer of possibility under such trying circumstances. Therefore, we are broadening our definition of funding-eligible experiences. In addition to remote internships and experiences, we will fund volunteer opportunities, third-party provided virtual internships (e.g. CEA), and will consider other experiential opportunities that help students develop professional skills and advance career exploration. As stated before, we anticipate that all must be done remotely.
- CCI has also relaxed its criteria for length of internships/experiences. Instead of requiring 8 weeks at 30 hours a week for $3000 grants and 4 weeks at 25 hours a week for 1st Year Explore Grants, we will now consider funding experiential opportunities that are of varying length. Funding allocations for approved applications will be pro-rated based on established ranges of total number of hours, with maximum awards of $3000. Students who are partially funded will still be eligible for funding next summer (excluding Feb and May 2021 grads).
- CCI will now offer two deadlines for funding applications: April 13 for students who have confirmed internships, and May 8 for students who need more time to finalize plans.
- Submit an application and make your case for your experience…See applications for funding and directions, forms, and FAQs at go.middlebury.edu/summerfunding.
- If you are still looking for a remote experience, here are a few resources on remote internships to get you started.
- And finally, it is fine for you to NOT participate in an internship this summer. For those who would like other ideas for the summer, see Ideas for an Impactful Summer.
We hope to provide a more definitive set of guidelines for you next week related to CCI’s internship funding. In the meantime, please keep your internship funding applications coming in. Thank you for your patience and please be in touch if we can help or talk through any situations. Remember, CCI advisors are available for Zoom and phone appointments – schedule appointments through Handshake. Feel free to also email internships@middlebury.edu with any questions.
Take good care. CCI is here to support you in any way we can.
Ideas for an Impactful Summer
With mandatory closures of many organizations, social distancing requirements, and “shelter in place” orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unlikely that many interns will be able to complete their summer 2020 internships on-site as planned. The CCI team has come up with some ideas of what you can do if your summer plans have changed.
Want help with finding summer opportunities? CCI is here to help! You can schedule a video or phone chat with an advisor in Handshake or sign up for Quick Questions with one of our Peer Career Advisors.
Breaking into Consulting Panel with upper-class students, hosted by MCG
Interested in a career in the world of consulting? Hear from current Middlebury upperclassmen who have secured internships and full-time jobs at top-tier consulting firms in strategy, management, and economic consulting at the annual Breaking into Consulting Panel hosted by Middlebury Consulting Group.
The panel will consist of a moderated session on the panelists’ experiences followed by an open Q&A session for participants.
Moderator: Olivia Reed ‘20 – Oliver Wyman
Panelists:
Alex Corda ‘20 – EY-Parthenon
Elisa Gan ‘20 – Analysis Group
Nolan Shapiro ‘21 – Kaiser Associates
Frances Vandermeer ‘20 – Accenture Federal
The program will be: Sunday, April 19th, at 1 pm ET via Zoom (link to be emailed prior to event).
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/D885EsgyoD58v52r9
Looking for a remote internship or experience this summer? Here are some tips to get you started.
Convert your current experience or create your own:
- Already offered an in-person internship? Ask your employer if it can be converted into a remote experience. See article below on making the most of a remote internship.*
- Create your own by contacting an organization to ask if a posted internship can be done remotely or if the organization has projects (think research, writing, data analysis, social media, and more) you can work on from home in order to gain experience while helping them achieve their goals.
Search databases and third-party providers for remote experiences:
- Handshake: In the jobs tab, search internships and then use key word search “remote.” Use this article to get started: How to get a job on Handshake (FAQ)
- Idealist: Type “remote” in location tab to find hundreds of remote internships worldwide with organizations and nonprofits committed to making a difference.
- Parker Dewey: Sign up for multiple paid micro-internships available across a variety of industries from entrepreneurs to large enterprises. Create a free account and explore which opportunities seem most interesting to you based on assignment details, deadlines, and pay.
- CEA Virtual Internships Abroad: Engage in supervised international work experience and build global career readiness competencies, all while staying at home. (Deadline April 15; $450 placement fee but may be able be able to extend deadline and/or waive additional $95 application fee.)
- Virtual Internships: Work for companies across the country or globe supporting projects ranging from social media support to full business projects, website design, market reports, financial assessments, and more.
Articles on the benefits and how to navigate Remote Experiences:
Consulting 101 Panel by Kearney: for juniors
Consulting 101 Panel | Road to Kearney Webinar Tuesday, April 14 from 5:00pm –6:00pm CT Join our Kearney consultants to learn more about a career in consulting. Our Business Analysts will give you advice on recruiting and walk you through the type of work consultants do. This event is targeted toward current juniors/rising seniors who are considering going through full time recruitment this fall 2020. Click HERE to register |
As you begin to think about the upcoming fulltime recruiting season, we hope you will consider a career at Kearney. As a global consulting partnership in more than 40 countries, our people make us who we are. We’re individuals who take as much joy from those we work with as the work itself. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we help our clients break through.
Because we’re big enough to make real impact but small enough to stay connected, working here means getting into it and making your mark. Never sitters on the sidelines, we’re doers by nature and count on everyone to join in. This is a place to let your ideas out and make it happen.
To help you get to know Kearney, we will be hosting a webinar in April to introduce you to our firm.
We look forward to sharing more with you very soon!
Important Internship Update
Dear Students,
Our hearts and minds are with you wherever you are across the country and globe. We will get through this!
We know that many of you are wondering where CCI stands related to internships and internship funding. While we have some updates for you, we also ask for your patience as we wait to see what the coming weeks will bring. Here is the current information about how CCI can continue to support you if you are thinking about an internship for the summer.
- At this moment, CCI is still planning to provide funding for unpaid internships this summer. But as you know, this is a time of great uncertainty and that has an impact on internships as well. The situation is fluid, and we will need to finalize decisions at a later date based on CDC guidelines. While we are hoping for the best, it is likely that we may not fund international internships (unless in your home country) or that we may only be able to fund remote internships. We will continue to monitor the situation and do whatever we can to support you in your summer plans while ensuring that the College is only supporting experiences that are unlikely to put you at risk. We will continue to keep you informed and post updates at go/summerfunding.
- We will endeavor to be as flexible as we can with internship funding deadlines and length of internships during these extreme times. But we encourage you to be creative and take initiative in seeking out opportunities that are remote or can be converted to remote internships, if needed.
- Eligible students who have already secured an unpaid internship and wish to apply for funding must submit their application for internship funding no later than April 13. In your essay, please include a statement telling us that you have been in touch with your supervisor and have agreed to a plan on how you can do the internship (or at least the early part of the internship) remotely, if needed, or that the timing of the internship can be flexible if remote work is not possible. Funding may be pro-rated for internships that have to be shorter than the required 8 weeks. Funding decisions will be emailed to you on May 1.
- Students who need more time to secure an internship or need to make alternative plans will have until May 8 to submit their application for funding. These late applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so submit your application as soon as you have a plan, and also indicate in your essay what contingency plan you and your supervisor have agreed to in case the internship cannot take place in-person. Please know that receipt of funding for these late applications may be delayed to mid or late June.
- The internship funding application is now open in Handshake. If you already have a confirmed unpaid internship and have accepted it, we encourage you to complete your application for funding. See instructions and all forms atgo/summerfunding.
- If you are applying for internship funding, CCI has waived the requirement to have a CCI-approved resume, but you will still need to submit a resume with your application. Our Peer Career Advisors will review resumes remotely. Send your resume to CCIPCA@middlebury.edu.
- If you are hoping to participate in an internship this summer but have not yet found one, there are over 2,600 internships still posted in Handshake. Discover other great tips for finding an internship at go/FindInternship or schedule a phone or video appointment with a CCI advisor through Handshake.
- Many internships in Handshake are Reserved for Middlebury only. And some CCI-Sponsored Internships (some overlaps) come with guaranteed funding. Many of these internships have upcoming application deadlines.
- Many Middlebury alums are eager to help students navigate these tricky times. Now is a great time to get career or internship advice. Spend some time exploring Midd2Midd and reach out. Review our Networking Guide first.
- Finally, you may just need to stay flexible if your summer plans don’t pan out the way you envisioned. These are unprecedented times, and if an internship or work experience doesn’t happen for you this summer, you will be fine and there are lots of productive ways you can spend your summer. We will be providing other ideas for an impactful summer on CCI’s social media and the Career Path blogs. And don’t forget that CCI advisors are available for phone and Zoom appointments to help you with your summer plans.
We miss you, but please know that CCI is always here for you.
Take good care of yourself, your friends, and your
family.
Copywriter summer intern at Bain & Company
Are you a writer? Do you use words to convey thoughts, emotions, and call-to-actions? Do you enjoy finding the perfect word for the perfect moment?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you may be interested in FRWD@Bain’s copywriting internship.
The FRWD@Bain creative team is looking for qualified candidates for our summer internship. What will your day-to-day be like?
Your day will consist of anything and everything from headline creation to community management to understanding brand tone of voice and brainstorming. You’ll work side-by-side with your art director partner studying and creating for our various brands.
Internship Tips from CCI’s Peer Career Advisor, Mia Grayson ’20 – LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION!
Ask your recommenders for letters of recommendation early on and stay on top of them.
A large component of many summer internship applications require multiple letters of recommendation from faculty, advisors, supervisors, etc. These can be just as important as the actual application in that it adds to the story of you as an applicant and also must conform to deadlines. Some internships accept students on a rolling basis, meaning that applications, including letters of recommendation, are reviewed as soon as an application is received so earlier applicants have higher chances of being selected while a late or missing letter of rec can hinder one’s application from being reviewed in a timely fashion.
To best ensure that your letter is completed by your recommender on time is to ask early! It’s helpful to meet with or email them to explain your interest in the different internships and what you would like for them to focus on in their letters. This helps to keep them involved in your application process and ensure that not all of your recommenders repeat the same things about you. It’s important to remember that everyone is busy, especially faculty and staff, so making sure that you’re giving them enough time to write a good letter and submit it by the deadline will only make everything go smoother. Don’t be afraid to send them a reminder email or meet with them before the letter is due to make sure that it hasn’t slipped off their radar and that the letter gets in on time!
Need help with your résumé and/or cover letter? CCI is available to help you virtually! Email your résumé to CCIPCA@middlebury.edu and one of our Advisors will get back to you. If you’d rather discuss it in “real time” – schedule a video chat or phone appointment with one of the Advisors in Handshake.