Johnathan Sokol interned at Donnelley Language Solutions’ new office in Montreal, Canada in summer of 2017. As we approach the 2018 TILM Career Fair, his story may give you some inspiration.
*How did you find your job/internship?
– I spoke with career advisor Winnie Heh about the upcoming career fair for tips about which companies would be present and looking to hire summer interns. Winnie provided me with some company names and I did some basic research on the ones that looked the most promising. In my research, I noticed that Donnelley Financial Solutions had a new office in Montéal, Canada, which is an intriguing destination for a French>English Translation student such as myself! At the career fair, I gave my résumé to the Donnelley recruiter and inquired about a possible opportunity in Montréal. The Donnelley recruiter said that she was only recruiting for the New York office, but would like to speak with me in an interview. In the interview, she said that the Montréal office was brand new and never had an intern before, but that it was a very interesting idea! A couple months later, I received an e-mail from Donnelley’s Canadian HR department offering me the “Project Coordinator Intern” position for the summer.
*What experiences at MIIS helped (career management course, career fair, individual career advice, the MIIS network, coursework, class project, immersive learning experiences)?
– Several MIIS resources led to the realization of this opportunity. First, my discussion with career advisor Winnie Heh led me to the research that enabled me to impress the recruiter with the idea to bring an intern to the Montréal office. Then, the MIIS career fair led to a discussion with a Donnelley recruiter that led to an in-person interview later that afternoon. Finally, in the interview, a short discussion pertaining to my TLM coursework convinced the recruiter that I had the proper background for this internship.
*What advice would you share with MIIS students?
– If possible, schedule a quick meeting with Winnie/your career advisor before big events such as a career fair or conference for tips. Do some basic research on companies before contacting them so you can impress them with knowledge of a new office or changes in the company. Also, don’t be afraid to inquire about possibilities that don’t exist (yet!). If you can connect the company with something that you’re looking for in an internship, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they can make something new.
Winnie Heh
Career Advisor
MIIS
