How I found an internship in Babson Connect Madrid?
In Babson, we always hear about the importance of networking and how it is so essential during job or internship search. I realized that I haven’t understood the actual importance until I actually found my summer internship in Babson Connect Madrid.
Every year in Turkey, Babson’s Turkish alumni, including the ones who graduated in 1998, which sounds super super old but true, organizes an event to share their memories and career experiences. This passed winter break, I went one of these events. It was very helpful in terms of listening different career paths and the variety of areas inside business you can actually choose from. I met Mr Ibrahim there, who also created this internship opportunity to me in his investment bank firm in Istanbul. At that time, we only met and he talked about his firm and his story before he became a partner in this bank. After that day, I sent him an thank you email and that was it.
On April, I went to Babson Connect. I was actually not hoping to find my summer internship because I already had one offer and thinking that I was going to take it. I saw Mr. Ibrahim again and during 3 days of Babson Connect, we always talked about everything about business from career options to markets. During the last day, he mentioned me about his firm’s internship program that I found absolutely amazing compared to other classic Turkish internships that you do nothing. I was really interested and wanted to do it. I showed my enthusiasm to him as well about this opportunity and he wanted to have an interview one week after this event.
In the end, the application process went really well and I got the offer from him. I decided to do this internship and rejected the other offer.
What I am saying is that never underestimate the importance of networking. You can never know where the opportunity will find you 🙂