Tate Schwartz
Major: Communication
Minor: Spanish
Product Development Intern at Mascot GO
How did you learn about this internship opportunity?
At CLA Career Services, I learned how to put my interests and preferences into words. I then spent some time every day searching job websites using those words as filters. Eventually, I found a hidden gem opportunity that fit me perfectly, buried in page 5. The deep search paid off.
What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?
1) Consistency is key. Blocking out ten minutes every day for career development beats a long session doomscrolling on job boards every once in a while. 2) You don't know what you don't know! That's why talking with counselors and professionals is so important. Even casually mentioning where you are in your job search during office hours can lead to direction you never knew you needed.
What key responsibilities or projects have you taken on during your internship?
My internship is all about initiative. You don't get told what to do, rather, you propose it. This has led me to work on projects I love and am invested in because I started them. Some examples are prototyping features for a mobile app, presenting those ideas to management and filming different styles of content to see what works best for our target audience.
How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?
The only way I know if I truly like something is by trying it. Internships are a low-stakes opportunity to test different environments and skills while building my portfolio. For example, now I know I'd rather design products behind-the-scenes rather than sell them on-the-ground. Still, it's useful to say I have experience doing both. As a Liberal Arts student at Purdue, I've found that being familiar with such a broad variety of disciplines has helped me with my work. I get to combine decision theory from economics and psychology with my messaging skills from communication and political science. Because Purdue has such a strong business and STEM presence, I have also been able to pick up the technical skills from marketing and computer science I need to turn my ideas into real prototypes. Instead of having a narrow set of abilities, I feel prepared for every new thing my internship sends my way.
In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our Job-Ready program specifically aided your professional development?
Being able to know my professors, advisers and fellow students personally due to the community approach of CLA has helped a lot. I would not be where I am now if I didn't have professors who offer me opportunities, advisers who remember my journey and peers I can reach out to for help. One example of this development is the Job-Ready program, which prepared me for life after graduation in a way no class can. The financial support and counseling made it possible for my summer to be spent developing my career with meaningful steps doing real work. With the Job-Ready program's support, I now feel more comfortable with applying to jobs, navigating new career environments and building my network of mentors and peers.
Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in the Job-Ready program that you find particularly noteworthy?
The company I work for brought on an investor in the middle of the summer. Soon enough, I was working directly with him on the new project he initiated. We were dealing with important people, thousands of dollars and real deadlines. Even though I don't have my degree yet, I'm working on projects that are far more advanced than what my freshman self would have ever guessed.