Internship Spotlight: Joe Diaz, MUFG
Joe Diaz is an MBA/MS in MIS student graduating in the spring of 2022. This past summer he interned at MUFG as a Summer analyst in Tempe, Arizona.
What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience?
I found the internship on Handshake. I submitted an application that included a resume and a cover letter. About two weeks later, I received a phone call which led to the first interview. After the first interview about two days later I had a second interview with my manager and several other individuals. I answered standard interview questions. About two weeks later I engaged in a third interview with the Director of Talent Acquisition and Staffing. About two days after the third interview, I received an offer letter and accepted the offer.
What was a typical day like?
My typical day consisted of four activities:
1) Enterprise Summer Analyst classes, lectures, and project,
2) HR oriented project which involved regular meetings and presentations,
3) Talent Acquisition and Staffing related work,
4) Rotational meetings with employees and leaders from other departments within HR to learn more about the business,
About half the day was spent in meetings and the other half of the day was spent working on deliverables.
What was your favorite part of the experience?
My favorite part of the internship was engaging with my HR Summer Analyst Team. Outside of our project we engaged in activities and additional happy hours. I built a close bond with my team which consisted of 11 members. The team was spread across the country, but we still were able to find time to socialize and continue to work and learn from each other.
What did you learn?
I took this internship in a field in HR to get a feel for what employment would be like in an area of business that I didn't necessary have an understanding of. I went in with an open mind and learned that it is critical to fully understand what you want to do as a career after graduation. I realized during the internship that I did want to be in operations and I did want to focus on technology. I learned that those internship spots filled up quickly usually by October. My biggest advice is to start the internship search early. Apply early and often to get a position that you want or desire. However, an internship is also like a free trial to potentially try a new position that you might be curious about.
How did Eller prepare you for this experience?
BCOM by far was the most valuable class I took for my internship. At the end of the internship, I had three separate presentations to give to senior leaders in the company. The lessons I learned in BCOM really set me apart from others and enabled me to deliver presentations that I was confident about.