What kind of internships should I seek out as a Business-Economics Major?
Hello, I am currently a business-economics major at the University of California-Los Angeles, and I am looking for internships for the upcoming summer. Also looking to minor in accounting. As of now, I'm a bit unsure of what internships I should be looking for as I want to get internships that would hopefully do with my major in the future. However, I'm lost as to what careers or internships are related to my major. If anyone could give some recommendations I would appreciate that extremely.
41 answers
John’s Answer
Samantha’s Answer
Some of the other answers here suggest looking for internship opportunities at the Big 4 accounting firms and I definitely agree. If you’re even remotely interested in accounting, there’s lots of different groups you can try in tax, audit, and consulting. Additionally, if you decide accounting isn’t your primary interest and that you’d prefer another kind of business or economics related role, there are also plenty of very interesting groups at the Big 4 (particularly in consulting) where no accounting work is required. Some of these other consulting groups include Management Consulting, Technology Consulting, Forensic Consulting, and Deals Consulting. All of these groups could be a good fit for someone with a business or economics background. Another great thing about interning at one of these large Big 4 firms is that it’s often possible to transfer groups if you decide after your internship that you’d rather be in a different group instead. Even as a full time employee, people switch groups all the time, and it’s much easier to try different things without re-recruiting for new full time roles in the market. Starting your career at a Big 4 firm will also provide you with lots of great mentors and support while you figure out your future career plans. Best of luck!
Samantha recommends the following next steps:
Eleanor’s Answer
https://www.verizon.com/about/work/jobs/7506831-finance-operations-summer-2022-internship?hl=577854
You can also check out what Verizon offers for college students here:
https://www.verizon.com/about/careers/college-students
Tommy’s Answer
Cariad’s Answer
PwC has an interesting free program that can support you as you figure out your next steps.
I think these two ressource might specifically resonate with you:
Career Readiness curriculum- can help understand who you are, focus on where you want to go, and rethink how you approach the career search process
Mentoring program- where you can sign up for a small pod of collegiate peers and PwC professionals focused on building community and supporting you along your career journey.
Check out the website and see if any of it interests you:
https://accessyourpotential.pwc.com
Cariad recommends the following next steps:
Parshva’s Answer
Another thing I would suggest is to talk to professionals working in your areas of interests to understand the nature of work more clearly and also develop relationships.
The real question is not what opportunities are available, rather what areas are you interested in within the business realm. Hope this helps!
Michelle’s Answer
I work in Financial Services and am now at my 3rd of the 4 major wirehouses. At each of those Firms, we regularly have interns with business and accounting majors for summer internships and beyond. Due to the sensitivity of client information, the tasks interns can work on are sometimes limited, but they get great exposure to the business in general and what it's like to be a Financial Advisor, support professional, analyst or manager in a Wealth Management office. You can get an understanding of whether or not you enjoy client-facing work, which could consist of things like administrative responsibilities (paperwork/forms, transferring money, sending checks, etc.), financial planning work or investment guidance. Many large Financial Advisor teams also have analysts on staff who do much of the background work and research, but don't deal directly with clients.
Many students don't know much about this industry in general, so internships are a great way to understand what opportunities exist in the field. There typically aren't many available in a given office, so it's a good idea to look for Wealth Management branches in your preferred location and start inquiring early. As a Branch Manager, I would sometimes have students looking for internships call or email me directly to ask; I would suggest looking for managers on LinkedIn first and contacting them that way.
It's a really terrific field and allows the opportunity to help clients meet their goals - financial and otherwise - which is incredibly rewarding. Good luck with whatever you do!
Angelique’s Answer
Deanna’s Answer
Aastha’s Answer
Next I would say reaching out to alumni from your school at firms to ask about their day to day and see if you like it, and apply from there.
Good luck!
Ana’s Answer
How are you?
The first thing you need is to understand is:
- What are the subjects in college that you are into? Start mapping the ones you like and the ones you don't.
Once you do it, you will be able to have an idea of which areas you could pursue based on liked subjects and your skills.
After that, start to map companies that are aligned with your values and see what are the possibilities that you would have in each one that are related to the previous step.
Last, but not least: talk to senior colleagues! They might be doing their internships and could give you an idea of the daily routine of their areas.
Good luck!
Christian’s Answer
This is a great question to be asking oneself, especially so earlier in college as you start to build a plan into the direction you want to take after graduating. Business can cover a wide array of job opportunities and I would say you're not entirely enclosed to your major when pursuing other job opportunities that may be more technical as well.
To begin I would say think about certain industries that excite you or make you deeply curious about how they work and what they do. This could be areas like consumer goods, or manufacturing, or aviation, and you could look into specific companies within the industry through their websites and or through networking/reaching out to employees. Once you have defined some industries you can start to look at functions within those companies that do work you find again most interesting. Whether it is more marketing related, business operations, strategy, finance, HR, or sales there are many components to a company's makeup.
Beyond this method of following your interest, I would also recommend taking into consideration what you believe your future plans are or how you would want your lifestyle to be. If you enjoy freedom and want to have a good balance of time spent doing other things, some more hour intensive jobs may not be the best fit such as banking. If you want to learn a lot and can't decide on a specific field, there are other jobs where you can get more exposure to a wide array of industries like consulting. If you love technology and products then more technical jobs could require degrees in computer science, but if you follow a minor in computer science it could give you the skills to follow such jobs such as product management.
Take into account what are the things you want out of your career, how much you enjoy the subject, and what you want your lifestyle to be like. It can be a lot to decide on, and don't over stress too much about making the correct decision, you will always be able to adapt and follow new directions. The most important thing is just be willing to try new things, take risks, and learn from every experience.
Michael’s Answer
First of all congratulations on getting to this stage of your education. I was in a similar place as you when I was in college. I was a Finance undergrad but really enjoyed the accounting side of my education and using Excel. This may not be a great answer, but I'd say that the exact field that you go into doesn't really matter. I definitely would encourage you to find an industry that you have some interest in what they do. For example, my internship experience was at Comedy Central/MTV Networks where I did Accounting work (journal entries, budget reconciliations, etc). I currently work for a Consumer Products company in their Sales Strategy department and previously worked in Finance. To summarize, I think the key is to find something that you'd be engaged in, and seek something interesting and what you can see/feel/touch. Too often people in Finance/Accounting go to work crunching numbers all day and get burned out from staring at a screen and not being able to see your impact of the important work you're doing.
Hope this helps
-Mike
Abdul Nasir’s Answer
Matthew’s Answer
Below are a few categories I've seen
- Accounting (e.g., big 4, boutiques, tax)
- Finance (banks, financial institutions, financial consulting)
- Economic policy
- Marketing
- Supply chain
- Operations
- HR
I've seen Interns come from variety of backgrounds and majors, and truthfully the world is their oyster.
The most important thing I learned was to make connections at each internship, learn as much as I could (be proactive) and leverage each of my experiences and lessons learned into my next internship/role.
Rebecca’s Answer
Below are a few suggestions :
- Accounting Firms
- Banks
- Financial Institutions, e.g. Funds, Broker Dealers, Private Equities, etc.
- Consultancy
They may put intern recruitment on their career website from time to time. On the other hand, if you have any corporate that you are interested, you can also reach out to them proactively to look for intern opportunities.
Internship is an very good opportunities for you to understand how the real work life and acquire working experience. You can also establish network with people in the industry. If you perform well in the company, they may offer you permanent working opportunity upon your graduation.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Marini’s Answer
I would advise that you schedule an appointment with your academic adviser to find internship opportunities. They are a great resource to start with as companies usually reach out to various colleges to find interns. You can perform job searches using the various position titles and adding internship. You can also ask people who work in your desired area if they're aware of any internship opportunities.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
Claude’s Answer
Consider a wide-variety of companies and please be flexible.
I was an economics major and had several types of internships: operations management in a perfume factory; logistics management in a rental supply company; general management of religious services at a national park; general management at a catering company, to name several of my positions.
Be flexible and try to gain as much experience from a variety of businesses.
Sanjana’s Answer
Shruti’s Answer
There are many options of internships that you can do as a business and econ major. You can do banking at many different banks which can include things like investment banking and sales and trading. You can also look into marketing, management, supply chain, business analytics, finance, business improvement, and so many other roles. My best advice is that you should apply to everything that relates even a little bit because you will get to learn more about what you are interested in.
Dusty’s Answer
Congrats on your achievements getting this far! I know the decision on what to do for your career can be a daunting one. I totally appreciate and agree with all of the advice previously given, but I'd go one step further and say to try something that is not necessarily at the top of your list of preferences. If it is at the top of the list, you know enough it to believe you want to do it. Try number 3 on your list for example. You might be pleasantly surprised by something that is a little different. Just a thought, but in the end, the decision has to be what is most comfortable for you. You want to enjoy the work you do, so start with that. Best of luck!!!
Ed’s Answer
Caroline’s Answer
These internships can provide exposure to banking, investment, and financial planning. Positions might include:
Investment Banking Analyst Intern
Financial Analyst Intern
Asset Management Intern
2. Consulting Internships
Consulting internships offer experience in solving business problems and developing strategies for various clients.
Management Consulting Intern
Economic Consulting Intern
Strategy Consulting Intern
3. Corporate Finance Internships
These internships are within corporations' finance departments and offer insight into financial management and analysis.
Corporate Finance Intern
Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Intern
Treasury Intern
Dhimant’s Answer
Economist internship
Future Market Analyst
Labor Analyst
Supply and Demand Analyst
Bailey’s Answer
Jerel’s Answer
Andrew’s Answer
Chip’s Answer
Matei’s Answer
I graduated in Business Management and too wasn't sure where to start my career. When I started my goal was to find any job and see from there how it would evolve. Ended up becoming an Analyst and later a data vizualization developer for Tableau. If I were to start again I would probably search for a role as an Analyst or something in Project Management. These types of roles offer a good perspective into business and are usually exposed to many other areas - therefore offering your a choice down the line to progress into other roles.
Sylvia’s Answer
Justin’s Answer
Thomas’s Answer
M’s Answer
Lukas’s Answer
Ariane’s Answer
One option for an internship for economics is transfer pricing. A "transfer price" is the price at which related parties transact with each other, such as during the trade of supplies or labor between departments." (Investopedia). Public accounting firms hire transfer pricing employees but many companies also have their own in-house transfer pricing. Good luck!
Rickey’s Answer
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
Here's some valuable information from www.iAsk.ai, the Ask Ai Questions Search Engine, regarding internships for a Business-Economics Major:
As a student majoring in business-economics and potentially minoring in accounting, you have a wealth of internship opportunities that can complement your academic pursuits and future career aspirations. Here's a list of recommended internships you might want to explore:
1. Financial Analyst Internship: This internship offers practical experience in analyzing financial data, creating financial models, and making recommendations based on your findings. It's an ideal fit for a business-economics student, as it requires an understanding of economic trends and their influence on financial markets.
2. Business Development Internship: This role provides insight into how businesses identify and chase growth opportunities. You'll be involved in market research, strategic planning, and partnership development, all of which are areas where your business-economics knowledge can be effectively utilized.
3. Consulting Internship: As a business-economics major, a consulting internship can offer you exposure to a variety of industries and business challenges. Consultants often work on projects requiring strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of economic principles, making it a great fit for your academic background.
4. Accounting Internship: If you're considering a minor in accounting, an internship in this field will be highly relevant. You'll gain practical experience in financial reporting, auditing, and tax preparation, further enhancing your business-economics studies and skill set.
5. Market Research Internship: This role involves gathering and analyzing data on consumer preferences, market trends, and competitive landscapes to assist companies in making informed business decisions. Your knowledge of economic principles could be very useful in interpreting market data and deriving meaningful insights.
6. Investment Banking Internship: If you have an interest in finance and strong quantitative skills, an investment banking internship could be a good fit. This role involves assisting with financial transactions, conducting valuation analyses, and offering strategic advice to clients, all of which require a solid foundation in economics and finance.
Undertaking internships in these areas will provide you with practical experience that enhances your academic studies, broadens your skill set, and allows you to explore possible career paths in the business and economics field.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Harvard Business Review: This is a reliable source for insights on business trends, management practices, and career development strategies. It offers valuable information on internship opportunities and career paths for business students.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): The BLS provides comprehensive data on various occupations, including job outlooks, salary information, and educational requirements. This can help you understand the demand for different roles in business and economics.
UCLA Career Center: This is a fantastic resource for students seeking internships and career guidance. They offer workshops, job postings, networking events, and personalized advising to help students explore their interests and achieve their professional goals.
May God bless you!
James Constantine Frangos.
John’s Answer
Kyle’s Answer
Juan’s Answer
I would suggest making a Linkedin if you do not have one already. There are hundreds of internships you can apply to and you can apply to any part of the country because of the move to remote working- post pandemic.
Adrian’s Answer
Investment Banking Internship: Investment banking internships provide an opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment and learn about the financial industry. Interns may assist with research and analysis, financial modeling, and other tasks related to deal-making.
Consulting Internship: Consulting firms often offer internships that give students the chance to work with clients on projects related to strategy, operations, or finance. These internships can be valuable for developing problem-solving skills and building a network of professional contacts.
Government Economic Policy Internship: Working with a government agency can provide a unique perspective on economic policy and how it affects businesses and consumers. Interns may conduct research, analyze data, and provide recommendations to policymakers.
Market Research Internship: Market research internships involve collecting and analyzing data to help businesses make informed decisions. Interns may conduct surveys, focus groups, and other research activities to gather information about consumer behavior and preferences.
Accounting Internship: Accounting internships can provide experience in financial reporting, tax preparation, and other accounting-related tasks. These internships can be valuable for students interested in pursuing careers in finance or accounting.
It's important to research and apply to internships that align with your interests and career goals. Talk to your academic advisors, career services office, and other professionals in the field to learn about potential opportunities and build your network.
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