Working Fulltime While Attending Undergrad

I was talking to a family friend and golf buddy over Easter weekend about internships as I'll be starting my first this summer. He was a sophomore dual finance and econ major like myself who had his first internship (IB boutique) the summer after sophomore year as well. He said it went well but he wanted a more diverse resume so the following fall semester he walked into a local financial adviser's firm and offered to work for free for a semester to get more work experience, kind of an unofficial internship. He was hired the next semester and ended up working full time with them while finishing up his undergrad. He then went on to law school and has been working with my father ever since.
Just curious if any of you have traveled the same path or have any input on working while in undergrad to get relevant work experience.

5 Comments
 

I don't understand the question. Work hard in college and apply to summer internships, I don't see the point in taking an internship or work experience during a semester. I also don't know many firms that offer that as an option considering the schedule between work and school would most likely conflict with each other?

 
Best Response

I worked full time (40+ hours) throughout my entire education. If you HAVE to do it, do it. Life is what it is. But your life will fucking suck. I worked far more than 40 hours many weeks and sometimes my grades would take a hit. I was taking 18 credit hours and would take B's in a class where I could have gotten an A, but I didn't have the time. I never interned since I worked year round. No cool spring breaks, none of that shit.

IMO, if you go to a legit school and want to work in finance, work PT on campus or something, maybe start an online business, but working full time, unless you have to in order to go to school, will ruin your college experience and limit your ability to intern and gain relevant experience for your post college career.

 

I have no real desire do this as I'd rather keep my grades up and balance my social life, but it seemed unusual so I thought I'd post this and see if anyone knows anyone who's been in a similar situation. I'm planning on just doing summer internships and networking, but I think he chose to work full time to help save for law school as that was his plan further down the road. Oh well, to each his own

 

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