Summer Fellowship Program

Advice from Past Summer Fellows

Some recent Summer Fellows have taken time to share their advice for other students for a successful summer experience.

One of the best pieces of advice from a former Fellow is about learning from others: "I was given this piece of advice in the lead up to my internship, and wish I had given it more thought."

On taking a social enterprise position

You can find an internship that meets both business (for-profit) experience goals as well as interests in social enterprise.
I think it's an amazing chance to make a real impact at an organization in a short period of time and to learn a lot from diverse and passionate people.
Try something you've always daydreamed about but never had the courage to try because of lost time in the career, etc.
I would highly recommend it. Though it may not always lead to an offer, taking a summer position in a nonprofit is one of the best ways to get a real feel for how the non-profit world works. Now I feel that I can make a much more informed decision about when and how I may want to incorporate work in a non-profit in my future career plans.
It's a great opportunity to learn in a completely different area, which has limited money, people, and resources in general. It's an area where someone can test his/her leadership skills.
Go for it! It feels great to have had a positive impact on the region or community you're working to support. A truly unique and soul-filling experience.
Don't be too cautious about accepting a position in a nonprofit organization. It will be useful even if it is not part of a long-term plan and it is an excellent learning experience, especially in small organizations, where you have the chance to interact with senior executives and meet people that are truly passionate about their jobs and will inspire you!

On the search

First determine the type of work you want to do and then look for an organization that matches your goals, not vice versa.
Begin the search early and network a lot.
Network hard and early with multiple leads.
Do lots of informal networking to find someone you click with who can help you and encourage you along the process.
Talk to as many people in the field as possible. Utilize the alumni network and classmates. While I got my job through the job bank, I know that I was much more knowledgeable and prepared in my interviews because I had spent significant time (even traveling to California) doing informational interviews with a whole range of alumni in the field I was considering.
Timing for posted positions is later than the traditional job search. A lot of opportunities will appear later in the job search process, mainly because most of the nonprofits have less resources to prepare a summer internship.

Evaluating opportunities

Great experience, but the result is very much dependent on careful choice of the organization.
Talk with EC students who have done it in the past.
Look for an organization you really believe in.
Be focused and honest about what you want to get out of the summer and which organizations can provide that. Research the organization well and have a good idea of the kind of work they will be doing.
Evaluate the top management team/executive director to make sure the organization is professionally run and they really do appreciate the skills of an MBA. Try to find one where MBA alumni are working - this makes it a bit easier to ensure that you are using your skills in the organization appropriately.
Be very suspicious of organizations that have no prior experience with MBAs and who will not pay interns.
Learn not only about organization but also about the details of the project, to figure out if the summer experience in SE will really meet your expectations and goals.
If you are considering this as a career, give careful consideration to whether this summer job will provide a full-time opportunity. If not, you will be doing the same process again in the fall!

Preparing for the summer (may overlap with evaluation period)

Scope your project well and understand the resources you will have before going in. Ask about contingency plans in case your project were to unexpectedly change.
Make sure you understand the exact details of projects and set expectations as to the caliber of work you hope to receive.
Figure out who you'll be working for, who is the back up person, and when they will be on vacation. Make sure they are available. Meet the team members.
Definitely make sure you are working on specific projects. If possible, find out as much as possible about these before Day 1. Also make sure to have a mentor.

During the summer

It is important to set your goals early on in the summer, make sure you are adding value, and check in periodically with leadership to make sure your goals are still in line with their expectations.
Create a workplan during your first week and set up weekly meetings with the top management for mentorship and monitoring the project progress.
Focus. Many NGOs and public groups are not very focused. This makes it critical for an MBA coming in for a limited time period to stay focused.
Be assertive and pro-active. If the organization is unorganized, make sure to take control of your destiny by being pro-active and making suggestions. They will appreciate it if it's done in the right tone.
Remain flexible if your project changes. Bringing suggestions to the table might make for a new and much more exciting project than initially proposed. Things may not go as planned (or as you initially envisioned), but there are still tremendous learning opportunities regardless.
Continue to advocate for yourself if there are ways that you can restructure your position to better meet your needs.
Leverage your HBS resources and classmates. Take advantage of research databases and other resources during your time, as many nonprofits don't have access to this.