How We Got Our Dream Internship

Welcome to the first official part of our blog series! We both have worked incredibly hard throughout our lives to get an opportunity like Cisco, so we want to tell you just how we made it happen - in two pretty different ways.

So, here's us:

Mitchell Drysdale

As a child, I was very extroverted -- something I don’t believe I am now. I played soccer, basketball, and golf as a kid, while hanging out with friends as often as possible. On top of that, I was a part of my elementary school chorus and thrived in lead roles during plays. As I grew up, my extroversion went away, bringing out the introverted side in me. I learned to enjoy the time to myself and how to be happy independently.

Going into high school, I had a feeling that marketing was the route I wanted to go down. I joined my high school DECA club, hoping that I could confirm that feeling -- I ended up becoming Vice President and finishing 2nd in international competition by the end of high school. At this point, it was safe to say that I had found my passion. Marketing was that thing that brought out my extroverted, passionate side.

At NC State, I was a part of the First Year College, which allowed me to explore many opportunities before choosing marketing. After choosing marketing in the Poole College of Management, I used the American Marketing Association (AMA) and lots of networking to gain as much knowledge as possible. These skills actually lead me to Cisco.

I attended a career fair that was advertised by the AMA, and spent about 30 minutes talking to Cisco representatives before setting up an interview. I spend hours networking and meeting as many people to make sure I knew as much about Cisco as possible, and how to knock the interview out of the park. I came into the interview with numerous questions and statements prepared for the right time. After sweating through my suits, I was offered the internship of a lifetime.

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Madisen Andersen

I started out shy and and kept to myself, but now I am quite the opposite. As a kid, I was involved in many things (or at least tried to be) such as dance, swim, basketball, softball and theatre. I had mixed feelings about school -- I loved going school supply shopping and seeing my friends but I was not a huge fan of the actual work.

College was the same way. I am studying Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources. I was encouraged to study Human Resources because apparently my lack of sympathy and assertiveness are great attributes to have for that career. So why did I end up with a Marketing internship? Honestly because most of my friends were studying Marketing. I realized HR related to that shy kid I was and marketing pushed me to challenge myself.

When people ask me how I got the Cisco internship, I tell them networking and preparing. It was the people I knew that helped me get my foot in the door and from there, it took a ton of research and self assessments. I needed to identify my strengths and be able to verbalize them. I found ways to showcase why I would be an asset to the company. It was the relationships I had built that got me to the second round. And then it was my amazing intellects and stellar personality that did the rest. I’m kidding-- I prepared a ton for the second round and found ways to relate to my interviewers.

Exactly the Same...but Totally Different

So, as you now know, we are both Seniors at NC State in the Poole College of Management and a part of the American Marketing Association (AMA). We have mutual friends and have crossed paths at least 76 times (to be precise). We are polar opposites (except for all the similarities mentioned above); however, we ended up in the same place. We show that it doesn't necessarily take one type of person to get a certain opportunity.

What does it take to get those opportunities? GRINDING. If you really want to get that internship or promotion or grade, you have to work harder than you thought you could. The other message we want to hit home is just how important it is to meet people that aren't like you. We learned how to play into each other's strengths and work together effectively because other viewpoints are just different, not necessarily wrong.

Although we’re all trying to get one position, there isn’t just one way to get it. If you’re trying to be somebody else, you will not perform the same because you’re simply not them, you know?

Things That Helped Us Get Our Dream Position

• Never leave a hand unshaken: The more people you meet and connect with (while leaving a lasting impression), the better. You never know who hiring managers will connect with to see how you conducted yourself throughout the process.

• Leave a lasting impression: Don’t focus so much on talking business - find something that makes you unique and take a step back and realize that they are people to and have a life outside of work. Try asking them “How do you spend your days?” Learned that one from an NC State Psychology professor Rupert Nacoste. Asking that question allows them to answer with their work life, their hobbies, or whatever they want to talk about. You’re giving them the choice of how they want to respond, opening up the conversation completely - while also leaving a memorable mark.

• Going to all of those networking events nobody goes to (aka put yourself in the most uncomfortable situation possible): Just go! if your friends won’t go with you then sucks for them when you get the internship and they didn't. It can be awkward but it’ll be worth it. Preparing for these events will also allow for the process to be less awkward. So, before you go, rehearse a 30 to 45-second elevator pitch of who you are and why you're special. A good elevator pitch will impress just about anyone.

We hope that this blog helped you understand more about us and good skills to get you in the door and into your dream position! Any other advice or comments? Get the conversation started in the comments below! We'll be back next Sunday for another blog!