You Want the Corner Office?
The following week, Kohl's hosted interviews on campus. Eager to sharpen his interviewing skills, Rob signed up and did so well that he was called back for the second round.
He didn't go in blindly. Instead, he turned to an expert. Every Marquette college has career service liaisons to help students in such situations, and Rob's interviewing coach was the director of career management for the College of Business Administration. Armed with pointers and words of encouragement, Rob faced next a full day of interviews at Kohl's corporate headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Wis., about a half-hour from the Marquette campus. He knew he was just one of 60 qualified candidates vying for the job, so he was cautiously optimistic.
Rob Mallof
What's next:
Rob already had a full-time job offer from Kohl's, but he was weighing his options. "I definitely have a favoritism toward Kohl's because I had such a great experience there," he says. And knowing he has a job waiting after graduation? "It takes a lot of stress off the academic year."
How he picked his majors:
"My interests are definitely more in marketing. It's one of the more exciting and refreshing
aspects of business."
Dream job:
"I'd love to be an executive of a major corporation, preferably in one of my interests or hobbies, one of which is water skiing." His ideal: A corner office at a ski boat company or water ski manufacturer.
Advice for incoming business majors:
"Take your time, find what interests you and where you want to go. There's no rush in declaring a major or rushing into a field that you're not really sure you want to be in. Take advantage of internship opportunities early, because that will definitely help you figure out where you want to go." Also: "Enjoy the experience, meet as many people as you can. What you learn here at school is a starter, but the relationships you develop here will last forever, or at least a very long time."
What he didn't expect about the internship:
"The tremendous responsibility. I'd run a report and they'd use it. The first day I was in my office, my analyst had me do a job, and I expected him to look it over, but he just started copying it. They trust that you're going to do a good job."
Favorite Marquette memory:
Working on the orientation staff and serving as a founding member of the Marquette Water Ski Team.
A few days later, Kohl's made Rob an offer. He was surprised that he beat the 1-in-60 odds, but he gladly accepted.
As Rob learned, one of the best things about Marquette is that your education truly reaches beyond the classroom. Many people think the word "intern" translates to "fetching the big wig's coffee," but that's not always the case. After just a few weeks, Rob had already assisted his analyst with allocation of millions of dollars' worth of merchandise, and he had a bird's eye view of every aspect of Kohl's buying office.
Rob relished the chance to work in an environment he describes as fresh and young. "You can tell that the people here truly love what they are doing and enjoy the people they're working with," he says.
It's not always easy to land that coveted internship, but with the personal attention from professors and the university's strong national reputation, Marquette students have an edge. And as a Marquette intern, you're not expected to just sit on the sidelines — you're involved in the game.
Get Involved
Internships are one way to explore your field. You may also want to consider getting involved in these outstanding programs at Marquette:Applied Investment Management Program
A student helped develop this unique opportunity for 12 talented undergraduates to manage a portion of the university's endowment. And, believe this, they've outperformed the professionals for two years in a row. Wow!
International AIM Program
Now international business students can take advantage of the Applied Investment Management Program, global-style.
Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship
If you've got big ideas, this is the place to turn. It's already earned the praise of Entrepreneur magazine, which ranked it among the top 25 regional entrepreneurship programs. Students double major in business (some choose a second focus on business development or creating new business) and benefit from advice freely shared by Marquette alumni who've already made it big.
