Name: Evan Bakker

CFS Concentration & Year: BFS, Winter 2013

Internship: LiquidThread

Major /Minor: Philosophy/BIP

Graduation Year: 2013

  Current Position: Research Associate at Corporate Insight      in NY

Describe your CFS internship and how it helped you either in interviews, job opportunities or graduate school applications?

I was an intern in the brand and entertainment division. I received a lot of experience working with two different brands. I worked on a variety of projects and tasks such as helping strategize how to integrate the brand into campaigns. Additionally my work consisted of lots of co-branding, helping with timelines, and writing scripts for online advertising. For me it was great being able to work at a place where I can use my strategic and creative side. I think it’s really important to do an internship before graduating. I had interned before, but after this internship I finally felt prepared for the real world. Specifically what was useful was that I’d get continual feedback so by the end of the internship my supervisors acknowledging my success was really rewarding. My organization skills also really developed and at my current job a lot of highlights in the feedback I get revolve around my organizational skills.

Did you see it as a future career when you took the internship? 

I came in to this internship with a full time offer that I’d already accepted, but I learned a lot from the experience. Advertising wasn’t the ideal industry but I did enjoy the experience.

Please briefly explain what you are doing now?

Currently I’m a research associate on a credit card team where we basically monitor the entire industry. My job involves a lot of trend analysis and research. Based on research conducted every week, we create a report to send to our clients. This requires lot the consistent ability to both analyze and write in a very deadline driven industry. Every week we publish updates and every month we publish deeper dive reports. For me it’s a very satisfying career because it plays to my strengths (such as writing) and I get to learn a lot about the financial industry.

Is there a link between your CFS experience and what you are doing now? 

Through CFS I was able to figure out what I was interested in. By adding up all my internship experiences I was able to see what I’d succeed at. It’s important to find a job that plays well to your strengths, however, it’s also crucial that you choose an industry you enjoy and want to learn about.

What advice do you have for students at NU considering the program? 

My biggest advice would be to look at the internships you’d enjoy and not simply the ones you feel like you have to do. The internship is for the purpose of you learning and you don’t want to be at an internship you dread every day.  I was pretty excited for Business Field Studies but I was drawn to the creative jobs because I hadn’t had that experience before. It’s ideal to find what you like to do before you graduate. The whole point of CFS is to figure out what you want to do and to learn about yourself. Really think about jobs that play to your strengths. Even if you’re unsure about a job, playing to your strengths will give you a greater chance of being successful.

How can CFS students make the most of their experience? 

In order to make the most of the experience I think there are 2 dimensions: as an intern and as a student. If you work with other NU students you should really make the effort to collaborate and connect with them. Ask them how their experience is going and what their work has been like. Also be sure to leverage the students in your class. Pay attention to what the students are talking about and to their stories in seminar. This gives you a small window into other industries and these stories are pretty accurate and representative. At your internship you should always go outside your comfort zone and outside your realm of responsibility if that’s in your rights. Go beyond expectations and offer to lend a hand to others. It at least leaves a good impression which is very important.

I think CFS was the most useful program I joined at Northwestern. It is a very practical and exciting way to prepare yourself for life after college. For instance it teaches you new skills and how to balance different aspects of your life. It’s more than a summer internship and it’s a great way to explore Chicago. The ability to navigate the city is in itself a valuable skill. It’s an opportunity that every student should take advantage of.