Tell us about yourself?
Let me start by saying I have had a varied, interesting and exciting career. I have had my share of ups and downs in the years since I left high school. I say High School because that was the point in my life at which I decided that I was not going to follow the same path that most of my friends and classmates followed who grew up in Providence R.I. Back then just going on a trip to Boston Mass., which is about an hour away, was a major undertaking. I decided I was going to college in Memphis Tenn. For a New Englander to go to the heart of the South was a major life change. It was comparable to an International student deciding to do an internship in the US. My family and friends all echoed the say questions and sentiments. “Why are you going so far away we have good schools here”? “Do you think they will like you”? “Your not a southerner, you will not be accepted, how will you get by”? Because of my own experiences I understand the many and complex reasons why Internationals make the decision to do an internship in another country. Learning is only part of it. Being able to succeed on your own terms changes you deep inside.
I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Christian Brothers University . During my years at CBU one major characteristic that I thought made all the difference and insured my success was the safety net that the University provided, by being there like family to assist me when I needed it. Today we like to think our company Internships for America provides this same safety net for those in our program. Over the next 11 years, following graduation, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some great companies and obtain my MBA while doing so. These included DuPont, US Steel Chemicals, Russell Stover Candies and Affiliated Building Services (ABS). Through the experience I gained working with these great companies I was ready to venture out on my own and create what would become Mmantec Inc. a company that specialized in Facility Management Services. Our client base was made up of corporate, airline, airports, and federal government properties. Some of our clients, to name a few, included Delta Air lines, Fedex, UPS, United Airlines, US Coast Guard, GSA, IRS and many others. Then about 7 years ago my wife and I decided that is was time to change the course our life had taken. We got out of the Facility Manage Services Field and decided to venture into a new direction.
While visiting with a friend about 6 years ago I learned about the business of assisting internationals in finding and doing internships. I felt that my vast experience in the outsourcing field, along with my personal experiences would be a big plus in helping international students and companies who would love to have an internship program but lacked the time and resources necessary to launch a program. After studying the market place, learning about the needs of international students and companies and how we could best service those needs we launched Internships for America, Inc. Which brings us to the present.
Okay, so what led you to write this book?
Since we started Internships for America, we have recruited and interviewed thousands of internationals looking for US Internships. We have hosted and mentored hundreds of internationals from just about every country in the world. Seeing the errors that are made, that are so easily correctable, led me to write this book. In life success is about preparation. You need a mix of 99% Preparation and 1% execution to achieve success. The same holds true for starting a company, writing a book, finding a job or an internship. Matter of fact, as I was doing the research for this book it was interesting what I discovered. There is plenty of information on most of the topics in the book however none of it is directed to the international student and young professional. There is no information that directly addresses the advantages and disadvantages that an international student has over a US student in obtaining an internship. With information so scattered and very little of it directed at the needs of the international student preparing becomes a difficult task at best. The objective therefore was to create a book that an international student could use to prepare effectively.
What have you determined is the biggest misunderstanding that students and young professionals have about internships?
The road to the top in business or any field for that matter is made up of a series of baby steps. Each one in of it self is insignificant. But when put together over a long period of time leads to success. I can usually tell when an intern is about to start off on the wrong foot when I hear comments like, “ I don’t want to be the guy who has to go get the coffee, I want to be doing meaningful work” or brags that s/he has an MBA, or complains that the company is not giving them the training they signed up for. This quickly leads me to the opinion that the individual does not understand how to traverse the road to success. Here is a couple of points to keep in mind.
First, when you start an internship you need to be humble and be part of the team. Trust me if you got what it takes the challenging assignments and work will find you and the company will discover you. You don’t have to brag, you don’t to wave your degree around or demand that you be given the best assignments. US companies are always looking for talented, bright, enthusiastic people who want to learn, are willing to take on additional responsibilities and move up.
The other misunderstanding that I see frequently is that many interns do not realize that they are learning just by being at a particular company. You don’t have to be doing to be learning. You can learn by watching and seeing what is happening around you. Provided you pay attention. I learned how to build my first company by just being involved with one or two facility management projects. After I had managed a project, learned how to price one, watched the accounting procedures used and understood the mechanics of negotiating a contract I was ready to go off on my own. There was no magic involved. Business is made up of many simple tasks that are organized in such a manner to produce a product or a service, and if you do it well consistently you are a successful business.
What should international students and young professions seeking US Internship know about this book?
To get the most out of it you should read it twice. The first time you read it you should do so to get an overview of what is required and what all the steps are. The second time you should use it as a step-by-step guide as you pursue your internship goal. When you arrive at your internship you should still be referring to it.
If you were going to give a prospective intern some advice about doing an internship, what would you say?
If after you have done everything to insure a good internship and you still are not happy with the internship look to the other benefits that you can gain by this experience. You have to look at this process in the broadest of terms. The book takes you through the ways to accomplish this and make a bad experience a winning experience and make a good internship a great experience. Remember, There is no such thing as a bad internship.
Have you any plans for a second book”
Matter of fact I do. With as much as I covered in this book there is still more that can be written about internships that will be helpful to internationals that want to do US Internship.
Favorite Quote?
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” Yogi Berra.
