Approximately Halfway at Graham
I am now approaching the halfway point of my internship as this slightly shortened Independence-week is about to begin. I have felt a range of emotions towards this job as perhaps most people do. At times it excites me and my contributions seem important and interesting. At other times the work can be frustrating. Working primarily in the industrial manufacturing sector often makes potential target companies dry in terms of content. Naturally, many tasks that fall to interns can also be tedious but they can also offer great exposure to the company.
For example, each week interns review a future tradeshow (a large gathering of small companies in a certain sector) and analyze each company to see if they are a potential fit for Graham Partners. While this task is not always exciting, it does contribute to the proprietary edge Graham prides themselves on. It also is a way for interns to contribute to the future of Graham. Several interns in past summers have identified companies that eventually led to an acquisition. This is a good example of how repetitive tasks can have a large impact.
Private equity firms do not grow at the rate of financial institutions such as investment banks and have less of a need for a new analyst class. Instead, Graham will retain 1-2 interns for full time employment. This has prompted me to think about what I want to do with my career as I begin refining my resume and looking at potential jobs. Graham has done a great job providing interns with resources to learn and succeed. We have completed a private equity specific one month accounting course as well as a four day financial modeling course focused on the three stamen model and LBO (leveraged buyout) model. Overall, this valuable learning experience will open up many opportunities for full time employment that I did not previously have.
Sounds like it has been an enriching experience that has provided you opportunities to contribute and grow, even if the work is sometimes less exciting. You’ve provided nice examples to illustrate points you are making as well as the type of work/tasks you have completed AND the ways in which those contribute to the larger company goals. I appreciate that and the specificity will serve you well as you complete the academic assignments for internship this summer. Reflecting on the work you do and how they contribute to the organization will also serve you well as you interview for other (full-time) employment as it will enable you to articulate the kinds of projects you’ve worked on, the skills/competencies you’ve developed, and the way in which your actions contribute to the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives (and perhaps their profit margin as well).