Lessons Learned from my MBA Product Management Internship

Stella Sitt (McDonough, ‘20) spent her MBA Internship as a Product Management Intern in the Consumer Banking Division at Citigroup. During her internship, Sitt worked on a project that was to improve the design of the web and mobile experience, which required her to analyze lots of data, build relationships, and communicate her findings effectively. In this interview, Sitt shares her summer internship experience, more insights into the challenges that she got to work on, and her advice for fellow MBA Interns on how to be successful in their summer internships.

MBASchooled: What did you do for your summer internship? What project(s) you worked on?

Over the summer, I interned as a Consumer Banking Summer Management Associate at Citigroup in New York City. My role sat within the US Consumer Bank Digital Organization, which works to improve the digital experiences of clients.

My project involved leading the enrichment and redesign effort of Citi Retail Bank’s online and mobile experience. The final deliverable encompassed a presentation to senior management and the Digital Organization with my overall findings, rationale for proposed designs, and recommended KPIs.

MBASchooled: With the benefit of hindsight, what’s something you wish you knew prior to starting your summer internship?

I can’t pinpoint something I specifically wish I knew prior to starting my internship, but something that helped me prior to starting my internship was familiarizing myself with the firm, its products, and reading industry related news to stay abreast of what’s relevant and impacting the business. It was also important to start building relationships prior to the start of my internship, which is why setting up informational chats with alumni who worked at the firm was also helpful so that I was more familiar with the inner workings of the company prior to the start of my internship.

MBASchooled: What was the most important lesson that you learned?

The most important lesson I learned was the importance of storytelling to present data in a compelling way to business leaders. I had many Excel sheets of data, which held tremendous amounts of potential value, but no value would have been created had I not uncovered and translated these insights into actionable business outcomes. Throughout my internship, I worked to understand, process, and extract value from my data to be able to communicate the importance of my project. Delivering a succinct message that resonated with my audience was an important lesson for me which will help me exponentially throughout my career.

MBASchooled: What was a surprise from your internship experience?

A surprise from my internship experience was how important negotiation skills are. Because all teams have constrained resources, it’s important to convey the value of your product to various stakeholders and why its development is crucial to the success of the business. Product managers not only need to understand how a product is launched, but they also need to figure out how to meet business objectives with limited resources and convey this to other stakeholders. I learned that it’s crucial to also understand another team’s priorities are as well to create win-win outcomes for both parties.

MBASchooled: What was the best way for you to build relationships with your colleagues?

The best way to build relationships with my colleagues was by simply reaching out to them and scheduling coffee chats to get to know them and build rapport. By taking interest in someone’s work, it’s a way to show that you want to get to know them. I also believe that beyond just conversations related to work, simply asking a teammate how their weekend was and trying to genuinely get to know them on a personal level is a great way to build relationships in your personal life, not just at work.

MBASchooled: During your internship, what was a challenge you had to work through?

A challenge I had to work through during my internship was piecing together data points from large data sets pulled from different software systems and presenting it in an easy to understand manner to senior business leaders. By proactively reaching out to various data analysts to comb through the technical lingo, I was able to better understand how I could piece together this puzzle and build my business case successfully. By proactively reaching out and forming relationships with diverse and siloed teams, I was able to better succinctly pull together my key findings and present them in a digestible way.

MBASchooled: In what ways did the internship meet your expectations? In what ways was it different than what you thought it was going to be?

I had a very meaningful project with clear key objectives I was working towards, which is why my internship experience was not only educational, but also contributed to my career development. I was given exposure to what a digital product manager does and was essentially working on a product’s conception all the way through launch. For instance, I created mockups of the redesigned digital ledger informed by consumer survey feedback and competitor analysis.

It was different than what I expected because my project required ample information digging to draw valuable insights from. I relied heavily on Georgetown’s network of Citi alumni who were very helpful in connecting me to different teams within the organization which really helped with the project.

MBASchooled: How did your first year prepare you for navigating your summer internship? Were there any specific classes, experiences or resources that were most helpful?

I knew I wanted to pursue an internship opportunity within the digital or technology sector so I leveraged student organizations that would give me insight into these areas. I joined California Business Association, an organization which organizes an annual CalTrek to the San Francisco Bay area. On the trek, we visited a range of companies ranging from start-up to large technology, which not only gave me access to Georgetown’s alumni network there, but also the exposure to these industries.

I also took advantage of the MBA Career Center and attended company presentations, networking events, case prep sessions, and spoke to second year peer advisors who interned at tech companies to get a better understanding of various companies, roles, and how to best prepare for interviews in this space.

 

MBASchooled: What advice do you have for how MBA students can prepare for their summer internship?

As a first-year MBA student, start preparing for your summer internship experience sooner rather than later. In the fall, engage with alumni, peers, student organizations, and the MBA Career Center to understand what industry and role you are a good fit for. I also recommend attending national MBA career fairs where you are exposed to a wide array of employers and industries. Cast a wide net, but start narrowing down your options when you understand your value proposition and what key skills you bring to the table.

During the internship search process, it’s crucial that you’re able to articulate who you are, how your pre-MBA experience makes you a good fit for the internship opportunities you are pursuing, and what is the brand that is you. What is your value proposition that differentiates you from others? Always practice. Through resume crafting, networking, and case interviewing, you will be able to set yourself up for success.

In your spring semester, take classes that are in line with your industry and the role you’re pursuing. I also highly recommend soft skill classes, like leadership or communication classes, which really helped me improve my presentation skills.

Lastly, with your offer in hand, don’t forget to start setting up informational interviews and chats with alumni at the firm so that you have an understanding of the firm’s culture and business prior to the start of your internship.