Mark Prechtel is a junior from Indianapolis, IN with a double major in Accounting and Finance. This past summer, Mark had the opportunity to intern for EquiTeam, a local construction company located in downtown Indianapolis. He credits his phenomenal professors in the Krannert School of Management for preparing him well and helping him succeed in this new endeavor. Mark is pleased to announce that he has landed an finance internship with Zimmer Biomet, located in Warsaw, IN, for Summer 2019.
What attracted you to the company/position?
The opportunity to expand my knowledge outside of the classroom in real world situations is what attracted me to this internship. I knew that EquiTeam would prepare me with on-the-job experience and skills that I could take with me into future internships and job opportunities.
What was the hiring process like?
The hiring process consisted of filling out an application, doing an initial phone-screen, and then doing an official phone interview.
What was your overall experience like working there and what did your typical day look like?
The most common work I did was in Excel. I updated the work-in-progress, financial ratios, billing projections, and project fade-gain. Another common task was creating monthly reports consisting of income statements, balance sheets, work-in-progress, etc. One project they had me do towards the end of my internship was researching their accounting software for potential improvements or other ways of improving their accounting system as a whole.
Did you get any cool perks working for this company?
I feel very grateful that this particular internship was a paid opportunity. I know that not all college internships are paid, therefore I feel very lucky that I was compensated for my work.
Do you feel that your past internships/classes helped prepare you for this one? If so how?
I feel as though classes in both high school and college prepared me tremendously well for my internship. One compliment my boss gave me was that it was made evident by my work that my professors had taught me very well throughout the years. This was my first internship but I’m excited to see how my learnings from this experience will benefit me in my finance internship next summer.
Where do you see yourself working post-graduation?
I would like to stay in the Midwest. My parents live in Indianapolis, my brothers live in Chicago, and my sister lives in Nashville. With regards to what kind of work I want to do, my dream job is to be an equity analyst, but I would accept another job as a stepping-stone towards that goal.
How do you feel that your education at Purdue helped you while working for this company?
As a Purdue student, I can confidently say that my professors have taught me than just coursework. Many of my teachers have taught me how to think and strategize in real-life finance and accounting scenarios. In particular, I give thanks to Professor Meade, Professor Black, and Professor Koharki. They are truly emblems of what makes Krannert School of Management one of the best in the country.
What career advice would you give to underclassmen?
I would definitely advise to place an emphasis on your academics from your first semester at Purdue to your last. Classes get progressively harder as you transition into the upper-division of Krannert, and I know that to be true for the other colleges as well. Also, be sure to make as many connections in the business world as you can. I know many people who have landed internships because of people they have reached out to. Networking is everything nowadays. Furthermore, be sure to interact with your professors. They are more than willing to help you, and it will be much easier for them to write letters of recommendation for you if they know more about you than just your academic profile.
