Laura Bechard is a senior major in Community and Environmental Sociology and International Studies. She had an internship this summer with the U.S. Department of State Consulate Office in Barcelona. She is from Osseo, Wisconsin and enjoys music, hiking, learning languages and sustainable agriculture.
Q: What did you do to find an internship opportunity?
A: I underwent the online application process found at the U.S. Department of State’s career services website. I enrolled in an international study abroad course with IAP that dealt with processing my role in my international internship.
Q: What did finding an internship teach you about searching for a full-time job?
A: The overall process (especially for government jobs) takes a long time. I applied for the internship in November, was offered a placement in December, completed my background check in March, and began working in May. I also learned that you need to sell yourself and highlight things that you think your employer would want to hear.
Q: What type of student organization experiences did you pursue to enhance your resume and help improve your professional skills?
A: I was a grant writer for Slow Food UW in the fall of 2011. This position helped tailor my writing skills to sell an idea which translated over into selling myself in the internship application.
Q: What did you do during your internship?
A: I helped in American citizen services which ranged from replacing lost/stolen passports to writing reports on trends that occurred within the Consulate Office.
Q: In what way was your internship valuable to your professional development?
A: I learned how to conduct research and write official government reports, or cables. I also was exposed to Spanish culture and the language which I hope to use in my career.
Q: What was the most important thing you learned at your internship?
A: The most important thing I learned was to have enthusiasm. If you have enthusiasm or passion about what you do, then you will not be afraid to ask appropriate questions and take the initiative. Also, by having a positive attitude, you will develop good relations with your coworkers.
Q: Do you feel your internship experience was important to your career development? If so, why?
A: I want to work in environmental policy on the international scale. This opportunity to work in the Consular Section with the U.S. Department of State in Barcelona gave me insight into how the government functions and the duties of a Consular Officer. I also was able to practice Spanish.
Q: Who do you feel helped you the most in your professional development and why?
A: The assistant consular officer helped me the most in my professional development because he really pushed me to look into taking the foreign service exam and pursue the State Department as a career. All of my coworkers helped me experience multiple aspects of the Consulate Office.
