Advisory Services Intern, summer 2008

Hassan Hassan

Education: BS in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Economics from Iowa State University, scheduled to graduate December 2009

Hassan Hassan’s internship with PwC led to a big shift in his career plans. He was an engineering major, with internships in software development and electrical construction under his belt. His first encounter with PwC at a job fair made him think about a career in consulting. Then, his experience in PwC’s Advisory services and his interactions with other interns and members made a huge impact. He began to pursue different courses and a new career path.

Tell me about the start of your internship experience.
For the first week of training, the interns were at a site in Princeton, New Jersey. We learned about the company and about their expectations for us. It was kind of a glimpse of what would happen in the following weeks. I traveled to Chicago for the first week of work, and then to Belize to take part in the Belize City project with other interns and staff. It was a difficult transition, but I was never bored, and I always looked forward to the next day.

After you returned from Belize, what kind of work were you doing?
I was based with a client in Chicago and working on a project to implement SAP. It’s an IT system that helps manage different divisions – HR, accounting, manufacturing. Our team studied business models and modified the software to fit the needs of the client. All the work I did was very meaningful. We worked on actual deliverables, creating training manuals so that future consultants could perform these same controls.

What was the most important thing you learned during your internship?
I really learned how to invest in relationships. I never thought I would develop so many relationships in such a short time. It’s amazing how closely you get to know the clients and the PwC members. That created a network that I could use for guidance and feedback. It was my first time living in Chicago, and it’s nothing like Iowa, so it was important that my relationship with my colleagues was more of a friendship.

How did this work change your vision for the future?
Before the internship, I hadn’t declared my economics minor. I knew I liked learning about how companies work. So when I came back to school, I wanted to expand my knowledge in business. I planned to take a few more economics classes and an accounting class before I graduated. I knew it would help prepare for the career that I’ll start next January.

What are you most looking forward to in your position with PwC?
I’m looking forward to working with people and to traveling, since I’ll have to travel to my clients’ sites. During my internship, I was able to use my technical background, but I learned so much by talking to other departments. For example, I learned about the accounting department and got to understand their language. I’m really looking forward to having that multidisciplinary environment again.