My Most Important Project

This year has held a lot of firsts for me. First time living in New York City, first real corporate job, first real HR role, and the first time I have felt like I am not performing at super-star level. I started my internship with GE at NBC Universal with a few great plans, and after almost two months of work, I have turned those great plans into more vague and convoluted plans. But I haven't really produced anything.

But now that I have just passed the halfway point, the panic has started to set in. What am I going to do if I can't present something awesome, something awe inspiring, something worthy of a job offer? I am starting to wonder if I am going to have anything to show, or if I will end up like the comic Brian Regan, standing in front of the CEO with a cup of dirt. "So tell me about your project, Kelsey." "Uh, it's a cup of dirt. Can I go home now?"

So I did what any intelligent MBA would do; I talked to another MBA student, because I realized A) they had already been through this and B) we are pretty good at validating each other. This wise MBA grad gave me some good advice. "They're not expecting you to revolutionize the company, they just want you to make an effort to fit in. They want to see you talking to people and making friends. So start talking and quit stressing."

I quickly realized that the most important part of an internship is actually a continuation of what we learn during recruiting. It's all about the networking. You can't neglect the power of relationships, even when projects and mangers and deadlines seem to be staring you in the face. In the end, it is the people you meet that will make your internship experience, not the projects you did or didn't complete. In the long run, no one will really remember what you did, and that's a very good thing when you are standing up there holding a cup of dirt. But if you have built lasting relationships, then you will have nailed your internship.

—Kelsey Harris, Class of 2011, OB/HR

Interning at: GE at NBC Universal

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CNBC-Mormon Mission Biz

Here's "A look at successful Mormon business leaders, with CNBC's Erin Burnett.

There are a lot of comments we could make about this video, but we would rather hear your comments. The only thing that we want to say is this--"While not every missionary may know what an iPad is, we can reassure you that EVERY student, Mormon or non-Mormon, in the BYU MBA program knows what an iPad is!"

-Blog Staff

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