Second, it is important not to become daunted by other employees’ titles and job rankings. Remember that everyone is human and most are working to support themselves and their families. Most people will be glad to talk to you and even mentor you if you just ask them. This is also a great way to build friendships with people who you may not normally interact with.

Finally, go out of your way to help anyone who has extra work. There will always be extra assignments to do, and you will learn a great deal by assisting other people with their tasks. You may not get everything correct, but your colleagues will remember your honest efforts to assist them.

Throughout my internship, I found myself constantly relying on the knowledge I gained throughout my first three years of college. Since I worked with J2EE, the programming skills I learned in CS139 and CS239 allowed me to understand all of the source code I read through. In CS345, I gained a basic understanding of the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which I used while reverse engineering the Settlement system. CS240 was also important, because it enhanced my knowledge of common algorithms that were used in the program.

However, the greatest advantage I gained from previous classes was learning how to quickly adapt to new concepts. Even though I took two semesters of Java, there were many new aspects that I learned throughout the summer. When I talked with other JMU computer science interns at Freddie Mac, they explained that CS349 is very beneficial for learning advanced Java techniques. Yet even without having taken CS349, I still felt that I could learn advanced concepts quickly because of my strong fundamental knowledge of Java.

There are also various Java and other certifications that are available to advance your knowledge of the field. At Freddie Mac, these certifications appeared more as prerequisites for positions rather than a way to get ahead. For senior programmer positions, there are some Sun certifications that are required. However, no one that I talked to during my internship ever mentioned certifications as truly important unless you are looking to specialize in one area.

Although I would not recommend obtaining certifications until they are required, I believe a good way to get ahead while still in school is taking business classes. I took macroeconomics and business law as electives during my first three years. In the financial industry, even if you are a programmer, understanding financial concepts will greatly enhance your perspective. Unless I had a basic understanding of business aspects of the company, I would not have been as effective in my assignments. Therefore, I recommend taking business classes as electives as a good way to get ahead while still in college.

Continue to Section 5: Internship Value or return to the Table of Contents