This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nick Rutherford, a recent University of Pennsylvania graduate, who interned at JPMorgan Private Bank and is starting at Unilever this fall. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his offer letters.
I didn’t have a career plan sketched out before joining university. I wasn’t passionate about math or science and thought that I would end up going to law school at the end of my bachelors.
I majored in political science but took classes at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Being around career-focused students who always talked about their résumés and internships challenged me to start caring about those things.
I tried out a variety of internships in college: I worked at a non-profit media outlet, an advertising company, and a think tank.
My strategy has always been to add…
