Interested in a brand-name company like Ann Taylor?

…get your foot in the door through a post-grad internship! Below is how 2017 grad, Ashley Latimer, landed on the site merchandising team for Ann Taylor.

Ashley Latimer

BS Marketing & Global Perspectives, Minor IDCC

Assistant Site Merchandiser, Ann Taylor

Getting your first job is not easy. As a Bentley student, you probably have high expectations of what you see yourself doing post-grad and the salary that goes along with it. I was actively looking for full-time marketing positions all year long, while my fellow peers in accounting and finance, already had jobs lined up (at least it felt that way). In February, my friend heard of a networking event happening at Ann Inc. in NYC and we made the decision to go. We found out when we got there, that it was mainly targeted for their internship program, but I decided to apply anyway. A few weeks later I had an interview and then an offer to intern with the Digital Marketing Team for Ann Taylor.

Accepting the internship post-grad was a great way to get my foot in the door. Of the 30 interns, about half of us had graduated from undergrad.The internship program at Ann Inc. is very structured with executive presentations, events and a group project. It was a great experience because I got to know the culture and the people who worked there before committing to a full-time position. I now work as a freelance Assistant Site Merchandiser for Ann Taylor, coming full circle in the digital environment with the brand.

I’ve learned that when searching for your first job upon graduating, understand what you value in the workplace and look for that. Internships are a great way to test the water before jumping in.

By Amanda Helfand
Amanda Helfand Senior Assistant Director, Undergraduate Career Services