Internships Help Clarify Career Goals

Maxwell Kangkolo, an NC State Poole College of Management senior majoring in business administration with a concentration in finance and minors in international studies and economics, has been learning about career paths in the finance industry through several internships.

“I hope one day to own my own business but I’m not sure in what industry or field,” he stated in an electronic interview with Poole College communications. The idea of doing some consulting work appeals to him, because it “offers flexibility and the opportunity to learn various industries. This might help me figure out what industry I will pursue in regards to starting my own business.”

Currently, Kangkolo is in an internship working as a research analyst for C.J. Harris & Company in Raleigh, a position he has had since March 2012. In this role, he evaluates data from companies’ financial statements. “From this analysis, we can determine the intrinsic value of a company and then market this company to other firms that are looking to acquire companies like the one we have evaluated or in a similar industry,” he said.

Kangkolo previously had internships with Nealiko, as a trading intern, and in NC State’s Office of Business and Finance.

His current role “has given me a better understanding of the various financial statements which I have previously dealt with in my other internships,” he said.

Kangkolo learned about the internship “from a friend who worked there,” reflecting the value of networking.

He chose his current position “because it was an opportunity that gave me a lot of hands-on experience and a significant role in business activities within the corporation.” The responsibility is helping him to learn by doing, which he said he believes is the best way to learn. “So far I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the business of mergers and acquisitions,” he said.

Acclimating to the environment wasn’t difficult, he said, because of it is not a large company. “The main thing is not being afraid to ask for help if you need it. It is better to have someone teach you the proper way to do things than to do something incorrectly,” he said.

He encourages other students to pursue challenging internships. “Internships are an excellent opportunity for trial runs in a particular field to see if it could be a potential career post graduation. Even if it turns out to be an internship that you don’t enjoy you can always take something of value from the experience.”

Kangkolo also is a member of Poole College’s Personal Finance Club, and went to New York’s Wall Street district last year. Guest speakers in the club’s meetings and other activities have helped him to learn more about finance and to meet others also interested in this field. About the .New York trip, he said, “New York is one of the financial capitals of the world. It gave me and others the opportunity to see firsthand how the day to day activities of Wall Street and to gain more knowledge on a potential career. The main things I took away (from the experience) is that life on Wall Street is very demanding. You have to make sure that you appropriately structure yourself to have good balance in your life.”

A native of Raleigh, N.C., Kangkolo graduated from Broughton High School.