Intern Feature: Kevin Dunne

I am doing a Housekeeping Internship with Marriott at The St. Regis New York.

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS OPPORTUNITY?

I heard about this opportunity from many different outlets. There are numerous other HTM students who I had spoken to about what internships and externships they did. In addition to word of mouth, I learned more about this opportunity when Marriott was on campus holding an information session where they covered all the details for applying and what the internship would entail.

WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE AND WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

My experience has been incredible. I have learned so much about such an important department in a hotel's operation. The management team in this Housekeeping Department have been amazing to work with and full of knowledge. They are great at providing me with challenging projects to better my skills and knowledge of a hotel. The experience from this internship will be invaluable for me as I continue my professional development and my career after graduation.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER STUDENTS?

I have a few different things I would tell students looking for advice. My advice for the application and pre-internship stage would be to attend any information sessions the company is having. After the info session, it is a good idea to go up to the recruiter and thank them for their time and maybe ask them any questions you have. This will certainly help you stay on their radar and make them remember you. While you are applying for the internship, be sure to go to the Chase Career Center and have them look at your resume and cover letter. This will absolutely help make your file stand out and be the best it can be.

My advice for when you are doing the internship would be to take on new and challenging projects. If you find yourself with any "free time," ask your supervisor if there is anything you can assist with. If they don't have anything at that time but you notice something you think could use some work, suggest it and take the lead on it. This can be something as simple as reorganizing a file cabinet. They will remember the act of you stepping up, and that is what matters most. My top piece of advice would simply be to act as sponge and ask questions. Take everything in and listen very closely to conversations. You will be surprised how much you will pick up just from that.