William Kirshbom is from Charlotte, North Carolina and uses he/his pronouns. He is a freshman who is currently business undecided but is considering Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship Innovation and Technology, with a minor in Spanish. 

William will be interning for Hershey in the summer of 2023.

We asked William to share both her internship and Pamplin experiences with us.

How did you find your internship? What is your title and what will you do for them? 

I found my internship on LinkedIn, and I was accepted for the Operations Planning Internship at Hershey's Stuardsdraft facility. Here are the responsibilities for the job, I copied them off of the links in the portal.

  • Work with vendors to confirm delivery appointments for ingredients and packaging materials.
  • Assist in managing an accurate inventory for ingredients and packaging materials.
  • Learn how to develop and communicate detailed production schedules.
  • Provide input and analysis to assist in optimizing long-term planning strategies for operations.
  • Support the Operations Planning team with detailed analytics regarding inventories and ordering processes.
  • Analyze volume and performance reporting and identify trends and opportunity areas.
  • Other duties as assigned.

What do you think will be your favorite part about the internship?

I think my favorite part of this internship will be challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and apply what I have learned to address real-world scenarios. I also got a great impression of the staff through my interviewers, they seemed like really nice people, and provided me with some great interviewing feedback when I asked them at the end. All in all, I am looking forward to a sweet new adventure!

What type of student would you recommend to apply to this internship and why?

Any student that is seeking to practice organizational and strategic thinking skills should consider this internship. Communication and organization skills were particularly valued by employers, but this opportunity is perfect for freshmen. The interviewers said that I could shadow almost any department in the factory, even tour the production line. I think this is a great fit for business undecided freshman because the employers are flexible and willing to go out of their way to expose you to different aspects of the business world like HR, supply chain management, BIT, Accounting, and strategic planning. I fully intend to use my on-the-job experience to help inform my final decision for my major.

How was the recruitment process?

I would say that my overall experience was very rewarding, applying to the internships was not as daunting as I originally thought after I sat down and started working my way through them. The interview was also quite relaxed, I predicted several of the questions ahead of time and came ready with specific stories ready to tell the interviewers. They were also quite understanding and were kind enough to offer me feedback at the end when I asked.

What do you want to do after graduation? 

No idea, the future is bright, and I am going to figure it out along the way. I was originally planning on pursuing a career in the foreign service with the state department, but I am open to whatever opportunities come my way.

What advice would you give to an incoming Pamplin freshman?

Reach out to mentors and just throw darts at the wall, you will get a great internship if you keep trying, I applied to at least 30. Know that you can do it if you really want it. I also recommend having a firm grasp of your resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills. Resources are available through Pamplin such as resume workshops, interview practice, and people like Professor Cordova and Professor Poff to provide guidance. They have my gratitude for being excellent coaches during my internship search process. Make effective use of your time and just get it done. 

What is your favorite part about being a management and or Pamplin student?

I really enjoy the flexibility the management department has to offer me, especially in my interest areas of human-centric problem-solving. I like that it prepares me with the problem-solving techniques and mindset needed to tackle any problem that I encounter, and the humility needed to organize a team to solve said problems.

What is your LinkedIn?

William Kirshbom | LinkedIn

 

If any, what organizations are you in and what do you enjoy about them?

The most relevant student organization I am a part of is the Model United Nations Club at Virginia Tech, and I lend the team credit for much of the success that I had in this internship process. There, we practice public speaking and interpersonal speaking skills that are essential for interviews. We also practice writing technical documents and collaborating with others to find solutions to global problems ranging from environmental sustainability to nuclear disarmament. We are also a supportive group of friends that are welcoming of newcomers, so come by if interested! We meet on Mondays in NCB 210 at 7:30 PM for now.

VT MUN group me: https://groupme.com/join_group/70671988/m57MCChQ

VT MUN Instagram: https://instagram.com/vtmodelun?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=