The pressure of starting a first job out of college is real. Will your coursework translate to a professional environment? Are you vying for the right position for you?
Gaining experience and direction in a well-respected internship program can be invaluable.
“At Principal®, the internship program is carefully crafted to provide a professional development experience—helping students or recent grads develop the skills to take on full-time work and contribute in positive ways,” says Ruby M., a leader in the program. “Interns also have room to foster connections, both with each other and our company.”
How does that play out in the day-to-day? See what Principal interns have to say about their projects, mentors, and career paths.
Real projects, real impact
Our internships aren’t about filling coffee orders. “We take steps to ensure interns get meaningful work experiences,” Ruby says. When a team makes a request to bring on an intern, they must build a case for what kind of work the intern will be doing and show a pipeline for them to potentially earn full-time employment in the future.
This approach empowers interns to learn and contribute. “The one thing I really wanted out of this internship was to feel challenged,” says Elaine W., a software engineering intern. “To me, that’s important for the work to feel fulfilling. I’ve definitely been challenged, in a good way. Obviously there are some things from my classes that I'm applying, but for the most part, I’m learning new technologies, which is fun for me.”
Brayden R., an investments intern in an eight-month co-op, echoes this: “You think in an internship that they’re going to hand you a project that doesn’t mean anything. But just a few weeks in, they were handing me live deals.”
Access to supportive leaders and mentors
Of course, interns aren’t working alone. Every intern is assigned a leader as well as a mentor to guide, challenge, and support them.
This is crucial for interns navigating their new roles. “I don’t want to be a wheel spinning at my desk,” Brayden says, “so whenever I’m not sure about something, I’ll go to my mentor. She’s good at giving me resources. I never have a question go unanswered.”
And more broadly, our interns have access to leaders across the company through collaborative projects, networking opportunities, and a more formal speaker series.
A pathway to a future career
Beyond the day-to-day, interning is about getting on track for the future, right? While no one is promised a full-time job, Principal does consider the internship program a pipeline for entry-level hiring. We invest in early career opportunities and are one of Forbes’ 2024 best employers for new grads.
Why? We have a culture of internal mobility, with many opportunities to move around and grow within the company. “Many people have been here 15 or 20 years and have had several roles,” Ruby says. “Showing the interns that gives them a cool perspective on what they could do here.”
Fun fact: Our current chief financial officer and one of our past chief executive officers started out at Principal as interns.
“I think Principal is a really great place to discover what you want to do with your career,” Elaine says. “I'm working with actuaries and project managers—people in totally different fields—and seeing what kind of roles they play. Having that exposure is important.”
Brayden adds that he didn’t realize how many career paths people could take within his field. “The leaders set you up for opportunities,” he says. “They don’t prepare you just for a single path; they encourage networking throughout all areas.”
All in all, the program is designed for students to have meaningful experiences. Ruby’s advice for current and future interns?: “You’ll get as much out of this experience as you put into it. Take advantage of your time at Principal by putting yourself out there. Get out of your comfort space, because you never know who you’ll meet.”
Hear from other 2024 interns
